INSER

Uses
It is a very poor conductor of electrical current, and very resistant to corrosion, which is probably why the Romans decided to use it to build sewage pipes, among other things. Lead is also a very affective sound absorber, and It is also very efficient at absorbing vibration. Perhaps it could be incorporated into building foundations as an earthquake-safety. Lead used to be used in many other products such as paint and even toys, but a scientific breakthrough in 1990 followed by massive recalls put an end to that.

History:
It is unknown when lead was first discovered, but it has been found in manuscripts dating back to the 12 Century, including The Bible. Leads name remains a mystery, but the Romans called it plumbum. This name is still sometimes used in scientific equations, such as pumbum-phosphate. The Romans used lead for almost everything: water pipes, sewage pipes, even plates and eating utensils. Some scientists believe that this contributed to the Roman’s downfall, which you can learn more about in the Biological Hazards section.

Biological Hazards

A series of studies have shown that intense exposure to lead can cause mental and physical defects in young children, and lead poisoning can result in death. In moderate quantities it can result in a rise in blood pressure, kidney damage, miscarriages and subtle abortions, disruption of nervous systems, brain damage, sperm damage, learning disabilities, and disruptions among children such as aggression and hyperactivity. As I mentioned earlier, Rome used lead for almost everything. Only the higher class could afford lead utensils, and they ate with them everyday. Through this folly it is quite possible that all of Rome’s leaders were killed off and caused the nation to fall into disarray. For this reason it has been banned from paints and many other commercial products since this breakthrough in the 1990’s.

Scroll over the image to the left with the mouse weel to see the affects of long-term exposure to lead.