Which company employed the engineer whose radar research accidentally led to the invention of the microwave oven in 1945?

General Knowledge

In 1945, what food item melted in a Raytheon engineer's pocket while he stood near an active radar set, sparking the invention of the microwave oven?

The microwave oven was invented by accident when a Raytheon engineer's chocolate bar melted near a radar machine in 1945.

General Knowledge

What existing communication system inspired Norman Woodland to design the barcode's pattern of bars?

The barcode was inspired by Morse code. Inventor Norman Woodland thought: dots and dashes could become wide and narrow bars.

General Knowledge

What optical instrument did the inventor of Velcro use to closely study the burrs stuck to his dog's fur?

Velcro was invented by a Swiss engineer who noticed burrs stuck to his dog after a hunting trip and examined them under a microscope.

General Knowledge

Which planet in our solar system has the most confirmed moons?

Saturn's moon Titan has lakes and rivers — but they're filled with liquid methane, not water, making it the only world besides Earth with stable surface liquids.

General Knowledge

What is the only planet in our solar system that rotates on its side, with an axial tilt of about 98 degrees?

Uranus rotates so far on its side that its poles experience 42 continuous years of sunlight followed by 42 years of darkness.

General Knowledge

For how much did Walter Hunt sell the rights to his 1849 safety pin patent?

The safety pin was patented in 1849 by a New York inventor who sold the patent rights for $400 to pay off a debt.