Hey All, Very interesting info regarding silica and gourds. It reinforces my curiosity as to how a gourd serves the purpose as a water vessel without much being done to it. Which brings me to my question. How does one water proof a gourd by todays standard? I have been dying to fashion a water container from a gourd. What solution or treatment(s) keeps it non-permeable against the liquid. Gene Brown genery@aol.com