Lead
Uta Frith, Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Development at University College London, assesses the impact of the use and abuse of lead on humanity.
From the plumbing of ancient Rome, to lead acid batteries, paint, petrol and a dangerous legacy, the metal lead has seen a myriad of uses and abuses over thousands of years. In bullets, and poisons it has killed us both quickly and slowly, and yet its malleability, low melting point and resistance to corrosion make it a fantastic material for all kinds of containers and water proofing. And it is key to one of the most commonly used, and ignored, devices on the planet, the car battery.
However it's only recently that the serious impact of lead poisoning on the development of children's brains has come to light.
Uta Frith, Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Development at University College London, who studied the impact of lead poisoning in the 1970s and 80s, journeys with lead from the iron age to the present day delving into the history and scandal associated with this often overlooked element.
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How was lead discovered?
Duration: 02:42
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- Mon 26 Feb 2018 20:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
- Mon 26 Feb 2018 21:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Australasia, South Asia & East Asia only
- Tue 27 Feb 2018 05:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except Australasia, East and Southern Africa, News Internet & West and Central Africa
- Tue 27 Feb 2018 07:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Australasia & East and Southern Africa only
- Tue 27 Feb 2018 15:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Australasia
- Tue 27 Feb 2018 18:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Wed 28 Feb 2018 03:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service West and Central Africa
- Sun 4 Mar 2018 02:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except News Internet & West and Central Africa
- Mon 5 Mar 2018 01:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service West and Central Africa
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