Silver has been around for thousands of years. In fact, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry, the first evidence of silver mining dates back to 3,000 B.C., in Greece and Turkey. It is still used to this day, and it has countless applications. Many people think of coins and jewelry when they think of silver, but it is used for much more than that.
To fight E. Coli
That’s right, silver can actually be used to fight E. Coli. When silver salts are added to antibiotics, they are found to be up to 1,000 times more effective than they are without the salts. Silver has the ability to neutralize the bacteria’s defenses, making it easy for the antibiotic to target and kill it.
In electronics
According to Geology.com, the number one use of silver in any industry is in electronics. Silver has an unsurpassed thermal and electrical conductivity among metals, which means it cannot easily be replaced by less expensive metals. Electronics demand that silver is in it’s highest purity of 99.99%. It must also have a fineness of 999.9. Silver is often used as contacts in electrical switches.
Water purification
In underdeveloped and third world countries, colloidal silver is used to further treat ceramic water filters to aid in killing bacteria and pathogens. It is also used to help bring clean water to those developing nations. What is known as “junk silver” is a great item to have on a survival list for a collapse scenario as well because it can purify water. It is also used to purify water in hospitals to prevent Legionnaire’s disease.
Photography
Before the rise of digital media, silver was primarily used in photography. Traditional film photography relies on the light sensitivity of silver halide crystals. When the film is exposed to light, the crystals change to record a latent image that can be developed into a photograph. The process is incredibly accurate, making it very useful for non-digital photography, film, and X-rays.
Silver is a precious metal that has thousands of applications, even ones that the average person could never dream of. The next time you think of silver, you won’t think of something shiny hanging on a woman’s neck.
