Lonnie Johnson (1949-present)
Inventor of the Super Soaker, NASA scientist
Want to learn more?Read a biography of Lonnie Johnson at the Smithsonian Institution's website.
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Lonnie Johnson is an American inventor and engineer, best known for inventing the Super Soaker water gun. He is the CEO and Founder at Johnson Research & Development and CEO of Johnson Battery Technology.
Lonnie invented the Super Soaker in 1982 while tinkering and trying to create an environmentally friendly heat pump. He attached a high pressure nozzle to the bathroom sink, and the resulting stream of water shot across the room! Lonnie decided to create something fun out of his discovery. He created a prototype of the Super Soaker and gave it to his daughter and her friends to play with. They loved it! By 1989, he licensed his water gun to the company that would become Hasbro, and kids everywhere discovered the Super Soaker! While you may be most familiar with the Super Soaker, Lonnie Johnson has many professional and educational accomplishments. Look below for a link to a biography where you can learn about his childhood, his education, his work, and of course, the invention of the Super Soaker! Meet Lonnie in this video clip!"The NASA scientist who invented the Super Soaker"
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