Oh, the pity of it! Why has nobody taken up the devices contained in Great
British Inventions, compiled by Mark Tanner? We could have said farewell to
soggy cornflakes, consulted educational gloves, slipped a travelling toothbrush
on one finger and had a comfortable and water-saving shower from a ring with
holes in it slipped over the head. The inflatable chamber pot symbolises a lost
life of the utmost convenience. A more easeful death could have been
ours—a head support for use in a coffin. Published by Fourth Estate,
£5.99, ISBN 1857027345.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
A type of fibre that stimulates GLP-1 release approved for use in food
2
Babies are born with the neural foundations for maths
3
The weirdness of neutrinos could completely rewrite particle physics
4
The world's fastest spider tops 3.5 metres per second
5
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
6
What is 'SpudCell'? Arguably the greatest bioengineering feat yet
7
The best new science-fiction novels published in July 2026
8
We’ve uncovered a master gene that switches on human development
9
We’re not the most successful human species
10
Slowdown of AMOC ocean current may be gradual and reversible
