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Applied science video about lead in regular tap water and poisoning
Bryn:
--- Quote from: AndyBeez on July 07, 2023, 03:50:34 pm ---For 'pure' water, nothing beats water from peat lands in Ireland and Scotland.
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As someone from Scotland, I can relate to that ;D
Infraviolet:
Some people claim it was lead water piping responsible for the decline of the Roman empire, and like any other theory about ancient history they are able to selectively dig out those pieces of evidence which support them. They often attribute later emperors' craziest decisions to lead-induced neurological damage, and say that made the empire weaker so it fell more easily in the face of Goths/Vandals.
Don't know about drinking water from peaty lands, but when peatlands are dried out they make the most wonderful surface to walk on, a spring in every step.
gnuarm:
--- Quote from: Psi on July 07, 2023, 01:43:25 pm ---Lead metal isn't that bad, it's the salts of lead that get you.
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You didn't finish that statement.
... and in even slightly acidic water, metallic lead forms lead salts.
That's basic chemistry.
gnuarm:
--- Quote from: Bryn on July 07, 2023, 03:32:28 pm ---According to a bit of research I did regarding lead in tap water, houses built in the UK before 1970 once had lead pipes which was the source of the issue and since then, building regulations have changed (as it's now illegal for any house built after that time to contain them).
Having said that though, my house was built in pre-war times and this would have lead pipes but I've been drinking tap water from them ever since I first moved into the house itself almost 30 years ago and nothing odd or horrific happened to me since.
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LOL The single, most significant symptom of lead poisoning, is diminished mental capacity. It would happen very gradually, until the symptoms become obvious. This is kinda like the film built up on surfaces from a smoker's exhalation.
I once bought a used pickup that was less than a year old. It had no scent at the time of sale, but in the summer, it would reek of cigarette smoke when the AC was turned on. The surfaces in the cab had been cleaned, but it took three years to finally get that smell out of the AC. The difference is, with lead poisoning, it's much, much harder to get rid of lead from your system and many of the symptoms never go away.
gnuarm:
--- Quote from: KE5FX on July 07, 2023, 04:05:07 pm ---
--- Quote from: gnuarm on July 06, 2023, 07:56:10 pm ---Sorry, I got about 7 minutes in and was falling asleep. Can anyone give me the Cliff's Notes version?
Heck, I used to be a chemist, too!
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The Cliff's Notes version is that unless you have advanced analytical equipment at your disposal, measuring lead exposure due to glassware is complicated and error-prone, and can't (or at least shouldn't) be summarized in 7 minutes or less.
Ben's channel isn't really meant for the MTV Generation. Just move on to the next distraction, as Alanis suggested.
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Ben's problem is he doesn't know how to convey information effectively and efficiently. Like many Youtubers, he just starts the camera and starts talking. A presentation like his requires a lot of thought and skill in how best to present it. Noting every little detail in the data is not an effective presentation. Even in research papers, they often leave out many details, referring to the sources, and present a distilled version. A video is a presentation, like a public address. You have to keep your audience awake.
Ben also does not seem to follow the general rule of presentation, "Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them what you're telling them, then tell them what you told them". This allows much better comprehension of the material by the viewer, as well as better retention. At least, I couldn't stay awake long enough to see for sure.
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