“I was told some years ago that the reason why some species of sea turtles migrate all the way across the South Atlantic to lay their eggs on the east coast of South America after mating on the west coast of Africa is that when the behavior started, Gondwanaland was just beginning to break apart (that would be between 130 and 110 million years ago), and these turtles were just swimming across the narrow strait to lay their eggs. Each year the swim was a little longer—maybe an inch or so—but who could notice that? Eventually they were crossing the ocean to lay their eggs, having no idea, of course, why they would do such an extravagant thing.
What is delicious about this example is that it vividly illustrates several important evolutionary themes: the staggering power over millions of years of change so gradual it is essentially unnoticeable, the cluelessness of much animal behavior, even when it is adaptive, and of course the eye-opening perspective that evolution by natural selection can offer to the imagination of the curious naturalist.”
Via The Atlantic
I’m not going to have a picture of today’s molecule because it really doesn’t need one. Today’s compound just has the formula HF, but just because its just hydrogen and fluorine doesn’t mean its not interesting.
Hydrofluoric acid is probably on of the nastiest chemicals on the planet. Funny thing is, its not actually a very strong acid (due to the fact that F- is not very stable). However, just because its a weak acid doesn’t mean its weak at all. This dangerous little bugger can eat through glass, oxides, your face, and pretty anything else it comes in touch with. The only thing that is safe is PTFE aka Teflon aka fluorinated carbon. Basically HF will attack anything that doesn’t already contain fluorine. So basically unless your face likes to be fluorinated (which I seriously doubt it does, I would stay far far away from HF).
What happens when you do it get it on you? Well first it will go through your skin and attack the nerves so you won’t feel much at all until its too late. Even better, HF will start to precipitate the calcium in your body to form basically solid CaF2 which probably feels absolutely fantastic.
So unless you like initially painless acid burns that will dissolve your bones and pretty much everything else, feel free to drink a bottle of Satan’s pet molecule.
About me
I'm an 17 years old boy from Norway. At the moment I live in Portland, Oregon as an exchange student. Music is what fuels me, it's my air. Furthermore, I like reading, watching movies, and playing instruments.
