Curved Barrel Machine Gun, 1953
The 20th century saw many astounding technological innovations. The automobile revolutionized the way people live and work, the internet changed the way people think about information, and the U.S. of A put a man on the moon. But some technological advances that came in the earlier part of the 20th centry weren't exactly meant for the history books. Because they were stupid. Take, for example, this M3 sub-machine gun with a curved barrel for shooting around corners. It's the perfect gun for the "shoot first, look where you're shooting later" kind of guy.
Photo: Keystone/Getty Images 
Anti-Bandit Bag, 1963
Inventor John H T Rinfret demonstrates his anti-bandit bag. To foil thieves the chain is pulled and the bottom of the case falls out so the contents are scattered over the floor. That'll stop those thieves from getting at the contents of your bag! No, wait. It won't.
Photo: Fred Mott/Getty Images 
Hubbard Electrometer, 1968
American science fiction writer and founder of the Church of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard uses his Hubbard Electrometer to determine whether tomatoes experience pain, 1968. His work led him to the conclusion that tomatoes "scream when sliced."
Photo: Evening Standard/Getty Images
Cup Bras, 1949
Charles L. Langs poses with his strapless, backless, wireless, support-less bras. His wife is justifiably dubious.
Photo: Nina Leen/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
Finnish Portable Sauna, 1962 Photo: Yale Joel/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
Baby Cage, 1937
A nanny supervising a baby suspended in a wire cage attached to the outside of a high tenement block window. The cages were distributed to members of the Chelsea Baby Club in London who have no gardens, or qualms about putting a child in a box dangling over a busy street.
Photo: Reg Speller/Getty Images 
Laryngaphone, 1929 A man at a shipping exhibition in Olympia, London, demonstrating the ''Laryngaphone, '' a noise-excluding telephone which only transmits vibrations from the vocal chords when the microphone is placed against the throat or cheek. For the man who wants to annoy both his wife and his mistress
Photo: S. R. Gaiger/Getty Images 
Motorized Surfboard, 1948
Hollywood inventor Joe Gilpin riding his motorized surfboard.
Photo: Peter Stackpole./Time Life Pictures/Getty Images 
Rainy Day Cigarette Holder, 1954
President of Zeus Corp., Robert L. Stern, smoking a cigarette from his self-designed rainy day cigarette holder.
Photo: YALE JOEL 
Rocket Belt, 1961
Engineer Harold Graham salutes President Kennedy after demonstrating Rocket Belt for him.
Photo: John Loengard./Time Life Pictures/Getty Images 
Honegar, 1959
Inventor of a honey and vinegar mixture, called Honegar, Dr. DeForest C. Jarvis. Honegar was said to be a folk remedy for aches and pains, though it mainly sounds like a cure for lack of nausea.
Photo: Fritz Goro./Time Life Pictures/Getty Images 
Illuminated Tires, 1961
A woman adjusts her stocking by the light of the Goodyear's illuminated tires. The tire is made from a single piece of synthetic rubber and is brightly lit by bulbs mounted inside the wheel rim.
Photo: Douglas Miller/Getty Images 
Shower Hood, 1970
For the woman who likes to put makeup on her dirty face.
Photo: Keystone/Getty Images 
Cigarette Pack Holder, 1955 Photo: Jacobsen/Getty Images
Fast-Draw Robot, 1960
Robot equipped with fast-draw invention shoots it out with live gunner. It's always easy to question the wisdom of giving a robot a gun, but also making him quick on the draw is just irresponsible.
Photo: J. R. Eyerman./Time Life Pictures/Getty Images 
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