62. Why does clay get hard? How is fire made? Why were chimney sweeps always boys? Ft special guest expert Grayson Perry

In this week's show we answer three questions from Evangeline, Roman and Clara with help from special guest expert the artist Grayson Perry.

Grayson is a world-renowned artist, writer and TV presenter and works a lot with clay to make incredible pots so he is the perfect person to answer Clara’s question.

We discover how to make clay last forever and what temperature it needs to go in the oven at in a great answer recorded in Grayson’s art studio.

We also find out ways to make fire and how humans discovered it and how to create it. Plus what things can burst into flame by themselves, from nuts to computers!

In the third question we talk about the invention of chimney sweeps, the rules they lived by and why it was usually boys who did the job. But girls did it too! Plus how we clean chimneys now.

Social media:

Instagram: @everythingunderthesunpod and @mollyoldfieldwrites

Twitter: @everythinguts @mollyoldfield

Facebook: @everythingunderthesunbyMollyOldfield

Website: www.everythingunderthesun.co.uk

Find out how to submit an answer on our website.

Molly Oldfield studied History at Oxford before becoming a QI elf, writing and researching questions for the BBC quiz show for twelve years. She has written three books. They are The Secret Museum, a book about all the things that are in museums that rarely, if ever, go on display; Wonders of the World’s Museums filled with things you can see, and Natural Wonders of the World about all kinds of creatures and places on our beautiful planet we call home.

This podcast will also be published as Everything Under the Sun – A Year of Curious Questions in September 2021 by Ladybird at Penguin Random House.

For more info about Grayson Perry check out his twitter: @alan_measles and Instagram: @alanmeasles

With thanks to Ash Gardner for the theme song, Tyler Simmons Dale for editing and Billy Colours for artwork and Audio Networks for the music.

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