8. Cheap, Nutritious Synthetic Rubber
During World War II, shortages of natural rubber prompted George Washington Carver to collaborate with Henry Ford to develop a synthetic alternative. They experimented with various plants, including peanuts, sweet potatoes, and goldenrod. Their work led to the creation of a rubber substitute from goldenrod, a common weed. Although this innovation was not commercially adopted at scale, it laid the groundwork for future developments in biodegradable plastics. More details on Carver’s wartime experiments are available at the Library of Congress: loc.gov