Heidi McDonald

Crazy Useful Things Heidi McDonald

Have you ever wondered what gum arabic is? Where it comes from, and what it's used for? Have you ever asked yourself what in the world Europeans ate, before they were introduced to the corn, potatoes, beans, chocolate, coffee and vanilla of the Americas? Or why root beer is called "root beer"? Have you ever wondered how people survived before plastic, and what we will do for fuel when petroleum is gone? And have you ever stopped to wonder how many crazy useful resources are out there in nature, that you've never even heard of?Like every other living thing, human beings rely on the resources of the natural world for survival, and since the beginning, we have been gathering, refining (and sometimes forgetting) knowledge about the resources available to us, and how to use them. Whether you are looking for new foods to try, wanting to start a new business, or are simply curious, begin your journey of exploration here, with this dictionary of over 1200 natural resources and their products from around the world and throughout history. Let it spark your imagination, and lead you to consider the most important question of all, which is: How can we take our knowledge from the past and into the present, and turn it into a pleasant and meaningful future?