Find the podcast behind this transcription in Science or Fiction. © Futura
A story of plants …
So there, we want to say: well … of course, right? It’s ultra-practical, it works without gravity, and it is in all astronaut equipment. In addition, we all know the legend of inventions from space: the mattresses form memoryform memorythe pens that write upside down, lyophilized foods … So why not Velcro?
But wait a bit. Before answering right away, let’s make a little detour to history, because – spoiler Alert – It is not commonplace. Direction Switzerland, in the 1940s. No rocketrocket on the horizon, nor of spatial combination. Just an engineer, George of MestralGeorge of Mestralwho walks with his chienchien. One day, after a country ride, he returns home and notices that his costume is covered with small vegetable balls. These things are bardanesbardanesplants that we know well for their annoying tendency to hang everywhere. You may have already paid the price, it’s very annoying when you have to remove them.
But where we, simple mortals, would have raged by tearing them off, George, him, does what only a curious and somewhat obstinate spirit would do: he puts them under the microscopemicroscope. And there, revelation: he discovers that these small balls are covered with tiny hooks that grip the curly fibers of his clothes. It is a natural hook system, super simple and terribly effective.
He then said to himself: ” Hey, but isn’t it so stupid, and if we copied that? He works for years on the idea, galley with materials, fabrics, manufacturing processes … but ends up developing a two -band system: one with hooks, the other with loops. When they are pressing them together, they grip. When we shoot, they separate. Magic!
Velvet + hook = velcro
He calls it velcro, contraction of “velvet” and “hook”. Vel-Cro. Simply. But now, at the beginning, it does not make many people. Too weird, too industrial, not elegant enough. It is not yet the time of sneakers without laces and ski combinations. Complicated for George to sell his invention. Until … surprise … NASA arrives in the equation.
Yes, in the 1960s, the American space agency was in the midst of space. She is looking for light, practical, and above all usable materials in weightlessnessweightlessness. In a space capsule, the pimples and classic closures, it’s a bit of a hassle. And then, imagine having to catch a tool kit while it floats in all directions … Not very practical. There, the Velcro becomes the perfect solution. We can set objects at murmurattach equipment to the combination, close a pocket with a simple gesture, all without gravity.
And this is where the Velcro knows its flight. Thanks to NASA, he enters the collective imagination as a futuristic, technological, almost magical thing. And he starts to infiltrate everywhere: in hospitals, sports clothes, wheelchairs, bags, ski clothes, children’s shoes … frankly, well played Georges!
Velcro and NASA
So, to return to the initial question: was the Velcro developed by NASA? Well no, that’s wrong. But ! NASA has largely contributed to its notoriety. It allowed this invention to leave the drawing drawers to become a global standard. Without it, maybe we would still use pimples, strings and Enlightenment closingsEnlightenment closings in situations not at all practical.
So, you could say that: George de Mestral had the idea. NASA has made it its star!
Here, the next time you open a wallet, adjusts a kneerer or close your ski jacket with a small scratch, you can shine in society by telling this whole story. And no, it’s not thanks to NASA … but a little anyway.
