Modern chewing gum was born from a failed attempt to create rubber tires.

In 1869, exiled Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna brought a ton of chicle to New York, hoping to sell it as a cheap alternative to expensive rubber. He partnered with inventor Thomas Adams to vulcanize the sap from the Manilkara zapota tree into a durable material for carriage tires and boots. After a year of failed experiments, Adams was left with a surplus of the rubbery substance and realized the ancient Mayans had been chewing this sap for centuries.Adams boiled the chicle in his kitchen and added licorice flavoring to mask the natural taste. He began selling 'Adams New York No. 1' in local drugstores for a penny a piece, and it became an instant sensation. This transition marked the birth of the modern chewing gum industry, moving away from the paraffin wax and spruce resins that were common at the time.By 1871, Adams patented a machine to mass-produce the gum, leading to the creation of famous brands like Black Jack and Chiclets. The chemistry of chicle made it superior to previous options because it held flavor longer and provided a more satisfying texture. Today, while most modern gums use synthetic bases, the industry owes its origins to this failed industrial engineering project.