The Age of Aluminum

Bert EhgartnerBorn in 1962, he studied journalism in Vienna and, for over twenty years as a science journalist, author and documentary film-maker, has observed with a critical eye developments in the fields of medicine and the pharmaceutical industry. In addition to his print articles, he has written numerous books on various health topics, including Das Medizinkartell (The Medical Cartel, co-written by Kurt Langbein, Piper 2002) and Gesund bis der Arzt kommt (Healthy Until the Doctor Arrives, Luebbe, 2010).His documentary The Age of Aluminum was awarded the Hoimar von Ditfurth Prize.Bert Ehgartner has five children and lives with his family in the Vienna Woods.

We live in the Aluminum Age, but aluminum also has a dark and disturbing side.One hundred years ago there was hardly anyone who was aware of this common mineral that's so easy to find within the earth"s crust, and yet today aluminum is everywhere. It is an ideal material for making airplanes, computers, and pens. However the accumulation of aluminum in the body can have devastating consequences. Aluminum is especially popular in the cosmetics industry: in deodorants, it reacts with the cells of the skin and changes them to such an extent that they can no longer produce sweat. Medicines for heartburn often contain a high proportion of aluminum, and it is included as an active amplifier in two-thirds of all vaccines. The findings of science however testify conclusively against the heedless use of aluminum in these most sensitive areas of life.Bert Ehgartner, a journalist, author and documentary film-maker, has also released an eye-opening film The Age of Aluminum, which was awarded the Hoimar von Ditfurth Prize.