A Word of Warning

For those amateur chemists out there who might be tempted to mix NH4Cr2O7 with HgSCN some time in the near future, just …don’t. Because WAIT FOR IT…

That’s about the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen. Or the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t quite decide which response is uppermost in my mind as I watch it.

Maybe both?

In an attempt to figure out what the heck is going on in that video (and, perhaps, to decide if I love or fear it), I came up with something that is a mildly more English description. Mildly.

“Ammonium dichromate and Mercury thiocyanate.”

Which doesn’t really help much, I know. But it DOES lead one to “Pharaoh’s Serpent,” a fantastic/creepy phenomenon that occurs when you burn Mercury thiocyanate on its own.

Also not safe. In fact, this post says that “the material is labeled as highly toxic, and may be fatal if ingested. It is also highly toxic to aquatic organisms, and could potential cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure.”

OK, fine. I’ve decided. It’s awesome. But just…don’t.