A Brief History of Chewing Gum

Gum is one of those things we tend to take for granted. Whether we chew it or not, most of us deal with it on a daily basis. It’s the stuff kids smack and pop in public, or the secret weapon against garlic breath we keep stashed in our purses. It’s the goo that makes us grimace on sidewalks. But have you ever thought about where it comes from? Mayan archaeologist Jennifer P. Mathews has thought about it so much that she’s written an entire book on the history of chewing gum: “Chicle: The Chewing Gum of the Americas, from the Ancient Maya to William Wrigley,” published last month… read more >