How a NASA Engineer Accidentally Invented The Greatest Summer Toy to Ever Toy
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- Опубликовано: 7 мар 2024
- Dive into the fascinating story of Lonnie Johnson, the rocket scientist behind the iconic Super Soaker. From childhood experiments to overcoming obstacles, witness the journey of this remarkable inventor!
Author: Gilles Messier
Host: Simon Whistler
Editor: Daven Hiskey
Producer: Samuel Avila
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This man needs to be taught about in elementary schools nationwide! Such an incredible mind should be celebrated.
The wheels of change is sometimes slow. He will be.
Absolutely. These stories are so, so very important.
At least with Simon, these stories will continue to be told.
Not if DeSantis has his way in Florida. If he gets his way anything black will be erased from schools altogether.
@@sweeptheleg. I was thinking EXACTLY this when I read the OP's comment. Lonnie Johnson is everything every kid should emulate, yet the assclowns from groups like Moms for Liberty would never let it happen because the last thing they want taught is that an HBCU grad had to overcome adversity in this country.
No we don't 😂 we teach about much greater minds, let's not make education about diversity now haha
1:14 "Do that stuff outside" the parents of GenX parents were badass hardcore 😂
My dad is a boomer and my mom is gen X, even I got to do some wild stuff. They were certainly "do that stuff outside" kind of parents. 😂
@@goosenotmaverick1156 My Grandfather was a blacksmith, some of my earliest memories is walsing around in his huge workshop mostly unattended while they were working iron and steel. We kids were simply told what was dangerous and swiftly learned the consept of f**k around and find out. They let me grow up without a helmet from the get go and I am so grateful for the freedom and love they gave me.
His parents were older Silents. But maybe generation thing works differently for black folks.
They had to be and their day and age there were no free lunches and if you wanted to survive what was being thrown at you whether it was the War or what you didn't Survive by you know being cuddled you survived because you know you did something and if you were going to have to do and it was dangerous you did it outside you were told if it's going to be dangerous I don't mind you doing that just do it outside. These days kids don't build Rockets anymore not real rockets and that's because too many people are afraid of mistakes happening and you know explosions. But I can remember when as a little kid my brother who's quite a bit older than me and his the other kids in his class built Rockets under their science science teachers observation I mean they built everything but the fuel they had to develop the fuel together that way there wouldn't be any mistakes then they had to figure out how to put it in their individual rockets that they built and then together they would you know put it up and the reason for it was my brother, he built a really fantastic rocket and it went a little bit haywire it went past the trajectory he had calculated and nearly blew up an oil refinery plant a half a mile away with a huge fence that you wouldn't be able to climb did I mention it also had been built with certain other protective things to go around so that accidents like this might not happen like I said it landed very close to one of the big holders of the oil and everybody got lucky because it didn't spark a huge explosion or fire. I was a very little kid about 5 or 6 years old and I remember thinking I want to build one just like that but better and I want to be able to you know plan where it's going to go and maybe put a camera on board that would snap pictures as it goes up and I started thinking about how big the camera would have to be how to fix the film I thought about all those little details but I never built it because of what happened with my brother and him getting into trouble for it.
@@Bacopa68 GenX parents were Boomers. Thought Boomers parents were Silents or maybe I'm it mixing up with the Greatest.
He's a certifiable genius. And even in Sweden, he truly *made* my summers. I'm born in 1990, and we had several big water wars (water fight sounds too small scale-wise for what we did) in my neighborhood - all the kids (from about age 6-16) joined and we divided us into different teams. Everyone had some type of Super Soaker (and water balloons as "grenades"), and then we'd run around the neighborhood, through gardens and houses, into the woods that surrounded us, back into the gardens and just "fight". This was a staple every summer, and something all the kids (and teens) looked forward to. God, I miss those days. It was amazing. Thank you, Lonnie Johnson, for turning my summers into MAGIC!
Cool! I'm sure he'd love to hear that story.
He’s an impressive person.
So am I...😮😊
Very. So is that engineer... 😊
The interesting (and sad thing) is how much further would Lonnie Johnson and society as a whole be if there were no racial and economic barriers in his way.
I know this is just a short explainer without the deets but does anyone else think this guy's story has an Oscar-winning, feel-good, family movie vibe about?
Absolutely! He’s very inspirational. 😅
100%❣️
While working on the B2 bomber he got the patent for the Super Soaker. That is a cooler period of life then most will live through in an entire lifetime.
I still remember when these came out. It was a gamechanger. What an absolute legend Lonnie Johnson is man! 250M units sold. That's a lot of happy childhood memories generated from this man's idea.
The quote at the end though.
What an incredible man. A beautiful human being. So glad that Simon is telling his story and keeping it alive.
Thank you Lonnie Johnson, what a champion.
For most people one of his achievements would be the lifetime contribution to the world. But his just keep going on and on. A man so smart he started his on company to work on major projects just because he is interested in it .
Bravo Zulu Sir
Super Soakers and Jarts were a staple of my child hood!
😂 Jarts! Back when toys were deadly fun! Loved em!
Lonnie Johnson should be known as a household name. I'm now proud I unknowingly supported Lonnie Johnson by begging my dad for Super Soakers and buying them myself when I got older. I was the man on a hot summer day thank you Mr Johnson.
I had no idea the guy who invented the super soaker was such a giga chad.
I had no idea you were so threatened by intelligence and ingenuity?
@@castleanthrax1833 I complimented him. Are you stupid?
@@Dingle.Donger Really? You give compliments in the most odd way.
@@castleanthrax1833 Giga Chad is clearly a compliment. I don't have a masters but I have a BS in Mech Engineering so what he has done is impressive / inspirational. That's also why I watched a video about a NASA engineer.
@@Dingle.Donger I'm imagining the music and a video panning over his face. This man is clearly a giga chad.
Super soakers and foam darts are definitely part of our childhood 😊
Thank you Mr Johnson
I 've known about Mr. Johnson for a long time, but his history and achievements are still very much inspiring to me. Thanks Simon!
My friends would meet up and blast away every weekend while summer was in full swing. Good times.
Netflix had a good program on toys where this came to light. Great stuff!
Thank you Larry Johnson for some bomb ass summers as a kid. I love my supersoaker.
Before the super soaker, water guns sucked. The best you could get was those battery-powered ones. The super soaker made all of those look stupid. Thank you, Lonnie Johnson.
A great final quote from Mr. Johnson. Thanks for covering this gentleman Simon & Crew.
"Lady Luck is indifferent. She smiles sometimes, and she frowns sometimes."
-- Lonnie Johnson
Super Soakers were the best summertime toy. I had more than a few of them then and they were worth every penny. Just a fantastic design that works beautifully.
I knew a little about this badass before, but I am so happy to have learned more about Lonnie.
My backyard bordered a brush filled canyon and a community park. Super soakers were the perfect toy
Super Soaker was a bit after my time. The coolest toy when I was a kid was Optimus Prime! Tbf, he still is! Mr. Johnson is clearly a genius, I sincerely hope he manages to solve some of the problems we're facing. It seems if anyone can, he can!
What a cool guy, hell of a life. Made my summers better when I was a kid.
Lonnie Johnson is an amazing inventor and I thank you for highlighting him. ❤
These kinds of stories are always fascinating. I think parents need to encourage children to be creative and have hobbies that aren't "Safe/Risk Free" because you never get anywhere taking zero risks.
I was thinking the exact same thing, parents should always encourage their children like this. And just look at what happens when they do.
Well you can't have them doing dangerous stuff, but that's what parenting is for - teaching and training them how to be creative while keeping them from the hospital or worse. Keeping them indoors and on the phone 24/7 because it's safe from hospitalizations is the lazy way out.
@@alb9022 there is a difference between dangerous activity's and educational risks. Don't leave them unsupervised with dangerous things such as electricity, explosives or firearms but education about topics like electronics, model rockets, robotics etc is a good thing for a child around 8-10 years old. Understanding physics and other basic scientific research principles is important especially in a world so dependant on technology.
@@lukek8357
When I was young, we would throw metal clothes hangers into our light lamps and watch it spark.
My biological father had old military books which taught people how to make all different types of weapons. They had the recipe for C4 (plastic explosive). Without anyone knowing what I was doing. I made some C4, The first batch didn't work.
I put a plastic milk carton on a stove burner and almost burnt down our house.
I got into electronics around 9. We had walkie talkies. But kids walkie talkies didn't have any real range.
In our days, kids had to go to libraries to find books on a topic. Sometimes, you had to wait to go to the city. Then find a library that might have what you're looking for.
I learned about electronics and how to make our walkie talkies go further.
My biological father then introduced me to Nikola Tesla.
I can only hope someday something I design could only be as half as inspirational as anything this guy has done.
This man has overcome odds stacked against him. This is a life that needs to be remembered.
Thank you for your perseverance. You are not a sinner. You are a self made man.
We need more people like this guy, not Oprah.
Literally just got done working with my son on his school project about this guy. Then see this video come across my feed. This guy is pretty cool
Great amazing story. 😊iI was in US
Air Force ROTC from 1964 to 1968,
and active duty 1969 to 1973, when
the Vietnam War ended, but not as
exciting as his experiences. Being
80 now.
The closest is my experiences as
an Amateur Radio operator since
1962, 62 years, so I understand
some of his technical work. 😊
I remember having a lever action water gun. It worked like a cowboy rifle to charge a single, accurate burst of water. Never found another one like that.
Made me feel like terminator
What an absolutely brilliant individual! Those Super Soakers were very fun playing with them as a child. I agree our children should be learning about this man in school. Thank you Simon for telling his story!
Smart dude who created a great toy! He definitely has the inventive spirit.
He made so much of my childhood awesome.
There's a self-made man if I've ever seen one - what in inspiration!
Thank you very much for honoring this great man.
I hope my kids kids and beyond hear about this guy like we hear about the once great inventors of yesteryear. He more than deserves it.
Learning this history is very interesting. Much respect to the man who made the super soaker!
Thanks for making summer's awesome!
8:13 that image of the Super Soaker just brought up some big ol' nostalgia, I had two or three of those growing up in the 90s. Completely forgot about that until just now, thanks for that TIFO
What do you do?
Johnson: "Oh notthing much. Just invented the super soak and worked on the B-2 Spirit"
Blows me away, my God what an absolutely spiffing chap.😊
My biological father worked on the B-2. But he has nothing on this guy.
Sadly, 99% of the people he would say that to would respond with, "Yeah and I invented post its.
He really does need more accolades, but outside a few charter schools his achievements and contributions will be largely ignored.
Perhaps if he does invent a battery with 10X the capacity of the (strangely muted) he will get the recognition he deserves.
250 patents. What an incredible mind that Mr. Johnson possesses.
8:55 WTF happened there? Wakey wakey, Daven.
Lizard person confirmed
Redacted due to threats from the Big Squirt cartel....
@@thumpyloudfoot864 lol, nice
I was thinking the same thing
An explanation would be nice. I suspect it was on purpose because they got a strike. Curious..... 🤔
Shout out to his parents for encouraging their son to tinker instead of discouraging him
Lonnie Johnson is definitely an unsung hero. What a legend.
We need more Lonnie Johnson's. Love this story.
Yea, seldom do you get these kind of stories with such happy endings. The cynic in me kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. He’s living his best life.
This is so great! As a kid who grew up in the 1980-1990s, I had loads of fun with Mr. Johnson's Super Soaker and NERF creations. As a minority Veteran, I proudly cheer at how Mr. Johnson used his engineering training and military expertise to make amazing toys.
And let's face it, you give some dudes a chance to make something cool . . . well, you'll turn it into a fun toy. Hat's off, and BZ!
This story is so cool
Amazing story
This is the most I’ve ever heard about Johnson. He was like an urban legend whose name was only mentioned during black history Month when I was kid in the 90’s. His life’s work is very impressive.
I will have to read up on this remarkable man.. What a Vid.. 'What a guy..'
Thank you for this, Mr. Johnson is an inspiration.
It's pronounced by the natives as Mobeel Alabama. Or at least that's how it sounds when I hear it.
They don't understand it's a French city. I don't think people in the UK understand the French influence in the southern US. They don't even know that "Beyonce" is just an Anglicized spelling of her mother's French-Creole maiden name. They don't have a Fench named country road where they grew up.
This man is a champion for all his work, and for allowing me and my mates to get up to all sorts of shenanigans with the Super Soaker. Cheer mate!
Awwwwwwww... love that Lonnie gets a TIFO episode. He has been a sort of hero for me for a while now albeit in sort of a backdoor, retroactive way: I originally studied engineering in college and my dream was to one day create something cool, make a shit ton of money from it, then spend the rest of my life doing random acts of kindness from those riches. Of course, I wasn't diligent enough to stick with engineering, and probably wasn't innovative enough to invent anything cool, and thus my random acts of kindness remain very small-stakes. Years later, when I learned of Lonnie Johnson's story, he was the guy I thought or hoped I would be when I was young.
Anyway, may some young creative person learn of Lonnie's story and be inspired by it while he/she still has the chance to follow in his example.
What an absolute genius.
Genuinely, Mr. Johnson is fucking awesome
I’ve met Mr Johnson a few Times for various projects here in Atlanta. Very nice, very smart man
I loved my super soakers and nerf guns as a kid and my sons have loved their nerf guns in return. His inventions have been a major part of my life and the life of my kids.
Wow! He's working on some awesome things. A water condenser that takes water molecules from the air and makes water. What an awesome invention.
Do a video about microcontrollers
My only complaint is that I graduated high school in ‘75, so I didn’t get to enjoy this invention when I was a kid. But, considering how brilliant he is, I’ll forgive him. 😂
Now that's what you call a "Big Brain!" 😎
"Do that kind of stuff outside!" Story of my childhood.
I wish the video is longer
A beautiful episode Simon and excellent choice!
There is a great display about him and the Super Soaker at the Musuem of Science and Industry in Chicago!
Johnson is developing the windtrap
My grandfather worked at Oak Ridge as the head metallurgist and my mom worked in the lab.
I too liked to experiment with different things when I was a kid. I got my mom to get me some saltpeter (potassium nitrate) from the drugstore, my dad a box of sulphur powder from the garden center and I ground up some charcoal. Knowing the approximate ratios of each required to make gunpowder from our encyclopedia, I began experimenting until I got it right. I had a friend who's father owned a scrap metal business and got some fine magnesium shavings which I mixed with the gunpowder. It made for a great blinding white flash when ignited!
It was great that my parents encouraged my curiosity, while still making sure I understood the dangers involved. Also, before the internet, having a set of good encyclopedias was a must. I started off with the World Book, which we got when I was 5, and when I was 12 we got a set of the Encyclopedia Britannica, which I spend hours and hours poring over, discovering and understanding a plethora of new information.
The "Power Drencher" is the Super Soaker your mom says you already have at home.
What a really cool story! I remember playing with it as a kid and in fact hooking one up to the hose for infinite ammo! Muwahah!
Living legend.
I think everyone should watch How Simon Whistler Became RUclips's Most Successful Creator Because of His Perseverance. Wow, 250 Million SuperSoakers? I will bet there are few here who have not played with one.
I loved this one. Fantastic story.
Thank you for bringing this to us.
Made it so strong it hurt people.
It partially blinded a boy I knew when I was 9 years old. His eye never fully healed. Thing was pretty dangerous.
@@HathurI feel like the user behind the trigger might have had some blame there. How did that happen if not like point blank? I had some powerful supersoakers I saved months for in the late 90s as a kid. Never imagined taking someone’s eye out lol
@@mattbenson6698 He probably lived in a Hard water area....
@@mattbenson6698Some of the earlier models had extremely high pressure (it was NOT point blank... granted it was some 35+ years ago, but at least 10 feet away or more) and the model in question was eventually banned from sale (it even made news at the time) and the company modified future versions to have weaker pressure.
I think they need to be more powerful.
WHAT A NERD,
that's a compliment these days WOW I believe more people should know Lonnie Johnson's name and not for the Super Soaker he's an extremely accomplished man!
Mister Johnson is actually pretty active on Reddit, did an AMA once, if anyone wants to read it.
He needs a good Biographical movie ASAP
What an amazing life he is leading 🙂
Very informative, thank you!
What a fantastic human!
Being brilliant has nothing to do with being a “fantastic human.”
What a legend.
This guys life is ripe for a movie; and he's not even done yet!
Truly inspiring
Not to be grim, but Lonnie Johnson has a guaranteed seat at the feasting table in Nerd Valhalla.
Fascinating stuff.
a legend of summer
Adults were buying those supersoakers as well ( i was one of them)
Total brainiac! What a great human!
Wow, outstanding 🤩
I don't think it's possible to describe to people not around at the time how much of a phenomenon this was when Super Soakers were new. It seems silly new that squirt guns could be a big children's cultural phenomenon, but they kind of were
8:55 I thought that was a failing battery joke at first!
0:49 Mo-BEEL Alabama. But you did remind me of a British professor I had in college, so thanks Simon!
What a badass
I met him when I was in elementary school, his niece was my classmate
We could use a few hundred Lonnie Johnsons right about now. The world is pretty much on fire, and a SUPER SOAKER style innovation could just be what we need.
Let the man science......
Super Soakers and Nerf guns were my favorite toys as a child.
Yeah...my brother and I put gasoline in a Supersoaker 50...it worked until the gas gummed up the parts and wouldn't stop spraying fire. We set the back porch on fire but, were able to put it out. Threw the Supersoaker in the pool and somehow it went out. It was a good chemistry/physics lesson 😅
I tried that with a mixture of rubbing alcohol and lighter fluid. Only fired it three times and if I remember correctly, the first try didn't work.
I bought my nephew one of those super soakers and I was his first “victim” 🤣😂 That thing really soaked you to the skin.
Oh man. I remember being 5 years old and only barely able to hold and fire the super soaker 3000 over my shoulder. Think was a cannon!