Bubble wrap: celebrating 50 years of pop-pop-pop!

This newsy item may not be entirely arts and culture-related, but it definitely falls under the category of "pop": according to the team at Sealed Air, today is officially Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. About half a century, two inventors named Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes were trying to develop a kind of textured wall covering using a method whereby they trapped cushions of air between layers of polymer. The wallpaper application didn't quite fly, but the technique led them to patent a substance they dubbed AirCap, a so-called "cellular cushioning" that we know today as bubble wrap.

The pair founded Sealed Air in 1960. 50 years later, folks still can't get enough of the strangely satisfying material -- bubble wrap may not be the most environmentally friendly packaging option, but it's terribly fun to play with, and a great tool for relieving stress. I'm sure many of us can identify with the plight of the creature in the following clip:

If you'd like a more in-depth take on the legacy of bubble wrap, listen to this NPR story.

--Sarah Liss