6 ms·

So if you're Al Queda, the play here seems obvious. Get as many sleeper agents in the U.S. as possible (which I'm sure they're constantly working on) and each d

So if you're Al Queda, the play here seems obvious. Get as many sleeper agents in the U.S. as possible (which I'm sure they're constantly working on) and each day send a couple on a plane armed with an old thermometer. How many could you take down before people realized what was going on? And after they did, how much damage would it do to the economy when nobody flew anymore? I sure hope I'm missing some secret reason why this wouldn't work well.

imp 18y ago
I wonder if the mercury in the thermometer would set off the metal detector. It might be hard to get it past security.
- electromagnetic 18y ago
  Good wonderment, but I believe it wouldn't. I've broke one open before when I was about 15, I knew at the time mercury was dangerous so I opened the window and avoided direct contact completely (rubber gloves) and if you ever wondered, mercury does absorb into paper towels. The total amount was smaller than a penny, and I've forgotten to take my belt off before, left my phone in my pocket and even a few dollars in change one time, so I don't exactly see how it could set it off... or the airports I fly from are cheaping out on the security to save money, using sort of like a placebo effect like the fake cameras you can buy for $20 to 'protect' your home.
Rod 18y ago
Wouldn't it be easier to create a modified water-gun (a sort of super soaker on steroids, so to say) and splash airplanes at the airport with mercury from a few hundred yards away? Sounds crazy, I know, but it would be a lot cheaper and more discreet than using stinger missiles, right?
- blasdel 18y ago
  Did you ever notice that aircraft are painted?
  - Rod 18y ago
    Couldn't one assume a priori that not all paints are mercury-resistant? If Aluminium is corroded by mercury, would it be unreasonable to conjecture that some paints are too?
    - astine 18y ago
      From what I know, it's possible, but it's not the kind of thing that I would assume a priori. I'd actually go and check to see if it worked.
      - Rod 18y ago
        I honestly do hope that paint is mercury-resistant. Otherwise, any terrorist-wannabe with a paintball gun and balls filled with mercury instead of ink would be able to cause a LOT of damage. In the article they mention that it would be dangerous to bring mercury to the aircraft's cabin. Well, I have never seen an aircraft cabin where the aluminium fuselage was exposed. Thus, I thought that mercury would corrode all the way to the fuselage. From that to inferring that it would corrode paint as well would not be unreasonable, right?
        astine 18y ago
        Otherwise, any terrorist-wannabe with a paintball gun and balls filled with mercury instead of ink would be able to cause a LOT of damage. I think that it would be easier and cheaper to simply fire actual guns at the plane. A hit on a wing will bring down the plane quicker than mercury and hits will be easier. From that to inferring that it would corrode paint as well would not be unreasonable, right? It wouldn't, but I think that the article exaggerated the danger a bit. I don't think that the mercury from a single broken thermometer would eat through the floor and reach the fuselage. At least, I've never heard of it happening.
        Rod 18y ago
        You are totally right and I am a fool for having allowed super exaggerated articles like this one to fire that region in my brain dedicated solely to imagining cheesy James Bond-like movie scripts ;-)
noonespecial 18y ago
The mercury has to more or less be a special paste and be smeared in the right area. The surface tension of ordinary liquid mercury seems too high to get the alu "wet" otherwise. I umm.. ehem.. went and maybe umm tired it a little bit after seeing this because it sounded so darn cool. The liquid mercury I've culled from old thermostats had no discernible effect. Edit: I tried it on a piece of aluminum angle bar. I even tried filing it a little to rough it up. Nothing. Anyone else had any success?
- mattmaroon 18y ago
  That article most definitely should have come with a "dont try this at home kids" at the end.
  - dkokelley 18y ago
    Even better, a "but if you really want to, here's the best way" just after that.
  - noonespecial 18y ago
    We're hackers. We always try this at home.

imp 18y ago

I wonder if the mercury in the thermometer would set off the metal detector. It might be hard to get it past security.

electromagnetic 18y ago
Good wonderment, but I believe it wouldn't. I've broke one open before when I was about 15, I knew at the time mercury was dangerous so I opened the window and avoided direct contact completely (rubber gloves) and if you ever wondered, mercury does absorb into paper towels. The total amount was smaller than a penny, and I've forgotten to take my belt off before, left my phone in my pocket and even a few dollars in change one time, so I don't exactly see how it could set it off... or the airports I fly from are cheaping out on the security to save money, using sort of like a placebo effect like the fake cameras you can buy for $20 to 'protect' your home.

Rod 18y ago

Wouldn't it be easier to create a modified water-gun (a sort of super soaker on steroids, so to say) and splash airplanes at the airport with mercury from a few hundred yards away? Sounds crazy, I know, but it would be a lot cheaper and more discreet than using stinger missiles, right?

blasdel 18y ago
Did you ever notice that aircraft are painted?
- Rod 18y ago
  Couldn't one assume a priori that not all paints are mercury-resistant? If Aluminium is corroded by mercury, would it be unreasonable to conjecture that some paints are too?
  - astine 18y ago
    From what I know, it's possible, but it's not the kind of thing that I would assume a priori. I'd actually go and check to see if it worked.
    - Rod 18y ago
      I honestly do hope that paint is mercury-resistant. Otherwise, any terrorist-wannabe with a paintball gun and balls filled with mercury instead of ink would be able to cause a LOT of damage. In the article they mention that it would be dangerous to bring mercury to the aircraft's cabin. Well, I have never seen an aircraft cabin where the aluminium fuselage was exposed. Thus, I thought that mercury would corrode all the way to the fuselage. From that to inferring that it would corrode paint as well would not be unreasonable, right?
      - astine 18y ago
        Otherwise, any terrorist-wannabe with a paintball gun and balls filled with mercury instead of ink would be able to cause a LOT of damage. I think that it would be easier and cheaper to simply fire actual guns at the plane. A hit on a wing will bring down the plane quicker than mercury and hits will be easier. From that to inferring that it would corrode paint as well would not be unreasonable, right? It wouldn't, but I think that the article exaggerated the danger a bit. I don't think that the mercury from a single broken thermometer would eat through the floor and reach the fuselage. At least, I've never heard of it happening.
        Rod 18y ago
        You are totally right and I am a fool for having allowed super exaggerated articles like this one to fire that region in my brain dedicated solely to imagining cheesy James Bond-like movie scripts ;-)

noonespecial 18y ago

The mercury has to more or less be a special paste and be smeared in the right area. The surface tension of ordinary liquid mercury seems too high to get the alu "wet" otherwise. I umm.. ehem.. went and maybe umm tired it a little bit after seeing this because it sounded so darn cool. The liquid mercury I've culled from old thermostats had no discernible effect. Edit: I tried it on a piece of aluminum angle bar. I even tried filing it a little to rough it up. Nothing. Anyone else had any success?

mattmaroon 18y ago
That article most definitely should have come with a "dont try this at home kids" at the end.
- dkokelley 18y ago
  Even better, a "but if you really want to, here's the best way" just after that.
- noonespecial 18y ago
  We're hackers. We always try this at home.