Naked Science Forum

On the Lighter Side => Famous Scientists, Doctors and Inventors => Topic started by: science_guy on 23/04/2008 16:07:12

Title: well, the whole forum tells me this is what it's about...
Post by: science_guy on 23/04/2008 16:07:12

below the "famous people" forum, it asks the question "who invented the can opener"

this is misleading, because I havn't seen a single thread on that topic.

needless to say, this has made me infinitely curious: who DID invent the can-opener?

Title: well, the whole forum tells me this is what it's about...
Post by: another_someone on 23/04/2008 16:25:33

Presumably, the same guy who invented the can - there is very little point in an unopenable can, and little point in a can-opener without there being a can to open.

Title: well, the whole forum tells me this is what it's about...
Post by: science_guy on 24/04/2008 03:47:54

well that certainly does two things:

1)it answers my question
2)it raises a second one: who invented the can?

Title: well, the whole forum tells me this is what it's about...
Post by: Make it Lady on 24/04/2008 11:01:22

William Lyman invented the can opener in about 1870. Not sure about the can though.

Title: well, the whole forum tells me this is what it's about...
Post by: rosy on 24/04/2008 23:32:13

I believe cans were invented earlier than can openers since they can in practice be opened with a knife. This is just about possible even with modern cans and as I understand it the early cans were softer (and more poisonous..).