Hey there, welcome to Life Noggin.
With summer approaching here in Blocko Land, I find myself constantly checking the thermometer
to see how hot it is.
Once it hits 25 degrees celcius, you better believe you can find me hanging out at the
beach, getting a tan, and playing volleyblock with my friends.
Now, even if this thermometer is filled with mercury, if it breaks, it won’t be that
big of a deal.
But what about bigger quantities of mercury?
What would inhaling, ingesting, or even absorbing those do to you?
What!? These are just questions that i have! Don't look at me like that!
High levels of mercury exposure can wreak havoc on your nervous system and your brain.
One thing that makes mercury especially dangerous is that it can cross the blood brain barrier
and build up in the brain.
When mercury enters your system, it causes an increase in the amount of something called
reactive oxygen species.
These molecules damage DNA and are strongly linked to the onset of conditions like cancer
and neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer's.
When it’s consumed, mercury can start to accumulate in the heart as well as the brain.
It’s believed that when mercury builds up in this area, it can cause cardiomyopathy,
when the heart becomes enlarged and the tissue becomes thick and stiff.
This means that the heart can’t function properly and it slowly begins to decline.
Another key system that suffers when you ingest, inhale or otherwise consume mercury?
Your kidneys.
These organs are vital in filtering blood and removing waste, but they’re also a main
target for mercury.
The presence of this toxin has been linked to renal cancer and chronic renal disease,
which leads to a gradual loss of kidney function, digestive problems, and what the Mayo Clinic
calls “decreased mental sharpness”
None of this sounds good!
Mercury poisoning has a whole slew of other effects like memory loss,
skin rash, insomnia, and loss of peripheral vision.
While small amounts of mercury are generally fine, heavy exposure causes all kinds of problems
for the body and mind.
Interestingly, how you consume mercury and the specific type of mercury actually plays
a big part in how severe the effects will be.
The three main types of mercury are Elemental, Organic and Inorganic.
And they can be consumed in different ways - drank, eaten, inhaled, or absorbed through
the skin.
The severity of mercury exposure varies widely among these combinations.
For example, that silvery liquid form of mercury, Elemental Mercury, is so slippery that it’ll
just slide through the stomach and intestines if it’s swallowed.
It seems like the inhalation of mercury vapors is what’s most harmful.
And mercury vapors are surprisingly prevalent.
People typically just think of thermometers and sushi when they think of mercury, but
the vaporized form of this element is also released by volcanic activity, mining operations,
earthquakes, and the burning of fossil fuels.
Poisons like mercury create a wide array of changes in the body depending on what the
toxin is.
People can suffer from seizures, fall unconscious, or enter an altered mental state.
Of course, if you think you or someone else may have been poisoned by something, call
911 right away.
Let us know in the comment section below what we should talk about next!
we're taking suggestions for future videos!
Now that we know a bit more about mercury, I want you to check out this liquid.
Why does it move like that? What on earth is going on!?
our friends at verge science explain why NASA made this magnetic liquid! Check it out!
as always, my name is Blocko, this has been Life Noggin, don't forget to keep on thinking!