Curious Grad Student Accidentally Discovers Shape-Changing Liquid That Bends the Laws of Thermodynamics

The Debrief ^ | April 09, 2025 | Ryan Whalen

[Red Badger]

both! It’s a whole new field of research!...................

[bankwalker]

from meta.ai:

The humble sticky note. It's hard to imagine a time when our desks weren't cluttered with these colorful, adhesive notes. But, believe it or not, sticky notes have a fascinating origin story.

The discovery of sticky notes is credited to Dr. Spencer Silver, a scientist at 3M (then known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company), back in 1968. Silver was trying to develop a strong adhesive for use in the aerospace industry. However, he ended up creating a weak, pressure-sensitive adhesive that could be easily removed without leaving a residue.

Initially, Silver didn't know what to do with this new adhesive. He shared his findings with other researchers at 3M, hoping someone might find a use for it. One of those researchers was Art Fry, a member of 3M's choir. Fry was looking for a way to mark pages in his hymnal without damaging the book. He remembered Silver's adhesive and realized it could be used to create small, removable notes. Fry began experimenting with Silver's adhesive, applying it to small pieces of paper. The first sticky notes were born, although they wouldn't be called that just yet. Fry's initial prototypes were more like bookmarks, but he soon realized the potential for a more versatile product.

The first sticky notes, called "Press 'n Peel Bookmarks," were introduced in 1977. However, they didn't gain much traction. It wasn't until 1980, when 3M rebranded them as "Post-it Notes," that they became a massive success. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, sticky notes are a ubiquitous office supply item, used for everything from jotting down quick reminders to creating elaborate to-do lists. And it all started with a scientist's accidental discovery and a choir member's creative problem-solving.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

When I was that age my favorite toys were firecrackers, BB guns and matches.

[Jamestown1630]

Thanks for that.

(It’s interesting that just changing the name made a big difference in sales. And now they make them in lots of different color schemes...)

[telescope115]

You had more fun than I did as a kid….🙂👍

[quantim]

“I also wonder how many terrible accidents have taken...”

Haven’t seen anyone blowing up their house or garage lately from a meth lab gone wrong, those always crack me up.

[ryderann]

I see this as a “toy” for an executive’s desk.

[sit-rep]

The worst...

Dad owned a steel company back then and we always had an acetylene and oxygen cart at the house back in the shed. One day me and a buddy were blowing up 1/3 to 2/3s balloons and lighting them off... (Just a fabulous detonation!! You can actually see the shock wave!!)

Well the last one that day, we set the balloon in the center of the front lawn in a garbage can. lit it, ran like hell in the house and peered thru the front window. Just then, dad pulls into the driveway(came home 2 hours early that day) and stops looking out at the garbage can sitting in the middle of the lawn. Then BOOOOOM! it went off!!...

sigh.... I cant tell you how bad I got my ass beat for that one!! but later in life it was always good for a laugh when we all got together and started telling “Remember when” stories!!

[HerrBlucher]

[Vaduz]

And I was impressed with science as a kid when I first saw the slinky.

[telescope115]

OMG, talk about unfortunate timing, lol!

My Mom and Dad owned a steel fabrication company, made weldments for mostly local area companies. Got my feet wet a little in welding- I should’ve taken over the business, but neither my brother or I were interested. If only I could go back and do things over again…

When I watch the construction going on at Boca Chica TX, st SpaceX, I wish Dad could see how very much welding is in demand today. He would be fascinated.

[BiteYourSelf]

T1000 terminater.🤔

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

“Because you can engineer all sorts of interesting materials with useful properties when a fluid contains magnetic particles,” says Raykh. “And, in a complete surprise, the mixture formed this beautiful, pristine urn-shape.”

One of the things done with magnetic particles suspended in oil is GM's MagneRide suspension.

The shock pistons have an electromagnet wrapped around them that are connected to the suspension computer.

Varying the strength of the magnetic field changes the viscosity of the shock oil which alters the shock rate.

The first car GM put this on was a 2002 Cadillac STS. In 2003, Corvette got the MagneRide, and it's been an option ever since.

GM licensed the technology to many auto manufacturers, including Ferrari, Audi, Lamborghini and even Ford.

See: MagneRide

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

One day me and a buddy were blowing up 1/3 to 2/3s balloons and lighting them off... (Just a fabulous detonation!! You can actually see the shock wave!!)

When I worked at a gas station, we did the same thing except with big, black plastic trash bags.

We made a fuse with a paper towel, then released them into the air.

As you note, it makes a spectacular boom.

[sit-rep]

heheheheeee!

maybe we’ll get to play again in our next lives!!

[reasonisfaith]

Can we in the audience try that at home?

[reasonisfaith]

Maybe it’s because I only skimmed the article, but it seems there was no “bending” of the laws of thermodynamics.

[Bigg Red]

“Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats

[Mathews]

Darned straight! I was a menace.

[Mathews]

You do you boo. Pain is an awesome training tool.