# A brief history of plastic

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED-Ed
- Speaker: TED-Ed
- Year: 2020
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Engineering, Earth and environment, History, Art, architecture and design, Teaching and learning
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/ted_ed_a_brief_history_of_plastic)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

For centuries, billiard balls were made of ivory from elephant tusks. But when excessive hunting caused elephant populations to decline, they began to look for alternatives. John Wesley Hyatt took up the challenge. In five years, he invented a new material called celluloid, which would become known as the first plastic. Trace the history of the material that ushered in the "plastics century." \[Directed by Sharon Colman, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Miguel d'Oliveira\].

## Lectures

1. [A brief history of plastic](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/ted_ed_a_brief_history_of_plastic/a8bf654c6614), 6 min (TED's player)