In what year did two engineers first create the plastic sheeting that would later become known as bubble wrap?

General Knowledge

What decorative product was bubble wrap originally designed to be when it was invented in 1957?

Bubble wrap was invented as wallpaper in 1957, but failed until it was repurposed as protective packaging for fragile goods.

General Knowledge

What existing communication system inspired Norman Woodland to design the barcode's pattern of bars?

The barcode was inspired by Morse code. Inventor Norman Woodland thought: dots and dashes could become wide and narrow bars.

General Knowledge

What optical instrument did the inventor of Velcro use to closely study the burrs stuck to his dog's fur?

Velcro was invented by a Swiss engineer who noticed burrs stuck to his dog after a hunting trip and examined them under a microscope.

General Knowledge

Which animal became the first living creature to orbit the Earth, launched aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957?

Laika the dog, first animal in orbit, survived only five to seven hours in space before her capsule's life support failed.

General Knowledge

Which toxic element, used to treat felt in 18th and 19th century hat manufacturing, caused the symptoms behind the phrase "mad as a hatter"?

"Mad as a hatter" came from hat makers who used mercury in felt production, causing neurological damage and erratic behavior in workers over time.

General Knowledge

Which everyday food is often cited as the only one that essentially never spoils, since 3,000-year-old jars of it were found still edible in Egyptian tombs?

Honey never spoils; archaeologists found 3,000-year-old honey in Egyptian tombs still edible due to its low water content.