1 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to tech Stuff, a production of I Heart Radios 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: How Stuff Works. Hey there, and welcome to tex Stuff. 3 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Jonathan Strickland. I'm an executive producer with 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio and I love all things tech, and guys, 5 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: it's time to get real. See. Sometimes when I'm thinking 6 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: about what tech topic I should cover for my next episode, 7 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: you know, I get really excited and inspired right away, 8 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: and I just I'm off to the races. And sometimes 9 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,279 Speaker 1: I struggle for the better part of an hour at 10 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: some days to figure out what I want to talk about, 11 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: and and preferably I need to pick something that I 12 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 1: haven't talked about a billion times before, which is tricky 13 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: to do when you've got episodes. And sometimes I get 14 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: an idea that I first dismiss as being totally stupid, 15 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: but then I changed my mind and to side, I'm 16 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: gonna do it anyway. And sometimes those days where I 17 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: come up with the dumb idea happened to coincide with 18 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: the days where I've been sitting for an hour desperate 19 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: to come up with a topic. And so you see 20 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,759 Speaker 1: where this is going. This is why today we're going 21 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: to talk about fire. Did somebody say fire no god. No. Um, 22 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: ladies and gentlemen, I've been blessed with a special guest today. 23 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 1: Would you please introduce herself to all these nice people. Well, 24 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: I'm almona midler, and I'm a matchmaker that I didn't 25 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: quite understand with matchmaking entailed, so I'm quite good at 26 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: starting fires. Yes, so um, for those who do not know, 27 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: I have a sordid history with the Georgia Renaissance Festival, 28 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: and it was there, I believe where my path first 29 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: crossed with that of Alamon as uh the village matchmaker. 30 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: And um, I guess it's only fitting that for this 31 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: episode I have a pyro enthusiast join us for the show. 32 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: So Alamona, thank you for being here. Hey, thank you 33 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: for having me. You look quite familiar. I can't quite 34 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: put my match stick on it, but yeah, you see 35 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: a lot of faces at the festival. I'm I'm sure 36 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: there are a lot of I have one of those 37 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: faces too, like you know, one of the ones that 38 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: lots of people have. Um, because we let's get your 39 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: Jonathan Strickland mask at the Tech stuff store today. No 40 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: they're not really, They're okay, but we're gonna talk about 41 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: stuff like matches, which I understand you consider yourself somewhat 42 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 1: of an expert on which I find perplexing. I am 43 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: an expert on matches. It's it's a little wooden stick thing, 44 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: and then and then you you you you strike the 45 00:02:57,919 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: end of it and and it in it, and then 46 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,399 Speaker 1: it goes boom, and then the pretty orange stuff comes out. 47 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: It's very hot. It's odd to me that you would 48 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: be so familiar with them, because the matches as you 49 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: describe them weren't available until the early nineteenth century, and 50 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 1: if my math is correct, the renaissances before times of 51 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: the nineteenth century, my whole life has been a lie. 52 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: Fair enough, all right, Well, Alimona, I'm glad you could 53 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: be here because I'm going to explain to you the 54 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: history of matches, and if you have things you want 55 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: to say or questions you want to ask, then we can, 56 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: you know, really focus on that. And there's sometimes where 57 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: I'm going to ask you a question just to see 58 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,839 Speaker 1: what you know about things, and when we find out 59 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: the depth of your ignorance, I will then illuminate by 60 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: explaining exactly what the reality of the situation is. I 61 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: really like the word illuminate, but I didn't quite like 62 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: the word ignorance. I think the man explaining part of 63 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: the episode is just be on. So we're gonna begin, 64 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: as I said, with the history of matches. You know, 65 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: you might think of it as the predecessor to the lighter. Uh, 66 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: it's a lighter, lighter than what Okay, right, what's a heavier? 67 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: Is there a heavier? No? Okay, this is this is 68 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: how this is gonna go. U's a lighter thing that 69 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 1: produces flame over and over and over again, and yeah, 70 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: you would love them. And interesting thing is that the 71 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: modern match and the modern lighter actually were developed around 72 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: the same time. They were co developed at around the 73 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: same time. We would normally think the matches must have 74 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: come much earlier, but modern matches rely very heavily on 75 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: something you and I completely lack chemistry. So we're gonna 76 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 1: talk about that, but we're going to start with matches. 77 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: And really, when we talk about matches, you gotta look 78 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: all the way back to China, the country, not the 79 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: type of dishes. I can see your mind working right 80 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: in front of me, Alimona. I love the way China 81 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:09,679 Speaker 1: sounds when you break it. Yeah, So the country of China, Uh, 82 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: they began to experiment using sticks dipped in sulfur. And 83 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,239 Speaker 1: this was not the type of match that you would 84 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: strike against a surface and have it ignite. Instead, it 85 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: was a way of lighting something and having it burn 86 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,599 Speaker 1: at a controlled rate so that you could transfer the 87 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 1: fire from one place to another, for example, from say 88 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 1: a roaring fire to a candle. You would want to 89 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: be able to move that fire around. And as we 90 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: all know, moving fire just with your hands is a 91 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: bad idea because it's because it's hot, but it's very fun. Okay, 92 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: all right, we're also going to stress to our listeners 93 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: playing with fire is a dangerous thing once you get 94 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: past the tingling sensation. Okay, all right now, Alamona, really 95 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: let's let's reaf becus here. So those matches don't really 96 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 1: fit our modern description of the word, and they would 97 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: not really play into the type of strike matches that 98 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: we think of when we hear the word match. So 99 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: instead you have to go all the way up to 100 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: the seventeenth century, so a bit late in the day 101 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: for you, Alimona, an old woman diving, I might be 102 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 1: as old as years old. That's interesting, Yeah, I guess 103 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: you would definitely adhere to the philosophy. That's better to 104 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: burn out than to fade away. Good one, thank you. 105 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: So in the in the in the seventeenth century, there 106 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: was this, uh, this German alchemist Hinnig Brandt, thank you. 107 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: So he was attempting to do what many alchemists were 108 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: trying to do. Oh, I know what an alchemist is. 109 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: That's like a scientist, not really uh, predecessor to science. 110 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: I would argue closer. I would argue closer to Professor 111 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: Snape than a scientist. Yes, alchemy is all about the 112 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: attempt to figure out ways to turn base metals or 113 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: base materials into gold, which to this day perplexes me 114 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: because alamono, just just follow along with me here. Alright, 115 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: I'm going to explain to you the concept of supply 116 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: and demand as well as that of value, right something 117 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: I like, Oh boy, I'm glad I didn't say that. 118 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: So gold people ascribe great value to gold. Right, gold 119 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: is valuable. It lets you buy stuff. If you amass 120 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 1: a lot of gold, you have wealth. Correct. Wealth concept 121 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: foreign to me, but yes, yes, but you understand the 122 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: idea of wealth, even though you may never have possessed 123 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: it yourself. Right. So alchemists wanted to find a way 124 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: to turn other types of stuff into gold. But if 125 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 1: you could do that, if you could turn say lead 126 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: into gold, then you would suddenly have a surplus of gold. 127 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: And one of the things, in fact, the chief thing 128 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: that makes gold valuable is its scarcity. So if you've 129 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 1: taken something that was valuable because it was scarce, and 130 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: you made a whole bunch more of it, what do 131 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: you think happens lots and lots of money? Is that right? Okay? 132 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:44,439 Speaker 1: All right, so you're you're you're about a step behind me. No, 133 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 1: if you have too much of it. If you have 134 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: a lot of this gold that was valuable because of 135 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: its scarcity, is no longer scarce, It is no longer valuable. Yes, 136 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: it means that you would have way too much of it, 137 00:08:55,480 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: And yeah, up until the point where you had a 138 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: an abundance of gold on the market, in which case 139 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 1: the value would plummet. So I never understood alchemy from 140 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: that perspective. But um, let's get a dig a little deeper, 141 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:14,079 Speaker 1: because boy, it gets way more weird than that. So 142 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: one of the important advancements that made matches possible was 143 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: the discovery of phosphorus. So phosphorus is it's it's a 144 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: naturally occurring element, but usually we wouldn't. It's usually bound 145 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: up in other things. The less said about that, the 146 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: better with you here, Almona. But it's bound up with 147 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: other things, and then if we can refine it, then 148 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: we can use it as a component in things like matches. 149 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:49,440 Speaker 1: So Hennig Brand discovered how to isolate phosphorus. That's not 150 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: what he was trying to do, but it is what 151 00:09:51,920 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: he effectively ended up doing. Ah, he isolated phosphorus from urine. Wow. Yeah, yeah, 152 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 1: I thought I would blin inside you we're going to 153 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: talk about pa science. Yeah, that's right. You get it 154 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: all out there, Alonna. So are you saying that when 155 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: when I use the privy, I'm sitting on a gold mine, 156 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: or rather a phosphorus mine. Hinnig. Well, you're certainly sitting 157 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: on a phosphorus mine, Hinnig Brand, But perhaps it was 158 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: a gold mine. Here was his line of yeah, exactly, 159 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: that's exactly what Brand was thinking. No, you're you're on 160 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: the right track. He was sitting there thinking, you know what, 161 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: he's kind of yellow. Gold's yellow. Maybe p is yellow 162 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 1: because there's gold in them. The arp, so he thought 163 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: how do I get the P away and keep the gold? 164 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: Alchemist was so smart back then, I thought you'd think so. 165 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: So here's what he did. Uh stop me. If you 166 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: heard this before. He goes and collects a lot of P, 167 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: go ahead and ask me how much is a lot 168 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 1: of P? How much is a lot of gallons of 169 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,599 Speaker 1: the stuff? How many friends did he have? It was 170 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: just a Super Bowl weekends. How many friends did he have? 171 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 1: More fewer by the end of it than he did 172 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: at the beginning of it. I'm sure that I realize 173 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: how few friends I have. I don't know who I 174 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: could just walk up to and say, like, hey, would 175 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: you mind yeah this gallon jug and yes, it is 176 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 1: exactly the way I need you to to do it. 177 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: That's that's the what you're thinking, that's what I need. 178 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: So he takes all this P and then of course 179 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:40,559 Speaker 1: he puts it into a giant fat because I mean, 180 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: what else are you going to do with it? And 181 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: then he boiled it. He boiled the P. I know 182 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 1: you're thinking, I've smelled the privs on a hot day 183 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: at the Georgia Renaissance Festival. That's what you're thinking, isn't 184 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: it all? Yeah, that's that's a that's a smell that 185 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: will linger in your thoughts forever. Trust me. The first 186 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 1: year I did it was still haven't forgotten. So soups gross. 187 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: He boils it, which ends up evaporating a lot of 188 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 1: the water out of the content of the urine, and 189 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:16,959 Speaker 1: what was left behind was described as a surupy substance. 190 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: No do not. And then as the stuff was heating up, 191 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: it started to glow red hot. As it cooled, it 192 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: turned black and became hard. If your urine turns red 193 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: and in black, maybe you should go see it or something. Maybe. 194 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,959 Speaker 1: So he then takes some of the hardened black stuff 195 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: and he mix mixes it with some of the red 196 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:50,839 Speaker 1: hot glowing stuff and ends up noticing that it caught fire. 197 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: It just combusts, It bursts into flame, and he didn't 198 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: realize that what he had discovered was phosphorus. He actually thought, 199 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: originally and others did too, that he had come across 200 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 1: the fabled Philosopher's stone. Um not that kind of stone 201 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:08,719 Speaker 1: in urine, And eventually he referred to the stuff as 202 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,319 Speaker 1: cold fire because he knows that this phosphorus would glow 203 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: in the dark. It wouldn't give off heat, but would 204 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: glow in the dark weird. So if one were to 205 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: refine this phosphorus further, you would eventually get to what's 206 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 1: called white phosphorus. Sometimes it's called yellow phosphorus because it's 207 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,680 Speaker 1: not really white white. Uh. This stuff is very dangerous 208 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 1: because it ignites upon exposure to air. That sounds fun. Yeah, 209 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 1: it's very much like you. So I must possess this magic. 210 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:43,439 Speaker 1: It wouldn't be for long it uh. So it ignites 211 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: as soon as it it encounters oxygen. What's happening is 212 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 1: that the phosphorus molecules. Just think of pretty thoughts, Alimona. 213 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 1: I'll be back with you in a second. Uh, quietly 214 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: think of pretty thoughts. Phosphorus molecules very weak molecular bonds, uh, 215 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 1: and oxygen when it encounters phosphorus breaks those molecular bonds, 216 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: and then the phosphorus bonds with the oxygen in an 217 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: exothermic reaction, which means it's a reaction that gives off 218 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: a lot of heat. And because it gives off a 219 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: lot of heat very quickly, uh, it ignites, and so 220 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: you have the spontaneously combustible material white phosphorus. All right, 221 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 1: So that would become important for matches, but we don't 222 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: get two matches just yet. We're still talking about the 223 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: basic components that allow matches to become a thing. We will, however, 224 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: talk about matches in just a moment, but before we 225 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: do that, Almona, we're gonna take a quick break to 226 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: thank our sponsors. Please don't set them on fire, not 227 00:14:49,480 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: even a little bit. Okay, we're just gonna take a break. Okay, 228 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: we're back. The studio remarkably is still standing and not 229 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: currently on fire. Alimonia, you're still here. I know. It's 230 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: thank goodness. We have all those blankets. So we're gonna 231 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: move on. We just finished talking about peace science, which 232 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: you were I could tell, So we're gonna move on. 233 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: And now we're going to talk about a person named 234 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: Jean Chancel. Oh he sounds pretty It's a fancy dude. 235 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: Jean Chancel found a way to create a match using 236 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: a chemical reaction. And this is probably the most hardcore 237 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: metal way of lighting a match I have ever heard about. 238 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: So okay, not that kind of all right, no, like 239 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: like rock and roll metal. So he took a splint 240 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: a piece of wood, and he coded it in a 241 00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: substance called potassium chlorate and he all so put in 242 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: the same on the same mixture, some sugar and some 243 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: sticky gum, and the gum was to bind everything together. 244 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:11,960 Speaker 1: It was to hold the sugar and the potassium chlorate 245 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 1: together on the end of the stick. And then he 246 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: dipped the end of the stick into a jar of 247 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: sulfuric acid and that caused the stick to ignite, which is, 248 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: like I said, super hardcore when you're using sulfuric acid 249 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: to light your matches. So here's what's going on. I 250 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: want to explain to you the actual chemical process, the 251 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: reaction that's happening, so that we understand how this technology works. 252 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: So potassium chlorate is an effective oxidizing agent. Now, Alumona, 253 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: I know you know this from personal experience, hands on experience. 254 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 1: But fire needs three things to be fire. And it's 255 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 1: not magic, it's it's not love either. You want to 256 00:16:57,600 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: give one more, more, more shot, you can give me 257 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: you one of the three a spring day at the 258 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 1: Georgia Renaissance Fest. Okay, none of those three things are necessary. No, 259 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: it needs fuel, it needs heat, and it needs an oxidizer. Typically, 260 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: the oxidizer for most fires that we encounter is the air, oxygen, 261 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 1: oxygen as an oxidizer. Those three things are necessary. If 262 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,199 Speaker 1: you're missing any one of those three things, you cannot 263 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 1: make fire. And if you have a fire, the fire 264 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: will extinguish. So if you run out fuel, the fire 265 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:29,640 Speaker 1: goes out right. If you no longer have an oxidizer, 266 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: the fire cannot burn anymore. If if the heat is 267 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: removed from the fire, it will not continuously burn. It'll 268 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:40,160 Speaker 1: the the the chemical reaction that is fire will stop. 269 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:46,639 Speaker 1: So potassium chlorate is an effective oxidizing agent. The sugar 270 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:51,359 Speaker 1: is fuel UH. In fact, we all know sugar is 271 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: fuel because if you ever had a lot of sugar 272 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:57,640 Speaker 1: like I suspect Alamona has had, you will be very 273 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: energetic for at least a short while. And then potassium 274 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: chlorate when it decomposes under heat, it releases molecular oxygen. 275 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 1: So thus you get the oxidizing effect there. All right, 276 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: So you've got everything you need mixed up. There. You've 277 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: got the fuel and the oxidizer. There. You need to 278 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: have the heat to start the reaction. Here's where the 279 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 1: sulfuric acid comes in. When you dip this mixture of 280 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 1: sugar and UH and potassium chlorate together in the sulfuric acid. 281 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,440 Speaker 1: It the acid actually acts as sort of a catalyst. 282 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:36,120 Speaker 1: It creates this exothermic chemical reaction. Again, exothermic means it's 283 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:38,720 Speaker 1: giving awful lot of heat. So now you've got the 284 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: third part of that triangle, right, You've got the fuel, 285 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: you have the oxidizer, you have the heat. The match 286 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: catches on fire. But the only way it works, the 287 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 1: only way it works is if you have a jar 288 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 1: of sulfuric acid. So while this was effective, it was 289 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: not uh something that a lot of people wanted because 290 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: sulfuric acid is extremely reactive stuff off and if it 291 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: touches organic material, it tends to char it not burn 292 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: it like catch it on fire. It won't ignite, but 293 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,919 Speaker 1: it will char. Like if you just poured sulphuric acid 294 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:14,679 Speaker 1: on wood, the wood would char from that. So you 295 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: definitely don't want to get it on yourself because you 296 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:22,959 Speaker 1: will suffer terrible injuries like Phantom of the Opera level injuries. 297 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,360 Speaker 1: It's a reference to that that. I guess you wouldn't get Alamona, 298 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: but don't worry. I'll show it to you later. So yeah, 299 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 1: so so this didn't this did not get widespread adoption 300 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 1: because it was not practical. It was effective, but not practical. Also, 301 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 1: the ignition was so usually pretty spectacular, so in other words, 302 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 1: it wasn't like a small flame like or a small 303 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 1: spark and then a flame. It was very bright, very loud, 304 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: spontaneous combustion type flame. The stick goes boom, The stick 305 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: goes boom, as you did, uh so eloquently put it earlier. Yes, 306 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:07,800 Speaker 1: in this case you were right. So this was an 307 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:11,440 Speaker 1: early example of using chemistry to ignit of fire as 308 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 1: opposed to the old style of rubbing two sticks together 309 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 1: kind of friction approach. Now, as I said, sulfuric acid 310 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:22,679 Speaker 1: is super duper dangerous all on its own, and this 311 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 1: particular reaction was really dangerous as well. It also was 312 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: very smelly. The the smoke it would give off had 313 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: a foul odor. So there were a lot of downsides 314 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: to this particular approach. Let's move forward to eighty six. 315 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: Now we have an Englishman to talk about, Yes, exactly, 316 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: one of your fellow Brits. This English chemist was named 317 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: John Walker, and he was working on this problem two. 318 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, that's that's the English for you. So he 319 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:02,440 Speaker 1: wanted to pair chemicals together, so those two chemicals could 320 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: burst into flame with a substance like cardboard or wood 321 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 1: that could burn more slowly, so you would get an 322 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: initial burst of flame with the chemicals that flame. That 323 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:17,920 Speaker 1: flame would then set fire to some sort of substance 324 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: that can last longer. It would burn more slowly, and 325 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 1: thus you could hold the other end as a handle. 326 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 1: These are the components we need for a working match. 327 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 1: We need something we can hold as a handle that's 328 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 1: preferably not on fire. That's because we're touching it, and 329 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 1: we have to have an end that is on fire 330 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: or that can at least ignite, and then catch that 331 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: end on fire. So that was the whole idea here, 332 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: and touching fire is bad, right. So he was experimenting 333 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 1: with different chemical mixtures, but he accidentally dragged a stick 334 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: that was coded in these different chemical mixtures against the 335 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 1: hearth of his fireplace and discovered that just the friction 336 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 1: of moving this chemical coated stick against the heart generated 337 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,919 Speaker 1: enough heat to ignite the stick. So he invented a 338 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,680 Speaker 1: strike anywhere match. I matched that because the chemicals that 339 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: were on the end of it, we're in the right mixture. 340 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: They just need to be heated up enough to hit 341 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: ignition and then puff burst into flame. So pretty exciting 342 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: for him. He immediately saw the value of this discovery. 343 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 1: He immediately saw the utility of it, but he also 344 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: thought it was far too useful for him to make 345 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: it secret. His friends were actually suggesting, hey, you should 346 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:45,080 Speaker 1: patent that. A guy named Faraday, very important person in science. 347 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:50,880 Speaker 1: I don't expect you to know him. Okay, fair enough. Faraday, 348 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,919 Speaker 1: uh recommended to Walker, hey you should patent that, and 349 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: he said, no, nonsense, nonsense, I'm not going to patent 350 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: it because it's far too interesting and important. People should 351 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: be able to do with us whatever they want. And 352 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: so that allowed a guy named Samuel Jones, another Englishman, 353 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: very exciting name, Sammy Jones of London. He took the 354 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 1: exact same approach as Walker, and so he began to 355 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: market his own Strike Anywhere matches based on the exact 356 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 1: same formula that Walker had created. And he called them Lucifers. 357 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:30,120 Speaker 1: Bringer of light. Yeah, a little little dark and and spooky, 358 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 1: despite the fact that's also bringer of light. And Henry, 359 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: the leader of the church, will protectors from lucier I'm 360 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:40,920 Speaker 1: sure that excellent. It's a good Anglican reference. So this 361 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: began around eighty nine. And these matches again could be 362 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 1: struck on any surface and would ignite, and they were 363 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: still pretty spectacular matches, like the burst of flame was 364 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: pretty bright and violent, also smelly. Again you identify with 365 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: that and there, and they were more than a little 366 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: bit dangerous. And other chemists over the time would play 367 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: with different mixtures, and some of them would even use 368 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 1: white phosphorus. Now you remember what I said earlier about 369 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: white phosphorus rights this, this is the stuff that when 370 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:17,400 Speaker 1: you refine it down to white phosphorus, if it's exposed 371 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:21,119 Speaker 1: to the air, it will catch fire. That's what I 372 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: want for Christmas. In case you went, well, they made 373 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:27,479 Speaker 1: matches out of the stuff, so you there are actual 374 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 1: matches that had white phosphorus. And the idea was that 375 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 1: they had a slight coating on the outside so that 376 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,679 Speaker 1: it wasn't constantly exposed to air, and that striking it 377 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 1: would break that coating exposed the white phosphorus to air. 378 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 1: It would then have this exothermic reaction I was talking 379 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 1: about that would ignite the end of the match stick 380 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 1: and you would get this very bright, powerful, uh light. 381 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 1: The match however, It also meant that if the match 382 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:59,439 Speaker 1: heads were damaged at all and encountered the air, they 383 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: would ignore spontaneously. So typically you would have a container 384 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: that was air tight to keep these matches inside, because 385 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: you didn't want to risk the danger of the matches 386 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,639 Speaker 1: going off on their own. Because this is all about 387 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: controlled experiences with fire, Alamona, not not just rampant fire, 388 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:28,360 Speaker 1: lit fire. Your your sympathies lie in different areas than 389 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: my own, but uh, other chemist chemists would play with 390 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:37,560 Speaker 1: these different approaches, trying to get it just right, and 391 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 1: over time there was a decision to move away from 392 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: white phosphorus matches, not just because they were dangerous. They 393 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: were incredibly popular by the way. People loved the fact 394 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,920 Speaker 1: that you could strike these against anything. They were very convenient, 395 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:59,360 Speaker 1: but a misunderstood certainly dangerous because also it was discovered 396 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: that people working in the manufacturing facilities they were making 397 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: these white phosphorus matches, we're starting to get sick and 398 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: they developed an illness that became known. And I am 399 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 1: not making this up as fossey jaw jaw. Yeah, would 400 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:21,200 Speaker 1: you like to know the symptoms or you want to 401 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 1: take a guess? I think that was my grandmother's name, 402 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,640 Speaker 1: Old lady, false jaw. I was expecting you to say 403 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: you would be wearing a bowler hat and doing jazz 404 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 1: hands and wearing a black unitard. I don't understand that 405 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 1: that's fair, that's a that's a fossy joke. No. Actually, 406 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:41,359 Speaker 1: this was a truly terrible, terrible disease, and it was 407 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:48,159 Speaker 1: disfiguring disease. So the exposure to phosphorus vapor would cause 408 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 1: the bone of the lower jaw to dissolve slowly to 409 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:58,720 Speaker 1: the point where people had completely would have to have 410 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: their lower jaws removed, moved because if they didn't, then 411 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 1: the the illness would progress to the point where they 412 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 1: would experience oregon failure and then die. So this is 413 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 1: what we call a bad thing. And they would lose 414 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 1: teeth throughout the process, they'd lose bone mass and their jaws. 415 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: Their jaws would actually give off a greenish white light 416 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 1: in the dark. They would actually glow a bit from 417 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,439 Speaker 1: all the phosphor that they were or phosphorus that they 418 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: were absorbing. So pretty terrifying stuff. Now, at the time 419 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,679 Speaker 1: that this was happening, it was during the Industrial Revolution, 420 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 1: which again, Alamona, it's ahead of your time. But the 421 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: peasants talk about revolution. In this case, the peasants also 422 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: were uh in trouble during the Industrial Revolution because they 423 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: were being exploited terribly. So this was a time of 424 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: great industry where you have these huge manufacturing facilities that 425 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 1: are being built and labor is needed, but labors also plentiful. 426 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 1: There are a lot of people who are no longer 427 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 1: farmers there in there in search for work, so they 428 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,560 Speaker 1: all start looking for places where they can get employment. 429 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 1: They start joining different facilities, including matchmaking facilities. A lot 430 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: of young women did this. I could work that these 431 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 1: were the women who were suffering from Fossey jaw Alamona. 432 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 1: These are not not women that I'm just saying, I'd 433 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: be qualified. From the industrialist point of view, these workers 434 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: were disposable because if someone got sick or died or whatever, 435 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: there were a hundred others who were just desperate for 436 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 1: a job. So this was a terrible situation where people 437 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: were being exploited and they were getting sick, and it 438 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 1: all got to the point where the women organized what 439 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: was called the Great match Girls Strike. Was the pun intended, 440 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 1: It's an excellent question, but it really was like a 441 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 1: union strike. Uh, they weren't striking matches. I understand that 442 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: it's just, you know, sometimes a pun, a really good pun, 443 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 1: just falls into it. This time has an unintentional pun. Uh. 444 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 1: So all four women walked out of a manufacturing company, 445 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 1: a matchmaking company called Bryant and May in protest of conditions. 446 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: Eventually they were able to win some protections, although a 447 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:31,760 Speaker 1: lot of the white phosphorus stuff was still largely ignored 448 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 1: because they were so popular. There was an alternative that 449 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 1: I'm going to talk about in the second, to white phosphorus, 450 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 1: but nobody wanted those. They wanted the ones you could 451 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 1: strike anywhere. Well, in nineteen o six there was an organization, 452 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: a group gathering called the International Burn Convention that passed 453 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 1: prohibitions on white phosphorus matches, and the industry as a 454 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 1: whole migrated away from them. It took a few more years. 455 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: They kept on doing it for a little while longer, 456 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: and then eventually they stopped, and thus we saw a 457 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 1: drastic improvement in conditions for workers who were making matches. 458 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 1: But yeah, it was a pretty ironically dark time when 459 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 1: you look at the conditions that people had to endure 460 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 1: in order to make these. Now, on the other hand, 461 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: the demand for matches at this time it was astounding 462 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 1: because you're talking about a moment in history where people 463 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 1: had access to things that would allow them to generate 464 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:35,000 Speaker 1: light after the sun went down, Alamona, you know that 465 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: when the sun goes down, it's just time to go 466 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 1: to bed because you can't see nothing that well, there 467 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: was there was that one time where I got a 468 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 1: little excited in it. Yeah. Well, apart from like conflagrations, 469 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: you don't really see village. It was all bright and 470 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 1: everyone was happy. That explains why we went from willy 471 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 1: Nilly on the wash over to Newcastle. There was actually 472 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 1: a location of the Georgia or in this onncestival. All 473 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: of that is true, by the way you can aller 474 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 1: the relocation part, I'm not so certain about the yeah 475 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: that part. So this was a change, a social change. 476 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 1: Now we're getting into a point where people had opportunity 477 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:20,320 Speaker 1: to have lights in their own homes, whether they were 478 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: you know, lanterns that have been around for ages, but 479 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 1: now it was easier to light them because you had matches, 480 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 1: or it was even stuff like gas lamps that were 481 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 1: starting to be deployed in certain cities. So that meant 482 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 1: that matches were really sought after, so there was a 483 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: heavy market for them. Fortunately, there were some other smarty 484 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 1: pants who were coming up with ideas that were alternatives 485 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:47,240 Speaker 1: to this white phosphorus approach. And I'll talk about that 486 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:50,200 Speaker 1: more in just a second, but first let's take another 487 00:31:50,320 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 1: quick break. All right, Alimonia, you're still following me right somewhere? 488 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 1: I got a little bit lost along the path, he said, 489 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 1: are you looking for I heard it was a nice 490 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 1: person named the Quister walking around. Oh yeah, that's a 491 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:15,600 Speaker 1: different show. I think he dresses like me a bit. Okay, yeah, 492 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 1: all right, So if you want to know who Alimona 493 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 1: is talking about with the Quister, you need to listen 494 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 1: to the podcast Ridiculous History, where the Quister shows up 495 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:30,400 Speaker 1: and occasionally in in episodes and torments the hosts of 496 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 1: that show. The hosts that show are are Ben Bolan 497 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:38,800 Speaker 1: and Noel Brown. Like, I'm tormenting you match made in 498 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 1: Heaven so similar that it's actually making me regret Quisters 499 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,480 Speaker 1: segments at this point. Alright, So, in the mid to 500 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 1: late nineteenth century, different inventors were using stuff like lead 501 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 1: ox side and potassium chlorate to kind of tweak matches. 502 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:58,440 Speaker 1: They were trying to make the matches burn without generating 503 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 1: as much smelly smoke like, because these still smelled really bad. 504 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 1: They're very sulfuric um. They were trying to find ways 505 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 1: so that they were quieter because they were very loud 506 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: when you were striking these matches, the early ones, and 507 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 1: with a more controlled burn. There was an Austrian scientist 508 00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 1: named Anton von Schrutter who yes, yes, and he used 509 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:26,680 Speaker 1: red phosphorus instead of white phosphorus, and he did that 510 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: to create a more stable match, one that would not 511 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:35,720 Speaker 1: be prone to spontaneous combustion. So, okay, well you're sad, 512 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:39,320 Speaker 1: but most people meant that if you were to accidentally 513 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:40,880 Speaker 1: scratch the end of the match head, you didn't have 514 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: to worry about it bursting into flame. And this is 515 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:47,600 Speaker 1: what paved the way to the modern safety match. So 516 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: a safety match is a very clever invention in which 517 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 1: the ingredients needed for combustion are not all contained within 518 00:33:56,280 --> 00:34:00,440 Speaker 1: the match head itself, So you divide them. You put 519 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:03,400 Speaker 1: some of the ingredients on the match head, but you 520 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:06,480 Speaker 1: put the other ingredients on the striking surface that you're 521 00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 1: going to use to ignite the match. And this is 522 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:12,919 Speaker 1: how you make it safe because it's not gonna even 523 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 1: if you rub two matches together, they're lacking the ingredients 524 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:18,799 Speaker 1: that will allow them to combust, so you don't have 525 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:21,760 Speaker 1: to worry about them like jostling around and then setting 526 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 1: themselves on fire. Uh So in a modern matchbook, you 527 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:26,839 Speaker 1: can think of one half of the ingredients is being 528 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 1: on the match stick. The other half are on that 529 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:31,239 Speaker 1: little strip that you use when you strike the match 530 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:34,319 Speaker 1: and ignite it. And this is why, uh you don't 531 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 1: have to, you know, freak out about those matches. Just 532 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:41,320 Speaker 1: like hitting the ground or something. They'll never ignite unless 533 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 1: it just happens to be hot enough to hit their 534 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:46,960 Speaker 1: ignition temperature, because that will still cause them to ignite. 535 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:51,960 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm sure if you've ever certainly feels like 536 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:53,600 Speaker 1: it gets hot enough for that. But if you ever 537 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:56,879 Speaker 1: bring like an unlit match close to a flame, you'll 538 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:59,200 Speaker 1: see that at some point it will burst into flame 539 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:02,120 Speaker 1: itself because you will have heated the end of that 540 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:07,880 Speaker 1: match to its ignition point. But don't do that. It's dangerous. 541 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:13,560 Speaker 1: Don't listen. It's not almona show, it's my show. And 542 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:18,040 Speaker 1: it's also why, um, these matches you can't replicate that 543 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:21,640 Speaker 1: cool move you might see and you won't know this alumona, 544 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:24,239 Speaker 1: But in a movie where someone like strikes a match 545 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:26,840 Speaker 1: against like the bottom of their shoe or a brick, 546 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 1: and it just burst in the flame, and then they 547 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:31,840 Speaker 1: light something cool with it and they shake the match 548 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 1: stick out. You can't do that with safety matches unless 549 00:35:34,719 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 1: you happen to have coated the bottom of your shoe 550 00:35:37,320 --> 00:35:41,239 Speaker 1: with the other component needed to create combustion, which I 551 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 1: guess you could do if you really wanted to. Uh Now, 552 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:48,120 Speaker 1: And there's still are non safety matches. They're still matches 553 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:51,600 Speaker 1: that will ignite if you strike them against any surface. 554 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:54,440 Speaker 1: You can still buy them. They are not made out 555 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:56,880 Speaker 1: of white phosphorus anymore. They're made of of other materials, 556 00:35:56,920 --> 00:36:00,359 Speaker 1: but they still do the same thing, and you can 557 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:03,800 Speaker 1: strike them against any surface and they will ignite, uh 558 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: if they as long as the friction allows them to 559 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:09,080 Speaker 1: reach their ignition temperature. As for modern safety matches, they 560 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 1: tend to have potassium chlorate as well as an oxidizing agent, 561 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:15,440 Speaker 1: or as the oxidizing agent, I should say, And they 562 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:19,400 Speaker 1: have antimately sulfide, which sounds like a relative of yours 563 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:26,000 Speaker 1: and got little right, And then the striking surface would 564 00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 1: have the coding of red phosphorus, So the red phosphorus 565 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 1: is actually on whatever surface you're supposed to strike the 566 00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:34,240 Speaker 1: match on, and so bringing them together and creating friction 567 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:37,360 Speaker 1: is enough to light the little suckers. All right, Well, 568 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do another episode where I'm gonna talk more 569 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:43,000 Speaker 1: about lighters, but I want to give you a little 570 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:46,600 Speaker 1: bit of of a preview of that, Alimona, because this 571 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:50,520 Speaker 1: is you seem to be fascinated by the concept of 572 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:54,400 Speaker 1: a lighter. So I'm going to talk about the earliest 573 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:56,799 Speaker 1: thing that people refer to as a lighter, and that's 574 00:36:56,840 --> 00:37:00,480 Speaker 1: going to be the clothes of this episode. So lighters, 575 00:37:00,520 --> 00:37:02,800 Speaker 1: like I said earlier, we're being developed around the same 576 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:07,440 Speaker 1: time that matches were. It's not like we got matches 577 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:09,520 Speaker 1: right and then we moved on to lighters. They were 578 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 1: independent lines of invention and innovation. So the first lighter, 579 00:37:14,920 --> 00:37:19,000 Speaker 1: most people agree, was made by a German chemist named 580 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:24,760 Speaker 1: Johann Wolfgang Dobbert Reiner. Great name, he wins, he wins 581 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:29,120 Speaker 1: the names. Yeah, So he made numerous contributions to chemistry. 582 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:31,719 Speaker 1: He it's not just the guy who made the first lighter. 583 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:34,640 Speaker 1: He did lots of stuff. But for our purposes, the 584 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:37,319 Speaker 1: thing we want to look at is this lighter that 585 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:41,799 Speaker 1: he made, the Dobbert Reiner lamp, and this was an 586 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:46,800 Speaker 1: ingenious invention. It is also tricky to describe without pictures, 587 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:49,680 Speaker 1: but I'm gonna try and do it, and Alimona, honestly, 588 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:53,920 Speaker 1: the only way I can read books just through the pictures. Okay, Well, 589 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:56,480 Speaker 1: I'm going to paint you a word picture with my words. 590 00:37:57,480 --> 00:38:00,319 Speaker 1: But if you have questions, like honestly, if you have 591 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:04,799 Speaker 1: trouble imagining what I'm saying, tell me, because that would 592 00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:07,520 Speaker 1: tell me, oh, I should explain this a different way 593 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:11,040 Speaker 1: so that the listeners at home also understand it. So 594 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:16,880 Speaker 1: you're gonna play a truly valuable service here. Welcome. Okay, 595 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:20,920 Speaker 1: well just take it seriously. Here we go. Now, first 596 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:24,000 Speaker 1: we're gonna start imagining that you have a glass jar 597 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:26,879 Speaker 1: and you have a lid that would fit on top 598 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:30,719 Speaker 1: of that glass jar. Okay, so that's what we're starting from. 599 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:34,680 Speaker 1: The glass jar has sulfuric acid in it. That's that 600 00:38:34,760 --> 00:38:38,719 Speaker 1: stuff I was talking about earlier, super reactive. It can 601 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:43,840 Speaker 1: char you know, skin and would uh and you definitely 602 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 1: don't want to touch it. So anyway, you've got this 603 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:49,520 Speaker 1: jar of sulfuric acid. Now imagine that that you've taken 604 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:52,400 Speaker 1: the lid off of this jar and you attached to 605 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:57,040 Speaker 1: the lid a cylinder of glass. Okay, it's open at 606 00:38:57,080 --> 00:39:00,480 Speaker 1: either end, except that you've glued one end to the 607 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:04,239 Speaker 1: bottom side of the lid of the jar, all right, 608 00:39:05,120 --> 00:39:08,680 Speaker 1: And now imagine that you have poked a hole in 609 00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 1: the top of the lid on the other side of 610 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:13,960 Speaker 1: that open end of the cylinder, and you put a 611 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:17,920 Speaker 1: valve there, which only allows air to pass through if 612 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:22,120 Speaker 1: the valve is open, but it's closed. Now, this means 613 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:24,520 Speaker 1: that if you were to put the lid on the jar, 614 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:28,719 Speaker 1: you would be pushing that cylinder down through the sulfuric 615 00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:31,840 Speaker 1: acid in the jar. And because the air is trapped 616 00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:35,640 Speaker 1: inside the cylinder, it will push the sulfuric acid out 617 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:37,680 Speaker 1: of the way. It will displace it, so the level 618 00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:39,919 Speaker 1: of sulfuric acid will rise a bit in the jar. 619 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:45,160 Speaker 1: The cylinder inside will remain just full of air. The 620 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:47,439 Speaker 1: sulfuric acid can't come up in there. If you're having 621 00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:50,439 Speaker 1: trouble imagining this, just imagine what happens if you take 622 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:53,080 Speaker 1: a straw like a drinking straw and you put your 623 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:56,080 Speaker 1: finger over the top of the drinking straw and then 624 00:39:56,120 --> 00:39:58,640 Speaker 1: you put it down into liquid. The liquid doesn't go 625 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:00,920 Speaker 1: up in the straw because the air pressure inside the 626 00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:05,799 Speaker 1: straw keeps it out. All right, good, I'm glad that 627 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 1: we're on the same page. Okay. So you've got this 628 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,640 Speaker 1: cylinder in it. It keeps the sulfuric acid out because 629 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:15,920 Speaker 1: it's air tight at the moment, because the valve is shut. Now, 630 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:20,640 Speaker 1: also imagine that dangling in the center of the cylinder, 631 00:40:21,040 --> 00:40:23,920 Speaker 1: so you've you've attached some form of line on the 632 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:26,720 Speaker 1: underside of the lid as well. At where the cylinder, 633 00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:29,480 Speaker 1: at the top of the cylinder is dangling. Inside the 634 00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:35,600 Speaker 1: cylinder is a piece of zinc. Okay, the metal zinc. 635 00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:38,840 Speaker 1: It is attached to a tether. It's dangling in the 636 00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:43,200 Speaker 1: middle of this cylinder. Still, there's nothing touching anything else, right, 637 00:40:43,200 --> 00:40:45,840 Speaker 1: The sulfuric acid isn't coming into contact with anything inside 638 00:40:45,840 --> 00:40:50,040 Speaker 1: the cylinder, all right. Now, imagine you open the valve 639 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:52,880 Speaker 1: on the top of the lid. So now you've created 640 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:57,120 Speaker 1: away for the air inside the cylinder to escape. The 641 00:40:57,200 --> 00:41:00,680 Speaker 1: pressure from the sulfuric acid will push against the air 642 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:03,880 Speaker 1: inside that cylinder. It will make some of that air escape. 643 00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:06,719 Speaker 1: The sulfuric acid will start to come into where the 644 00:41:06,719 --> 00:41:11,000 Speaker 1: cylinder is and actually make contact with the zinc. You 645 00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:13,879 Speaker 1: close off the VALVEU you shut the valve. Valve shut. 646 00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:17,000 Speaker 1: Now the sulfuric acid is going to react with that zinc, 647 00:41:17,320 --> 00:41:21,320 Speaker 1: and that reaction gives off hydrogen gas. So little bubbles 648 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:24,520 Speaker 1: will form on this zinc, and the bubbles will bubble 649 00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:28,200 Speaker 1: up into the interior of the cylinder. And because the 650 00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:30,840 Speaker 1: valve is shut, the bubbles have nowhere to go. The 651 00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:33,480 Speaker 1: bubble start building up. That starts to push the sulfuric 652 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:37,719 Speaker 1: acid back out again because you're increasing the pressure inside 653 00:41:37,719 --> 00:41:41,279 Speaker 1: the cylinder. But now it's not air, just regular air 654 00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:44,680 Speaker 1: that's in that cylinder. Now it's hydrogen gas. So you've 655 00:41:44,719 --> 00:41:47,040 Speaker 1: got a cylinder filled with hydrogen gas. If you open 656 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:50,480 Speaker 1: up that valve again, you'll release hydrogen gas. Okay, So 657 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:54,120 Speaker 1: that's the basic part of this lamp. The next part 658 00:41:54,239 --> 00:41:57,520 Speaker 1: was another component on top of the lid, the top side, 659 00:41:57,520 --> 00:42:01,160 Speaker 1: not the side that's inside the jar, that holds a 660 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:05,040 Speaker 1: what they called a platinum sponge. It was a porous 661 00:42:05,200 --> 00:42:09,399 Speaker 1: piece of platinum and it's position in such a way 662 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:13,640 Speaker 1: to be directly across from the valve where the hydrogen 663 00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:17,239 Speaker 1: can come out. All right, So when you open up 664 00:42:17,239 --> 00:42:21,080 Speaker 1: the valve, hydrogen shoots out from the air pressure and 665 00:42:21,120 --> 00:42:26,360 Speaker 1: it goes across and hits this platinum sponge. When platinum 666 00:42:26,480 --> 00:42:30,040 Speaker 1: is in the presence of hydrogen and oxygen, it creates 667 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:34,239 Speaker 1: a chemical reaction that's exothermic, which means it gives off heat. 668 00:42:35,120 --> 00:42:41,400 Speaker 1: Hydrogen gas is extremely flammable that I'm sure you would. 669 00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:45,040 Speaker 1: Does the phrase oh the humanity mean anything to you. 670 00:42:45,520 --> 00:42:47,719 Speaker 1: That's what everyone screamed when I when it was really 671 00:42:47,800 --> 00:42:52,120 Speaker 1: dark that one night tonight, And yeah, okay, well then 672 00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:56,200 Speaker 1: you're totally on board. So this means that the hydrogen 673 00:42:56,239 --> 00:42:59,640 Speaker 1: gas catches fire and you've got a lighter because the 674 00:43:00,120 --> 00:43:03,000 Speaker 1: hydrogen from the cylinder has come out it's hit that 675 00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:09,440 Speaker 1: platinum sponge. The platinum sponge has that exothermic catalyzes, an 676 00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:13,680 Speaker 1: exothermic reaction that then ignites the hydrogen gas that's still 677 00:43:13,719 --> 00:43:15,399 Speaker 1: coming out through the valve. As long as the valve 678 00:43:15,440 --> 00:43:19,200 Speaker 1: is open, this is still going. But hydrogen flames are 679 00:43:20,000 --> 00:43:22,880 Speaker 1: essentially invisible. You can't really see them. However, if you 680 00:43:22,920 --> 00:43:26,360 Speaker 1: were to put anything within that that section where the 681 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:29,560 Speaker 1: valve is open, it would catch fire. So if you 682 00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:31,680 Speaker 1: put a match in there, it would make the match 683 00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:35,080 Speaker 1: catch on fire because even though it's invisible, it's flaming. 684 00:43:35,360 --> 00:43:38,000 Speaker 1: It actually is happening. It's it's burning at that moment, 685 00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:40,640 Speaker 1: so you can use it to light you know, matches 686 00:43:40,880 --> 00:43:45,360 Speaker 1: or candles or whatever. All right, And then when you 687 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:48,560 Speaker 1: would close the valve, the flame would go out because 688 00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:52,440 Speaker 1: there's no more fuel coming out. And as long as 689 00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:55,040 Speaker 1: the zinc is still in contact with the sulfuric acid, 690 00:43:55,040 --> 00:43:58,799 Speaker 1: it will continue to generate more hydrogen gas. And eventually 691 00:43:59,280 --> 00:44:02,200 Speaker 1: one of two things will happen. It'll either generate enough 692 00:44:02,280 --> 00:44:05,360 Speaker 1: hydrogen gas so that the gas has pushed the sulfuric 693 00:44:05,680 --> 00:44:08,400 Speaker 1: acid down to a level where it's no longer in 694 00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:11,200 Speaker 1: contact with the zinc, because you know, you've built up 695 00:44:11,239 --> 00:44:14,360 Speaker 1: the air pressure. It's pushed it's like blowing into a straw. 696 00:44:14,719 --> 00:44:19,440 Speaker 1: It's pushed down. The liquid um or the zinc will 697 00:44:19,440 --> 00:44:21,960 Speaker 1: get consumed by the sulfuric acid and it will stop 698 00:44:22,040 --> 00:44:24,880 Speaker 1: because there's nothing for the sulfuric acid to dissolve anymore, 699 00:44:25,239 --> 00:44:27,879 Speaker 1: so you won't you won't be generating anymore hydrogen, you'll 700 00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:31,520 Speaker 1: have to replace the zinc um. Those are the two outcomes. 701 00:44:31,560 --> 00:44:34,520 Speaker 1: So it was really cool because this liner worked purely 702 00:44:34,520 --> 00:44:38,080 Speaker 1: on chemistry. There was no striking, there was no sparks, 703 00:44:38,120 --> 00:44:42,719 Speaker 1: there was nothing that had to ignite a fuel. It 704 00:44:42,800 --> 00:44:47,160 Speaker 1: was purely by generating this hydrogen gas, shooting it at platinum, 705 00:44:47,200 --> 00:44:49,920 Speaker 1: having that create the chemical reaction and then boom, you've 706 00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:51,799 Speaker 1: got a flame as long as that valve is open. 707 00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:55,880 Speaker 1: It was ingenious. It was also incredibly dangerous because it 708 00:44:56,000 --> 00:44:59,920 Speaker 1: was a vat of sulfuric acid um. So it was 709 00:45:00,120 --> 00:45:04,920 Speaker 1: not something that would become widely adopted or universally adopted. 710 00:45:05,120 --> 00:45:09,600 Speaker 1: But it is a phenomenal invention and there are um 711 00:45:10,200 --> 00:45:14,080 Speaker 1: forgive me Alimona, there are videos on YouTube that show 712 00:45:14,520 --> 00:45:19,080 Speaker 1: these things working. Yeah, you just sit there and think 713 00:45:19,160 --> 00:45:22,839 Speaker 1: about fiery stuff. But there are videos on YouTube if 714 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:26,600 Speaker 1: you want to look this up. They are really fascinating 715 00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,239 Speaker 1: and you can even see them in action and understand 716 00:45:29,280 --> 00:45:35,160 Speaker 1: better the mechanisms I'm talking about that make this lighter possible. Again, 717 00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:39,080 Speaker 1: that's a Dobba Reiner lamp, so you should check those 718 00:45:39,080 --> 00:45:44,239 Speaker 1: out because they are really cool. So it does not 719 00:45:44,440 --> 00:45:51,080 Speaker 1: surprise me in the slightest. Well, um Alimona, uh design, 720 00:45:52,280 --> 00:46:00,239 Speaker 1: thank you. You have been the most unique guest I've 721 00:46:00,239 --> 00:46:02,400 Speaker 1: ever had on tech Stuff and I once had strong 722 00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:06,799 Speaker 1: bad in here. Oh he sounds fun. Yeah, he gave 723 00:46:06,840 --> 00:46:10,080 Speaker 1: me a sign off even it was pretty amazing. Uh So, 724 00:46:10,280 --> 00:46:13,400 Speaker 1: speaking of sign offs, guys, this wraps up this episode. 725 00:46:13,400 --> 00:46:15,920 Speaker 1: In our next episode, I'll talk more about lighters and 726 00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:19,520 Speaker 1: how they work and how they've evolved over time. Uh 727 00:46:19,560 --> 00:46:22,960 Speaker 1: and we'll we'll pick up from the chemical double rhiner 728 00:46:23,200 --> 00:46:26,200 Speaker 1: lamp and move up two more modern ones and talk 729 00:46:26,239 --> 00:46:29,960 Speaker 1: about things like how the companies came to be like Zippo. 730 00:46:30,680 --> 00:46:36,200 Speaker 1: It's a name that I'm sure you find very Yeah. Well, 731 00:46:36,239 --> 00:46:38,440 Speaker 1: then we're gonna wrap this up. Guys. If you have 732 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:42,640 Speaker 1: any suggestions for future topics for tech Stuff, I highly 733 00:46:42,680 --> 00:46:45,080 Speaker 1: recommend you let me know by getting in touch on 734 00:46:45,120 --> 00:46:48,520 Speaker 1: social media. I am on Facebook and Twitter with the 735 00:46:48,600 --> 00:46:52,799 Speaker 1: handle text stuff hs W and I'll talk to you 736 00:46:52,840 --> 00:47:00,200 Speaker 1: again really soon. No, look, it's the Quista find bank. 737 00:47:05,120 --> 00:47:07,319 Speaker 1: Hext Stuff is a production of I Heart Radio's How 738 00:47:07,360 --> 00:47:10,759 Speaker 1: Stuff Works. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit 739 00:47:10,800 --> 00:47:13,880 Speaker 1: the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 740 00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:20,600 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows, guys. One thing I want 741 00:47:20,600 --> 00:47:23,719 Speaker 1: to mention before we go, I want to thank my 742 00:47:23,840 --> 00:47:28,680 Speaker 1: good friend Shay for joining the show as Alamona. Shay 743 00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:33,520 Speaker 1: also has an amazing YouTube series, Books and Blue Stockings. 744 00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:37,160 Speaker 1: She's plays Betty Bookworm on that series, so I highly 745 00:47:37,200 --> 00:47:41,120 Speaker 1: recommend you go to YouTube and search that. She does 746 00:47:41,320 --> 00:47:47,080 Speaker 1: very inventive videos talking about different books and different literary 747 00:47:47,239 --> 00:47:51,600 Speaker 1: tropes and UH and themes, and you should definitely check 748 00:47:51,640 --> 00:47:53,640 Speaker 1: that out. There's also a series that she and I 749 00:47:53,719 --> 00:47:57,560 Speaker 1: do called Age of Cinema where we show each other 750 00:47:58,400 --> 00:48:03,240 Speaker 1: movies uh sometimes against the other person's will. Often against 751 00:48:03,239 --> 00:48:05,960 Speaker 1: the other person's will. So if you want to hear 752 00:48:06,000 --> 00:48:08,839 Speaker 1: more and see more from Shay, definitely go check that out. 753 00:48:09,040 --> 00:48:11,640 Speaker 1: Highly recommend it. And sometimes Alamona pops up