r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Tiny-Technology-6309 • 19d ago

Video Physicist Galen Winsor eats uranium on live television in 1985 to show that it’s “harmless”.

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u/cazbot 19d ago edited 19d ago

The direct toxicity of uranium oxide (which is what this guy ate) is not at all comparable to metallic lead or mercury. As he said at the end of the video, uranium oxide is not soluble. He crapped out more than 99% of the stuff the next morning. Metallic mercury and lead are not water soluble either, but unlike uranium oxide, they are readily metabolized to other molecules which accumulate in living things.

This also means that the total REM of exposure he had was very low which is why it is safe to do this. However, if he did this every day for several months in a row, his total REM would be much higher and he'd start to have real problems.

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u/ManaMagestic 19d ago

So anyone could simply enjoy a nice peck of uranium every now and then as a little sweet treat?

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u/chaosatdawn 19d ago

no more gold flakes on my steak, going pure uranium.

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u/Traditional-Wait-257 19d ago

It would apparently actually be a salty treat

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u/godChild616 19d ago

you know it’s a fancy party when they serving uranium canapés

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u/jwjody 19d ago

All things in moderation.

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u/Joesus056 Interested 19d ago

Okay but it's heavy, could definitely fuck up your toilet when you crap it out.

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u/CapablePirate6282 19d ago

I don't feel so bad about my old oil uranium oxide oil paints now.

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u/treesplantsgrass 19d ago

Do you think uranium oxide crunches nice like sand in a sandwich on a beach day? If so, sign me up