In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Stephanie Kwolek, the chemist whose discovery of Kevlar changed modern materials science. Kevlar now appears in bullet-resistant vests, suspension bridges, deep-sea cables, aircraft, boats, firefighter gear, cut-resistant gloves, hockey sticks, and more. But the material that became one of the strongest fibers in the world nearly ended up poured down the drain because it looked like cloudy, spoiled buttermilk.

Born in 1923 in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, to Polish immigrant parents, Kwolek developed her scientific habits early. Her father, John, was a naturalist who taught her to observe, collect, and catalog details in the woods. Her mother, Mellie, was a seamstress who recognized her daughter’s perfectionism and helped steer her away from fashion design. Kwolek eventually studied chemistr ...