If you take a dead “D” cell battery, take out the carbon rod from the center, cut a strip of galvanized sheet metal about an inch (2.7 centimeters), take a small jar for canning, suspend the rod in the center and the strip on the side, pour in drain cleaner, you’ll get 1.2 to 1.4 volts DC. 10 of those connected to an inverter will give you 120 VAC at 0.5 amps. Do NOT keep them in the same area you live in however, the fumes will burn your lungs. Just something I learned in chem class in high school. You’d have to top-up the jars every few days, however. Any type of acid will work, even salt water. I think the teacher was a survivalist…
Maybe it’s having doctors and science on my mind for the past few weeks, but this news warmed my heart: a grad student in Virginia just won the state beauty pageant (and semi-finals for Miss America) with a science experiment. And forgive me my title for this post, I really do find Camille Schrier’s demonstration of the surging effects of the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide far more impressive than I would seeing her in an evening gown. I mean gimme safety goggles, black gloves and scientific enthusiasm any old day:
“It’s alive!” (she presumably cries)
Can she tapdance? I have no idea. But I may have to watch the Miss America pageant for the first time in… ever? Just to see what she brings to the stage there.
I mean, it’s not like she’s going to unleash her plan for world domination there, right?
Oh. Oh, dear.
No, I kid. If you don’t know, a nickname for the U.S. State of Virginia is “The Old Dominion,” so Miss Dominion just happened to be her regional title that she went to the state finals with. Still, it’d be quite appropriate to supervillainy, wouldn’t it? And once she completes her doctorate studies she can be DOCTOR DOMINION.
For now though, she’s content to wear the Miss Virginia crown and promote STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Math), particularly ladies in STEM, through her victory. Style and science co-existing on the same stage? Dr. Gwen would be proud.
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Oh. Oh, dear.
No, I kid. If you don’t know, a nickname for the U.S. State of Virginia is “The Old Dominion,” so Miss Dominion just happened to be her regional title that she went to the state finals with. Still, it’d be quite appropriate to supervillainy, wouldn’t it? And once she completes her doctorate studies she can be DOCTOR DOMINION.
For now though, she’s content to wear the Miss Virginia crown and promote STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Math), particularly ladies in STEM, through her victory. Style and science co-existing on the same stage? Dr. Gwen would be proud.
5 thoughts on “541 – Graverobbers”
Crazyman
“Oh, *that* kind of grave robbing? Lead on, Chuck!”
Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)
What? I say “What”?
Keith
Heh, this is going to be fun. Tradition says you need to drink at least one bottle of MD 20/20 before going to the graveyard.
Honzinator
At first I was thinking of something like a potato battery … nope!
Scarsdale
If you take a dead “D” cell battery, take out the carbon rod from the center, cut a strip of galvanized sheet metal about an inch (2.7 centimeters), take a small jar for canning, suspend the rod in the center and the strip on the side, pour in drain cleaner, you’ll get 1.2 to 1.4 volts DC. 10 of those connected to an inverter will give you 120 VAC at 0.5 amps. Do NOT keep them in the same area you live in however, the fumes will burn your lungs. Just something I learned in chem class in high school. You’d have to top-up the jars every few days, however. Any type of acid will work, even salt water. I think the teacher was a survivalist…