Is it possible to fix a blown fuse with a chewing gum wrapper?

Is it possible to fix a blown fuse with a chewing gum wrapper? A blown fuse can mean a bad day, especially if it's a component of some critical <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/electricity.htm">electrical</a> system, like your car's horn during rush hour. But does blowing a fuse automatically mean a trip to an auto parts or hardware store? In this article, we'll look into whether there's any truth to the rumor that a <a href="http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/question86.htm">chewing gum</a> wrapper can provide an ingenious fix for a blown fuse. But first, let's take a closer look at those pesky but protective little plugs. Fuses have been around since the 1800s and come in various shapes and sizes. What they all have in common is the capacity to keep wire from overheating. A fuse generally has two metal prongs that make contact with the wire on either side. In the middle of the fuse's fireproof protective casing is a conductive metal with a specific melting point -- one that' ...  more