What popular invention came from Mother Nature?
Velcro. Swiss-amateur inventor, George de Mestral, discovered this fastener while taking his dog for a nature hike. The two were covered in burrs. He spent the rest of the afternoon examining how the burrs stick. The well-known English word for his invention is “Velcro,” coming from de Mestral’s blend of the two French words for “velvet” and “crochet” or “hook”. Today, Velcro is found on a wide variety of outdoor equipment. From boots to tents, these outdoor products wouldn’t be the same without Mestral and his loyal companion. GPS: Retiring Compasses Everywhere! Hundreds of years ago, we relied on maps and needles floating on water. Then, we headed north with compasses and maps in hand. Finally, we are guaranteed to find our way with handheld GPS systems. These nifty devices allow you to always know where you’re going while viewing various statistics i.e. distance walked, altimeter, etc. Don’t forget extra batteries!
