DEATH : Inventor Nathaniel Wyeth Dies

Nathaniel Wyeth, the brother of artist Andrew Wyeth and the inventor of the plastic soda bottle, died at his home in this coastal community. He was 78.

Wyeth, who lived in the village of Tenants Harbor in Saint George, was pronounced dead at the Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Glen Cove on Wednesday night, hospital spokesman Russell Donahue said today.

While other members of the family achieved greater fame with their art work, Wyeth achieved distinction in science during a 40-year career with the Du Pont Co.

He was best known for developing the polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, bottle, which he invented in the early 1970s. The bottle is used for carbonated beverages, wine, liquor and food because of its light weight and impact resistance. It was patented in 1973, and more than 6 million of the containers are produced annually around the world.