But will it turn green?

[Jenise]

A recent report on NPR explained that someone has figured out that applying olive oil to the large famed limestone cathedral of York known as the York Minster (indeed it's quite beautiful, I've been there several times), might help put up a barrier to stop the wear being caused by acid rain.

[Mike Filigenzi]

A recent report on NPR explained that someone has figured out that applying olive oil to the large famed limestone cathedral of York known as the York Minster (indeed it's quite beautiful, I've been there several times), might help put up a barrier to stop the wear being caused by acid rain.

That would be an excellent use for much of the crappier supermarket olive oil that's out there.

[Jeff Grossman/NYC]

Maybe on a hot summer day we can all bring tomatoes and bufala mozzerella -- "Minster-ella", we'll re-christen it -- for a little caprese al fresco? (There are huge wall paintings in this cathedral, aren't there?)

[Jenise]

I'll bring the wine! Lacryma Cristi would do nicely....

[Jeff Grossman/NYC]

Beaune Grèves Vigne de l'Enfant Jésus?

[Peter May]

Just to spoil the fun, it's not olive oil, but a compound based on oleic acid found inf olive oil

They've formulated a new coating based on oleic acid and the highly hydrophobic 1H,1H, 2H,2H-perfluoro-decyltrimethoxysilane, C10H4F17Si(OMe)3. The mixture of the two compounds creates a superhydrophobic coating that repels water with high efficiency while remaining permeable to air. *

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2012/ ... rk-minster

*sorry, subscripts in original haven't displayed.