Every year, 7,290,000 gallons of Slurpee are consumed worldwide — enough to fill 12 Olympic-size pools. The beverage — essentially frozen, flavored sugar water blasted with carbon dioxide — comes in an unending flow of flavors and especially entices its suitors during the summer months.
But the icy treat has an intriguing history: it was discovered accidentally, became a staple of “cool kid†culture in the 60s and 70s, and has continued to thrive thanks to brilliant marketing (and occasional deliciousness).