Did you know that ...
The copper content of the earth's crust averages around 0.006 percent. All floors contain copper, albeit partially only in low concentrations.
... copper has been in use for more than 10,000 years? The oldest known piece of jewelry - a few copper earrings - dates from the Neolithic period.
... the Colossus of Rhodes was made of copper? ... and that the ancient Egyptians already used copper for their water pipes?
... copper and tin are easy to combine? This discovery gave its name to an entire epoch: the Bronze Age. Incidentally, copper and zinc combine to form brass!
... the name "copper" is derived from the island of Cyprus? In ancient times it supplied Rome, Greece and other Mediterranean countries with the red metal. The Romans then called this extremely useful material "ore from Cyprus", in Latin "aes cyprium", later "cuprum" and finally "copper".
... copper conducts heat and electricity better than almost any other metal?
... would not be possible without copper computer technology? Copper is also indispensable for other modern communication technologies, in communications technology, television, and cell phones.
... there is an average of 100 mg of copper in the adult human organism? Especially in the skeleton, but also in the muscles, internal organs and in the brain.
... the copper is highly germicidal? This has long benefited from the holy water pools in churches as well as the kettles of the breweries.
... a copper penny in irrigation water gets plants very well and keeps cut flowers fresh for longer?
... Does copper inhibit the growth of legionella? The pathogens of the dangerous Legionnaires' disease get into the lungs via tiny water droplets and can lead to fatal inflammation there. Studies have shown that the legionella concentration in copper pipes was ten times lower than in plastic pipes.
... a 100 g bar of milk chocolate contains 12 mg copper? This corresponds to about ten times the daily requirement - harmless because too much copper that was ingested with the food is excreted again.
... without copper, our blood cells would be quite colorless? So far, 16 copper-containing enzymes are known. They are all involved in the formation of red blood cells and help in the incorporation of iron into the red blood pigment, the hemoglobin.
... the global copper deposits do not decrease, but increase? One reason for this is the ever-discovered deposits. The continuously developed mining and extraction techniques also lead to an increase in the economically usable raw material reserves.
... more than 80 percent of the copper ever mined is still in circulation today? The ancient Egyptians gave the metal the "Ankh symbol". It means "Eternal Life". A fitting name because the metal is fully recyclable. It can be remelted as often as you like. Somewhere in the world, there is definitely copper that was already used in ancient Egypt!
If you want to get copper from your food, you have the choice: copper is found in nuts, legumes, grains, potatoes, mushrooms, liver, kidneys, fish, crustaceans, avocados, beans and garlic. And if you have a craving for chocolate again, you should take comfort in the fact that the sweet snack contains a lion's share of copper - and from this point of view is quite healthy despite all the calories!