People Knew Asbestos Was Terrible Since 1930
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
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The Napkin Story
Asbestus is a non newtonian fluid, the stuff that doesn't obey the usual rules of viscosity. It was largely used as an adactive to strengthen things and make them more fireproof. Charlemagne had a tablecloth made of his best this; Marco polo even claims he ran into an asbestus mine. The large scale asbestus industry started around the mid nineteenth century, and it became hugely popular by the end of the nineteenth century.
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