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TechnologySurprise 5/5Difficulty 2/5Reviewed on January 5, 2026

Post-it notes were invented by accident.

Why it is true

In 1968, scientist Spencer Silver was trying to develop a strong adhesive for 3M. Instead, he created a weak adhesive that could be removed and reapplied. Years later, colleague Arthur Fry used it to mark pages in his hymn book, and the product became a global success.

Source: Invention History

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