When did the Olmec civilization first use natural rubber?
The first known use of natural rubber dates back to 1600 BC when the Olmec civilization of Mesoamerica began crafting balls for their ceremonial games.
Common questions about Natural rubber
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who smuggled natural rubber seeds from Brazil to Kew Gardens in 1876?
Henry Wickham smuggled 70,000 seeds from Brazil to Kew Gardens in 1876, and only 2,400 of those seeds germinated to form the foundation of a global industry.
What atrocities occurred during the rubber boom in the Amazon between 1880 and 1913?
Julio César Arana and his Peruvian Amazon Company controlled the Putumayo river where slave raids known as correrias captured or killed indigenous populations to meet production quotas.
How did Sir Henry Nicholas Ridley transform rubber production in Asia?
Sir Henry Nicholas Ridley developed a tapping technique that allowed trees to be harvested without causing fatal damage and distributed seeds to turn Malaya into the world's largest producer of rubber.
What chemical process did Charles Goodyear discover in 1839 to improve rubber?
Charles Goodyear discovered that heating rubber with sulfur created cross-links between polymer chains to form a three-dimensional matrix that improved strength and elasticity.
What percentage of global natural rubber production came from Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam in 2022?
Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam together accounted for 61% of global production in 2022, standing as a testament to the adaptability of the Hevea tree outside its native habitat.