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June 24, 2016

Strange But True!

Q. How is microbiology meshing with fashion to create a garment that's actually alive?

A. No, it's not leather or fur or wool or silk but fabric made with “Bacillus subtilis natto,” bacteria that respond to body moisture, says Britt Peterson in Smithsonian magazine. “When a person wearing the fabric heats up (and begins to sweat), the bacteria expand and the flaps open, releasing heat from the skin. Once the skin dries, the bacteria contract, closing the flaps and retaining body heat.”


 
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