4 ms·

Not a Chemist but reminded me about this article: https://gizmodo.com/chlorine-trifluoride-the-chemical-that-sets-fire-to-as-1715935811 https://gizmodo.com/chlo

Not a Chemist but reminded me about this article: https://gizmodo.com/chlorine-trifluoride-the-chemical-that-sets-fire-to-as-1715935811 https://gizmodo.com/chlorine-trifluoride-the-chemical-that-s... > Just to get the ball rolling, here’s a few of the more unusual things chlorine trifluoride is known to set fire to on contact: glass, sand, asbestos, rust, concrete, people, pyrex, cloth, and the dreams of children…

LorenPechtel 2y ago
Makes me wonder if it could burn a fire elemental. :) They seem to model any chemical damage as "acid" and fire elementals aren't immune to acid so I would be inclined to say it would.
btilly 2y ago
Derek Lowe also did chlorine trifluoride: https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/sand-won-t-save-you-time https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/sand-won-t-save-yo....
- CommieBobDole 2y ago
  "It is also hypergolic with such things as cloth, wood, and test engineers"
  - gmueckl 2y ago
    This is a quote from "Ignition!" The particular quoted passage from that book is one of the highlights of the unique ironic tone the author used to describe real and dangerous chemical research. The book firmly establishes its tone with the first two pictures at the front: a successful rocket engine test and the remaining rubble of the same test stand after a failed test.
    - banannaise 2y ago
      I suppose Derek's writing style is similar enough that it's easy to accidentally credit him for that line. I have to wonder whether Clark's influence is a significant contributor to his writing style. It would be fun to ask him. They could, of course, have come to it independently.
borski 2y ago
He wrote that one too, heh: https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/sand-won-t-save-you-time https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/sand-won-t-save-yo... It’s linked in the article
- QuesnayJr 2y ago
  That's a different article. The Gizmodo article has a byline of "Melissa" and apparently is originally from TodayIFoundOut.com.
  - groby_b 2y ago
    So, might be "inspiration". I suspect "Melissa" did not "find out today" - chlorine trifluoride isn't exactly the stuff you discuss at your average dinner table. You need a whole bunch of expertise to write about it. Gizmodo does not usually have this expertise, but its writers do usually recognize snappy writing that might go viral.
    - anotherboffin 2y ago
      Yeah, I suspect “Melissa” fed Lowe’s article to an LLM to get a quick article that’s sure to get views.
      - messe 2y ago
        In 2015? 2 years before "Attention Is All You Need"?
        anotherboffin 2y ago
        Good point! I’ll be more careful before quick posting.
        banannaise 2y ago
        Ah, I miss the days when this sort of soft plagiarism required a minimal level of effort and even some genuine research. It might even rise to the level of "acceptable" if she cited her sources more thoroughly. Sadly, as presented, her choice of both anecdotes and example materials makes it pretty clear that the author is mostly just rearranging Lowe's and Clark's words.
speed_spread 2y ago
Knowing that rust can burn should make the joy of a few Linux maintainers.

LorenPechtel 2y ago

Makes me wonder if it could burn a fire elemental. :) They seem to model any chemical damage as "acid" and fire elementals aren't immune to acid so I would be inclined to say it would.

btilly 2y ago

Derek Lowe also did chlorine trifluoride: https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/sand-won-t-save-you-time https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/sand-won-t-save-yo....

CommieBobDole 2y ago
"It is also hypergolic with such things as cloth, wood, and test engineers"
- gmueckl 2y ago
  This is a quote from "Ignition!" The particular quoted passage from that book is one of the highlights of the unique ironic tone the author used to describe real and dangerous chemical research. The book firmly establishes its tone with the first two pictures at the front: a successful rocket engine test and the remaining rubble of the same test stand after a failed test.
  - banannaise 2y ago
    I suppose Derek's writing style is similar enough that it's easy to accidentally credit him for that line. I have to wonder whether Clark's influence is a significant contributor to his writing style. It would be fun to ask him. They could, of course, have come to it independently.

borski 2y ago

He wrote that one too, heh: https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/sand-won-t-save-you-time https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/sand-won-t-save-yo... It’s linked in the article

QuesnayJr 2y ago
That's a different article. The Gizmodo article has a byline of "Melissa" and apparently is originally from TodayIFoundOut.com.
- groby_b 2y ago
  So, might be "inspiration". I suspect "Melissa" did not "find out today" - chlorine trifluoride isn't exactly the stuff you discuss at your average dinner table. You need a whole bunch of expertise to write about it. Gizmodo does not usually have this expertise, but its writers do usually recognize snappy writing that might go viral.
  - anotherboffin 2y ago
    Yeah, I suspect “Melissa” fed Lowe’s article to an LLM to get a quick article that’s sure to get views.
    - messe 2y ago
      In 2015? 2 years before "Attention Is All You Need"?
      - anotherboffin 2y ago
        Good point! I’ll be more careful before quick posting.
      - banannaise 2y ago
        Ah, I miss the days when this sort of soft plagiarism required a minimal level of effort and even some genuine research. It might even rise to the level of "acceptable" if she cited her sources more thoroughly. Sadly, as presented, her choice of both anecdotes and example materials makes it pretty clear that the author is mostly just rearranging Lowe's and Clark's words.

speed_spread 2y ago

Knowing that rust can burn should make the joy of a few Linux maintainers.