A list of curious facts
One: Did you know that Madras checks—which were originally handlooms favoured by peasants in Madraspatnam (now Chennai)—were so wildly popular and expensive that 18th century slave traders used them to buy humans in Africa? That’s just one of the many amazing facts about this fabric—which has been favoured by aristocratic English women and slave women in the Carribean alike. For a quick read, check out this Paper Clip thread. Nidhi Garg Allen has a longer blog post with pretty pictures.
Two: Forget face masks. How about a chewing gum that protects against Covid? A new study shows that mixing a certain kind of protein—the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)—into chewing gum can prevent the spread of the virus. How it works:
“Conveyed into the mouth by the gum, ACE2 can then trap the virus by binding to its spike protein, which otherwise aids it in infecting cells. In addition, the protein in the gum can bind to cell-surface receptors, thereby blocking sites where the virus typically infects us.”
Three: Queen Elizabeth has released a perfume for dogs called the Happy Hounds Dog Cologne, which smells of “coastal walks,” and is described as “a rich, musky scent with citrus notes of bergamot.” Sold for £9.99 in the gift shop of the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, it is described as a “unisex,” “long-lasting” fragrance that can “be used on male and female dogs.” You can see it alongside some yummy venison biscuits below. (People)
Four: Irishman Padraig ó Dubhlaoidh has created the world’s first trademarked vegan violin—which is entirely free of traditionally used products such as animal hide glue to hold the instrument together. The ethical version is made from wild berries and local spring water. (ClassicFM)
