INVENTORS

Inventor Elijah McCoy is may or may not be "The Real McCoy."

Who Is 'The Real McCoy'?

The popularity of the surname McCoy makes it difficult to pinpoint one origin on the phrase, but here are the leading theories.

A Teenage Inventor May Have Solved the Problem of Car Blindspots

Trying to see around a car pillar can be frustrating. Thanks to a Pennsylvania teen, we might not have to deal with it for much longer.

Left: Library of Congress, Wikimedia Commons; Right: Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

When Thomas Edison Tried Besting Nikola Tesla by Building a "Spirit Phone"

One of Thomas Edison's final inventions was a machine he built to contact spirits—and to show up his rival Nikola Tesla one last time.

Thomas Edison

Inventor Thomas Edison's life was about more than just the light bulb. Find out more about this 20th-century trailblazer.

Franz Reichelt is now remembered as the "flying tailor."

6 Inventors Killed by Their Own Inventions

From the man who died because of a failed parachute suit to the daredevil who perished in a stunt gone wrong, sometimes brilliance comes with a price.

A photo of inventor Thomas Edison, who was born in Milan, Ohio, on February 11, 1847.

17 of the World’s Oldest Films, Captured by Thomas Edison

From the first recording of a kiss to the greatest cat video on the internet, Thomas Edison captured the history of America.

English actress Jenny Hanley shows off her Frisbee skills in 1971.

How an Empty Dessert Plate Inspired the Frisbee

On January 23, 1957, the Wham-O toy company began producing their first Frisbees. But the flying plaything's history goes back even 20 years earlier, to a couple of bored teenagers.