South Korean manufacturer solves problem of dining while masked … sort of

Some enterprising South Korean manufacturers have created a solution—of sorts—to a pesky pandemic-era problem many restaurant diners face: how to eat a meal in public while remaining safely masked. The “kosk” (“ko” means nose in Korean) is a two-piece face mask that allows its wearer to free their mouth to consume pleasures unencumbered, while leaving their nose fully protected from wandering pathogens. The response across social media has been mixed, reports The Guardian, with one Twitter user quipping “Are they also selling teapots made from chocolate?” Others pointed out there may be some sense in the novel invention, as some studies suggest the nose is Covid’s favored entry point into the body. We’re not sure this will—or should—catch on. —Safiya Charles