Stephanie Kwolek: Bulletproof Fiber
In 1966, Stephanie Kwolek, a DuPont researcher, was searching for strong but lightweight plastics to use in car tires. What she ended up discovering would change defense and security organizations everywhere. The substance that eventually became known as Kevlar was a revolutionary fiber that actually managed to shield bodies from bullets and hits of shrapnel.
his was ultimately designed into the form of bulletproof vests and is also used in numerous applications, such as bridge cables, canoes, and even frying pans.