A review with 43 references. Some historical aspects of the discovery of the axio-polar (time-odd polar) vector, its appearance as an anapole moment in atomic nuclei and in the form of a spontaneous toroidal moment in "ferrotoroidic" crystals and domains are discussed. The related linear and bilinear "electrotoroidic" and "magnetotoroidic" effects, as well as the "piezotoroidic" and linear "toroido-optic effect" are postulated.