The science behind modern bubble gum is both complex and intricate, evolving over the centuries from ancient practices, such as the Mayan habit of stripping sapodilla trees for "chicle" or chewy bark.

The girls here snap sour-apple bubble gum, spin in their chairs during the lesson on aviation, and chew on the wooden pieces from their model airplanes as if they were popsicle sticks.

Most of the study’s gum shed the majority of its microplastics during the first couple minutes of chewing.

This story is part of Popular Science’s Ask Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall.

National Gum Chewing Day is here and reminding everyone of their favorite chewing gums. The flavor may not last long, but the nostalgia never ends.