Q: What’s Isaac Newton’s Greatest Household Invention?

Part of: mental_floss Question of the Day

A: Ask mom and dad, or your physics professor, and they might have a different answer for you, but for the pet-loving folks at mental_floss the answers got to be: the cat flap. That’s right. While everyone knows Sir Isaac Newton created classical mechanics, the system of laws governing physical bodies (also known as Newtonian Physics), not everyone’s aware that the most influential scientist in history was also responsible for that most convenient of pet entrances.

Yup, that same little flap on your door that lets Mr. Tiddles in and out without your having to lift a thumb came straight from Newton’s mind.

Admittedly, while the cat flap has endured with relatively little change, Newtonian physics, has been tweaked a bit. While it remained the only genre of physics for several hundred years, Einstein, Planck, Bohr, Heisenberg and a merry band of scientists proved that many of Newton’s ideas were, well, a little off. Pretty soon quantum mechanics became the (physics) law of the land - which only strengthens our endorsement of the cat flap!

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Article comments

  • 1 - duane

    Feb 23, 2007 at 1:07 pm

    I think he also invented Tupperware.

  • 2 - Ruvy in Jerusalem

    Feb 24, 2007 at 1:50 pm

    Duane,

    I sold Tupperware, not "Newtonware"...

    Some shmendrik named Tupper invented Tupperware for his wife's convenience back in the year before I was born...

  • 3 - Mark Valentine

    Mar 29, 2008 at 5:52 am

    NICE WORK MORE INFORMATION PLEASE

  • 4 - Long John Silver

    Jul 03, 2008 at 8:22 pm

    UR all a pack of retards

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