The misunderstood "fetish": a dark history and shocking reversal of materials science

If materials could talk, they would laugh at human ignorance.

In the history of human civilization for thousands of years, we often worship a stone, but treat the real treasure as nothing. The history of materials science is not only a scientific history, but also a "reversal drama" full of black humor, greed and accidents.

Today, instead of talking about sophisticated formulas, let’s take a look at these four "roller coaster of destiny"-like materials. Their stories tell you: In this world, there is no absolute high or low, only cognitive limitations.

1. Lead: The empire’s “sweet” killer

If you travel back to ancient Rome 2,000 years ago, you will find that the nobles lived an extremely luxurious life, but they generally had one physical problem: gout, irritability, and even madness.

The culprit was lead, the most beloved metal at the time.

In ancient Rome, lead was the perfect material. It had a low melting point and was as soft as plasticine, allowing slaves to easily pound it into water pipes. The water supply system that the city of Rome was proud of was made of tons of lead. The word plumber in English comes from the Latin word plumbum.

But the scariest thing is not the water pipes, but the "lead sugar".

The Romans discovered that boiling sour wine in a lead pot would produce a magical white crystal - lead acetate. This stuff tastes sweet and is antiseptic. As a result, Roman nobles frantically added it to wine, sauces, and even used it in cosmetics.

They are gulping down neurotoxins every day.

Historians speculate that lead poisoning directly contributed to the intellectual deterioration and reduced fertility of the Roman ruling class. The absurd atrocities of the last Roman emperors were probably the result of heavy metals corroding the brain.

A material that, because it was so useful and delicious, eventually chronically poisoned a great empire. ## 2. Aluminum: from crown jewel to can

Now, if you just throw the finished Coke can into the trash can, you probably won't feel any distress.

But if you dared to do this at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1855, you would be arrested on the spot. Because at that expo, an exhibit was placed in the most conspicuous position, next to the French Crown diamond, and its label was - "Silver from the Earth".

It is aluminum.

At that time, Napoleon III held a banquet, and only the most distinguished kings and distinguished guests could use aluminum knives and forks. Ordinary duke or earl? Sorry, you can only use "shabby" gold tableware.

Why? Because although aluminum is everywhere in the earth's crust (it is the third most abundant element in the earth's crust), it is locked in compounds and is extremely difficult to extract. In those days, the cost of refining an ounce of aluminum was more than gold.

It was not until 1886 that two young scientists (Hall of the United States and Erou of France) invented the electrolytic aluminum method. Once this technology breaks through, the price of aluminum will collapse instantly.

In just a few decades, it went from a "fetish" on the emperor's dining table to a tin foil (actually aluminum foil) for wrapping leftovers and a cheap container for carbonated drinks.

Material science tells us: The so-called "rare" is often just because our technology is not strong enough. ## 3. Radium: The glowing kiss of death

In 1898, Marie Curie discovered radium. This element emits a faint blue-green light and contains amazing energy.

In the eyes of humans at that time, this was simply the "light of life." Since it has energy, it must be able to replenish the body, right?

As a result, a crazy "radium mania" broke out in the early 20th century. Merchants launched radium-containing toothpaste (to whiten teeth), radium-containing chocolate, radium-containing mineral water (claimed to cure all diseases), and even radium-containing underwear.

The most tragic story happened to "Radium Girl".

Luminous watches were very popular at the time, and the numbers on the dial needed to be painted with radium-containing luminous paint. The factory hired young girls to do this work. In order to make the pen tip thinner and draw more delicate figures, the supervisor taught the girls to "lick the tip" of the brush with their lips.

The girls swallowed tiny amounts of radium every day. The chemical properties of radium are very similar to calcium. The human body treats it as calcium and deposits it in the bones.

A few years later, these beautiful girls began to suffer from horrific symptoms: their teeth fell out, their jaw bones cracked like biscuits, and their bodies were covered with tumors. It wasn't until they exchanged their lives for the awakening of the law that mankind realized: Not all energy is a gift from God. ## 4. Rubber: An Angry Accident

Finally, let’s talk about a “luck” story.

In the early 19th century, rubber was an awkward material. It is indeed waterproof, but it has a fatal flaw: it becomes soft and sticky when it is hot, and hard and brittle when it is cold. If you wear a rubber raincoat, it will melt when you walk in the summer, and it will fall into pieces when you sit down in the winter.

There was an American named Charles Goodyear who spent all his money trying to improve rubber and even went to jail. But he tried every method, including acid, alkali, and oil, but all failed.

One winter in 1839, the impoverished Goodyear was bragging to his friends about his new formula (in which he added sulfur). In his excitement, he accidentally dropped a piece of rubber mixed with sulfur into the hot stove.

He freaked out, thinking he was going to screw up again. But when he took out the burnt rubber, a miracle happened: instead of melting, it became as strong as leather while remaining elastic.

This is "vulcanized rubber".

This accident started the modern automobile industry. Without this "miss", there would be no Ford Model T, no Michelin, and no modern transportation. To this day, all the tire giants in the world still use the technology that was born in an "angry accident" a hundred years ago.

Conclusion: We are just blind people touching the elephant

Looking back at the history of these materials, you will find how arrogant and insignificant human beings are.

Are we making the same mistake now? Will the plastics we rely on now be considered the “lead of the 21st century” a hundred years from now? Will nuclear waste, which we now regard as garbage, be the core of energy in the future?

The most fascinating thing about materials science is not what it has created, but that it always reminds us: The material world is full of unsolved mysteries, and we must maintain enough respect for nature.

The next time you see an inconspicuous piece of rusty iron, or a piece of broken glass, take a second look. Perhaps under another atomic arrangement, it is the "vibranium" of the next era.