Fabric of Civilization
b'The Fabric of Civilization
Guest:\\xa0Virginia Postrel, award-winning journalist and independent scholar who has written for "Bloomberg Opinion," the "Atlantic," the "Wall Street Journal," and the "New York Times." Author of, "The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World."
The story of humanity is the story of textiles, one that is as old as civilization itself. Spinning and weaving patterns perpetuated mathematical thinking. Experimentation with dyes were the beginnings of chemical discovery. Cotton and silk production encouraged commerce and spread new ideas throughout the world. Modern environmental concerns have stimulated the creation of synthetic cloth.
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How Fabric Changed History
Guest: Kassia St. Clair, author, "The Secret Lives of Color" and "The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History"
From the wool sails that carried the Vikings across the sea to the multi-layered nylon suits that took men to space, fabric makes history. And behind every choice of fabric is a story. For example, the women who were sewing NASA\'s spacesuits influenced the decision to bring in Playtex, maker of women\'s lingerie, to outfit the astronauts.'