The liquid or solidified structure of a bubbly mass evokes something of a childlike innocence in us; we cannot restrain ourselves from dipping our toes in ocean foam as it laps on the shore. From shaving foam and bubble bath to party plates and earplugs, foam is a part of modern day life, in a big way. In fact, foam is used in some everyday things that may have escaped your attention:
Foam Sweets
Foam sweets are made of marshmallow foam and pressed into all manner of shapes – bananas, shrimps, toothbrushes –then flavoured with various fruit juices. The final product of the shaping and setting process is a yummy, gummy sweet made of foam; interesting and tasty.
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Cappuccino Foam
Popular across Europe since the 1940s, the Cappuccino is a drink that combines silky espresso with fluffy steamed milk foam. Light and addictive, the drink uses foam in its liquid form when the bubbles still move around fluidly and glisten under a trendy coffee shop light. Though steamed milk is a popular ingredient in many Italian coffees (the Café Latte being a prime example) it is the Cappuccino alone that uses milk foam to give it a unique taste, texture and appearance; true foamy goodness.
Memory Foam Mattress
The stuff of space travel, memory foam was developed by NASA in 1966 for installation in aircraft, with a view to improve the safety of aircraft cushions. The technology entered the public domain in the early 1980s and was used predominantly in mattresses. Today memory foam is used in mattresses, cushions, hospital beds and even slippers. The material moulds itself to the imprint of the person on it, ensuring bespoke comfort, then returns to its original form once the pressure is lifted; it is quite literally, foam with a memory.
Foam Insulation
Another example ofaeronautic ingenuity is spray foam which was developed by the American military in 1940s who wanted to use it in their aircraft. By the 1970s spray foam was used for domestic insulation in roofs and cavity walls. Specially qualified foam contractors inject the foam insulation into the walls and once it expands and sets, it helps to reduce a building’s energy loss; innovative and environmentally-friendly.
Entertainment
Foam is a popular choice for toys and novelty items because it is made flexible, can be coloured and shaped to meet all designs and purposes. Nerf balls and associated projectiles fly through the air between the tween and teen population, threatening enough to provide hours of entertainment but soft and foamy enough to not cause damage. For sports and concert fans, there is the foam finger; introduced to the world by Steve Chmelar in 1971 and recently in the headlines thanks to Miley Cyrus’derp display of foamfinger twerking. This foam innovation is still donned and adored by sporting enthusiasts the world over, having come a long way from its original conception and homemade prototype; a true foam legend.
Now you have a quick fire guide to the fantastic world of foam, you can keep your eyes peeled and see what other weird and wonderful uses it has in the ordinary and the extraordinary. Foam is everywhere. Embrace it.