SoylentNews

owl [soylentnews.org] writes:

In the early modern period, the twin forces of global trade and colonialism introduced people around the world to foods, medicines, and diseases that had previously been confined to a certain region. One category of items seems to have been especially important: stimulants.

What fueled the feverish intellectual and commercial activity of the age? Certainly, the new availability of substances that provide an energy boost — from sugar to cocaine — played a role. For the next few weeks, we’re going to be looking at the stimulants that made the modern world. First up — tea!

Original Submission