The Stuff You Should Know Doin’ Science Playlist: Elastics: Where God and Science Smooch
episodePreviously titled “Elastics: Where God and Science Smooch” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 4, 2026
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What fascinating history lies behind the invention of elastics?
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Hey there, it's Josh, and it's my turn, finally. And I hope you're enjoying our Do and Science playlist so far. Up next, we have our 2017 episode on elastics. It's one of those episodes like ballpoint pens or zippers where the topic sounds super boring, but it actually turns out to be super interesting. And this episode, as a bonus, has a surprising amount of discussion on pirates for a show on things that snap back when you pull them. Enjoy feeling your brain enlarge.
Welcome to Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com.
Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh Clark. There's Charles W. Chuck Bryant. There's Jerry. This is Stuff You Should Know, the sick edition. The annual sick edition. You aren't well, my friend. No, and it really stinks too, Chuck, because like... I like to think that I take pretty good care of myself, so to be able to be felled not once but twice in just a few months by some stupid bug, it's irritating to me. I know. You get mad every time you get sick, though, just so you know. I do. I hadn't noticed that, actually. My wife is the same way. Well, it's not fun. I know, but she gets like kind of, yeah, you both get a little angry. Like, why did this happen to me? I get more pitiful. Like, oh, somebody help me.
Oh, I've got that going on too. Listen to this. So does that mean people have the next like eight episodes to look forward to this? No, no, man. No way. This is it. This is it right here. I think actually yesterday might have been the worst day. Oh, well, good. Yeah. I mean, today was a close second, but we'll find out. Yeah, it is bad. I got to be a pro, man. I got to get well. The show must go on. So today, Chuck, Charles, we're talking elastic. Yeah. Did you know much about this? No, I thought this is actually super interesting, and it also contained two what we like to call dinner party factoids that people can bust out. We need a jingle that says that so we can play it when it comes up. Yeah, I mean, there's lots of cool stuff in here, and please don't correct us on Factoid, because... Oh, yeah, man, that's so 2009, 10, 11, maybe?
Exactly. But yeah, two really cool facts in here that I think people can just keep in their hip pocket. Okay. Are you good? So until we get a jingle made, I'll bet Noel will make one for us. But until we do, maybe you should – you want to practice one? Geez, what's a good dinner party jingle? It should be like wine glasses and plates and forks and things clinking. Right. And then maybe like this Orwellian voice going, dinner party factoid.
Yeah.
Yeah, here we are eight years in, still evolving.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What fascinating history lies behind the invention of elastics?
0:00–6:57
2
How did pirates influence the story of elastic production?
6:57–25:29
3
What role did Charles Goodyear play in the development of rubber?
25:29–33:14
4
How did the vulcanization process change rubber's properties?
33:14–1:00:21