• Question: Hey! What is the most dangerous experiment that you have ever done or what was the most dangerous thing you have done?

    Asked by lauzab to Charlie, Eoin, Jemma, Julian, Steve on 19 Mar 2011.
    • Photo: Jemma Ransom

      Jemma Ransom answered on 18 Mar 2011:

      The most dangerous thing I’ve ever done is a bungee jump. I did it simply because my mum told me not to, which with the benefit of hindsight is a silly reason to do anything, but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
      As for my lab work, I don’t really do anything particularly dangerous – although I do work with chemicals that could be potentially hazardous, but the correct deployment of gloves and lab coat keeps me safe.

    • Photo: Julian Rayner

      Julian Rayner answered on 18 Mar 2011:

      HI lauzab. We grow malaria parasites in the lab, that could kill us if we got accidentally infected. Sounds pretty dangerous, but we are very careful – only handle them wearing gloves and coats, and working in special cabinets that keep the parasites away from us. There are also no sharp objects in the lab so that we can’t stab ourselves with parasites by accident…

    • Photo: Eoin Lettice

      Eoin Lettice answered on 18 Mar 2011:

      Hi lauzab,
      Most dangerous experiment I’ve done is probably when I’ve been on boats taking water samples – not too dangerous, we all had lifejackets on!
      Most dangerous thing I’ve done is probably camping in the wilds in Canada with bears around!

      Eoin

    • Photo: Stephen Moss

      Stephen Moss answered on 18 Mar 2011:

      Hi Lauzab
      I’ve done lots of experiments using radioactivity, which is fairly dangerous. But the most dangerous thing I do on a regular basis is cycling to work and back – 12 miles through London every day has its risks!

    • Photo: Charlie Ryan

      Charlie Ryan answered on 19 Mar 2011:

      hi lauzab!
      I’m not sure really – the experiments i do, although exciting, are generally pretty safe. I do them a lot so if they weren’t safe then something would go wrong/i’d press the wrong button, and i’d be toast!!
      Saying that….i do work with high voltages (~2000 volts), and i have previously touched one of these wires. Thankfully it was only about 500 volts, and a very low current, so i was fine. Nasty shock tho! This was when i was starting out, and hadn’t set up the experiment properly.
      If your after a dangerous career, i’d suggest skydiver or deep sea diver!!

      p.s. never touch high voltages!

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