Five Lessons for Dangerous Living With Bill Gurstelle
I learned a lot of interesting scientific facts while writing Absinthe and Flamethrowers: Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously. Here are five ways to (safely) add a little danger to your life. 1. Make black powder. To concoct this primitive form of gunpowder, just mix simple chemicals, like charcoal and saltpeter. Follow the recipe in my book, and the oxygen molecules in saltpeter will react with the sulfur in charcoal to unleash a torrent of energy, smoke and noise. 2. Eat fugu. Every gastronome must someday dine on fugu sushi. Have an expert serve the delicate tiger pufferfish flesh. Some parts contain tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin with no known antidote. 3. Crack a whip. A whip transfers momentum from your arm to its tip, creating a thrilling mini sonic boom at 770 mph. Eye patches and novice whip-crackers go hand in hand, so be sure...