# The post-its discovery was serendipitous
In 1968, in a search for a strong and permanent adhesive, a scientist (Spencer Silver) in 3M found a weak and temporary adhesive instead. No one could think of the use of this type of adhesive when it was discovered.
5 years later, the scientist’s colleague (Art Fry) remembered about this weak adhesive when he was frustrated how his bookmark kept falling out of his hymn book. He asked Silver to apply that weak and temporary adhesive to a paper. At that time, the only paper available was a bright yellow paper. Post-its were born.
# Reference
How Innovation Works (p. 248).
In the search for a strong and permanent glue […]