CorningWare
CorningWare, also written Corning Ware, was originally a brand name for a unique pyroceramic glass cookware resistant to thermal shock. It was first introduced in 1959 by Corning Glass Works. CorningWare can be used directly on the stovetop, in an oven or microwave, under a broiler, on table / serving use, and when ready for cleaning put directly into a dishwasher.
History
In 1953 S. Donald Stookey of the Corning Research and Development Division discovered Pyroceram, a white glass-ceramic material capable of withstanding a thermal shock (sudden temperature change) of up to 450 °C (840 °F), by accident.
He was working with photosensitive glass and placed a piece into a furnace planning on heating it to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. When he checked on his sample the furnace was at 900 degrees and the glass had turned milky white. He reached into the furnace with tongs to discard the sample and it slipped and hit the floor without shattering.
The material was used in the ballistic missile program as a heat-resistant material for radomes.