Google's Zipper

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Log onto to Google today, and you will see a zipper down the middle of the page.  Click & "unzip" to find out about the inventor of the zipper.

What did you learn today?

The Sun and Stains and Smells...oh yes, and Clothes!

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Scientists in China have developed a combination of chemicals to apply to cotton cloth.  When this specially-treated cloth acquires stains and smells, a few hours of sitting in the sun removes the stains and smells.  They are calling clothes made out of this cloth "self-cleaning clothes".  For more information click here and click here.

I would definitely buy clothing made from this cloth.  Would you?  (You may leave comments below.)

Bark Cloth

Photo courtesy National Museum of Ethnology in Osaka

For centuries cloth has been made out of tree bark by people in parts of Africa, India, Polynesia, Hawaii, Fiji, Malay Peninsula, Samoa, and Central America.  The outer tree bark is stripped away, then the inner bark is cut or stripped from trees such as fig, paper mulberry, and breadfruit.  The soft inner-bark of these trees is flexible to begin with, then it is soaked and beaten until it's very flexible, then decorated and used as clothing, house decoration, and in religious ceremonies.

For more information see the article on Questia.com.

What does Denim have to do with the metal Iron?

Photos courtesy of 123rf.com

In the process of dying bluejean-denim indigo blue, the synthetic indigo-dye first turns the cotton yarn a bright green, then as it dries the oxidation process turns it dark indigo blue, a process that is much the same as the oxidation of iron.  See how it's done on "Factory Made" on the Science Channel today: http://science.discovery.com/videos/factory-made-full/