A new book, by Newstalk researcher Simon Tierney, is exploring the hidden histories of ordinary things.

This includes objects from the toothbrush to the traffic light, and the barbeque to the bed.

Based on the popular weekly series on Moncrieff, 'Stuff that Changed the World' offers a fascinating and humorous look at the things around us we take for granted.

Discover why men wore high heels before women did, how Queen Elizabeth I owned the world's first flushing toilet - and find out if early staplers really required a mallet to operate.

The book takes readers on a journey through a kaleidoscope of social history to find the extraordinary stories behind the most ordinary things.

Simon has been doing the 'Stuff that Changed the World' series on Moncrieff since 2015.

He also makes reports and documentaries for the station.

He has written features for the Irish Times and the 'Empty Wallet' column for the Irish Times magazine.

This is his first book.