At 30 angstroms - a unit of measurement equal to one hundred millionth of a centimeter - an obsidian scalpel can beat diamond in the fineness of its edge. Well-crafted obsidian blades made out of black volcanic glass has a cutting edge 100 times sharper and unbelievably smoother under an electron microscope as compared to the high-quality steel surgical scalpels and metal knives with jagged blades. “The biggest advantage with obsidian is that it is the sharpest edge there is, it causes very little trauma to tissue, it heals faster, and more importantly, it heals with less scarring,” says Green. Lee Green, professor and chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta, confirmed using obsidian blades on regular basis for removing moles and repairing torn earlobes. A handful of surgeons are benefiting themselves by using them for fine incisions that they say heal with minimal scarring.ĭr. Believe it or not, but the sharpest knives produced lately are mounted with stone flakes made of obsidian. Interestingly, Stone Age blades are still used for cutting in modern surgery. It is formed as an extrusive igneous rock and was used in the past in cutting and piercing tools.
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Obsidian, which is a naturally occurring volcanic glass, is known to be one of the sharpest materials found in nature. While there is still enough conjecture about the mystery holes in the skull that apparently worked as aspirin to cure everything from epilepsy to migraines in Neolithic times, what remains relevant today is the substance used to carry out the primitive surgery. Have you ever wondered if ancient technology is still relevant to MedTech today? Let us surprise you!