Episode 1: The Golden Spoon
Gastropod
00:00
Stainless Steel - The Greatest Addition to Human Happiness
Before stainless steel people used plain steel, which is iron with a tiny bit of added carbon. But when it comes into contact with anything acidic, like vinegar, lemon juice, even tomatoes, the iron reacts and turns black. Stainless steel has a little bit of chromium in it, and that is a total game changer. It originally had military applications, but was developed to make non-corrosive cutlery for yachts and gun barrels. And silver also explains the phenomenon of fish knives - you'd have to be very rich to own them before they were invented.
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