Medical Technology

Did you know that a scientist discovered X-rays by accident? Or that people have been taking pain medicine for more than 5,000 years? Get ready to learn the strange stories behind inventions you use every day. From the Roman warrior with a famous false hand, to the Boy Scouts who made Band-Aids a big deal, you'll find out how we got the medical wonders that help us heal faster and feel better.

How can you protect yourself against an enemy that you can't see? How can you meet the regulations of a policy you aren't aware of? If you are involved in the medical industry, you know that today's technology often complicates patient-record confidentiality. You also know that regulations meant to protect patient records, like the Health Insurance Portability and Affordability Act (HIPAA), grow more stringent on a daily basis. Yet each day, the cyberthreats that impede your ability to meet those regulatory standards increase.

Tra la fine dell'Ottocento e l'inizio del Novecento, in un'epoca di pionieri, Sigmund Freud fu il coraggioso esploratore dell'animo umano: grazie alla sua capacità immaginativa e alla sua grande tenacia, riuscì a dare forma a un impianto teorico della mente così innovativo che ancora oggi è utilizzato dalla moderna psichiatria e psicologia.

With X-rays, doctors detect problems human eyes can't see. X-rays are a form of invisible radiation. This powerful medical technology helps experts look inside the body and even treat illnesses. But early on, X-rays caused harm too, as people used them without enough protection. This history covers the discovery of X-rays, the development of safety standards, and the rise of more powerful and precise X-ray machines. Find out how modern doctors create digital images of the inner body—even 3D images of our brains!

This essay comes from the NPR series This I Believe, which features brief personal reflections from both famous and unknown Americans. The pieces that make up the series compel listeners to rethink not only what and how they have arrived at their beliefs, but also the extent to which they share them with others.

In order to bring its origin to light, Rebecca Skloot weaves together several narrative threads. One is primarily focused on Henrietta Lacks, the woman who, without her knowledge, became central to 20th century biomedical research. Another is the birth of modern biomedical research itself, and its roots in the American eugenics movement. Finally, there is the impact of this research, both of the Lacks Family and on society at large. Skloot divides the book into 3 parts: Life, Death, and Immortality.