Friday, October 17, 2003
To think I worried about my Norwegian ex-flatmate putting entire saucepans in the microwave...see here.
Though saying CDs incandesce - um, well for the beginning perhaps, and then they start vibrating and small fires break out. But maybe that's only the AOL ones. And then you discover you've got scorched plastic bonded onto the rotating plate, with flecks of blackened metal. Which not even Fairy Liquid can shift. And which catches fire or partly melts every time the microwave gets used. Hmm, nice appetising smell (nearly as good as other flatmates who perennially set fire to the handles on saucepans).
The grape thing - how and why?
Looking at other stuff connected to him - well he's definitely enterprising. Like using liquid nitrogen to make ice cream (where've I heard this before?). And apparently one can stick your hand into liquid nitrogen and not have it shatter - because the heat from one's hand is enough to convert the liquid into a gas, and thus create an insulating layer round the hand - according to one of my brother's ex-lecturers. Have to admit I don't know of anyone who's tried (BTW this is possibly not recommended).
Reverting back to the Pop Sci Guy - He's won an Ig Noble. And dumps large chunks of sodium in water to see what happens. Half eek, half wow.
And I thought the Thermit reaction was cool.
Possibly best to leave this stuff to the insaner parts of humanity.
Anyhoo, need to eat.
Though saying CDs incandesce - um, well for the beginning perhaps, and then they start vibrating and small fires break out. But maybe that's only the AOL ones. And then you discover you've got scorched plastic bonded onto the rotating plate, with flecks of blackened metal. Which not even Fairy Liquid can shift. And which catches fire or partly melts every time the microwave gets used. Hmm, nice appetising smell (nearly as good as other flatmates who perennially set fire to the handles on saucepans).
The grape thing - how and why?
Looking at other stuff connected to him - well he's definitely enterprising. Like using liquid nitrogen to make ice cream (where've I heard this before?). And apparently one can stick your hand into liquid nitrogen and not have it shatter - because the heat from one's hand is enough to convert the liquid into a gas, and thus create an insulating layer round the hand - according to one of my brother's ex-lecturers. Have to admit I don't know of anyone who's tried (BTW this is possibly not recommended).
Reverting back to the Pop Sci Guy - He's won an Ig Noble. And dumps large chunks of sodium in water to see what happens. Half eek, half wow.
And I thought the Thermit reaction was cool.
Possibly best to leave this stuff to the insaner parts of humanity.
Anyhoo, need to eat.
