Gum's the Word: A Sticky Story

It’s sticky, it’s breath-freshening, and, according to the FDA,
it’s technically food—this episode, we’re chewing on the science
and history of gum! As it turns out, humans have been harvesting
rubbery things to chew just for the chomp of it for thousands of
years. But why? We're joined by anthropologists, archaeologists,
gum scientists, and etiquette experts on our journey from the
ancient birch tar-chewers of Scandinavia to the invention of
modern-day, many-flavored bubblegum. How did an exiled Mexican
president, a desperate Staten Island inventor, and a soap-selling
runaway help gum go from something the Aztecs thought was only fit
for children, the elderly, and prostitutes to a multi-billion
dollar industry? Why did one country decide to ban gum altogether?
And, with its popularity waning, is the gum-chewing bubble about to
burst? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
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