300%

The increase in total utility patent applications (all origins) in the past 20 full years, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. There were 195,187 such applications in 1996 and 589,410 in 2015. The number of applications has increased every year during the past two decades with the exception of 2009 (215 fewer than in 2008). Applications have increased by more than
99,000 in the past five full years.

Wunderkinds

As 14-year-old Sarah Buckel finished her last year at Central Catholic Middle School in Du Bois, Pa., and was taking down her locker decorations, she wondered whether there was an alternative to scraping adhesive and tape residue off the inside of her locker. She had an idea.

She also had a father who was chief operating officer at MagnaCard, which makes magnetic business products. She asked him to make magnetic wallpaper for her. The invention stuck. Soon the decorations were patented and sold at Target, Rite Aid and Staples, making $1 million in sales the first year. Her dad bought MagnaCard, where she’s now a graphic designer at age 24.

What IS that?

Taking a power nap at your desk can be tempting and even beneficial—except that your head is hard and the desk is, too. The Original Authentic Ostrich Pillow, by Studio Banana Things, basically turns your head into a pillow. It’s also handy for travelers. “Do not smoke while using this product,” Amazon.com says. Duh.

They wrote

In 2010, the British Broadcasting Corp. asked young students to post their responses to the question, “What inventions would make school life easier?” These select responses from 9- to 14-year-olds in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales affirm that kids everywhere usually have similar priorities.

“I think it would be AWESOME if there was an anti-bullying badge that everyone had to wear, and if it picked up any signs of bullying, it would report it to the head.”

“An invisible calculator!”

“We could all have these machines that helped you with the questions and the answers. I would call it the Great Machine.”

“I wouldn’t want any ‘high-tech gadgets,’ I prefer things the way they are. I learn fine with my pen and paper.”

“It’s GOT to be a homework machine!”