unionised
International Hazard
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Static charges from walking on carpets
I'm sure most of us are well aware of this effect.
But I stumbled across this paper which tells me that it wasn't documented until 1870 (By Sir Charles Wheatstone of "bridge" fame)
https://www.jstor.org/stable/112765?seq=2
Is it just me, or would you have expected "the ancients" to know about this?
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Sulaiman
International Hazard
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scroll down to 'History'
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triboelectric_effect
CAUTION : Hobby Chemist, not Professional or even Amateur
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bnull
National Hazard
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Mood: Sneezing like there's no tomorrow. Stupid cat allergy.
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The ancients knew, of course. Do you suppose that, in the 2000 years from the Greeks to Wheatstone, no carpet (or rug) owner of inquisitive
disposition had ever wondered why they got zapped when touching a doorknob? Not likely.
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imidazole
Harmless
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Location: Massachusetts, USA
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A very true storty
*long ago, a woman walks over a freshly swept carpet*
Alice: "My wonderful husband James, I am so glad to see you!"
*ZAP!*
James: "WITCH! SHE TWISTS THE DIVINE FORCES OF THE WORLD IN THE NAME OF SATAN!"
Alice:"No, dearest, it's simple static electricity! Look in this book!"
James:"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! SHE HAS A BOOK! SHE'S GOING TO START READING!"
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