To you, silk underwear might be a little touch of luxury. Not so for the British, American and Australian troops in Afghanistan. For them, they are an essential piece of kit. "The first thing a soldier tends to ask when they have been injured is 'are my bits OK?'," says armour scientist Simon Holden. "Damage to their groin area can really affect their quality of life, both physically and psychologically." Of all the fabrics to fashion underpants from, it seems a traditional favourite is best. "Silk is lightweight so it doesn't impede a soldier's movement, and it can stretch a lot before it yields," says Holden, who is at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in Porton Down, UK.
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