Bubble Gum’s Sticky Start

Bubble gum was invented by accident in 1928 by a man named Walter Diemer, who was trying to make a new kind of rubber. His recipe created a stretchy, less-sticky gum—perfect for blowing bubbles—and he colored it pink simply because that was the only dye he had.

Walter Diemer wasn’t a candy maker—he was an accountant. But when he started tinkering in a lab at Fleer Chewing Gum Company, he stumbled into something sweet: the world’s first bubble gum.

Unlike regular chewing gum, his mix was less sticky and way more stretchable—perfect for bubble-blowing. One batch held together so well that when he handed out samples, kids couldn’t stop popping bubbles. And because pink was the only food coloring he had on hand, the classic bubble gum color was born.

Imagine blowing the very first bubble ever made from gum—Diemer did just that in a company office before sending it to stores. Within days, it was selling out everywhere.

And here’s a twist: the average person can blow a bubble about 20 inches wide. But the Guinness World Record? A jaw-dropping 23 inches—almost as big as a car tire!

Even cooler? Bubble gum is banned in places like Singapore because it was too hard to clean off sidewalks and subway doors.

Try This at Home:
Challenge your family and see who can blow the biggest bubble without it popping.