Should Have Been A Darwin Award Candidate

You know...there are definite activities that one hears of today that are or were never considered when we were younger. I NEVER thought I would EVER hear myself say that, but in this absurdly stupid to the point of being comical (the only reason is that someones life has be DRASTICALLY changed because of this idiocy)From the BBC comes an article of a teenager have radical surgery called a total gastrectomy (it is so weird a word that my spell checker still says its' spelled wrong)which is just what it sounds like, the complete removal of the stomach. Why you ask? Well she presented at the emergency room complaining of extreme distress of the abdomen. Palpitation of the area revealed a grossly distended stomach.

Immediate surgery was called for where the surgeon examined then remove the complete stomach which was severely damaged organ. The stomach had multiple perforations as well as other indications of severe distention.

It seems the girl had been drinking and had experimented with a drink that contained liquid nitrogen. Yep, liquid nitrogen is called a cryogenic liquid in that in its' liquid state its average temperature is minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit, capable of doing severe damage to human tissue (it has been called "toxic" but the real danger is not the gas itself but the temperature it exhibits in its cryogenic state.).

The liquid mixed with alcohol caused freezing damage to lips, mouth, throat and esophageal tube and stomach, plus when it is warmed by the stomach, the liquid return to a gaseous state taking up a much larger volume, necessitating  the stomach, which was the most heavily damaged, be removed.

Stranger still is her drink was not spiked! She was fully aware that she was drinking a dangerous liquid which was being served AT THE BAR she was attending!

The mixed drink containing the liquid gas has become fashionable as of late.

The as yet un-named bar has agreed to cease the use of the liquid gas, however it seems that many hi-end bars continue to mix the dangerous combination.

Full BBC article HERE

Hand in liquid nitrogen with no ill effects!

From Popular Science via IO9 comes a video that is very interesting to watch. I had heard of being able to dip your hand in liquid nitrogen and be protected by the evaporation around your hand for a few moments. This is the first time I have actually seen it done. Still wouldn't do it though!
Also at the IO9 link are some links to sites that describes the effect that protects the person's hand called the Leidenfrost Effect. Check out the video and the science link in the IO9 article, I didn't even know the effect had a name! huh!