Oobleck
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Oobleck was originally popularized as a fictional form of green precipitation described by Dr. Seuss in Bartholomew and the Oobleck. Oobleck was called down from the sky by a king bored with rain and snow. It proved so sticky that it gummed up the whole kingdom, which would have perished had not a page boy named Bartholomew Cubbins (previously renowned for his prolifically reproducing hats) saved the day.
The word has since been used to describe a substance that is used as a science aid to teach children about liquids and solids. It's created from cornstarch (1 part water to 1.5–2 parts cornstarch). Though initially it acts like a liquid or a jelly, squeezing it in your hand will make it appear to be a solid for a short time. The slimelike substance also behaves in an interesting manner when thrown in the air, molded, heated, or vibrated. Substances like this that become more viscous when agitated or compressed are a subset of non-Newtonian fluids called dilatants. An interesting comparison can be made between different "slimes" by making a batch of glurch and comparing the physical properties of oobleck and glurch.
In the mid-1980s a Chicago theater company was formed under the name Theater Oobleck[link], deriving its name from the Seuss book. It continues to produce new work to this day.
Oobleck in Action
The UK show [[Brainiac: Science Abuse]] put Oobleck to the test when one of their hosts, Jon Tickle walked across a pool of Oobleck-based custard. He was told to stop walking, he stopped dead in his tracks, and sunk halfway up his calf. There was trouble getting him out.External links
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