Copper is such a beautiful transition metal, whether seen in its fresh faced copper colored form, or its corroded green patina. Copper is soft and malleable making it easy to form into different shapes. It is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, in fact it is the second most conductive metal behind silver. With its pliable nature and ease of forming into wire, Copper is responsible for many of the technologies we enjoy today. Found in the same column as Gold and Silver, Copper shares many of the same properties as these two metals that are usually considered much more valuable. Records of Copper use span over 10,000 years of human history and my guess is that it will continue to aide us in our future endeavors.
Neptune's Medicine Chest
I have mixed feelings about Neptune's Medicine chest. On the one hand I would encourage scientific research and discovery when it gives us an economic reason to not trash the ocean since we (Western Culture/Civilization) seem to need an economic motivator for everything.
However, the purpose of Neptune's medicine chest makes me hesitate. It perpetuates the endless mouse wheel of creating drugs to "fix" diseases caused by drugs we have already invented. A stronger antibiotic resistant bacteria is caused by the overuse of the antibiotics we already made. Our bodies are amazing ecosystems that can fight infections and cancers on their own. We bombard our bodies constantly with cancer causing agents and then mistreat the immune systems we were born with to fight off the infections we give ourselves. There is a symphony of microbes and bacteria that deal with these foreign invaders, but every time we take and antibiotic, the good is wiped out with the bad with no concern for the consequences.
This is not to say that antibiotic discoveries are not a good thing. They have saved many lives, but perhaps they would not have been needed if we would stop creating the pathogenic environment that attacks us.
Link Review: Water Concepts
I like the interactive visuals found in this link. It helped me to understand hydrogen bonds and the various aspects of a water molecule. I think they could have done a better job with the graphics, but in general they serve their purpose.
I agree i like copper also. these days copper is actually pretty valuable because it's so abundant. There are alot of stories of people going into building to remove the copper wiring and sell it.
ReplyDeleteI also like copper. There is a loose connection from cable to battery in my car and my neighbor said that what he did is wrapped a piece a copper between and around the connection and he has never had a problem since. I can do this sure, and it seems like a good idea since it is soft and malleable and an excellent conductor electricity, but it sure would be ideal to just be able to remove the oxidized bolt!
ReplyDelete