2 ms·
> When a "new hammer" is developed or discovered (lets say, radiation) there's a natural inflection point. People will try marketing radioactive medicines, radi
by thaumasiotes 2y ago
> When a "new hammer" is developed or discovered (lets say, radiation) there's a natural inflection point. People will try marketing radioactive medicines, radioactive soft drinks, radioactive toys, radioactive jewelry.... etc etc.
Have you read anything from the early 20th century? This is a noticeable theme in e.g. stories set in the mythos of Conan the Barbarian or the Wizard of Oz. "Radium" is treated as essentially a form of magic.
- SideburnsOfDoom 2y agoI don't think "read Conan the Barbarian" is the main takeaway of that, though I'm sure "rays" was a trope in fiction. Quack "radioactive medicines" actually happened to people. Product darwinism and actual customer darwinism. See, e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_quackery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_quackery https://www.orau.org/health-physics-museum/collection/radioactive-quack-cures/index.html https://www.orau.org/health-physics-museum/collection/radioa... https://histmed.collegeofphysicians.org/for-students/radium/ https://histmed.collegeofphysicians.org/for-students/radium/ https://www.dannydutch.com/post/the-strange-story-of-eben-byers-the-man-that-drank-radium-until-his-jaw-fell-off# https://www.dannydutch.com/post/the-strange-story-of-eben-by... https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/the-lethal-legacy-of-early-20th-century-radiation-quackery/2020/02/14/ed1fd724-37c9-11ea-bf30-ad313e4ec754_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/the-lethal-legacy-of-e...
- thaumasiotes 2y ago> though I'm sure "rays" was a trope in fiction No, seriously, "radium".
- lukan 2y agoAnd before that, it was "magnetism".
- feoren 2y agoAnd today it's quantum mechanics and/or dark matter.