Meet Maurice Ward: The hairdresser who invented a ‘nuclear-proof’ material and took its secret to the grave
A Blackpool hairdresser, Maurice Ward, developed Starlite, a remarkable heat-resistant material in the 1970s and 80s. Demonstrations, like an egg surviving a blowtorch, captivated global attention, including from NASA and Boeing. However, Ward's refusal to share the formula, fearing reverse engineering, prevented commercialization. He took the secret to his grave in 2011, leaving Starlite a tantalizing mystery.
A Blackpool hairdresser, Maurice Ward, developed Starlite, a remarkable heat-resistant material in the 1970s and 80s. Demonstrations, like an egg surviving a blowtorch, captivated global attention, including from NASA and Boeing. However, Ward's refusal to share the formula, fearing reverse engineering, prevented commercialization. He took the secret to his grave in 2011, leaving Starlite a tantalizing mystery.
