• rtxn@lemmy.world
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      17 hours ago

      Realistically, a geoscientist doesn’t really have to worry about accidentally licking some superheavy elements beyond plutonium, and if they do, they should be a lot more concerned about lead, being fired at them, after breaking into a particle accelerator because they wanted to know the taste of oganesson.

      • vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works
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        11 hours ago

        It’s not my problem that they try to hide the forbidden tastes, if they didn’t want me to break in they should’ve stopped shooting at me and screaming “He took Jim’s kidneys!” frankly the nerve of some people. Should’ve just invited me in, far less lethalities.

    • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
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      23 hours ago

      I’m surprised uranium is only yellow, thought it chemically wrecked havoc on our fragile organic compounds and was difficult/impossible for the body to get rid of.

      • The Quuuuuill@slrpnk.net
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        14 hours ago

        Uranium in its unenriched natural state is very almost stable. not entirely. but not so unstable that being in the same room as it long term will cause problems. even licking it the concern is less radiation and more heavy metal poisoning

        • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
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          11 hours ago

          Yeah, I had it mixed up with plutonium, which isn’t just more radioactive but also chemically reactive. Thought that 2nd part applied to both of them.

      • Baguette@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        1 day ago

        Depends on the state of mercury. Mercury in an inorganic state is survivable. It’d probably still mess up your organs. Organic mercury or mercury in its vapor form is a lot more dangerous, and can cross the blood brain barrier.

        A medical video essay about mercury: https://youtu.be/NJ7M01jV058

        • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
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          23 hours ago

          A high school chemistry teacher once mentioned a story about someone who tried to commit suicide by drinking a beaker of mercury. He mostly just got the shits from it. But they stopped letting the kids play with it because of that mercury vapour.

      • Cornelius_Wangenheim@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        Because a single lick probably won’t kill you. The dose makes the poison and all. The highly radioactive ones will (see polonium tea).