New Type Of Glass Can Dissolve And Release Calcium Into The Body

New Type Of Glass Can Dissolve And Release Calcium Into The Body

www.sciencedaily.com

ScienceDaily (Jun. 12, 2008) — British scientists are developing a new type of glass that can dissolve and release calcium into the body. This will enable patients to regrow bones and could signal a move away from bone transplants.

The porous glass, originally developed at Imperial College is capable of acting as an active template for new bone growth, dissolving in the body without leaving any trace of itself or any toxic chemicals. As it dissolves it releases calcium and other elements such as silicon into the adjacent body fluids, stimulating bone growth.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 13-6-2008 by grover]

HMMM... Interesting.

I am reminded that years ago I mentioned to a friend of mine that the solidity of glass was an illusion, that it is instead super cooled liquid that flows extremely slowly.

That boy would not believe me to save his life.

I dug out articles about the nature of glass from my Enclyopedia Britannica 3 and from my copy of Von Nostroms Scientific Enclycopedia to no avail.

Anyway this is something to be watched... especially those of us who have bad bones to begin with.

www.sciencedaily.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by grover


Interesting find. I had never heard of glass being a liquid before and I'll have to look into it more. Thanks!

Originally posted by grover

I am reminded that years ago I mentioned to a friend of mine that the solidity of glass was an illusion, that it is instead super cooled liquid that flows extremely slowly.

That's a nice way of putting it.

You'd have been better of saying that it was made of sand, though.

Thanks for this info, Grover! Star!

This could be great news for those with osteoporosis, which can be totally debilitating....

Originally posted by grover
...dissolving in the body without leaving any trace of itself or any toxic chemicals. As it dissolves it releases calcium and other elements such as silicon into the adjacent body fluids, stimulating bone growth. ...
[edit on 13-6-2008 by grover]

(BTW, that wasn't grover's personal words, but a quote from a web site)

I see. Sooooo.... silicone in a woman's breast implants are extremely bad, causing all kinds of illnesses, but silicone leaking from bone is just a-ok super honkey dorey!

reply to post by grover


Well, this is an eye opener. Pretty cool.

I just wanted to say... isn't just about any hard material that is capable of being melted really a supercooled liquid when exposed to the general temperature of Earth?

Anything that can be melted can be considered to have a liquid state, when it cools it becomes solid... or supercooled, no?

Anyway, the advancing science lately is really impressing me and encouraging me.

No glass is actually a liquid... if you ever get the chance to look at some old glass... I mean a couple hundred years old or older, if its a pane like in stained glass (the more impurities the greater the flow) it is warped looking, that is because of the downward flow and it is thicker on the bottom. Its more apparent in real old bottles.

The glass bottle that holds this beer I am drinking is a liquid itself... in the state it is in now... if you don't believe me ask a glass blower.

[edit on 13-6-2008 by grover]

Oh yes. I've known that glass is a liquid since H.S., I was just saying that anything that can be melted and liquified should also be considered a super cooled liquid once it solidifies. It's solidarity is really only a result of local temperature, otherwise at warmer temps it's a liquid.

[edit on 13-6-2008 by LastOutfiniteVoiceEternal]

reply to post by LastOutfiniteVoiceEternal


The difference is however that glass continues to flow in its so called solid state... metal does not.

reply to post by sir_chancealot


Two different words:

Silicon is an element on the periodic table is not toxic.

Silicone is a product made by DuPont and is toxic.

Get it now?

Jon

reply to post by sir_chancealot


Silicone is not Silicon....

Silicone
Silicon

An American by any chance? I know you guys have difficulty with some words, such as Aluminium, which for some goddam reason you guys insist on calling Aluminum... Even my spell checker is trying to correct me now!

EDIT: Voxel beat me too it



[edit on 14/6/08 by stumason]

As a totally paranoid person... I don't like this at all.


Your little glass implant dissolves and releases its payload - not straight away but over time . . . . the payload then gets to do what it wants, but your thought it was just a little glass chip with a bit of metal in it.....


As a rational medical advance, this is superb. Trauma victims / brittle bone disease sufferers are going to love this IF its used in a beneficial manner.

Actually metal in warmer temperatures does. The metals here on Earth are just extremely supercooled, that's why we call them metals and think of them as "not flowing". Glass if cooled to even lesser temps discontinues any noticable flowage; flow becomes practically unnoticable.

I don't know if I want to debate this

Obviously though, in warmer temps there is more movement occuring on the subatmoc level causing macro effects.

[edit on 14-6-2008 by LastOutfiniteVoiceEternal]