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While some smart people are trying to take people to Mars or transfer their minds into machines, others are developing genius ideas that focus on our earthly everyday lives. But it doesn't mean they're less worthy! Bored Panda has compiled a list of smart inventions and designs you didn't know you needed, and they're as awesome as they're simple.
From rethinking elevators to coming up with clever ideas for pill bottles, these simple solutions prove the brilliance of candor. We're constantly in a rush, trying to do a gazillion things at once, and it's often the little things that get in the way. Scroll down to check out the life hacks with which we can tackle them and upvote these cool photos!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Wash Your Hands And Reuse The Water For Your Next Flush
#2
Free Coffee In Exchange For Some Rubbish
#3
These Traffic Lights In Ukraine
Bunzilla 6 years ago
It's a great idea. If you're in a short car or on a motorcycle behind a van or truck, you can still see the signal. If you're on the sidewalk, it makes it much easier to see what's going on. Plus it just looks awesome.
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Geedee Gituma 6 years ago
This is really helpful... mostly when there is a tall vehicle in front of you
Sanne H. 6 years ago
Or you are in front of the line and the lights are high up. Happens to me a lot. I'm quite tall and driving a small car.
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Trudie Akin 6 years ago
We have these in Turkey. Thing is, people get confused because you can see those green lights from the side too. It looks like green lights for everyone at first glance.
Christina Sersif 6 years ago
would be great if you're stuck behind a really tall truck or van!
Олег Маликов 6 years ago
What's new about this? There are many such traffic lights in Moscow. They've been working for couple of years already
sharron lynn parsons 6 years ago
Terrific idea, with big trucks in the way at times unable to see the lights.
Steven Block 6 years ago
I would like to see digital timers at the intersections so people know how to they have to cross and how long they have before they should put the car into gear to start moving.
Halie Barela 6 years ago
I wish the one by my house was like this maybe fewer red light runners
Allana Rose 6 years ago
We need that here! (US) It would help just about every driver clearly see the lights! No more excuses of not seeing them.
Andrew Wozniak 6 years ago
Just like the start/finish pylons at Daytona International Speedway.
Julie Lynn 6 years ago
An added light show to let even the people in the cheap seats know... It's green, you see, and soon you'll be in the front effortlessly!! Yippeee! A great idea to slow down "Road Rage."
Jessamyn Zolczynski 6 years ago
My fiancee got a kick out of this, he has this saying 'If it turns any greener you could smoke it.' Or 'the whole poles not going to turn green, just the light.'
Nicole Rosandich 6 years ago
that would help for the awkward times of day that the sun is shining right behind the street light.
Gabe Gomez 6 years ago
While a nice and convenient design, I'm not a fan of the extra electricity costs and unnecessary light pollution.
#4
The Design Of This Water Fountain Lets The Water Flow Down So Dogs Can Drink Too
#5
This Sign Is 100% Necessary
#6
My New Desk's Parts Came Separated By Steps Instead Of By Item
#7
Mountain Finder Device In Switzerland
#8
Accessibility Matt On The Beach For Wheelchairs And Strollers
#9
This Toothpaste Describes Both Its Ingredients And Their Purpose
#10
This Elevator Has A Call Button 30 Feet Away So The Doors Will Be Open By The Time You Get To Them
#11
This Pill Bottle Lid Tells You When You Last Opened It
#12
The Curtain Design In My Hotel Room Ensures That There Is No Annoying Light Gap In The Middle
#13
This Elevator Has Buttons You Can Kick
#14
The Roofs Of UPS Trucks Are Not Brown. They're Translucent So The Inside Of The Truck Doesn't Need To Be Lit During The Day
#15
In Copenhagen There Is A Childrens Bicycling Playgroud, Where They Can Practice Bicycling In The City, And Learn The Rules, Before They Enter The Streets
#16
This Fence Is Shaped To Create Seating
#17
Seniors And Handicapped People Can Extend Crossing Time For This 8 Lane Highway
#18
This Restaurant Has A “Toepener” For People Who Want To Avoid Germs On The Doorknob
#19
These Bikes Have Airless Tires
#20
This Swing Is Designed So That The Kid And The Parent Can Swing Together
#21
At My Work's Parking Lot The Paint Lines Continue Up The Wall To Help People Park
#22
Shopping Cart With A Calculator
Geedee Gituma 6 years ago
This would really help with the surprise and embarrassment at the cashier
#23
This USB Drive Displays How Much Of Its Storage Is Being Used
#24
My Local Laundromat Has Gym Equipment To Use As You Are Waiting For Your Load To Finish
Just Carmen 6 years ago
I'm guessing that laundromat doesn't get any kids coming into it. That stuff wouldn't last 5 minutes in the laundromats I've been to.
#25
These Sheets That Tell You What Side Of The Bed To Put Them On
#26
My Roommate's Spatula Has A Stand So The Bit That Touches Your Food Doesn’t Touch The Counter
#27
My Bottle Of Canadian Whisky Came With Free Public Transportation
#28
These Chairs In A Ski Resort Restaurant Have Room For Your Gloves, Helmet, Hat Etc.
#29
This Airport Has A Therapy Dog For People To Pet Before They Fly
#30
This College Has Drink Coasters That Can Test For Common Rape Drugs
#31
My Local Coffee Shop Gives Free Compost Made From Their Used Coffee Grounds
#32
These Batteries Have An USB Port To Charge Them
#33
My Work Laptop Has A Webcam Cover
#34
The Elevators In My Office Building Have An Umbrella Sign That Lights Up If It's Raining Outside (Osaka, Japan)
#35
My City Added A Safe, Public Place To Conduct Exchanges Made On The Internet. Directly In Front Of The Police Station
#36
The Back Of This Park Bench Can Swing Back And Forth, Allowing The User To Face Either Direction
#37
Some Roads In Australia Are So Long And Boring They Have Trivia Signs To Keep Drivers Alert
#38
This Bar Has A Frost Strip To Rest Your Drink On So It Stays Cold
#39
Benches In Sweden Are Very Friend And Couple Friendly
#40
My Hotel Room Comes With A Complimentary Android Phone With Free Data And Calls
Neeraj Jha 6 years ago
Here in India, these days Call and data has gone so cheaper that nobody even cares about them anymore.
#41
You Can Rent Sleeping Cabins At This Airport
Just Carmen 6 years ago
Much better than having to sleep on the crappy seats in the waiting area.
#42
My Local Library Has Dozens Of Different Cake Pans To Check Out
#43
This Inflatable Mattress Turns The Back Of Your Car Into A Bed
Just Carmen 6 years ago
I think this is so cool. Now I just need a car to put it in (I drive a pickup truck).
#44
This Bridge Has A Crisis Hotline Machine
#45
This Store Lets Customers Choose Whether They Want To Be Bothered By The Staff
Gavin Ivey 6 years ago
We really need these at the local ACE Hardware stores. Can't get a foot in the door without someone asking to help.
#46
This Highlighter Has A Clear Part To Show You What You're Highlighting
#47
This Checkout Has No Candy For Parents With Kids
#48
This Tire Tells You To Change It When It's Time To Change It
#49
These Tiny Model Tents Give You A Look At What You’re Buying
just a thought! 6 years ago
I would want to buy these , cause I'm obsessed with tiny houses for birds and things like that
#50
This Ceiling Fan Differentiates The Light And Fan Chains With A Light And A Fan
#51
This Phone Charging Station Where You Have To Sit Down And Pedal To Get Power
#52
These Chairs Have A Notch Cut In Them To Keep Your Bag From Slipping Off
#53
My Local Library Has Vault You Can Go Into To Talk On Your Phone
#54
The Mirror In My Hotel In Japan Has A Heated Part That Won't Steam Up After A Shower
#55
Rental Car In Ireland Has Dashboard Sticker That Reflects In The Windshield To Remind You What Side Of The Road To Drive On
Just Carmen 6 years ago
I'd need this if I was driving in Ireland. I'm from the US and I know I'd forget which side was the correct side.
#56
At This Airport, They Have A Machine That Will Print Off Free Short Stories For You To Read While You Wait
#57
Trash Bins In Copenhagen Are Angled So Cyclists Can Toss Their Trash While Biking
#58
This Elevator Shows How Close To Capacity It Is Based On The Weight Of The Riders
Neeraj Jha 6 years ago
This is much more helpful than those usual capacity shown which is like 68 KG per person..
#59
This Roll Of Toilet Paper Comes With More Paper In The Middle To "Take On The Go"
#60
In Rwanda The Stoplights Have The Seconds Until The Light Changes On Them
#61
I Bought A Pack Of Cigarettes And They Came With A Postage Paid Recycling Pouch
#62
This Shower Handle Shows The Temperature Of The Water
#63
These Shopping Carts Have A Magnifying Glass For The Elderly
Just Carmen 6 years ago
Or for people like me. The one that leaves her reading glasses at home (I'm NOT elderly)!
#64
My Favourite Shop Has Light Settings So You Can See How Good/Bad Your Outfit Will Look At Different Times Of Day
#65
I Bought A Hat Online And It Came In A Bag Of Air To Prevent It From Getting Creased
#66
Local Farmer Has A Vending Machine In Our Mall
#67
This Bag Of Chips Has 2 Perforations, So You Can Open It More The Further Down You Eat
#68
My Hotel's Restaurant Has A 3 Button Device You Can Press To Call The Server, Call The Bill Over, And Tell Them That The Table Is Done
#69
You Can Shoot Your Car With Suds While You're Waiting Inside At My Local Car Wash
#70
There’s A Carriage On Swiss Trains For Children
#71
My Local Supermarket Has Tags That You Can Put On Broken Trolleys
#72
This Cupboard Drip Drys Into The Sink
#73
This Tray Used To Walk Your Bike Up/Down Steps
#74
This Library Has A Directory For Topics People Might Be Embarrassed To Ask For
#75
My Local Pizza Joint Puts One Of Every Filler On Top Of The Stomboli
#76
These Bathroom Stall Doors Have An Overlap To Avoid That Awkward Crack
#77
This Bottle Has A Map Of All The Water-Filling Stations Around Campus On It
#78
This Carpentry Tool With Pins To Outline A Shape
Hurrem Haseki 6 years ago
Actually, it's an archaeological instrument, used when drawing objects.
#79
My Textbook Has A Dependency Chart Showing Which Sections Are Needed To Understand Each New Section
#80
This State Park Is Using Social To Track Fire Recovery
#81
This Fake Skylight In The Surgery Waiting Room
#82
This Coffee Shop Shows The Differences Between Coffee Drink Types
Just Carmen 6 years ago
This is what I need to see when I go to a coffee place. Obviously, I don't go to coffee places much. 😊
#83
My Beach Has A Sunscreen Station
#84
This Train Has An Information Screen Which Shows How Full Each Carriage Is
#85
My Library Tells Me How Much I Save By Borrowing Books Instead Of Buying
#86
Different Shaped Slots For Different Tubes In The Hospital To Make It Impossible To Mix Them
#87
This Restaurant Bathroom Has Two Different Kinds Of Soaps
#88
My Colleague Has A Micro-Fibre Cloth To Clean His Glasses Stitched Under His Shirt
#89
This Coin Laundry Has A Washer And A Dryer Machine Just For Pet Clothes
#90
My Local Mcdonalds Has All The Menus In Brail
#91
This Pharmacy Has A Magnifying Glass So People Can Read Medicine Labels And Details More Easily
#92
A Bus Stop Nearby Offers A Small Library Of Books To Read
AnnaB 6 years ago
There are cute "Little Free Libraries" all around Seattle neighborhoods. There are even a few "Little Free Pantries" where you can leave non-perishable food donations. Little-Fre...8dc681.jpg 
#93
My Newspaper Came With 2 Printed Pattern Pages To Wrap Presents
#94
This Bathroom Door Handle Has A Built-In Hand Sanitizer Dispenser
#95
This Chicken Comes With A Strip That Shows How Many Days Before It Goes Bad
MBZ MetalsmithArtist 6 years ago
Wow, this is so needed! But maybe not as a mass produced "in every package" thing- something like a hand held freshness / food poisoning detector should be a tool for every kitchen.i wonder if it's been invented yet, and if it could be affordable for all.?
#96
Our Dishwasher Projects How Much Time Is Left
#97
This Vending Machine Sells Socks At The Bowling Alley
#98
This Restaurant Labels Their Brownies Based On What Part Of The Pan It Was Baked On
#99
This German Milk Carton Has Windows So You Can See How Much Is Left
#100
Little Rentable Office/Workspaces In An Airport
#101
This Hot Sauce Bottle Allows You To Adjust The Spice Level
#102
My Beef Jerky Came With A Toothpick/Floss Inside The Package
#103
This Credit Card Tip Jar
Daniel Losinger 6 years ago
Too bad the business needs to pay a 50 cent processing fee credit card transactions.
#104
Café Doesn’t Take Pennies Or Dimes
#105
This Japanese Gum I Have Came With Little Pieces Of Paper Inside For You To Spit Your Gum In To When You’re Finished With It
#106
Euro Snacks Tell You How Much Exercise You Need To Burn It Off
Paul K. Johnson 6 years ago
The snacks I eat indicate weeks of exercise, not minutes. :) I think I'm about 20 years in the hole at this point.
#107
My Hospital Visitor Sticker Fades Out And Void Appears After 24 Hours
#108
I Went To A Convenience Store In Colombia And They Sold A Pack Of 4 Slices Of Bread
#109
Two Story Target In Minneapolis Has An Escalator Just For Carts
Just JoLynn 6 years ago
I think all the newer, bigger Targets are doing this now, at least in the US.
#110
This Sandwich Shop Has A Wrapping Station By The Door So You Can Take Your Leftovers Home
#111
The TV In Our Hotel Room Has Easily Accessible HDMI And USB Sockets
#112
My College Has Foot Flushers So You Don’t Lose Your Balance Trying To Kick The Ones Above The Toilet
RaroaRaroa 6 years ago
Why not just use your hands. You're going to wash them anyway. (Or aren't you - ewww)
#113
This Dressing Room Has Their Clothing Hooks Labeled
#114
This Pasta Box Helps Approximate How Much Pasta To Make
#115
This Cemetery Has A Gravesite Locator
#116
Button To Save People From Crossing The Desert From Mexico
#117
This Pizza Place Tells You The Area Of All Their Pizza Sizes And How Large They Are Compared To Each Other
#118
The Colorful Button Panel On The Elevators Of Our Children’s Hospital
Just Carmen 6 years ago
I like it when parking garages have each level as a color or animal or whatever. Makes it so much easier to remember where I parked if I'm looking for level blue or the FOX level.
#119
This Charging Station At A Car Dealership
#120
This Coffee Shop Uses Beer Taps To Dispense Cream And Milk
#121
The Shelves In The Boston Public Library's Children Section Have Gaps For Children To Walk Through
Sean Gebhart 6 years ago
I bet parents of unruly children LOVE this. "My kid walked 3 feet and I have to walk 15 to stop him, thanks."
#122
An Item We Had Delivered At Work At An Indicator Telling Us If It Had Been Tipped Or Not. This One Had Been
#123
This Gas Station Sign Has The Price Of Coffee
#124
This Immigration Office In Korea Has Glasses You Can Borrow For Filling Out Forms
#125
This Fountain Tells You How Many Plastic Bottles It Kept Out Of The Environment
#126
The Small Circles On These Lids Are Tiny Lids For Smaller Containers
#127
My City Tells Us If Road Projects Are On Time And On Budget
#128
Local Chinese Restaurant Explains Their Definition Of Different Spice Levels And How Often They're Ordered
#129
This Check Out Lane Scans Items As They Pass Through On The Belt
Jill Rhoads 6 years ago
From Sweden...I was at a grocery store where we tried it out. They had installed two checkout lines for it. About 90% went through fine, but 10% didnt so someone had to come help anyway. On the other hand most grocery stores have portable bar readers we use to ”blip” our purchases and then checkout at the end.
#130
The Microwave At My Office Is A Pull Out Drawer
#131
This Refrigerator Has An Automatic Water Pitcher Built Into It
#132
This Measuring Jug Has Markers For When Pouring
#133
My University Library Has Cell Phone Booths So People Can Talk In Private
#134
The Lines In This Parking Lot Extend Up Unto The Barrier
#135
My Uber Driver Had An NES Set Up In The Backseat
#136
This School Has Canvas On All Of The Table So Kids Can Draw During Class
#137
This Bathroom Has A Built In Timer For The Fan That You Can Set Differently Depending On How Smelly The Visit Was
Andrew Gibb 6 years ago
It would be better if it had a pictoral siding scale starting at a person waffting, someone holding their nose, through to dry wretching
#138
This Pen Tells You How Many Pages Worth Of Ink You Have Left
#139
The Adhesive Side Of This Wrist Band Tapers In So It Doesn’t Accidentally Stick To Your Skin
#140
This Juice Carton Tells You How Many Glasses You Have Left
#141
This Bagel Shop Has An Excess Coffee Sink Next To The Garbage
#142
This Tiny Single-Use Pre-Pasted Toothbrush I Got In A Restaurant In Rome
#143
These Coconuts Have Soda Can Pull Tabs
Molly Block 6 years ago
So you see how this works is, you pull the tab and there is a small hole bored there, with a small piece of the coconut husk protecting it still and all you do is push a straw into it and drink the coconut water out of it! I just saw some videos on YT on how this works. Very neat!
#144
My University‘S Stairs Shows How Much Calories You Burn By Using Them
#145
My Backpack Has A Bottle Opener
#146
My Receipt Came With A Nutritional Breakdown
VeryDarkMatter 6 years ago
yeah, because to know how much fat I just had in my meal is exactly what I want to know after lunch .. to feel crappy for the rest of the day :p
#147
This Toilet Has A Fresh Sanitary Seat Cover For Each Use
Hazel Waring 6 years ago
If this isn't recyclable plastic this is one of the most wasteful things I've ever seen. Why don't you just do what everyone else does and give it a quick loo roll wipe?
#148
This Public Toilet Has A Handle On The Seat For You To Lift It
#149
My Local Zoo Has A System To Prevent Little Kids From Pressing The Button And Disturbing The Keepers
#150
This Wet Floor Sign Has Fans Built Into The Base To Help Dry The Floor
#151
Amazon Boxes Double As Yoga Mats
#152
This Pho Restaurant Has The Bathroom Options To Brush Your Teeth, Use Mouthwash And Even Moisturize Your Skin
#153
This Mall Has A Charging Station Where You Can Leave Your Phone There So You Can Shop
#154
This Bar Has The Amount Of Beer Left In The Keg On The Digital Tap List
#155
This Water Bottle Has A Spot For Your Name
#156
A Shopping Center Where I Live Has A Doghouse Just Outside Of It In Case You Need To Shop While Walking Your Dog
#157
This Serrated Spoon Is Made Specifically To Dig The Sections Out Of A Grapefruit
#158
This Bar Has Powered USB Hub Napkin/Straw Holders For Their Patrons
#159
The Hotel I'm Staying At In Brazil Has A Remote That Comes With An Immediate Soccer-Watching Button
#160
This Truck Stop Has A Cologne Dispenser
#161
The Take-Out Burger I Ordered Was All Packaged Separately So The Bun Doesn't Get Soggy
#162
My New Gloves Came With A Built-In Nose Scratcher
#163
Some Of The Trees At My College Have Outlets On Them
#164
Tissues Specifically For Opening The Bathroom Door
#165
My Belt Has A Bottle Opener Under The Buckle
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What do you think ?
Ellie Andrews 6 years ago
Who are these geniuses, seriously they deserve more than just a tag, they deserve an award!
Apollo 6 years ago
In fact it makes me sad: So many brilliant ideas that can be implemented easily and cheaply and still it's not seen anywhere except on these pictures. Humans tend to keep doing the things they always did, without making that small step into effective innovation.
Ivor Guild 6 years ago
I agree. As Henry Ford said, if you asked people how they wanted transport to improve they would reply "faster horses'...so, market research is effectively useless. Rather, invest in innovation and bring the best ideas to fruition.
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SBW71 6 years ago
I can't get over all the little millennial crybabies on here complaining on every pic that has plastic in it. I'm all for saving the environment, I get it, but we are no where near being able to make do without some things being made or recycled from plastic. Get over it.
Gayle Bynum Cardosa 6 years ago
How do you have any idea what the ages of these people are? You sound like someone who (mis)uses the word "snowflake" a lot. Get over yourself holmes, people are allowed to have different thoughts and ideas and then they are allowed to voice them. You've done it, I'm doing it, they did it. They aren't "crybabies" which is the "Trump"et call for anyone who thinks they're from some perceived holier than thou old school 'better than you' down to earth group of people who are real. Nope. You're just being a sanctimonious jump to conclusions curmudgeon.
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Julie Lynn 6 years ago
These are truly creative and very useful. I enjoyed them all and wish we would put some to use, immediately.
Magpie 6 years ago
I'm too lazy to refind the toilet paper thing. In Britain some one had the idea to make the cardboard roll in the middle about 9mm smaller ( approx 3/8ths of an inch ) This meant they could pack more packets of t paper on each delivery van ( to the shops ) Which reduced a significant amount of pollution and saved the company some money. The one where the center has more paper is BRILLIANT.
Erin welch 6 years ago
SOME OF OUR RESTAURANTS HAVE THAT HERE AND YOY CAN PLAY GAMES ON THEM TOO!
Molly Tallmadge 6 years ago
I've met many pricks in my life, but you sir, are a cactus.
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Ellie Andrews 6 years ago
Who are these geniuses, seriously they deserve more than just a tag, they deserve an award!
Apollo 6 years ago
In fact it makes me sad: So many brilliant ideas that can be implemented easily and cheaply and still it's not seen anywhere except on these pictures. Humans tend to keep doing the things they always did, without making that small step into effective innovation.
Ivor Guild 6 years ago
I agree. As Henry Ford said, if you asked people how they wanted transport to improve they would reply "faster horses'...so, market research is effectively useless. Rather, invest in innovation and bring the best ideas to fruition.
Load More Replies... SBW71 6 years ago
I can't get over all the little millennial crybabies on here complaining on every pic that has plastic in it. I'm all for saving the environment, I get it, but we are no where near being able to make do without some things being made or recycled from plastic. Get over it.
Gayle Bynum Cardosa 6 years ago
How do you have any idea what the ages of these people are? You sound like someone who (mis)uses the word "snowflake" a lot. Get over yourself holmes, people are allowed to have different thoughts and ideas and then they are allowed to voice them. You've done it, I'm doing it, they did it. They aren't "crybabies" which is the "Trump"et call for anyone who thinks they're from some perceived holier than thou old school 'better than you' down to earth group of people who are real. Nope. You're just being a sanctimonious jump to conclusions curmudgeon.
Load More Replies... Julie Lynn 6 years ago
These are truly creative and very useful. I enjoyed them all and wish we would put some to use, immediately.
Magpie 6 years ago
I'm too lazy to refind the toilet paper thing. In Britain some one had the idea to make the cardboard roll in the middle about 9mm smaller ( approx 3/8ths of an inch ) This meant they could pack more packets of t paper on each delivery van ( to the shops ) Which reduced a significant amount of pollution and saved the company some money. The one where the center has more paper is BRILLIANT.
Erin welch 6 years ago
SOME OF OUR RESTAURANTS HAVE THAT HERE AND YOY CAN PLAY GAMES ON THEM TOO!
Molly Tallmadge 6 years ago
I've met many pricks in my life, but you sir, are a cactus.
Load More Replies...
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