It's true, Gold could save your life! Not only is gold helping to heal the sick but also to save lives on our nation's roads. How? Read on!

	In Medicine Gold coated lasers are being used to give new life to patients with once inoperable heart conditions and tumors. Gold-coated thermometers are widely used to detect accurate body temperatures of babies and unconscious patients. New lightweight lasers designed by the military, using gold-plated mirrors, enable medics to seal battlefield wounds in the field to reduce blood loss and improve survival chances for the seriously wounded. In hospitals, this new design will allow lasers to be brought to critically injured emergency patients without moving them, saving precious moments-and lives.
	In Space Gold's unmatched reflective qualities protect spacecraft, astronauts and their instruments from the searing heat of the sun and infrared radiation. A protective gold coating secures the vital lifesaving umbilical cord that tethers astronauts on spacewalks, while goal-coated visors protect their eyes from the sunlight. The rocket engines of space shuttles are lined with four miles of gold-brazed tubing which carries liquid hydrogen. These tubes keep the nozzle of the shuttle cool and prevent it from melting at its operating temperatures of 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
	In the Air Air traffic controllers around the world depend on gold for the flawless operation of radar equipment. Gold is used with nickel to bond compressor vanes in the huge turbines of commercial jetliners, enabling them to withstand exhaust temperatures of more than 1150 degrees Fahrenheit. A thin transparent film of gold helps keep the pilot's windshield clear when subfreezing temperatures threaten cockpit visibility. Gold has saved the lives of hundreds of military aviators through the faultless operation of aircraft escape systems.
	On Our Roadways Hundreds of lives have been saved and thousands of injuries prevented on our nation's roads by the reliable functioning of airbags, which rely on gold-coated contacts and electronic sensors for dependability. Twenty-eight million automobiles and light trucks built over the past four years in North America have factory-installed, life-saving anti-lock braking systems. Of all the materials available in the world, only gold contacts can help achieve the minimum 10-year or 150,000 mile design standard for these safety systems, because of gold's unique resistance to extreme weather conditions.
	In Hospitals and Office Buildings A gold-coated infrared instrument has been developed to immediately detect unhealthy buildup of carbon monoxide and other indoor pollutants.
	Underground in our Mines Today's miners also rely on gold. When air goes bad, gold-activated sensors detect oxygen depletion and sound an alarm.

What Makes Gold So Amazing and Invaluable?
Gold does not corrode, crumble, or tarnish, and it is unaffected by moisture, oxygen or most acids, whatever the conditions. No other metal is as dependable as gold and it is virtually indestructible!

Information for this article was taken from a past issue of "Kids in the West", a publication focused on offering natural resources education for today's youth. To receive a free copy of this publication, contact one of the following organizations:

Agua Fria Educational Chapter
PO Box 66
Humboldt, AZ 86329
(520)632-7410

The National Coalition for Public Lands and Natural Resources
PO Box 4345
Pueblo, CO 81003
(719)543-8421 FAX (719)543-9473