A chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers, leading to scarring of lung tissue and serious breathing problems.
From 'asbestos' (the mineral) plus '-osis' (disease or abnormal condition). The term was coined in the early 20th century as the dangers of asbestos exposure became apparent.
Asbestosis is a perfect example of how invisible dangers kill slowly—miners and workers felt fine for decades while microscopic fibers permanently scarred their lungs, and by the time symptoms appeared, it was usually too late, which is why exposing this in the 1970s was such a medical scandal.
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