Bubble gum is more than just a chewy treat — it’s a pop culture icon with roots that stretch back thousands of years. In this guest-hosted history-sode, Amelia unwraps the surprisingly sweet story of how ancient tree sap turned into the pink, stretchy, bubble-blowing favorite we know today. From ancient Greece to a Philadelphia accountant’s happy accident in 1928, you’ll learn how bubble gum went from practical chew to global sensation.

This episode is read by Amelia - an AI generated voice through ElevenLabs. She is helping out Auntie Jo Jo while she takes some sick leave from the library.

Sources:

• Smithsonian Magazine: The Invention of Bubble Gum

• National Geographic Kids: The History of Chewing Gum

• American Chemical Society: The Chemistry of Chewing Gum

• Walter Diemer Obituary, New York Times Archives (1998)

• “Gum” entry, Encyclopedia Britannica