In 1932, Dale Kleist tried to spray molten glass onto building blocks; the failed experiment created tiny fibres and helped make fibreglass insulation affordable

In 1932, Dale Kleist was trying to solve a practical problem with architectural glass blocks when his experiment produced an unintended spray of fine glass fibres. The attempt to seal the blocks failed, but the unexpected material offered a way to manufacture insulation-quality glass fibres in commercial quantities. Working with colleagues Jack Thomas and Games Slayter at Owens-Illinois Glass Company, Kleist helped develop a process that transformed the glass industry and made fibreglass insulation more accessible.

An experiment that went wrong