John Geoghegan
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John Geoghegan

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John J. Geoghegan specializes in reporting on unusual inventions that fail in the marketplace despite their innovative nature. He helped popularize the term "white elephant technology" (WETech) to describe these inventions and has written about them for the "New York Times" Science section, WIRED, "Smithsonian Air & Space," "Popular Science," and the "San Francisco Chronicle" Sunday Magazine among other publications. His most recent book, WHITE ELEPHANT TECHNOLOGY: 50 CRAZY INVENTIONS THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BUILT AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM (The History Press, 2024) is an entertaining look at inventions nobody asked for. From jeeps that flew to tanks that shouldn't; from a wave-powered boat that took forever to reach its destination to a jet-powered train that nearly shook itself apart, WETECH inventions will leave you shaking your head in wonder while asking the question, "What in the heck were they thinking?" Mr. Geoghegan has also authored, WHEN GIANTS RULED THE SKY: THE BRIEF REIGN AND TRAGIC DEMISE OF THE AMERICAN RIGID AIRSHIP (The History Press, April 2022) tells the little known story of the U.S. Navy's dirigible program during its two most critical years (April 1933-February 1935). The Navy's airships, the largest, most expensive, most technologically sophisticated aircraft in their day, could fly for nearly a week at a time without landing, had a range of nearly 10,000 miles, and carried a crew of 80 at a time when most airplanes carried only a few passengers, had a 300 mile range, and crashed with alarming frequency. As a result, the American rigid airship was considered the future of long distance transportation. Even more remarkable, the Navy's rigid airships were flying aircraft carriers able to launch and retrieve the aircraft they housed in mid-flight. Additionally, Mr. Geoghegan wrote, OPERATION STORM: JAPAN'S TOP SECRET SUBMARINES AND IT'S PLAN TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF WORLD WAR II (Crown, 2013), which "The Wall Street Journal" called, "a fascinating, meticulously researched and deft account." Mr. Geoghegan also shepherded into production and served as Technical Consultant and co-writer for the PBS documentary "Japanese SuperSub," which was based on his articles about Japan's I-400 class of submarines. The "New York Times called "Japanese SuperSub," “consistently... fascinating history.” Finally, Mr. Geoghegan is the author of a memoir: HEAR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE, HEARING LOSS, HEARTBREAK, AND REDEMPTION (New Haven Publishing, 2018), which recounts what happened when he woke up one morning only to find he'd become deaf overnight. Mr. Geoghegan began his career as a Special Correspondent for the "New York Times," worked in "Connecticut" magazine's editorial department, and was Editor of "The Connecticut Business Journal." He currently serves as Director of the The SILOE Research Institute's Archival Division in Marin County, California.
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