Perpetual Motion Machine

I mentioned earlier that I sometimes invent things that I soon find out, much to my surprise and chagrin, are already done. When I was in college I invented a perpetual motion machine. As I understand it, there is no perpetual motion machine so I figured I was really on to something.

You take a big metal box, probably quite sizable but future technologies would enable it be be reduced, and you fill the bottom of it with water. The water is then heated to a boil and as it turns to steam, the steam rises into a metal tube set at a 45 degree angle. The steam reaches the top and since is away from the heat it transforms back into water through a process known as condensation. The new water then flows down another pipe and feeds the water that is boiling and the process starts all over again. Perpetual motion. Sort of... it was very rough, you understand.

My design never saw it's fruition. I discussed it with my Dad and he congratulated me on inventing the radiator. I was then saddened two-fold since not only had I been beaten to the patent office, I hadn't invented it a perpetual motion machine after all. If it were true perpetual motion, someone would probably have told the first radiator guy.

The irony in this is that I was the guy who put crayons on the radiators in the dorm hallway. That was great fun. Who knew such tom foolery would lead to such a magnificent invention.