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We use hundreds of items every day without wondering where they came from. Often, the tools we rely on were originally intended for something completely different or were created under very strange circumstances. Here are five facts about the history of common objects.

• Bubble Wrap was Originally Wallpaper: In 1957, two inventors sealed two shower curtains together, creating a layer of trapped air bubbles. They tried to market it as a textured, modern wallpaper. When that failed, they tried to sell it as greenhouse insulation. It wasn’t until IBM needed to ship a new computer that they realized its true value as packing material.
• Play-Doh Started as Wallpaper Cleaner: Before it was a colorful toy, Play-Doh was a pliable, putty-like substance used to scrub soot and dirt off of wallpaper in homes that used coal heaters. As coal heating became less common, the company was struggling until they realized kids loved playing with the non-toxic clay.
• The First Computer Mouse was Wood: Douglas Engelbart created the first mouse prototype in 1964. It was a bulky wooden box with two metal wheels and a single button on top. It got its name simply because the cord coming out of the back looked like a tail.
• Chainsaws were Invented for Childbirth: Long before they were used to cut down trees, the first handheld saws with a rotating chain were developed by two Scottish surgeons in the late 18th century. They were used as a medical tool to help widen the pelvic area during difficult births before the invention of the C-section.
• High Heels were for Men: In the 10th century, Persian cavalry soldiers wore heels to help their feet stay secure in their stirrups while riding horses. The style eventually spread to European royalty as a symbol of high status and masculinity before becoming a staple of women’s fashion centuries later.