Discover the extraordinary history of ordinary items all around you.
No one wants to watch paint dry – but how about listening to a wallpaper podcast? Well, it makes for a rather intriguing listen.Listen to the first episode of The Curious History of Your Home on BBC Sounds here.According to legend, an ancient Chinese court official called Cai Lun watched a queen wasp regurgitate a sticky substance to build its nest. He decided to try emulating it by boiling up bark flakes together with hemp waste and other substances to create a pulp.
Antique hand painted Chinese wallpaper. Around the middle of the 16th century, households started to move from log to coal fires. The thick coal smuts tended to ruin the lovely textile tapestries that adorned the walls. Paper proved to be a cheaper alternative.The government couldn't help but notice that the wallpaper industry was booming – and they wanted a share of the profits. But while it led to a price hike, customers’ demand for wallpaper remained high.This discovery was made by Dr.
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