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