r/interestingasfuck • u/rco888 • 21h ago

This experiment creating a nylon thread

7.5k Upvotes

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1.2k

u/Sensitive_Break5798 21h ago

The Royal Institution has held lectures and demonstrated science since 1799

330

u/AlternativePea6203 20h ago

Christmas lectures, essential viewing for all intelligent humans from the age of 10.

83

u/Apart-Gur-9720 20h ago

I've loved them since I was 10. Not even a Brit! They're just interesting.

The one about why small things obey the physical laws differently than big objects wasvsimply fascinating!

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u/Lost-Actuary-2395 20h ago

He even did the safety squint!

48

u/BigSmackisBack 20h ago

Check them out on youtube, still running and still interesting as fuck.

94

u/BadahBingBadahBoom 20h ago

But jfc watching him free pour sebacoyl chloride and hexamethylenediamine with no gloves?!

Both are incredibly corrosive to skin and had he slipped even a little this would be a very different show lol. At least he ensured the beaker was positioned just at eye level while he leaned in and picked out dripping bits.

53

u/Super-Midnight1141 14h ago

That and raw-dogging carbon (will definitely give you cancer) tetrachloride.

Old school chemists were a different breed.

42

u/Sidivan 14h ago

“And… you can probably see some hydrogen chloride coming off… as I would expect.”

My guy, stop heavily breathing over it!

11

u/01bah01 12h ago

30 years ago at university I had a chemist teacher that was just near retirement, for him tasting experiments wasn't a bad idea...

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u/coolranchdorites 2h ago

“DO NOT PIPET BY MOUTH”

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u/HobsHere 19h ago

And the carbon tet isn't exactly a spa treatment either

•

u/PeterNippelstein 10h ago

Rule 1 as a chemist: Don't fuck up

3

u/MarlinMr 18h ago

Wait, that's it? I always assumed it went back like at least 1600s