Super Glue inventor dies aged 94

[alp227]

Source: Associated Press

Harry Wesley Coover Jr, known as the inventor of Super Glue, has died at his home in Kingsport, Tennessee, aged 94.

Coover was working for Tennessee Eastman Company when an accident resulted in the creation of cyanoacrylate – better known as Super Glue – according to his grandson, Adam Paul of South Carolina. An assistant was distressed that some new refractometer prisms were ruined when they were glued together, marking the invention of the popular adhesive.

The US president, Barack Obama, honoured Coover in 2010 with the National Medal of Science.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/28/super-glue-inventor-dies

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[midnight]

1. Science makes so many inventions come to life....

I use that glue for many of my tile projects...

[InkAddict]

2. He stuck around a long time.... eom

[tridim]

3. RIP dude, you made my hobby possible.

[Rage for Order]

4. I wonder if they'll use super glue to seal his coffin instead of nails?

Seems it would be a fitting final tribute.

[SeattleVet]

6. I hear that the memorial was *going* to be open-casket,

but the lid was stuck closed.

[stevedeshazer]

5. That guy bailed me out more than once.

:yoiks:

[NM Independent]

7. Many things were made possible by this man, especially in my studio n/t

[NM Independent]

8. Many things were made possible by this man, especially in my studio n/t

[RedCloud]

9. Man, that stuff looks embarrassing when you get it on your hands.

[Yavin4]

10. This Guy Made Something That Is Useful to Society, Yet Probably Made Less Than 1%

of what a hedge fund manager makes in a month.

[DainBramaged]

11. Because of him I salvaged a laptop cover for a friend this weekend

otherwise rubber bands would be all we have (well, sonic welding is cool too).


Rest in peace sir, rest in pace.

[Turbineguy]

12. When I was working in the Apollo Program

we used it for setting up test experiments. Eastman 910. It was $64 (1969 dollars) per bottle then. The lab supervisor kept it in a locked drawer and supervised its use. Yes, naturally I glued my index finger to my thumb with it.