His original 1990 paper on glowing organic polymers, published in Nature, became Friend's most widely cited research, according to Science Watch, which tracks academic research.

FORBES: Innovators

Schoolchildren were herded into auditoriums to watch this miracle of science, technology, faith and luck.

FORBES: Is the Demise of NASA a Failure of Science or a Failure of Marketing?

And it's frustrating to watch because it could be easily solved with the new science and technology that we have accessible around the world.

NPR: Have Women's Rights Evolved In Pakistan?

The success of this science led to elites in many fields to believe that human organizations could be planned as easily as a cleverly designed watch.

FORBES: Tesla, Eugenics And Rationalizing Dehumanization