A superball is a small, incredibly bouncy rubber ball that can bounce to amazing heights. Drop one from shoulder height and it might bounce right back up to your hand, or even higher. Bounce it hard on the ground and it could shoot very high into the air.

Superballs were invented in 1965 by a chemist who was experimenting with synthetic rubber compounds. He created a material so elastic and dense that it could bounce back with nearly all the energy you put into it. Regular rubber balls lose most of their energy when they hit the ground, but a superball keeps bouncing and bouncing.

The classic superball is about the size of a golf ball, smooth and glossy, and comes in bright colors. Because they bounce so unpredictably and powerfully, superballs are notorious for getting lost. One good throw in the wrong direction and your superball might vanish over a fence, onto a roof, or into a storm drain. They can also bounce in wild, unexpected directions when they hit corners or uneven surfaces.

Superballs became a cultural phenomenon, selling millions in their first years. They're still popular today as toys and for demonstrating physics concepts like energy transfer and elasticity.