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Lead

Episode 6 of 8

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.

Photo: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Copyright

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27 minutes

Last on

Mon 5 Mar 2018 01:32GMT

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Broadcasts

  • Mon 26 Feb 2018 20:32GMT
  • Mon 26 Feb 2018 21:32GMT
  • Tue 27 Feb 2018 05:32GMT
  • Tue 27 Feb 2018 07:32GMT
  • Tue 27 Feb 2018 15:32GMT
  • Tue 27 Feb 2018 18:32GMT
  • Wed 28 Feb 2018 03:32GMT
  • Sun 4 Mar 2018 02:32GMT
  • Mon 5 Mar 2018 01:32GMT

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