Date: 23/04/2022 07:36:47
From: Spiny Norman
ID: 1875837
Subject: A couple of interesting vids

One on the most destructive single organism to ever walk the Earth, Thomas Midgely – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV3dnLzthDA

And another of a clever chap that’s made a cloud chamber for detecting radioactive particles at home – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlvK5OlGF2A

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Date: 23/04/2022 22:37:28
From: mollwollfumble
ID: 1876275
Subject: re: A couple of interesting vids

Spiny Norman said:


One on the most destructive single organism to ever walk the Earth, Thomas Midgely – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV3dnLzthDA

And another of a clever chap that’s made a cloud chamber for detecting radioactive particles at home – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlvK5OlGF2A

> One on the most destructive single organism to ever walk the Earth, Thomas Midgely

Hold on. I’m going to object to that one. Midgely is infamous for two reasons.

Humankind has benefited greatly from both inventions.

Midgely also invented HCFCs on the way to inventing CFCs, and these inventions of his are still used as more environmentally friendly alternatives to CFCs.

And lead in petrol was never a danger, it had to be replaced because it was incompatible with catalytic converters not because it was ever bad for the environment. And still nobody will tell me what chemical replaced it :-(

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Date: 23/04/2022 22:59:51
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1876278
Subject: re: A couple of interesting vids

humans are animals too

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Date: 24/04/2022 08:14:48
From: The Rev Dodgson
ID: 1876338
Subject: re: A couple of interesting vids

mollwollfumble said:


Spiny Norman said:

One on the most destructive single organism to ever walk the Earth, Thomas Midgely – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV3dnLzthDA

And another of a clever chap that’s made a cloud chamber for detecting radioactive particles at home – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlvK5OlGF2A

> One on the most destructive single organism to ever walk the Earth, Thomas Midgely

Hold on. I’m going to object to that one. Midgely is infamous for two reasons.

  • He invented the use of CFCs in refrigerators to stop refrigerators from exploding.
  • And he invented the use of Tetra-ethyl lead in petrol to stop car engines from exploding.

Humankind has benefited greatly from both inventions.

Midgely also invented HCFCs on the way to inventing CFCs, and these inventions of his are still used as more environmentally friendly alternatives to CFCs.

And lead in petrol was never a danger, it had to be replaced because it was incompatible with catalytic converters not because it was ever bad for the environment. And still nobody will tell me what chemical replaced it :-(


Why is having levels of lead in the air that are bad for children’s brain development not a danger?

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Date: 24/04/2022 08:16:20
From: Spiny Norman
ID: 1876340
Subject: re: A couple of interesting vids

The Rev Dodgson said:

Why is having levels of lead in the air that are bad for children’s brain development not a danger?

This, very much this. Leaded fuel was discontinued around the world very shortly after it was found to have a number of negative effects to humans.

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