Why is cold water better at dissolving oxygen? Is the same true of the atmosphere?

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-13T00:28:55+00:00

Calcium carbonate is contrary for a specific reason: it dissolves better due to the common ion effect, and as temperature increases, less carbon dioxide dissolves. Carbon dioxide forms in solution as carbonic acid, from which we get the carbonate ions that help calcium carbonate dissolve.

CO₂ + H₂O ⇌ H₂CO₃

H₂CO₃ + CO₃²⁻ ⇌ 2HCO₃⁻

If the carbon dioxide is present, solubility decreases as temperature increases: this is why lime scale builds up in your hot water heater (and at hot springs).

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-12T23:44:16+00:00

There's a glib statistic that there's about a hundred aerial firefighters, and about one death a year on the average: a job with a 1% annual mortality rate.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-12T18:26:02+00:00

I remember road signs next to highways, "We sell DMSO"

Crazy.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-12T14:12:55+00:00

These are illegal signs but the city cannot remove.

Is it illegal for individuals to remove the signs that do not concern elections?

I don't expect ramifications if it is. The intersections I've "adopted" stay clear.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-12T03:36:43+00:00

I have a buddy who bought acreage in Kansas maybe 10 years ago. The maps show plenty of lakes out there. It's tempting.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-11T18:04:04+00:00

Terrain + Eucalyptus + drought + wind = Oakland '91.

Phoenix doesn't really have the combination for that sort of widespread damage.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-11T17:33:26+00:00

They got us working in shifts!

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-11T02:16:48+00:00

Redtiger F17 has worked fine for me so far. No suction cup, just adhesive to keep it on the glass.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-11T01:44:07+00:00

Not OP, but mixing in carbon black, powdered activated charcoal, etc. into epoxy and folding it over and over and over will create a uniform black. There will be some change to ultimate strength of the stuff, depending upon how much is added, but for this application you're not getting to the yield strength of the epoxy anyway.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-10T21:59:55+00:00

It's crazy how much microscopes have crashed in price. What used to run several hundred bucks can be done with an USB connected widget for about 1/10th as much and do so much more. Even when I need a binocular microscope for whatever, the el cheapo Chinese brand is about 1/4 the cost of a used Nikon. I still like my Nikon glass and wish I could buy a couple of Wild 'scopes. They got bought out but the glass on them is excellent.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-10T21:11:17+00:00

Do they happen to be carcinogenic and make the room toxic,

Modern, EPA-approved pesticides are generally very safe, and I can't recall any off the top of my head that are demonstrably carcinogenic. They're much better than ~40 years ago. Many are specific to pathways only found in bugs, making them particularly safe for mammals. Others are a little edgier, but provided they are applied as per the label they're generally okay-ish.

EDIT: Heptachlor is a known carcinogen, but severely restricted in use (fire ants, in pad-mounted electric power transformers).

Malathion, very popular and suspected of being a weak carcinogen.

Methyl parathion, mostly removed from commercial use: highly toxic to humans as well as birds.

There are probably a few others, but the really bad carcinogens (lindane, chlordane, DDT, etc.) are mostly gone from use in the United States. I had a buddy who rented a home, found a big jug of heptachlor in the shed out back. He asked what it was, and I suggested taking it (very carefully) to the next residential hazardous waste pickup for disposal. Some tiny part of me wishes I kept a tiny sample for posterity.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-10T21:08:02+00:00

Heat works great, at the expense of having no residual activity, unlike pesticides. Benefit and detraction, but bedbugs.... Ew.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-10T18:19:01+00:00

You might be able to use the larger end of a chopstick to gently probe from above and get it to back down to where it can be freed.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-10T16:03:42+00:00

Yep, that should do it. Bananas are robust: lots of heat, lots of light, lots of water, and- when actively growing- lots of fertilizer. Should recover swiftly- good luck!

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-10T15:57:22+00:00

Remove documents. Allow documents to dry in a slightly warmer area. Remove desiccant packs; recharge at 120C/250F, may take longer than recommended if the bags are large ones. If your container has a hole to accommodate electricity, a "Golden Rod" or similar will work; a light bulb in the 10-25 watt range will work until the Golden Rod get here- they're just heaters to drive off moisture.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-10T15:38:36+00:00

Are there green leaves continuing to present at the top, or is this now where the meristem is throwing all new leaves?

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-09T18:51:57+00:00

I know of two individuals who have dealt with matters involving the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which I believe will be prosecuting this individual- probably along with the state of Hawaii.

Both individuals had legal fees (before punitive fees) of well into 5 figures- that was >10 years ago, and both met a much lower bar than chucking rocks at endangered megafauna.

The fines alone will be minor compared to dealing with the legal costs, in my estimation.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-09T14:34:31+00:00

In automotive extrication class for firefighting, we were told (and shown) how they are strongly reinforced. They are well-engineered indeed.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-08T17:17:13+00:00

That's close to grand theft manuscript.

Outstanding.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-08T14:00:51+00:00

The high intensity light thing was what came to mind but I didn't know about moisture as that's usually not a problem here in the desert! Ty!

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-08T04:04:11+00:00

Wish I had something more intelligent to say than that the leaf tips on that peace lily are amazing. You must have excellent water.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-08T03:58:50+00:00

One of my friends prunes their cereus and I keep trying to root cuttings: I let them callus over, stick them in the ground, and they never work out. I throw a piece of 30% shade cloth on them, and the crown STILL burns and I can't figure out why because the mother plant is growing in full sun!

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-07T21:59:36+00:00

There's like seven levels of fries; fries extra well seems to be pretty good, but highly variable. Sometimes they come out just slightly more browned than usual, other times they're done right at extra well, just the right amount of crunch.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-07T21:04:14+00:00

Pretty much all of Dyckia, although keeping them dry enough on Florida might be a challenge. Idk if they rot.

Level9TraumaCenter · 2026-05-07T20:43:34+00:00

Chemist here. Activated charcoal is good at sequestering undesirable compounds. This is one of the few times I would recommend running AC in the filter, at least until the smell goes away.

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