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It's a pity that governments have deemed 'interesting' chemistry an illegitimate hobby. Many chemists and biologists I know were inspired as kids by potentiall

It's a pity that governments have deemed 'interesting' chemistry an illegitimate hobby. Many chemists and biologists I know were inspired as kids by potentially risky chemical reactions - they were fun :). My boss grew up in the UK, relished those experiments growing up, and said they led him to eventually complete a PhD in chemistry. He later went on to win a Nobel Prize (as a molecular biologist, though). Maybe we've made the world safer, but I wonder how many potential great chemists will never get inspired and avoid the field.

fnordpiglet 4y ago
But think about all the valuable product managers we have instead!
- epicureanideal 4y ago
  The valuable ones are so rare as to be counted on one hand. (And likely even if that hand were missing several fingers from mistakes in amateur chemistry.)
  - fnordpiglet 4y ago
    To be clear I sincerely do value the PMs that work for me and I work with. But I’d still rather they have a PhD in chemistry. But then again I wish we all did.
gnull 4y ago
Don't governments allow it when it's done under supervision?
- SoftTalker 4y ago
  I recall many of the described experiments from high school chemistry labs. That was in the 1980s though. My kids did the "silver mirror" at least in recent years.
- hutzlibu 4y ago
  Yes, in the very restricted setting of schools, where the concept of "fun" is usually not included, but rather avoided at all cost.
- Auracle 4y ago
  Maybe, but while my high school chemistry teacher okayed me making a small batch of nitroglycerin, the principal very much did not.
- refurb 4y ago
  At least in the US there are no regulations specifically stopping you from amateur chemistry. The challenges tend to be: - it’s hard (not impossible) to procure some chemicals because most suppliers will only sell to businesses - there are regulations around safety hazards like storage of flammable liquid in residential area (these are good regulations, I’d rather my neighbor isn’t storing 20 gals of ether for example) - there are regulations around manufacturing explosives (even in tiny quantities) But that said, there is nothing stopping someone from jumping through the needed hoops. Incorporate a business (not very expensive), get a license from the ATF (mostly time to do paperwork and stuff - like buying a machine gun), follow fire regulations. The other option is to just procure chemicals through other products. Naphtha is basically a mixture of hexanes. You can buy a lot of nitrate salts used for food or gardening. It’s not hard to procure metals.
  - kragen 4y ago
    where do you get cobalt, strontium, and rubidium
    - refurb 4y ago
      https://www.americanelements.com/strontium-metal-7440-24-6 https://www.americanelements.com/strontium-metal-7440-24-6
      - kragen 4y ago
        you said 'The other option is to just procure chemicals through other products. Naphtha is basically a mixture of hexanes. You can buy a lot of nitrate salts used for food or gardening. It’s not hard to procure metals.' but this americanelements link doesn't seem to be a case of 'procure chemicals through other products' but rather 'buy from a place that lists things by cas number and probably only sells to corporations'
        Symbiote 4y ago
        Try eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/125395009075 https://www.ebay.com/itm/125395009075 etc
adrian_b 4y ago
Yes, when I was a child, I also have made a large number of chemical experiments, guided by the many old books and magazines describing chemical experiments that were available by then. Those have been among the most memorable events of my childhood, along with building various simple electronic devices. Both kinds of activities had a major influence on my later professional education. I agree with the parent article that this seems much more difficult to do now, at least casually, unless you are already very committed to attempt to do such things and to circumvent any obstacles.
Gordonjcp 4y ago
The UK did have a unique problem with "amateur chemists" when I was growing up though, and even now the shadow of Republicanism means I need to keep all the nitrate fertiliser and tractor diesel securely locked up.

fnordpiglet 4y ago

But think about all the valuable product managers we have instead!

epicureanideal 4y ago
The valuable ones are so rare as to be counted on one hand. (And likely even if that hand were missing several fingers from mistakes in amateur chemistry.)
- fnordpiglet 4y ago
  To be clear I sincerely do value the PMs that work for me and I work with. But I’d still rather they have a PhD in chemistry. But then again I wish we all did.

gnull 4y ago

Don't governments allow it when it's done under supervision?

SoftTalker 4y ago
I recall many of the described experiments from high school chemistry labs. That was in the 1980s though. My kids did the "silver mirror" at least in recent years.
hutzlibu 4y ago
Yes, in the very restricted setting of schools, where the concept of "fun" is usually not included, but rather avoided at all cost.
Auracle 4y ago
Maybe, but while my high school chemistry teacher okayed me making a small batch of nitroglycerin, the principal very much did not.
refurb 4y ago
At least in the US there are no regulations specifically stopping you from amateur chemistry. The challenges tend to be: - it’s hard (not impossible) to procure some chemicals because most suppliers will only sell to businesses - there are regulations around safety hazards like storage of flammable liquid in residential area (these are good regulations, I’d rather my neighbor isn’t storing 20 gals of ether for example) - there are regulations around manufacturing explosives (even in tiny quantities) But that said, there is nothing stopping someone from jumping through the needed hoops. Incorporate a business (not very expensive), get a license from the ATF (mostly time to do paperwork and stuff - like buying a machine gun), follow fire regulations. The other option is to just procure chemicals through other products. Naphtha is basically a mixture of hexanes. You can buy a lot of nitrate salts used for food or gardening. It’s not hard to procure metals.
- kragen 4y ago
  where do you get cobalt, strontium, and rubidium
  - refurb 4y ago
    https://www.americanelements.com/strontium-metal-7440-24-6 https://www.americanelements.com/strontium-metal-7440-24-6
    - kragen 4y ago
      you said 'The other option is to just procure chemicals through other products. Naphtha is basically a mixture of hexanes. You can buy a lot of nitrate salts used for food or gardening. It’s not hard to procure metals.' but this americanelements link doesn't seem to be a case of 'procure chemicals through other products' but rather 'buy from a place that lists things by cas number and probably only sells to corporations'
      - Symbiote 4y ago
        Try eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/125395009075 https://www.ebay.com/itm/125395009075 etc

adrian_b 4y ago

Yes, when I was a child, I also have made a large number of chemical experiments, guided by the many old books and magazines describing chemical experiments that were available by then. Those have been among the most memorable events of my childhood, along with building various simple electronic devices. Both kinds of activities had a major influence on my later professional education. I agree with the parent article that this seems much more difficult to do now, at least casually, unless you are already very committed to attempt to do such things and to circumvent any obstacles.

Gordonjcp 4y ago

The UK did have a unique problem with "amateur chemists" when I was growing up though, and even now the shadow of Republicanism means I need to keep all the nitrate fertiliser and tractor diesel securely locked up.