A Profile of the NASA Genius Who Invented the Super Soaker

Great Big Story profiled inventor Lonnie Johnson, creator of the Super Soaker, in their latest video. Although the iconic water gun is Johnson’s most well-known invention, he holds more than 100 patents and has worked for NASA and the United States military. While he was developing the Super Soaker, he was working on the classified B-2 stealth bomber.

Remember the childhood hours of fun spent blasting your friends with neon-tinged water cannons? You can thank a NASA scientist for that. In 1982, Lonnie Johnson designed the Super Soaker. But that wasn’t Johnson’s only invention. The award-winning scientist came up with everything from the Nerf gun to a thermoelectric energy converter, and now he’s got even bigger aims. Lonnie Johnson: We salute you.