5 ms·

This appears to have a three year cycle on HN. Three years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5546450 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5546450 Six

This appears to have a three year cycle on HN. Three years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5546450 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5546450 Six years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1148425 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1148425

omginternets 11y ago
This is the first time I've seen it, and I quite enjoyed it.
- masklinn 11y ago
  If it's the first time you've seen it, I recommend going through the whole "Things I Won't Work With" archives[0]. They're a great read. "Sand Won't Save You This Time" is hilarious (from a safe distance) and where Lowe started hitting his stride. It will also (rightfully, it's fantastic) make you look for the Ignition! PDF, because it's not every day you read a paragraph introduced with: > It is, of course, extremely toxic, but that’s the least of the problem. then find out said introduction is 100% on the spot. [0] http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/category/things-i-wont-work-with http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/category/thing...
  - mstade 11y ago
    This stuff is hilarious! I know only basic high school chemistry, but I'm able to follow most of this at a sort of "I kind of get it" level – enough to get some seriously good laughs out of it. Thanks for this, I feel like someone just told me about the Yellowstone supervolcano for the first time!
  - spacehome 11y ago
    "Sand Won't Save You This Time" is the best one.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
- CapitalistCartr 11y ago
  Yeah, its my favorite chemistry story.
- Malic 11y ago
  If you enjoy stories of Chemicals With Alarming Properties, then be sure to check out Charles Stross's short story, "A Tall Tail." (Very Big Grin) http://www.tor.com/2012/07/20/a-tall-tail/ http://www.tor.com/2012/07/20/a-tall-tail/
  - ashmud 11y ago
    I stumbled upon this MeFi discussion when I searched for "Atom City Number Nine." http://www.metafilter.com/118133/A-Tall-Tail http://www.metafilter.com/118133/A-Tall-Tail
- jtolmar 11y ago
  This is my favorite chemical that he's written about: http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/sand_wont_save_you_this_time http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/san...
ufmace 11y ago
Seen it before, still a fun read though. What else could you say about a substance that will instantly set ICE on fire?!
- ceejayoz 11y ago
  > What else could you say about a substance that will instantly set ICE on fire?! That's nothing! From the same series: > The compound also a stronger oxidizing agent than oxygen itself, which also puts it into rare territory. That means that it can potentially go on to “burn” things that you would normally consider already burnt to hell and gone, and a practical consequence of that is that it’ll start roaring reactions with things like bricks and asbestos tile. http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/sand_wont_save_you_this_time http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/san... Yes, chlorine trifluoride will set asbestos on fire.
wernercd 11y ago
Obligatory: https://xkcd.com/1053/ https://xkcd.com/1053/ Not everyone knows everything :)
- mikeash 11y ago
  I don't think that comment is criticizing the dupe, just mentioning it and providing links to earlier discussions.
- zodPod 11y ago
  I love the lesson in the alt text, "Saying 'what kind of an idiot doesn't know about the Yellowstone supervolcano' is so much more boring than telling someone about the Yellowstone supervolcano for the first time." It's so true and it really is how we should look at life! Not knocking the original commenter either, just putting this out there!
- tlrobinson 11y ago
  Still, it should have a "(2010)" in the title.
meanduck 11y ago
One more from same series. Things I Won’t Touch: Hydrofluoric Acid (2004) : https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10678571 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10678571 (81 points by networked 100 days ago | past | web | 63 comments) Google HN for intitle:"Things I Won't" : https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=site%3Anews.ycombinator.com%20%22things%20I%20won%27t%22&prmd=ivns&tbo=1&sa=X&num=100#q=site:news.ycombinator.com+intitle:%22things+I+won%27t%22 https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=site%3Anews.ycombinato... But it does not show parent's links. One more reason for a more explicit search engine.
- chc 11y ago
  You mean like this? https://hn.algolia.com/?query=%22things%20I%20won%27t%22&sort=byPopularity&prefix&page=0&dateRange=all&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?query=%22things%20I%20won%27t%22&sor...

omginternets 11y ago

This is the first time I've seen it, and I quite enjoyed it.

masklinn 11y ago
If it's the first time you've seen it, I recommend going through the whole "Things I Won't Work With" archives[0]. They're a great read. "Sand Won't Save You This Time" is hilarious (from a safe distance) and where Lowe started hitting his stride. It will also (rightfully, it's fantastic) make you look for the Ignition! PDF, because it's not every day you read a paragraph introduced with: > It is, of course, extremely toxic, but that’s the least of the problem. then find out said introduction is 100% on the spot. [0] http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/category/things-i-wont-work-with http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/category/thing...
- mstade 11y ago
  This stuff is hilarious! I know only basic high school chemistry, but I'm able to follow most of this at a sort of "I kind of get it" level – enough to get some seriously good laughs out of it. Thanks for this, I feel like someone just told me about the Yellowstone supervolcano for the first time!
- spacehome 11y ago
  "Sand Won't Save You This Time" is the best one.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
CapitalistCartr 11y ago
Yeah, its my favorite chemistry story.
Malic 11y ago
If you enjoy stories of Chemicals With Alarming Properties, then be sure to check out Charles Stross's short story, "A Tall Tail." (Very Big Grin) http://www.tor.com/2012/07/20/a-tall-tail/ http://www.tor.com/2012/07/20/a-tall-tail/
- ashmud 11y ago
  I stumbled upon this MeFi discussion when I searched for "Atom City Number Nine." http://www.metafilter.com/118133/A-Tall-Tail http://www.metafilter.com/118133/A-Tall-Tail
jtolmar 11y ago
This is my favorite chemical that he's written about: http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/sand_wont_save_you_this_time http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/san...

ufmace 11y ago

Seen it before, still a fun read though. What else could you say about a substance that will instantly set ICE on fire?!

ceejayoz 11y ago
> What else could you say about a substance that will instantly set ICE on fire?! That's nothing! From the same series: > The compound also a stronger oxidizing agent than oxygen itself, which also puts it into rare territory. That means that it can potentially go on to “burn” things that you would normally consider already burnt to hell and gone, and a practical consequence of that is that it’ll start roaring reactions with things like bricks and asbestos tile. http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/sand_wont_save_you_this_time http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/san... Yes, chlorine trifluoride will set asbestos on fire.

wernercd 11y ago

Obligatory: https://xkcd.com/1053/ https://xkcd.com/1053/ Not everyone knows everything :)

mikeash 11y ago
I don't think that comment is criticizing the dupe, just mentioning it and providing links to earlier discussions.
zodPod 11y ago
I love the lesson in the alt text, "Saying 'what kind of an idiot doesn't know about the Yellowstone supervolcano' is so much more boring than telling someone about the Yellowstone supervolcano for the first time." It's so true and it really is how we should look at life! Not knocking the original commenter either, just putting this out there!
tlrobinson 11y ago
Still, it should have a "(2010)" in the title.

meanduck 11y ago

One more from same series. Things I Won’t Touch: Hydrofluoric Acid (2004) : https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10678571 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10678571 (81 points by networked 100 days ago | past | web | 63 comments) Google HN for intitle:"Things I Won't" : https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=site%3Anews.ycombinator.com%20%22things%20I%20won%27t%22&prmd=ivns&tbo=1&sa=X&num=100#q=site:news.ycombinator.com+intitle:%22things+I+won%27t%22 https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=site%3Anews.ycombinato... But it does not show parent's links. One more reason for a more explicit search engine.

chc 11y ago
You mean like this? https://hn.algolia.com/?query=%22things%20I%20won%27t%22&sort=byPopularity&prefix&page=0&dateRange=all&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?query=%22things%20I%20won%27t%22&sor...