Comments on: Man Sitting on a Pool of Mercury

By: Christophe

Christophe — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:57:55 +0000

I bet he was living in Minamata…

By: Gauldar

Gauldar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:34:17 +0000

@dgaicun

I think he would have a high chance of slipping and get a concussion if he did that.

By: DOJ

DOJ — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 06:50:32 +0000

I still wanna know if something like a basketball could roll on the surface or if it would just float

By: dgaicun

dgaicun — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 03:58:45 +0000

What if he stood on it so his weight was less distributed? Would he sink? What if he jumped up and down?

By: angstrom

angstrom — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:44:36 +0000

Damn, all through my childhood I avoided touching mercury because adults told me how deadly it was.

I’m off to the mercury shop right now!

By: Shish

Shish — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:29:35 +0000

Mercury is about as toxic as lead. Avoid eating it or breathing its vapor for long periods, and it’s sensible to wear gloves handling it and wash afterward, but there’s no need for panic – casual handling of mercury metal is not going to hurt you.

By: MisterDevious

MisterDevious — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:08:30 +0000

Always wondered about that. A couple of times as a kid I’d break open a thermometer and play with the mercury, generally letting it roll around on a flat surface while I tilted it, but occasionally touching it. That explains the extra head, I guess.

By: Kalel

Kalel — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:50:01 +0000

I remember playing with mercury as a child… and now look at me, posting on Neatorama.

By: ChemGuy

ChemGuy — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:17:30 +0000

I just bought that issue from ebay just to read the article that went with that photo…great article about mercury circa 1972…

By: Jigore

Jigore — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:29:42 +0000

Mercury will not just swoop inside your skin. Only spider do that.

By: Bonehead108

Bonehead108 — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:58:05 +0000

Can you imagine how fun that would be if it wasn’t toxic?

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:43:10 +0000

Quicksilver (liquid mercury) doesn’t get absorbed readily through the skin. I think the poison is in the form of mercury vapor.

By: Barry

Barry — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:42:53 +0000

Liquid mercury is relatively safe. It’s the gaseous form that is dangerous because it can be inhaled directly into the bloodstream. If you break a mercury thermometer, scoop up the droplets. Vacuuming will just disperse the mercury as a fine mist into the room where it can be inhaled.

By: Ali S.

Ali S. — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:28:55 +0000

That can’t have been good for his long term health…

By: Matt Blank

Matt Blank — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:52:16 +0000

I bet he died a week later.

By: skidworth

skidworth — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:49:05 +0000

i remember that issue! the article stated that after he sat on the pool of Hg he had to turn his pockets inside/out to get the Hg out.