Quoi que vous fassiez, ne touchez pas au mercure ! Sérieusement, ce n'est pas quelque chose avec lequel vous voulez jouer. Vous voyez, le mercure est super toxique - il peut perturber votre système nerveux et causer toutes sortes de problèmes de santé. Et voici le truc : ce n'est pas seulement dangereux à toucher, mais même inhaler les vapeurs peut être nocif. Donc, si vous tombez jamais sur du mercure, éloignez-vous et appelez les experts pour le manipuler en toute sécurité. Croyez-moi, il vaut mieux être prudent que désolé quand il s'agit de ce truc !
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00:00 We count a total of 118 known chemical elements.
00:04 Some of them are real superheroes whose bodies need to survive,
00:08 while others are the ultimate villains.
00:10 But what exactly makes an element bad?
00:13 And what elements, although they seem scary, are actually quite safe?
00:17 Well, let's see.
00:19 Thus, there are different categories of evil in the periodic table.
00:23 First of all, we have the radioactive group.
00:26 These elements are among the most dangerous.
00:29 We are talking about elements ranging from the atomic number 84, polonium,
00:33 to the brand new element 118, loganesson,
00:36 which, by the way, only got its name in 2016.
00:40 They are highly radioactive, and you would certainly like to keep your distance.
00:44 Then we have the toxic elements group.
00:47 The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States, or EPA,
00:50 states that they can be harmful to the environment
00:53 or dangerous to our health if we breathe them, swallow them,
00:57 or if they enter our skin.
00:59 Ouch! We'd better stay away from them.
01:02 Finally, and not least, we have the reactive elements.
01:05 These have the most volcanic temperament of the periodic table.
01:09 They are so reactive that they can trigger fires by themselves,
01:13 spontaneously.
01:14 They can even burn underwater and cause major detonations.
01:17 It is therefore preferable to leave them alone
01:20 and observe them from a safe distance.
01:23 As you can see, things are quite simple
01:26 regarding the dangerous elements.
01:28 We all know that we should not touch most of the elements
01:31 of the periodic table with our bare hands.
01:33 Most of them range from slightly disturbing to frankly terrifying,
01:37 like plutonium, arsenic, francium, and many others.
01:41 But what about safe elements?
01:43 Suddenly, it seems that some elements are so harmless
01:47 that you could even touch them with your fingers.
01:49 So, let's take a look.
01:51 First of all, we have mercury.
01:53 Well, to be honest, we can't say it's the safest option.
01:57 Mercury is a real trouble maker.
02:00 It is extremely toxic and has caused various health problems
02:03 throughout the world throughout history.
02:05 But humans are curious creatures.
02:07 So, can we touch mercury with our bare hands?
02:10 Surprisingly, the answer is yes.
02:12 You see, mercury cannot penetrate our bodies through the skin.
02:16 It is therefore quite safe to touch it without incurring serious consequences.
02:20 Mercury is a liquid that is thicker than water,
02:23 but not as much as whole milk.
02:25 However, it is really heavy,
02:27 because it is 13 times denser than water.
02:29 So, if you were holding a few drops of mercury in your hand,
02:32 you would be surprised to see how much it weighs.
02:35 In addition, you can even swallow it.
02:38 No, that doesn't mean you should do it.
02:40 What I meant was that if you accidentally swallow a little mercury,
02:45 everything will probably be fine.
02:47 Swallowing elementary mercury is not the best way to get it into your system.
02:52 In fact, less than 0.01% of this harmful element is actually absorbed by your intestine.
02:59 Phew!
03:00 But there is indeed a mercury poisoning.
03:04 Only, it has nothing to do with ingesting it.
03:07 It usually occurs when the metal accumulates in your body over time,
03:12 either through cells or organic compounds.
03:15 For example, activities such as coal combustion and gold extraction
03:19 release mercury into the environment.
03:22 And guess what?
03:23 The fish that are at the top of the food chain can also contain mercury.
03:28 It's because they ate small fish that already had mercury in them.
03:32 So, if you are a greedy fish consumer,
03:35 especially the big ones,
03:36 you should maybe be a little more careful.
03:39 All this means that we should not treat mercury lightly.
03:43 It is still quite dangerous.
03:45 For example, you should absolutely not touch mercury if you have cuts.
03:49 Another thing to be wary of is when tiny droplets of mercury turn into steam.
03:55 The easiest way for it to get into our body is by inhalation.
04:00 So, let's keep our distance with these deleterious steams.
04:03 Let's also be very careful about things like batteries, thermometers,
04:08 and mercury-containing lamps.
04:10 But here's the good news.
04:12 Mercury poisoning is quite rare.
04:15 So, you don't need to be afraid of it more than necessary.
04:18 Although mercury is not harmless,
04:20 as long as we are aware of it and take some precautions,
04:23 we can still enjoy its amazing properties.
04:26 But there are elements that are much safer than mercury.
04:30 Let's take phosphorus, for example.
04:32 It is a bit of a star of the show, always shining with a sparkle.
04:35 In fact, it is one of the essential elements in life,
04:38 just like those that make up our body.
04:41 You should know that phosphorus is in different forms.
04:44 One of them is this white and silky substance that you can touch with bare hands.
04:48 Isn't it great?
04:50 But be careful, there is a trap.
04:52 This type of phosphorus can be delicate to handle.
04:55 It is very reactive and can ignite if you give it a chance.
04:58 And here's a funny anecdote.
05:00 Phosphorus is known as a "flashlight element"
05:03 because it was once used in this one to make them light up in one swipe.
05:08 You can see it a bit like the "stump"
05:11 always ready to blow you away.
05:14 It's certainly not something you want to keep at home.
05:17 But don't worry, all types of phosphorus are not like this one.
05:21 There are other types, like those found in our body and teeth,
05:25 which are totally safe.
05:27 They are necessary for us to stay strong and healthy.
05:31 There is also red phosphorus, which is not always harmful to the skin
05:35 and which you can touch safely as long as it is wet.
05:39 So, even if you can touch certain types of phosphorus,
05:43 it is better to leave the fireworks to the professionals.
05:46 Safety first, my friends.
05:48 Then we have the bromine.
05:50 Bromine may sound like a name of a Viking warrior,
05:53 but in reality it is more of a fake ruse
05:56 always trying to make something interesting.
05:59 Bromine is a liquid, which is quite rare for an element.
06:03 Most of them are either solid or gaseous.
06:06 And guess what? It is similar to chameleon because it can change color.
06:10 Bromine can be red, brown or even black.
06:13 What a fashionista!
06:15 Here is another funny fact.
06:17 Bromine is called "bromoge" in Greek, which means "stinker".
06:21 Why? Because it has a strong smell that can sting your nose
06:24 if you get too close.
06:26 In addition to its unique properties, bromine also has some practical uses.
06:30 It is used in flame retardants
06:33 to help prevent fires and prevent fires from spreading too quickly.
06:37 So, even if bromine may have a slightly unenviable smell,
06:41 it does its part to make the world safer.
06:44 But wait, before touching bromine with your bare hands,
06:47 here's what you need to know.
06:49 It is not the most harmless element to play with.
06:52 Bromine is quite reactive and can irritate your skin if you are not careful.
06:57 It is therefore better to keep a safe distance
07:00 and let professionals handle it.
07:03 And finally, carbon.
07:05 Carbon is a bit of the big boss of the world of elements.
07:08 It is everywhere, making up the building blocks of life.
07:11 I mean, even you, you are made of carbon.
07:14 Your body, your brain, your skin,
07:16 carbon is the key ingredient that makes you, well, yourself.
07:20 It is also very versatile.
07:22 It can take different forms, like a fabulous transformist.
07:26 It can be a sparkling diamond, a soft pencil,
07:30 or even a mysterious piece of black coal.
07:33 It is in the air that we breathe,
07:35 the food we eat,
07:37 and the trees and plants that surround us.
07:40 Oh, and let's not forget the role of carbon in technology.
07:44 It is the star of the digital age,
07:46 feeding all smartphones to your computers.
07:49 So, when you go on social media,
07:51 or when you play your favorite game,
07:54 have a little thought for the carbon that made all this possible.
07:58 This is how it is totally safe to touch it with your bare hands.
08:02 After all, your hands are literally made of it,
08:05 and it is not like this satanic phosphor that can set your fingers on fire.
08:09 So go ahead, do not hesitate to distribute the acolades around you.
08:14 Chemistry is a real treasure of elements,
08:17 each with its own unique history.
08:19 Some can be safe to touch,
08:22 while others require caution and expertise.
08:26 But whether we explore the world of chemical elements,
08:29 or live our own adventures of everyday life,
08:31 let's always put safety first.
08:34 Have fun and stay tuned.