Bubblegum Rhodonite Tower

Modern chewing gum was dreamt up by scientist and inventor Thomas Adams in the late 1800s. But before he was a scientist or inventor, he was a photographer and failed experimenter with a day job in New York City as a secretary. After attempting to make toys and rubber bicycle tires from chicle, a naturally occurring gum tapped from Mexican sapota trees, Adams became inspired by Mexican general Antonio de Santa Ana—the person he was performing secretary duties for—who frequently enjoyed chewing chicle.