American inventors have transformed the world with innovations like the light bulb, the transistor and the pacemaker. But they also dreamed up the dog umbrella, Silly Putty and the Pet Rock.

Students release the 100-pound ball of Silly Putty from the roof of McMahon in 1989. Photo courtesy of The Fiat Lux Nearly 35 years ago, Alfred University’s McMahon Engineering Building was the site ...

Here’s the word of the day: viscoelastic. It is a substance that seems solid but slowly drips into a puddle over time. The same substance if pulled quickly snaps and breaks. As part of continuing ...