The problem of mismatched and missing socks has spurred inventors to invent a better way to keep matching socks matched together. The article “Inventions to Match Up Matching Socks” gives a history of some of the most spectacular efforts — as revealed in patents and scientific studies.
The article is one of the highlights of the special “Clever Inventions” issue of the Annals of Improbable Research.
We urge you, for the sake of your socks and your sanity, to subscribe to the Annals of Improbable Research! The magazine is now in handy (or, if you care about socks so very much, foot-y) PDF form.