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Sunday 20 July 2014

Copper

Copper was the first metal to be worked by ancient people as it is easy to locate, can be easily worked with stone tools, and requires no smelting or refinement.

Some early cultures used copper for ornamentation, some used it for tools and weapons, and some used it for all three.

The oldest customer service complaint—which was about inferior copper ingots—was written on a clay tablet in Mesopotamia 4000 years ago.

Soldiers that wielded bronze swords used the metal filings from sharpening their blades after combat as a disinfectant for their wounds, due to copper's anti-microbial properties.

Sweden's 17th century currency was copper. After it fell in value, Swedes had to carry huge chunks to pay for goods.

Copper was in such short supply in the US during the First World War that the government started to make coins out of glass.

The country of Chile is the world’s largest producer and exporter of copper.

Copper and brass are self-sterilizing materials capable of killing harmful microbes within two hours or less. When used as door knobs in hospital they kill bacteria, even antibiotic ones such as MRSA far faster than steel and aluminium due to this effect.

Slugs dislike copper; their slime  reacts with it and gives them an electric shock.

Copper ore

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

Octopuses have copper-based blood instead of iron-based blood, which is why their blood is blue rather than red.

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