December 29

Charles Goodyear, Creator of Vulcanized Rubber

On this day in 1800, Charles Goodyear was born. Goodyear was a hardware merchant in 1834 when he accidently dropped rubber mixed with sulfur on a hot stove. The heat and sulfur made the rubber stronger. The new rubber, called vulcanized rubber, wouldn't melt in the summer or freeze and crack in the winter. Vulcanized rubber is used for many industries, especially for tires.