Wooo! If only there were
sunshine today, because its National Sunglasses Day!
Sunglasses are “a form of protective
eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible
light from damaging or discomforting the eyes.” These now fashionable
accessories have quite an extensive history! The Inuit used flattened walrus
ivory in prehistoric times, in an effort to reduce their exposure to the sun’s
rays.
The Chinese used smoky quartz in the 12th
century for the same purpose; however, this did not provide any protection. It
wasn’t until the mid-18th century that James Ayscough experimented
with the process of tinting glass. Ayscough’s experimentation was not in search
of a method to reduce the impact of harmful UV-rays, but rather as a means to
correct visual impairments. Through Ayscough’s discoveries, the early 1900s
brought about the sunglasses we know today.
Fun Sunglasses Fact: In the 19th and
20th centuries, yellow and brown tinted lenses were prescribed for
individuals facing light sensitivities as a result of contracting syphilis!
While there is still so much to cover on the
topic of sunglasses (who knew?!), there is another important celebration to
mention today – it’s Industrial Workers of the World Day! The Industrial
Workers of the World is a global union that was formed in Chicago, in 1905!
The IWW “contends that all workers should be united as a social class and that
capitalism and wage labor should be abolished.” The organization is still
operational today, 108 years later, although with lower membership than when it
first was established. The IWW has seen its fair share of backlash from
governments, as well. There are many reports of conspiracy-related accounts of
union members being killed in questionable manners. This is to be expected, of
course, after so many years of existence and with the views and mandate of the
organization. Regardless, it is an interesting history!
Are you all history-ed out? Why not take a
minute to fill out the daily
poll!
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