The 3M chemist accidentally invented the adhesive used in Post-it Notes, an innovation that became a favored modern medium for jotting notes to oneself and others.
Despite creating security headaches for IT departments around the world as the password manager of choice for boomers, the Post-it Note is one of the most clever and ubiquitous office accessories ever created, and this past weekend the world, unfortunately, said goodbye to their creator, Spencer Silver, who passed away at 80 years old.
Most don’t give a second thought to the tiny sheets of yellow paper as they struggle to squeeze another important thing to remember onto their crowded computer screens, but like many world-changing technologies, the Post-it Note was a product born from failure that went on to become more successful than what its creator was originally trying to perfect.
Pen and sticky paper still a great analog productivity hack
Katyanna Quach Fri 14 May 2021 // 06:00 UTC Share
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Obit Spencer Silver, the co-creator of Post-it Notes found in offices all over the world – occasionally with passwords written on them – has died at the age of 80.
Born in San Antonio, Texas, in 1941, Silver studied chemistry at Arizona State University, and then completed a PhD at the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1966.
He joined 3M not long after graduation and focused on experimenting with adhesives.
The turning point of his career arrived when he created a type of glue that was strong enough to bind to surfaces yet weak enough to peel off easily. The adhesive was robust, too, it could be repeatedly tacked to paper and removed without leaving any sticky residues or damaging the document. Not quite what he was hoping for – a glue strong enough for aircraft construction – but it had potential.
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