Is using a USB to treat mosquito bites really the best invention? This year's choices from Time are truly out of touch.

A few days ago, Time magazine released its list of the Best Inventions of 2025.

300 of them.

You read that right, 300 best inventions.

This is a bit outrageous.

Since 2000, Time has conducted this selection once a year. At first, they were quite restrained, only choosing 35 inventions. But over the years, they've gone overboard. This year, they've gone all in with 300 inventions. The inflation rate is comparable to that of Zimbabwe.

They still didn't think it was enough and added 100 additional "Special Mentions".

I briefly browsed through these listed products, and there are indeed some real gems.

For example, the Unitree R1 robot, DeepSeek R1, Claude Sonnet 4, and Cursor. These are all globally renowned heavyweights and well - deserved of the honor.

But as I kept browsing, something seemed off. It felt a bit perfunctory, even abstract - Could this really be considered a best invention???

For example, the USB - heated mosquito bite reliever and the Air - blowing Cat (I'll assume it's a product that blows air to cool hot drinks).

Without further ado, let me briefly analyze a few products I'm optimistic about and a few I'm not.

The first one is the Lotus Ring.

At first glance, it looks like you're giving the middle finger.

The inventor of this ring, Dhaval Patel, has mobility issues. He had to struggle to get up just to turn off the lights, so he made an infrared ring.

Press the button on the ring, the infrared signal triggers the switch, and the light turns off. No wiring, no app, and no need to get up.

The battery can last for 4 - 6 months, and it only takes 1 hour to charge. Sounds good, right?

But it costs $399 (1 ring + 3 switch covers). I'm already out.

Moreover, Android phones already have infrared emitters. Why would I buy this?

But then I found out that the inventor is a former Apple engineer. Okay, I get it.

Now, let's look at the second one, the Crowd Compass. I'd like to translate it as "Where are my bros?"

Chris Dimoff, the CEO of this company, got separated from his friends at a music festival because of poor phone signal. When he got back, he made a locator.

It doesn't need phone signal. It can locate people using GPS and Mesh network. Each LED light on the screen represents one of your friends. Just follow the instructions to find them.

The idea is okay.

But the problem is, the signal base stations at music festivals are getting better and better. How big is this demand? And if you think about it carefully, you and your friends all have to buy this device to use it. That's another expense.

The most important thing is, how many music festivals do you go to in a year...

Okay, next one.

The Boston University Wireless MRI Coils. I think this is the real deal.