patents

The paperclip's true origin is more complicated than Johan Vaaler. Here's the real history of the Gem design, the WWII resistance myth, and 11 billion units per year.

The saxophone was patented in 1846 by Adolphe Sax, a man who nearly died 12 times before age 20. Here's how his misfit instrument conquered jazz.

How Alexander Graham Bell's 1876 patent — filed hours before a rival — launched the telephone, AT&T's monopoly, and a global voice network now reaching 5.4 billion people.

China surpassed the United States in annual patent filings in 2011 and now files more patents than all other countries combined. The US still leads in international (PCT) patents — the most commercially valuable category. Japan's Sony and Toyota are among the world's most prolific patent filers.