Titanium
My father-in-law fell off the roof of his garage a few weeks ago. Why was he on the roof of his garage, you ask?
Because he’s one of the most active octogenarians on the planet, and there were some tree limbs infringing on his rain gutters, so he was attempting to clear them. The ladder he was using wasn’t high enough, so he climbed on the roof with his saw.
Unfortunately, the metal roof was extremely slippery, and he lost his balance, dropping at least 12 feet to the ground, landing squarely on his back.
Now he has two gold titanium rods in his neck, connected to his cervical vertebrae with titanium screws.
I know, I know. I’m torn between the revulsion of bloody screws on bone surgery and the wonder of modern technology that saved my father-in-law’s life.
I’ve been thinking alot about titanium since his surgery, and I also cannot get the Sia/David Guetta song of the same name out of my head.
If you don’t know it, this is a song about strength and resilience, perfect for belting at the top of your lungs anywhere and everywhere. I have it on my running playlist, and when I hear the chorus, my feet can’t help but move faster, making me feel invincible.
I’ve read that its a song about being bullied, but I think it has a much more universal application for anyone facing a challenge.
Click the link above to listen to the whole song. The magical combination (Sia’s phenomenal voice, the driving beat, the empowering lyrics) is probably why the song went multiple-platinum in the US, UK, Australia, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, and New Zealand, as well as platinum and gold in many other countries.
I wonder if my father-in-law is feeling like the Six Million Dollar Man now that his cervical spine looks like this:
I’ll make sure to remind him that he’s got something in common with Steve Austin now ;)
With the song repeating in my head and visions of cervical spine fusion apparatus before my eyes, I was curious as to what was so special about titanium.
Fortunately, Mr. Google always accommodates me.
The first thing Mr. Google told me was that titanium was named for the Titans of Greek mythology. You know, the original children of heaven and earth.
Credit: Juan Manuel Rodriguez
Hmm, I’ve been reading about them in depth for the last six months, preparing for my trip to Greece, reflecting on Greek culture since my return, and most importantly, researching for my upcoming historical fiction novel, which begins on a Greek island in the North Aegean Sea.
Titanium is a natural element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It’s a pretty astounding lustrous metal, low in density and high in strength, resistant to corrosion in sea water, aqua regia (which can dissolve gold and platinum), and chlorine.
Titanium
Titanium can be alloyed with other metals or chemicals to produce strong, lightweight substances for aerospace materials, farming equipment, pulp, dental implants, sporting goods (like golf clubs), toothpaste, sunscreen, jewelry, mobile phones, and thousands of other applications. In some iterations it is as strong as steel but with countless more uses because of its light weight.
Amazingly, titanium is found in almost all living things, as well as water, soil, and rock formations. In fact, titanium is considered the most biocompatible metal on the planet because it is not harmful or toxic to living tissue. The same properties that make it resistant to aqua regia also make it resistant to corrosion from fluids in the human body. It’s been called the best material on the planet for 3-D printing of replacement human body parts, like the artificial ribcage below:
I don’t believe that Shakespeare included titanium in any of his writings (it wasn’t even discovered until 180 years after his death), but he was the first to name the queen of the fairies “Titania,” meaning daughter of Titans. Prior to Shakespeare, the Fairy Queen had no name. And by the looks of it, Shakespeare, through his character, Titania, might have been foretelling the creation of David Guetta’s and Sia’s eponymous song nearly 420 years in the future:
“I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again
Mine ear is much enamour’d of thy note
Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful”
Have you heard the song Titanium? Does it inspire you? Do you know anyone with (or do you have) any titanium body parts? Would you ever consider a titanium prosthetic? More importantly, what makes you feel invincible? Please leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!
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