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Who invented the spork?

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Author's Note: Who invented the spork?

Whether you're a fan of the spork or not, you've probably encountered one -- even if it was as part of an Internet meme. Sporks are beloved for their cultural irony. Case in point? Bend the two middle tines down and (voila!) Batman.

I was surprised to discover sporks aren't a purely American icon. In Australia, the "splade" is a popular spork equivalent. This spoon/blade utensil reached the peak of its popularity in the 1950s and '60s as, of all things, a wedding gift.

Related Articles

  • Bramen, Lisa. "A History of Western Eating Utensils." Smithsonian. July 31, 2009. (March 5, 2013). http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2009/07/a-history-of-western-eating-utensils-from-the-scandalous-fork-to-the-incredible-spork/
  • Fallon, Sean. "The Captivating History of the Spork." Gizmodo. Aug. 28, 2009. (Feb. 23, 2013) http://gizmodo.com/5347994/the-captivating-history-of-the-spork
  • Fox, Paige Fumo. "Berwyn Middle School Students Aim to End Use of 'Sporks.'" Chicago Tribune. Feb. 12, 2013. (Feb. 23, 2013) http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-02-12/news/ct-tl-berwyn-school-event-2-20130212_1_utensils-river-forest-forest-park
  • KeyVisuals. "iSpork." (Feb. 23, 2013) http://iphone.keyvisuals.com/apps/ispork/
  • Made How. "Spork." (Feb. 23, 2013) http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Spork.html#b
  • Wilson, Bee. "The Spork's Weird History." Salon. Oct. 6, 2012. (Feb. 23, 2013) http://www.salon.com/2012/10/06/consider_the_spork/