History’s deadliest colors - J. V. Maranto
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/history-s-deadliest-colors-j-v-maranto When radium was first discovered, its luminous green color inspired people to add it into beauty products...
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In 1898, Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium.Claimed to have restorative properties,radium was added to toothpaste,medicine,water,and food.A glowing, luminous green,it was also used in beauty products and jewelry.It wasn't until the mid-20th centurywe realized that radium's harmful effects as a radioactive elementoutweighed its visual benefits.Unfortunately, radium isn't the only pigment that historicallyseemed harmless or usefulbut turned out to be deadly.That lamentable distinction includes a trio of colors and pigmentsthat we've long used to decorate ourselves and the things we make:white,green,and orange.Our story begins with white.As far back as the 4th century BCE,the Ancient Greeks treated lead to make the brilliant white pigm...
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In 1898, Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium.Claimed to have restorative properties,radium was added to toothpaste,medicine,water,and food.A glowing, luminous green,it was also used in beauty products and jewelry.It wasn't until the mid-20th centurywe realized that radium's harmful effects as a radioactive elementoutweighed its visual benefits.Unfortunately, radium isn't the only pigment that historicallyseemed harmless or usefulbut turned out to be deadly.That lamentable distinction includes a trio of colors and pigmentsthat we've long used to decorate ourselves and the things we make:white,green,and orange.Our story begins with white.As far back as the 4th century BCE,the Ancient Greeks treated lead to make the brilliant white pigm...
