1

Singing Tesla coils

In the early 2000s, engineers discovered that Tesla coils could emit tones by modulating the sparks themselves. When programmed, they could play songs using bursts of lightning as notes.

Audiences watched and listened as glowing bolts of electricity "sang" familiar tunes like movie themes. These displays, part science and part spectacle, were a short-lived trend, but they were interesting while they lasted.

Image: Brett Wharton

2

Franklin’s glass armonica

Benjamin Franklin invented many things. Among them, a glass armonica, using spinning glass bowls tuned by size . Players touched the rims with wet fingers to produce pure, haunting tones that seemed to shimmer in midair.

Its ghostly beauty amazed 18th-century audiences. Yet rumors spread that the vibrations could cause fainting or madness, making the momentum of the instrument short-lived.

Image: Karim MANJRA

3

Harry Partch’s microtonal instruments

Frustrated with the limits of Western scales, composer Harry Partch built a system using forty-three tones per octave . He crafted odd instruments from glass, bamboo, and metal to play them.

Performers had to relearn music from scratch, producing sounds that felt alien and ancient at once. His homemade orchestra became a true milestone in America’s experimental environment.

4

The theremin craze

Image: Ryunosuke Kikuno

Invented in the 1920s, the theremin created sound from invisible electromagnetic fields, played by moving hands through the air . It was one of the world’s first electronic instruments.

By the 1950s, its eerie wails filled American sci-fi movies and radio shows. Home versions soon appeared, letting living rooms buzz with strange, ghostlike melodies.

5

The Stroh violin

Back in the days when microphones were not so great at picking up sounds, early studios struggled to capture soft instruments. The Stroh violin solved that by replacing the wooden body with a brass horn that amplified sound directly .

Its brassy, nasal tone worked perfectly for primitive recording gear. Once technology advanced, the mechanical violin faded for good.

Image: Mick Haupt

6

Sun Ra’s cosmic jazz

Jazz mad scientist Sun Ra claimed he was born on Saturn and sent to Earth to spread peace through sound. His Arkestra mixed free jazz, chants, and futuristic costumes into wild multimedia performances .

Audiences never knew what to expect: space helmets, electronic keyboards, or cosmic sermons. His blend of myth, science, and swing launched Afrofuturism, a style of his own.

Image: Matt Artz

7

Singing saw

Rural American musicians once discovered that a regular handsaw could "sing" when bent and bowed like a violin . The flexible steel vibrated with a haunting, "human-like" voice.

The sound carried through old-time folk, gospel, and early film scores. Even today, the singing saw appears in grassroots festivals and soundtracks.

8

Prepared piano

Image: Andrew Petrischev

Avant-garde composer John Cage inserted screws, bolts, and rubber between piano strings, turning each key into a new percussive sound . The result was bizarre but original.

He called it the "prepared piano." Audiences heard rhythms that clanged, thumped, and chimed like a whole percussion ensemble.

9

Moog synthesizer

Image: Adi Goldstein

The Moog was born in the late 1960s with its maze of knobs and wires , and it caused a sensation among musicians. Those who experimented found endless possibilities in its electronic tones .

From the Monterey Pop Festival to Wendy Carlos’s soundtracks for The Shining and A Clockwork Orange , the Moog’s strange bleeps reshaped American pop.

10

The Singing Nun

In 1963, a Belgian nun named Sister Luc-Gabrielle unexpectedly topped U.S. charts with "Dominique," sung in gentle French. Her purity and optimism charmed listeners across the country.

Her hit briefly outshone even the Beatles. Though her fame faded quickly, the story of a shy nun reaching number one remains a sweet oddity, for sure.

Image: Pete F

11

The "Longplayer" experiment

Launched in 1999, "Longplayer" is a music piece designed to play continuously for one thousand years without repeating . It was created by American artists who joined the project to maintain its endless cycle.

The music changes subtly with time, echoing life’s slow rhythm. Its creators call it "a conversation between centuries".

12

Hard-drive symphonies

Image: Borja Verbena

In the 2010s, hobbyists reprogrammed old computer drives to "play" songs by spinning and clicking at different speeds . Each tone came from mechanical motion, not speakers.

Videos of clattering machines performing pop hits can still be found all over YouTube. These homemade orchestras turned computer nostalgia into an art.

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2

Jack In The Box

Image: Studbee

And speaking of outer space… Before Mark Hamill became Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, he once worked the drive-thru at Jack in the Box. He was quickly fired, though. Customers complained after he spoke to them using a clown-like voice.

Decades later, in 2022, Hamill reunited with the brand in a comeback ad promoting two revived fan favorites: Spicy Chicken Strips and French Toast Sticks.

3

Taco Bell

Image: PJ Gal-Szabo

The company has pulled off some interesting marketing pranks over the years, but none as unforgettable as its 1996 April Fool’s joke announcing that it had purchased the Liberty Bell.

A full-page ad ran in major newspapers announcing the purchase of the historic bell to help reduce the national debt. The "Taco Liberty Bell" joke did not land well. It caused thousands of complaints; people contacted Taco Bell and the National Park Service demanding answers. Later that day, the company confirmed the story was a hoax, and the stunt went down as one of the most memorable marketing pranks of all time.

4

Domino’s Pizza

Image: Erick Galván

Back in the ’80s, when Domino’s expanded into Japan, the company ran into a problem: there was no Japanese word for "pepperoni." And, since it was the best-selling topping in the US, they could not risk leaving that pizza out of the menu! So, the brand had to coin a Japanese word for pepperoni. They went for ペパロニ (pronounced "peparoni").

5

Pizza Hut

Image: Joshua Hoehne

Pizza Hut has always been known for some memorable marketing stunts. When Back to the Future Part II hit theaters in 1989, the chain handed out "futuristic" sunglasses with every pie. In 1995, they recruited Donald Trump and Ivana Trump to introduce their first stuffed-crust pizza.

And who could forget the time, in 2001, when they delivered the first pizza ever sent into space, straight to the International Space Station (ISS)?

6

Starbucks

Image: Gema Saputera

Starbucks is such an iconic franchise that its presence can signal rising real-estate values. Studies show that neighborhoods with a new Starbucks often experience property-price increases above the usual rate.

Another interesting tidbit about the brand: inside its stores, employees are required to avoid wearing perfume, cologne, or other strong fragrances to prevent interfering with the aroma and taste of the coffee.

7

Coca-Cola

Image: Samuel Bryngelsson

From 1886 until 1959 (over seventy years!), a 6.5-oz glass or bottle of Coca-Cola cost exactly 5 cents. The company had strategic reasons for keeping the price so low and stable.

At the time, it was easier to get customers to insert a single nickel into vending machines rather than require multiple coins. The 5-cent price helped make Coca-Cola a simple, affordable choice.

8

McDonald’s

Image: Brett Jordan

The Golden Arches giant has had a long, sometimes on-, sometimes off-, relationship with Disney. McDonald’s began doing Happy Meal tie-ins with Disney characters in 1987 to promote Disney films.

For about ten years, the partnership was exclusive, but it fell off because Disney wanted to work with other food brands, and McDonald’s with other movie studios! Today, they still share a non-exclusive alliance.

9

Wendy’s

Image: Brian J. Tromp

Wendy’s square hamburger patties weren’t an accident; the idea reportedly came from a chain called Kewpee Hamburgers, a Kalamazoo favorite known for its square-shaped burgers. Founder Dave Thomas has said that as a child, he often ate at a Kewpee, and that those square patties inspired the look and feel of Wendy’s burgers.

Thomas had always loved those because corners poking out of the bun created the impression of a larger burger and made the meat easier to see.

10

KFC

Image: Aleks Dorohovich

KFC’s legendary "11 herbs & spices" recipe is kept under tight lock and key; the company splits the production of the spice mix between different suppliers so that no single person outside knows the full formula.

However, there was a time when Colonel Sanders offered that recipe at a very affordable price: he would license the recipe to restaurant owners for just 4 to 5 cents per chicken piece sold, giving them the right to cook and sell his secret-recipe chicken themselves.

11

Betty Crocker

Image: Lalada .

Betty Crocker was never a real person. Did you know? She was invented in 1921 by the Washburn-Crosby Company as a friendly, approachable name to respond to consumer letters.

Even though she was fictional, by 1945, Fortune magazine named "Betty Crocker" the second most famous woman in America, second only to Eleanor Roosevelt.

12

M&M

Image: Pixabay

There’s a long-standing debate about America’s favorite chocolate nuggets: Do different colors of M&M’s actually taste different? While many fans swear their favorite color has a distinct flavor, the brand consistently states that the only difference between colors is their dye; all other ingredients remain the same.

That said, some people claim that mini M&M’s taste sweeter than the regular ones. Some analyses suggest that mini M&M’s have a higher candy-shell-to-chocolate ratio, which could make them taste sweeter.

13

Heinz

Image: JEFERSON GOMES

Though ketchup is by far Heinz's flagship product, that was not the first one Henry J. Heinz sold. You probably could never guess what it was that he personally started selling back in 1869!

Horseradish! The first thing he ever sold, out of his house, under his name, was horseradish and other pickled goods like vinegar, sauerkraut, and pickles. This early business laid the groundwork for the now-famous condiments empire.

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Cornhole

Image: Jon Tyson

Cornhole reigns as the king of backyard games, combining skill and strategy with just the right amount of casual fun. Originating in the Midwest , players take turns tossing bean bags at a slanted board with a hole in it. Points are scored based on where the bag lands, with a perfect shot through the hole earning the coveted "cornhole."

2

Lawn Darts

Image: Afif Ramdhasuma

Once banned for safety concerns, modern lawn darts have undergone a safety makeover, now often sporting darts with plastic tips. Players take turns throwing darts toward a target ring on the ground, with the age-old game focusing on accuracy and a steady hand, making it a favorite for those who enjoy a real challenge .

3

Bocce Ball

Image: Braedon McLeod

Hailing from ancient Rome but finding a home in American yards, bocce ball involves tossing larger balls towards a smaller target ball, or pallino . Similar to curling and other such games, the goal is to get your ball closest to the pallino, all while strategically blocking opponents' shots. It's a game of finesse and strategy, often accompanied by good-natured banter - and what good lawn game isn’t?

4

Horseshoes

Image: Meg MacDonald

Dating back to ancient Greece (through a similar game called "quoits," where iron hoops are thrown instead), horseshoes remain a staple in American backyard culture. Players aim to toss horseshoes around a metal stake, scoring points based on proximity. This game combines skill and luck, with each ringer celebrated as a triumph of accuracy and expertise.

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Croquet

Image: Troy Taylor

With origins in 19th-century England, croquet has become a refined addition to American backyard gatherings. Players use mallets to hit balls through a series of wickets arranged on the lawn, blending the gentle pace and strategic gameplay to make croquet a favorite among those who enjoy a more leisurely but still competitive game.

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Ladder Toss

Image: Meritt Thomas

Also known as ladder golf, this game involves tossing bolas (two balls connected by a string) onto a ladder-shaped structure. Points are earned based on where the bolas land—the top rung yielding the most points and the bottom the least. It's easy to learn but challenging to master, keeping players engaged for hours.

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Giant Jenga

Image: Meritt Thomas

Jenga , upsized to giant proportions, adds a nerve-wracking twist to backyard game nights. Players take turns removing wooden blocks from a tower and placing them on top without causing it to collapse. With each move potentially deciding the tower's fate, just like its smaller counterpart, Giant Jenga is a game that demands steady hands and clear strategic foresight.

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Tug of War

Image: Anna Samoylova

A test of sheer strength and teamwork, tug of war pits two teams against each other in a battle of brute force. Using a sturdy rope, teams pull in opposite directions, aiming to drag the other team over a designated line. A game as ancient as rope itself , it's a primal display of competitiveness and camaraderie that never fails to energize a crowd.

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Potato Sack Race

Image: Diego Catto

Bringing back memories of school field days, the potato sack race is a lighthearted sprint that requires nothing more than a burlap sack and some open space. Participants hop their way to the finish line, competing for the thrill of the race and the joy of friendly competition . It's simple, silly, and undeniably fun—a perfect way to wrap up a day of outdoor festivities.

10

Spikeball

Image: Spikeball

A recent phenomenon, spikeball is a competitive lawn game that has surged in popularity, offering a fast-paced twist on traditional volleyball . Played with a small trampoline-like net placed at ankle level, teams of two hit a small ball off the net, aiming to bounce it in such a way that the opposing team cannot return. It's athletic, energetic, and ideal for satisfying competitive spirits on sunny afternoons.