When the ultra-strong glass was invented more than 40 years ago, it was labeled as interesting, but a manufacturing use for it was hard to find. This glass is about three times harder than regular glass, while it’s also thinner (about as thin as a dime).

Motion tablet with Gorilla Glass

The so called Gorilla glass will probably be worth billions, when it will be used to create TV or tablet screens that are hard to break, scratch or bend. In the screen business, Gorilla glass is the next big thing.

Now if you ask me, the big question is why did so much time pass before this invention was given what it deserves. Or even better, how much more inventions that could be extremely useful are just lurking in the depths of the past, awaiting to be rediscovered ?

This reminds me of another invention: optical fiber. When a chemist named Frank Hyde managed to find a way to turn fused silica into optical fiber, it was considered little more than a fancy trinket. It wasn’t until the 70s that it started to be used in communications. Not quite the get rich fast kind of thing, but still, it’s better late then never, even when it comes to inventions.