• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • WordPress
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
Science Update

Science Update

Sharing Science | Satisfying Curiosity | Debunking BS

  • Spotlights
  • Reality Check
  • Why Is It?
  • Radio Archives
  • Sciup @ School
Home » Radio Archive » Daily Show » Tooth Enamel

Tooth Enamel

September 20, 2016
https://podcast.scienceupdate.com/160920_sciup_enamel.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window

smile-mouth-teeth-laugh-65665-large
(Pixabay/Public Domain)

BOB HIRSHON (host):

The secrets of tough teeth. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.

Tooth enamel is the hardest material in the human body, and it has an incredibly complex structure. University of Sydney materials engineer Julie Cairney and her colleagues created a 3D map of the atoms in dental enamel, using a new technique called atom probe tomography. In the journal Science Advances, they report that enamel has calcium phosphate studded with magnesium atoms, in between a complex array of hydroxyapetite nanorods. She says the calcium phosphate material is what gets attacked by the acids in dental plaque.

JULIE CAIRNEY (University of Sydney):

So if we understand how decay occurs, that gives us the opportunity to really make some headway into treatments to stop decay from taking place.

HIRSHON:

In addition, she says understanding the structure of this super-strong material opens up the possibility of imitating it to design new materials for a variety of uses. I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.

Story by Bob Hirshon

LEARN MORE

Category: Daily Show, Station DownloadTag: Chemistry, Medicine & Health
Previous Post:Black Pig Preferences
Next Post:Carbon Transistors

Sidebar

Radio Program Archives

Want to learn more about the brain? The environment? Here you can browse the topics that come up regularly on Science Update.

Search the Archives

Categories

  • Daily Show
  • Station Download
  • Weekly Show

Find By Tag

  • 2020
  • Acoustics & Sound
  • Aging
  • Animal Behavior
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Astronomy & Space
  • Biology
  • Brain Science
  • Bugs
  • Cat Video
  • Chemistry
  • Children & Families
  • cicadas
  • Climate & Weather
  • Communications
  • Computer Science
  • Economics & Business
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Environment & Conservation
  • Genetics & Evolution
  • Geology
  • Marine Science
  • Materials Science
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine & Health
  • Microbiology
  • Nanotechnology
  • NASA
  • Nutrition & Food Science
  • Paleontology & Dinosaurs
  • Physics
  • Plants & Agriculture
  • Political Science
  • Reality Check
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences
  • Sports & Fitness
  • spotlight
  • Spotlight Bugs
  • Terrorism & War
  • Why Is It? Questions
  • Wildlife
  • Year in Review

Find By Date

Science Update
  • About Science Update
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

Image of computer screen depicting an orange cat with a variety of alphanumeric scientific data superimposed on the the screen.
Spotted skunk performing handstand to threaten predators

Copyright © 2025 · Springtail Media LLC · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Pongos