Most people don’t like to poison rats and mice. They’d rather just chase them away.
Edward Markoff and Joseph Barad of Providence, Rhode Island, were certain they had found the perfect answer to household rats and mice when they invented a new trap in 1908.
This “better mousetrap” was very special. When a rat or mouse stuck its head in the trap to see what was inside, a strap was suddenly fastened around its neck. Attached to the strap was a bell. Startled, the rat would run. The faster it ran, the louder the bell would ring.
Terrified, the rat would run to its nest. There it would meet other rats, who would also become terrified of the ringing bell. Soon all the rats in the neighborhood would be gone, driven away by the sound of a tinkling bell.
Purchasers of the “bell-trap” were assured that the little strap carrying the bell would not break, because the rat’s hairs were sure to grow around it, making its hold on the rat stronger and stronger.
Related Posts
-
How do Carnivorous Plants like the Venus Fly Trap Catch and Trap Bugs for Food?
Carnivorous plants catch bugs in the same way that flowers attract bees, with color and smell. However, a carnivorous plant also has a mechanism that traps the bug once it lands. In the…
-
Who Invented the First Computer Mouse and How Did the Mouse Get Its Name?
The first computer mouse was invented by Douglas Engelbart in the early 1960s. Douglas Engelbart was Director of the Stanford Research Institute's Augmentation Research Center, located in Menlo Park. The mouse has been…
-
How did Taco Bell get its name and Who was Taco Bell named after?
Would you believe Taco Bell was named after a guy named Glen Bell? The "Bell" in Taco Bell is the founder's last name. The whole mission bell motif was a fortunate by-product, especially…
-
What does the expression “rings a bell” mean and Where does “to ring a bell” originate?
The expression "rings a bell" means: To start a train of recollection; to strike a familiar chord; also, to appeal to one, to strike one's fancy. Partridge, in A Dictionary of Slang, says…
-
Why Is a Greenhouse Warm and How Does a Greenhouse Trap Heat?
Greenhouses, sometimes called hothouses or glasshouses, are always naturally warmer, without any artificial heating. But believe it or not, the main reason is not what everybody refers to as "the greenhouse effect." A…
