Why do stickers stick?

Good question. "The Professor" Gord O. answers this one for you. He's still trying to get a Freddie Flintstone sticker out of his hair! He hasn't figured out what makes them not stick yet.

All things are made up of tiny little particles called molecules. All molecules try to grab and hold onto each other, but some molecules are better at it than others. The sticky side of stickers just happens to be made with molecules that are really good grabbers! These "grabber" molecules are usually put on in some kind of a liquid form so that they can get into all the little nooks and crannies of the thing they are trying to stick to and grab hold. It is because they in the form of a liquid that when you peel the stickers, and then you do not use them right away, they can dry up on you!

The Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia had this information about the history of adhesives or glue.

Natural adhesives have been in use since ancient times, particularly animal glue, casein glue, and adhesives made from plant resins. Beeswax and pitch were used as adhesives for centuries. Some 3,300 years ago, the ancient Egyptians used animal glue to build furniture, covering it with fine ornamental wood veneers, ivory, and ebony. Such furniture has been found in ancient tombs, the glue still holding after all of that time. The Egyptians also used adhesives for other purposes. Papyrus, which was used before paper was invented, was made with a flour paste. Eggs, gum arabic, and other plant resins were used as binders for paints. In the Middle Ages, egg white was used to glue gold leaf to parchment for illuminated manuscripts.

Thanks for your question Thea.