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Gutta-percha (Palaquium gutta) is just rubber/latex, no? The Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) overtook it in popularity but it's basically the same natural latex that natural rubber is made from

EDIT: I see they are actually 1,4-polyisoprene but gutta-percha is in a trans configuration while H. brasiliensis latex is in a cis configuration. Not sure if that amounts to any difference in properties https://s10.lite.msu.edu/res/msu/botonl/b_online/e20/20c.htm





It amounts to a huge difference. Cis-polyisoprene has much better stretch and resilience, making it ideal for pneumatic tires. It sealed the economic fates of three continents at once.

You're not allowed to say that on Twitter!

It doesn't have the same properties. It doesn't harden like rubber (before vulcanization was invented) and it is inert, thus immune to organic decay.



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