Technology

Why is this issue discovery
The topic,  being Egyptian make-up primarily being lead based is a discovery because for years make-up was known to simply enhance the appearance of a person.  With the discovery of Egyptian make-up being lead based, a new angle to the issue of make-up was uncovered, that being make-up is not primarily used by the Egyptians for beautification of the physical aspects of a person but also to ward off dermatological disease.  This is a discovery because currently lead is being considered to be a poison and people stay away from lead based components because it can poison people.  However, with the Egyptians use of the metal, and with none of them exhibiting psychiatric symptoms as opposed to current science saying that lead can cause psychiatric diseases, then lead might actually be safe for use in small doses.

Why is the technology important
Lead, as mentioned in the article, can be used to create pigments that are more vivid than those created with vegetable fat and dyes, this means, that being able to use the metal for make-up purposes would lead to cheaper make-up because using other materials for the production of make up would entail a higher cost.  Although physical appearance is not so much an issue in the 21st century, this matter is still important because science itself has propagated the idea that a pleasing physical appearance is equated with better chances of reproduction.  In this century, reproduction is essential in ensuring the survival of the human race and whatever factors affect reproduction are always important.

An opinion on the scientific merit of the article. (good science, useful science, pseudoscience)
The article has scientific merit because it focuses on something that is a need of the human race, which is to look good and to be able to play a significant role in reproduction.  Perhaps, we would not see the significance now because we consider physical beauty as something that is very superficial, however, many scientific studies have proven that outward, physical beauty, actually plays a part in the greater process of reproduction.  Another merit of this article is the discovery that among ancient Egyptians, lead was not as toxic as we know it to be, especially when used in controlled doses.  In relation to this, lead was even known to have antibacterial properties.  So, with lead having these properties and with this discovery discounting, in part, the theory of its toxicity, then probably, many other uses for lead could be invented, especially that it is something that we often fear as we have been told that it is toxic.

IV. What you learned that you did not know before.
I personally discovered from this article that history can teach us so many things that history can actually give us insights into the technology of the past.  I also learned, that, opposed to what modern scientists know of existing metals, some actually have other properties that have not been discovered or considered yet.  Lead, for instance, is considered a poison, but through this article, I learned that it can actually have other uses.

How the article relates to topics that have been or will be covered in class. (look at textbook table of contents to see where it might fit in)

This article is related to ( please insert the topic that you want, perhaps something about chemicals and toxic waste, or something about elements)  because it details the properties of a particular element lead, as well as the chemical properties of this element.  It also has something to do with compounds and how these are made and how they are used in real life.

Science does not allow for magic, but it does allow for healing cosmetics. The lead-based makeup used by the Egyptians had antibacterial properties that helped prevent infections common at the time, according to a report published Friday in Analytical Chemistry, a semimonthly journal of the American Chemical Society.

It was puzzling they were able to build a strong, rich society, so they were not completely crazy, said Christian Amatore, a chemist at the cole Normale Suprieure in Paris and one of the papers authors. But they believed this makeup was healing  they said incantations as they mixed it, things that today we call garbage.

Dr. Amatore and his fellow researchers used electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction to analyze 52 samples from containers of Egyptian makeup preserved at the Louvre.

They found that the makeup was primarily made by mixing four lead-based chemicals galena, which produced dark tones and gloss, and the white materials cerussite, laurionite and phosgenite.

Because the samples had disintegrated over the centuries, the researchers were not able to determine what percentage of the makeup was lead.

Although many written texts, paintings and statues from the period indicate that the makeup was extensively used, Egyptians saw it as magical, not medicine, Dr. Amatore said.

In ancient Egypt, during periods when the Nile flooded, Egyptians had infections caused by particles that entered the eye and caused diseases and inflammations. The scientists argue that the lead-based makeup acted as a toxin, killing bacteria before it spread.

But while their research provides a fascinating insight into an ancient culture, the scientists say the makeup is not something that should be used today.

Dr. Amatore said that the toxicity of lead compounds overshadowed the benefits and that there had been many documented cases of poisoning as a result of lead in paints and plumbing in the 20th century.

Neal Langerman, a physical chemist and the president of Advanced Chemical Safety, a health safety and environmental protection consulting firm, said, You probably wont want to do this at home, especially if you have a small child or a dog that likes to lick you.

Nonetheless, Dr. Langerman said, it makes sense that the Egyptians were attracted to the compounds.

Lead and arsenic, among other metals, make beautiful color pigments, he said. Because they make an attractive color and because you can create a powder with them, it makes sense to use it as a skin colorant.

The issue of lead in makeup continues to be debated in the cosmetics industry, particularly with regard to the small amounts of lead found in some lipsticks.

While some advocacy groups and doctors argue that, over time, lipstick wearers might absorb levels of lead that could result in behavioral issues, the Food and Drug Administration has said that the trace amounts of lead in makeup are too small to cause harm.

Its the dose that makes the poison, Dr. Langerman said, in paraphrasing the Renaissance physician Paracelsus. A low dose kills the bacteria. In a high dose, youre taking in too much.