Behold, the zipper. But where did it come from? Meet Whitcomb Judson, born in 1844. By 1889, Whitcomb Judson was a Civil War veteran, and a successful inventor. When he invited the clasp locking system in 1890, he already had more than a dozen patents to his name. Yet it was this invention, which he called the clasp locker, that secured his place in history. It wasn’t perfect, but it laid the foundation Nike KD 7 for what we know as the modern zipper. Patented in 1893, Judson’s clasp locking system used a series of hooks and Air Jordan DMP eyes as fasteners. This clasp locker made opening and Air Jordan 6s closing shoes or clothing much easier, but it still had some serious drawbacks. The zipper’s journey wasn’t over. A scientist named Gideon Sunback improved the design in 1913, replacing the hooks and eyes with interlocking teeth. Goodrich put the fasteners in a line of goulashes. These shoes were called Zippers because of the noise Jordan 8 Retro the fastener made. The name stuck, and the rest is history.

So, how genius is this inventor? On the American Dream scale, he gets a two. Although Judson came up with the basic idea and Air Jordan 16s the original design, another inventor improved it, and someone else made it famous. On the benefit to humanity scale, he gets a three. Zippers are a nifty time saver, and we use them in many different products, from camping tents to luggage and clothing. On the ripple effect scale, he gets a two. Zippers are convenient, efficient fasteners, but so far, they’ve not inspired any other big innovations.