Fun With Science in a Magical Society

[stickmaker]

The audience - all of whom were in on the joke, many of them even being former victims - were expecting the resulting pop. They weren't expecting Lord Borchardt to slam into the far wall, leaving the diminutive Álfar figure standing in an aggressive stance, softly glowing.

Bergen quickly realized her reaction was inappropriate, and she moved into a relaxed stance, face flushing. She still wasn't certain what had happened, but felt vaguely embarrassed.

Llewellyn moved smoothly beside her and guided Bergen back to where Magda stood.

"How much trouble am I in?"

"Very little, actually," said Magda, a slight smile on her lips. "I have heard His Majesty more than once wish someone would do something to discourage Brixia from performing his trick again."

"Oh," said Bergen, relieved. She sighed. "I'm sorry I reacted so strongly. I've never seen alchemy like that before."

"There's no alchemy involved," said Llewellyn. "No magic at all, really. That's merely a result of the properties of glass. Pour the right amount of the correct formula of molten glass into cold oil to prepare it. For the trick, simply clip its tail and that is the result. Something to do with the strain created when the outside cools suddenly and the interior slowly."

"Be glad this is harmless," said Magda, earnestly. "My Father once told me of a man who would bring pyroglycerine to these parties, to demonstrate how flipping a drop briskly at a hard surface would make it explode with a loud crack. He finally - and permanently - stopped when he bumped into a table and set off the flask in his pocket."

Comments

[kengr]

Ah yes. Prince Rupert drops. Never seen them, but I've read about them.

I'm reminded of what was apparently a fairly common science demo at one time. But you couldn't do it these days, between safety regs and litigation potential.

The person doing the demo takes a crucible of molten lead (with tongs) and holds his other hand under it at an angle. Then he pours the lead so it hits his palm and the stream "bounces off into whatever he's pouring it into.

Perfectly safe *if* you prepare properly. You have to clean your hand carefully to be sure it's got no grease or oil on it, and it should be slightly damp.

The "trick" is that the lead creates a thin layer of steam that protects your skin.

If there's any oil or grease on your hand *that* vaporizes at a temp enough higher to give you a nasty burn.

I read about someone doing a variant where you quickly plunge your hand into a larger container of molten lead and pull it out (do not linger!).

He was doing it for the Prince of Wales and as he was explaining how it worked, he almost had heart failure when the prince stuck *his* hand (which handed been prepared) into the molten lead. Fortunately the prince's hand was clean enough...