Weekly Recess

Before Radar: How Giant Acoustic Mirrors Detected Enemy Aircraft in WWI and WWII

Posted on August 10, 2025 (August 10, 2025) by weeklyrecess_admin

Long before radar revolutionized air defense, enormous acoustic mirrors and specialized sound locators stood as the first line of defense against enemy aircraft. Designed as giant “ears,” these structures amplified distant engine noises, allowing operators to detect incoming planes by sound alone. Dive into the intriguing world of these pioneering listening devices, their operation, limitations, and enduring legacy in military history. […]

Kodak Invented the Digital Camera in 1975 but Hid It to Protect Film Sales

Posted on July 21, 2025 (July 20, 2025) by weeklyrecess_admin

Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975 but hid the invention because they feared it would Jeopardize Photographic Film sales. […]

LEGO Braille Bricks: Revolutionizing Braille Learning Through Play and Inclusion

Posted on April 23, 2025 (April 21, 2025) by weeklyrecess_admin

go Braille Bricks were launched in 2020 to help visually impaired children learn Braille through play. Each brick features the Braille alphabet and is fully compatible with standard Lego sets, allowing sighted peers to join in, fostering inclusivity and collaboration in learning environments. […]

The Accidental Birth of Super Glue: Dr. Harry Coover’s WWII Discovery

Posted on February 28, 2025 (February 26, 2025) by weeklyrecess_admin

Dr. Harry Coover was trying to develop clear plastic for gun sights during WWII when he accidentally created cyanoacrylate, an extremely strong adhesive. Initially dismissed, it was later marketed as Super Glue in the 1950s. […]

Sylvan Goldman: The Visionary Who Revolutionized Shopping with the Cart

Posted on January 19, 2025 by weeklyrecess_admin

The inventor of shopping carts, Sylvan Goldman, had to hire several male and female models to push carts around in his store, demonstrate their utility, and explain their use to other customers, due to not catching on initially. […]

how Ferris wheel invented

Posted on April 22, 2024 (May 17, 2024) by weeklyrecess_admin

In 1891, Chicago challenged engineers to create a structure to surpass the Eiffel Tower for the World’s Columbian Exposition. George Washington Gale Ferris jr. responded with the original Ferris Wheel, a giant rotating structure elevating visitors above the city. This invention became an iconic attraction at the fair. […]

Kenyan Innovator Creates Smart Gloves That Translate Sign Language Into Audible Speech

Posted on April 17, 2024 (May 17, 2024) by weeklyrecess_admin

In 2023, a Kenyan inventor Roy Allela invented smart gloves that can convert sign language movements into audio speech, for his six years old niece who was born deaf. […]

chand baori stepwell in Rajasthan India, Ancient cooling technique

Posted on December 1, 2023 (May 15, 2024) by weeklyrecess_admin

This Chand Baori stepwell in Rajasthan, India is over 1200 years old. It’s called Chand Baori. The air at the bottom of the well is 5-6 degrees cooler than at the surface, so in addition to being a water source, it was used as a community gathering place where locals could escape the heat. […]

How Dmitri Mendeleev Developed the periodic table of the elements

Posted on September 29, 2023 (May 15, 2024) by weeklyrecess_admin

1850 Dmitri Mendeleev walked almost a thousand miles to Moscow so he could apply for the University of Moscow. Although he was not accepted, he walked to St. Petersburg where he was accepted, And with that education, he developed the the periodic table of the elements […]

Louis Le Prince Invented the motion picture camera, and then he mysteriously disappeared

Posted on June 14, 2023 (May 15, 2024) by weeklyrecess_admin

Louis Le Prince, the inventor of motion pictures, vanished without a trace in 1890. Thomas Edison quickly claimed the title of “first and sole inventor of cinema,” even taking Le Prince’s son to court to dispute it. A few years later, the son also dies under mysterious circumstances. […]