"Miles Maxted" bravely wrote to "Mike Ross" (06 Dec 04  04:50:00)
 --- on the heady topic of "Re: a scientific answer"

 MM> retreating to `organic' - for want of a decent recharge;  was it
 MM> someone named Miller that first did that experiment ?

I'm drawing a blank just now and confusing it with Millikan. I think
someone called Kaufman in the 1800's did a similar experiment though
without the modern means to test the results. Maybe that is where the
idea for Dr.Frankenstein came from or vice-versa?


 MR>  That the "energy store"
 MR> is the size of a molecule doesn't mean electricty wasn't used.

 MM> Willingly granted (albeit sheepishly) - `twas more the
 MM> Franklinised lightning strikes employed by Dr Frankenstein that
 MM> struck me as imappropiate...

Though greatly dramatic in said setting, it was the metaphor I was
exploiting, nonetheless electricity at a different scale for sure!


 MM> Err ... isn't there some form of explosive that utilises aluminum
 MM> in this way ?

Thermite? As for other uses: the space shuttle solid rocket boosters
(SRB's) use it. The Hindenburg apparently was painted with the stuff
used as pigment and subsequent tests on remaining samples of the skin
material proved it was the cause of the rapid ignition, not the
hydrogen!


 MM> Xmas toys - "Batteries not provided"....
 MR> If it has an aluminum wrapper perhaps it already does...

 MM> Mmmm - "Apply oxidiser to silver paper and retire" might replace
 MM> t'other caution ?

"RUN AWAY" would be enough for me. Mind that some of the cheap gadgets
coming out of China these days are sufficiently dangerous as is and
some untested even have fake safety organization labels.

 M*i*k*e

... New! Infra Red Lite! Same photons, but 1/2 the energy!
--- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30