North Korea Invented a Fabric Made of Stone and It Almost Killed the Country: Here’s What We’re Reading Today

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1. They just don’t make ‘em like they used to anymore

“North Koreans called vinalon “the King of Fibres” and featured it in cartoons to teach children how independent and successful the country was.

“But in reality, the fabric’s limits were emerging. It was not good at keeping people warm. And power was becoming a problem.

“‘People ripped machines into metal parts from the vinalon factory, smuggled and sold them … some of them were publicly executed. … Production lines stopped rolling … workers starved to death,’ said Jeong Jin-hwa, 53, who defected to the South in 1999.”

 Reuters

2. The head chef of the second best restaurant in the world is devoting his time to running soup kitchens

“Massimo Bottura, world-renowned chef-owner of the three Michelin-starred restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, says he felt a sense of responsibility to help heighten awareness of food waste and hunger.

“‘In the Refettorio in Milan, there is a family now. I devote (my time) to opening soup kitchens… I love it. And I do what I love,’ Bottura says.”

– National Post

3. Hong Kong architect wants you to channel your inner Mario and live in a pipe

“Hong Kong studio James Law Cybertecture has developed a prototype for low-cost, stackable micro homes in concrete pipes, which could slot into gaps between city buildings.

“Called OPod Tube Housing, the project sees 2.5-metre-wide concrete water pipes transformed into 9.29-square-metre homes, with doors that can be unlocked using smartphones.”

– Dezeen

4. Apple is finally fixing the update that purposely slowed older iPhones down

“If you were turned off by Apple covertly slowing down your iPhone because of its dying battery, CEO Tim Cook wants to make it up to you.

“Apple caught flak last month when it was revealed it had been slowing down several models of iPhone 6. Critics saw it as a sneaky attempt by the tech giant to force customers to ditch their old phones and upgrade.”

– The Wrap

5. Denis Villeneuve is making classic novel Dune into ‘the Star Wars movie I never saw’

“Director Denis Villeneuve of Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 fame is gearing up to tackle his next project, a film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel Dune.

“‘The ambition is to do the Star Wars movie I never saw. In a way, it’s Star Wars for adults. We’ll see,’ said Villeneuve.”

– Complex