They say that necessity is the mother of invention; but has anything ever been invented before it was needed?

Question

I can think of a few examples, but i am looking for more:

Riemann geometry: invented in 1854 but not used until applied to Relativity by Minkowski in the early 20th century

Boolean logic: invented 1847, but not used until the computer age.

Stirling engine: invented 1817, but only now coming into its own as the prime mover in domestic combined heat and power schemes.

Two of these are mathematical tools, and so might not be classed as real "Inventions". The third hasn't really taken off yet. Has anyone got any better examples of a "Motherless invention"?

Answer 1

The rectifying vacuum tube, forerunner of all modern transistors and computer chips.

Edison invented and patented the tube, noting it's properties, but not recognizing its potential and then put it on the shelf.  Years later it was adapted in early electronics to amplify signals - enabling the radio to convert weak modulated radio waves into full, rich sound with a volume control.  

Answer 2

The tin can was invented and used for almost 15 years before someone invented a can opener.

While dissolving ferric oxide in a beaker of mild sulpher acid an electrical discharge was observed when a copper rod was passed over the beaker. This lead to the invention of the Modern Auto Battery but was not used for almost 50 years because no use could be found for the invention of a portable electrical storage device.

Answer 3

"Motherless invention"; what a lovely expression!

How about holograms?

"Holography was invented in 1947 by Hungarian physicist Dennis Gabor (Hungarian name: Gábor Dénes) (1900–1979),[ work for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1971."(Wikipedia), but it didn't become really useful until the development of the laser, and of refined multilayer printing techniques, one of which is necessary to make the method useful.

A.C. Clarke invented the concept of the communications satellite in  geostationary orbit decades before rocket technology developed to the point of launching them.

Answer 4

How about the wheel.

Answer 5

Sure.   Teflon.

Answer 6

I recently read in a book that penicillin was discovered by accident about 30- 50 years before Fleming was credited with it, but no use was found at that stage, and the original inventor never patented it, and died in poverty.

Can't remember the details, but the book is soucred below, and is (funnily enough!) a "quite interesting" read.

All the best

Answer 7

Lasers were developed - at that time there was no really known application for them

Answer 8

Double bass drums. Invented in the 50s by a jazz drummer Loui Bellson, not really needed until the appearance of heavy metal.

Answer 9

Need is a relative term!  Anyway, I've got one or two, but they're top secret!  Inventions/ideas/innovations, sometimes there's a blurred distinction between them.

Anyway, I can't really answer the question, cause my answer is top secret!

Note: it was the widespread prevalence of slavery and cheap labour that retarded the pursuit of many inventions for thousands of years.  Firstly, because there wasn't so much "need", when you could get a slave to do the job for you.  Secondly, because the many slaves and down trodden did not have the time, energy or authority to spend their time inventing stuff themselves!

Answer 10

Heron and the steam engine. 100 CE. Was not used commercially for over 1500 years.

Laziness, not necessity, is the mother of invention.