Here are 10 facts about chewing gum.

What can deliver a refreshing burst of minty flavor, be used to bait crabs, and in a pinch seal up leaky pipes? If you guessed chewing gum, you are correct.

Here are 10 facts about the versatile treat.

Number 10. It dates back at least 5 thousand years. An archaeology student digging in Finland found a chewed up piece birch bark tar that was enjoyed all those millennia ago. In ancient times it was a popular remedy for oral infections and also used as a kind of glue for pots.

Number 9. It got a global popularity boost during World War 2. William Wrigley was able to talk the powers that be into including gum in American soldiers’ rations. It quickly gained a lot of overseas fans. Before long demand was so large that it caused a strain on the natural base supply, and a synthetic alternative had to be developed.

Number 8. Sale of gum is mostly forbidden in Singapore. The ban went into effect in 1992 in an effort to keep it from ending up litterin