The Humble Little Condom by Aine Collier

In 3000 B.C., King Minos of Crete, in particular, was referenced as having used a goat’s bladder sheath during sex, though it’s still unclear whether he or his wife Pasiphae was the one to wear it, according to an Indian Journal of Urology article. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Rumour has it that the Romans also used the muscle tissue of dead enemy soldiers, though how that idea was formulated and facilitated has no clear evidence.

While that might be the toughest type of historical condom to wrap one’s head around, it’s debated how the lambskin condom came to be. The ancient Romans used linen as well, and also opted for sheep and goat intestines or bladders with ribbons tied around the base. (Sort of how some might judge by size these days.) Men even wore ones in different colours to symbolize their social status. According to Aine Collier’s The Humble Little Condom: A History, linen sheaths were most commonly used by ancient Egyptians. The aforementioned materials were used to create the earliest condoms recorded in history, dating back to 1000 C.E. The next issue of Montreal Gazette Headline News will soon be in your inbox. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. Manage Print Subscription / Tax ReceiptĪ welcome email is on its way.2017: One launches MyOne Perfect Fit, aka a custom condom sizing kit. “Whenever nature needs something strong and light, the hexagon is often the go-to shape,” says Nugent.

They noticed that hexagons pop up all the time in naturally occurring formations, like honeycombs, dragonfly wings, snake scales, soap bubbles, etc. Ultimately, they were inspired by what they learned from graphene, including its molecular composition, which is hexagonal. The team ultimately decided on latex, and early ideas included diamond or chain-mail patterns. But at the current cost, graphene goes for $200 a gram, making a box of condoms $5,000 a box, aka not happening (for now, at least).

The grooves are on the inside of the condom, not the outside, for extra security, as this “creates a surface that remains perfectly smooth while providing the same security against slippage as grooved tires do on wet surfaces,” explains Stu Nugent, brand expert at Lelo.Īs for why hexagons? “We spent a long time um’ing and aahing over graphene, the super-material which will undoubtedly change the world over the next few generations,” says Nugent. The Lelo Hex was a BFD when it came out because it featured hexagons in the condom, making it stretch and flex to fit securely.

The Humble Little Condom by Aine Collier