Back in the 19th century, people had to take long trips on trains for various reasons. There was no internet or phones at the time, so the only way to do business and make money involved a lot of excessive traveling. Steamer trunks were extremely popular back then, as people would often find themselves on the road for months at a time.
This brilliant steamer trunk was made in the 1800s and had a revolutionary feature that saved you from having to unpack everything once you arrived at your destination. It basically extended into a fully-sized stand-up dresser. Invention truly is the mother of necessity.
These Shoes From Almost 2,000 Years Ago
A body was discovered in 1900 by a man who originally hailed from Damendorf, Germany. The body was aptly referred to as the Damendorf Man, although what was left of it can't exactly be called a man anymore. Almost everything was gone except for the man's jewelry and garments.
The Damendorf Man's shoes were preserved in perfect condition, and they were clearly hand-made from leather. These shoes show us what sandals might have looked like back then, as they attempt to cover the feet while still leaving air holes for breathability. They were studied by many researchers and even helped historians make a few new discoveries.
This 1,000-Year-Old Buddha Statue
Monks have been known to perform near-superhuman feats of mind control on more than one occasion. In 2015, researchers in the Netherlands were stunned when they discovered what is perhaps the greatest monk prank of all time.
More than 1,000 years ago, one monk decided to drink a highly poisonous tea to appear dead in a full lotus position. He was then turned into a real-life mummy. The dead monk was then cast into a statue and remained hidden inside it for almost twenty generations. If that’s not a true show of dedication, willpower, and commitment, we don’t know what is.
This 1936 Stout Scarab
The Stout Scarab got much press coverage and attention during the ‘30s due to its originality as the world’s first official minivan. Unfortunately, no amount of marketing and promotion could counter the fact that it cost $5,000, which was about five times the price of your average vehicle at the time. Each one was handmade, which makes every Scarab unique.
It was designed by William Bushnell Stout, a pioneering American inventor and engineer who revolutionized the automotive and aviation fields. The first prototype for this minivan was completed in 1932, and by 1935, the car was fully functional. Only five of these remain today, with one being housed in The Detroit Historical Museum.
Buford John Schramm Designed a Single Person Helicopter in 1964
Buford John Schramm was a prolific businessman who dedicated his life to developing his own helicopters. He was born in 1938 and founded RotorWay Aircraft in 1961 to develop helicopters. One of his most famous inventions is the personal helicopter, which would eventually be called the Eagle Helicycle.
Schramm was obsessed with building an aircraft that would be affordable to anyone and almost managed to do that during his lifetime. Unfortunately, the businessman's life was cut short in 2004 when he crashed one of his own helicopters. After his passing, Schramm was inducted into the Experimental Aircraft Association Homebuilder's Hall of Fame in 2006.