The Fabric of Civilization

Guest: Virginia Postrel, award-winning journalist and independent scholar who has written for "Bloomberg Opinion," the "Atlantic," the "Wall Street Journal," and the "New York Times." Author of, "The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World." The story of humanity is the story of textiles, one that is as old as civilization itself. Spinning and weaving patterns perpetuated mathematical thinking. Experimentation with dyes were the beginnings of chemical discovery. Cotton and silk production encouraged commerce and spread new ideas throughout the world. Modern environmental concerns have stimulated the creation of synthetic cloth.