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Why is cotton in everything? - Michael R. Stiff

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8,364 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Centuries ago, the Inca developed ingenuous suits of armor that could protect warriors from even the fiercest physical attacks. These hardy structures were made not from iron or steel, but rather something unexpectedly soft: cotton. Today cotton is used to make everything from fabric, to currency, diapers and fishing nets. Michael R. Stiff explores the science of what makes cotton so versatile.

In ideal growing conditions, a cotton fiber can grow up to _____ cm long

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Stiff Michael
  • Director WOW-HOW Studio
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Veronica Horban
  • Illustrator Veronica Horban
  • Animator Ilya Tkachenko
  • Art Director Anna Dolzhenko, Kseniia Meleschuk
  • Producer Daria Kachan , Tatyana Savranenko, Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Music Stephen LaRosa
  • Composer Stephen LaRosa
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Script Editor Emma Bryce
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma