5. Sticky Notes (Post-it Notes)
In 1968, Dr. Spencer Silver, a scientist at 3M, was attempting to develop a super-strong adhesive. Instead, he accidentally created a low-tack, reusable adhesive that stuck lightly to surfaces but didn’t bond tightly. For years, Silver struggled to find a practical application for his invention. In 1974, his colleague Art Fry, frustrated by bookmarks falling out of his church hymnal, remembered Silver’s adhesive. Fry applied it to paper, creating a repositionable bookmark. Recognizing its potential, they developed the Post-it Note, revolutionizing office communication (post-it.com).
