Mercury

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Revision as of 21:23, 20 September 2011

Mercury has more meanings than you can shake a stick at. To see them, see the slightly tilted Wikipedia article on Mercury. However, here are some of the more relevant and major examples.

Contents

The god

The original use of "Mercury" as a name was for the Roman version of the Greek god Hermes, who was the "Messenger of the Gods" and known for his great speed. Both the planet and the element are named after Mercury.

The planet

Mercury is the planet that is closest to the Sun. It is also the smallest planet in the Solar System, now that Pluto has been demoted to reclassified as a "dwarf planet". Since it is the innermost planet, it has the quickest orbital period (88 days), and its surface temperature ranges between boiling and freezing; both of these characteristics are due to the planet's close proximity to the sun (the freezing due to the thin atmosphere letting the heat escape, in contrast to Venus's very thick atmosphere keeping much of the heat in). Most importantly, the orbit of Mercury cannot be accurately predicted using the laws of mechanics derived by Newton and it wasn't until Einstein's general relativity, which explains gravity as distortions in spacetime, that the orbit could be predicted accurately. Scientists have attributed a partially molten core to be the source of the anomaly in Mercury's orbit.

The music

Mercury, the Winged Messenger is the scherzo section of Gustav Holst's suite of tone poems, "The Planets".[1]

Also, of course, there is the lead singer of the band Queen, Freddie Mercury (RIP). Who knows how or why he picked the name.

The element

Hg

The metallic element mercury, also known as quicksilver, is unique in being a liquid metal at room temperature (which is defined as somewhere in the region of 295 K, caesium will be liquid on a hot day or at body temperature above 301 K, bromine is also a liquid at room temperature but not a metal). Its atomic number is 80 and symbol is Hg after its Latin name of hydrargyrum, meaning "watery" or "liquid silver". It has been used extensively in thermometers, manometers (hence the pressure measurement of "millimetres of mercury" or "mmHg") and electrical switches. With moderate exposure it is also a neurotoxin, particularly when organic mercury compounds like methylmercury are formed. Historically, mercury compounds were used in hat making, the neurological effects of mercury exposure may have resulted in the term "Mad Hatter."

However, there does seem to be a connection between mercury and homosexuality in aquatic birds.[2] (Cue homophobic fundamentalists protesting the element, if they find out about this.)

The mercury militia (or, actual dangers vs. woo)

The "mercury militia" is a term coined by Orac of Respectful Insolence to describe a collective of quacks and their supporters who believe just about anything containing the slightest bit of mercury is toxic or deadly.[3] Mercury is, of course, dangerous in certain doses. The operative word being "doses." The general logic of the "mercury militia" types is that mercury can be dangerous, therefore, anything containing mercury is dangerous. If you grew up in a house with a mercury thermometer in the window, it's probably time to start guzzling chlorella supplements![4] This is generally a failure to understand the golden rule of toxicology: "The dose makes the poison" (or the dose-response curve, to be technically correct). This line of reasoning is common to many types of "chemophobia." Here is a brief overview of real dangers versus fear-mongering:

Real

  • Shattering mercury thermometers. Don't try this at home, kids.[5]
  • Mercury emissions from power plants.[6]
  • Mercury in fish.[7] However, this is often blown out of proportion by quacks who insist nearly any consumption of fish will lead to mercury poisoning. In reality, the danger is related to what kind of fish you eat and how much of it you eat (see the FDA guidelines below).
  • Broken CFL light bulbs.[8] Another favorite of quacks, who will claim that using fluorescent bulbs will lead to mercury poisoning. This is false — the CFLs are only dangerous when broken.
  • Batteries, certain electronic equipment, and certain antique devices.[9]

Woo

  • Its use in a compound used to preserve vaccines, thiomersal, has led to one common element of vaccine hysteria, even though the compound has been shown not to be bioaccumulative and isn't used as extensively as anti-vax campaigners will lead people think.
  • Mercury amalgam fillings are the basis for most dental woo.
  • Mercury as a quack cure. This has been consigned to the dustbin of history for the most part.[10]

Mercury and crankery

The mercury militia is responsible for a wide range of crank ideas purporting to diagnose and cure mercury poisoning. These include:

External links

Footnotes

  1. Isao Tomita's 1976 electronic version of Mercury, the Winged Messenger
  2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9243000/9243902.stm
  3. See the copious number of his posts on the mercury militia.
  4. And Joseph Mercola can sell you some for a one-time low price!
  5. What to do if a thermometer breaks, EPA
  6. Controlling Power Plant Emissions: Overview, EPA
  7. The FDA publishes guidelines for mercury in fish and shellfish and mercury levels in commercial fish and shellfish.
  8. Cleaning up a broken CFL, EPA
  9. See the EPA's list of Consumer and Commercial Products containing mercury.
  10. That Quacking Sound in Colonial America, Colonial Williamsburg Journal
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