26Moscovium
Moscovium (Element 115) is an extremely radioactive element that was first synthesized in 2003 by a team of Russian and American Scientists. Prior to the 1980s, it was touted by UFO enthusiasts as a gravity wave generator that could allow for space propulsion.
27. Dimethylheptylpyran (DMHP) is a super potent synthetic version of marijuana, which was developed by the US military in 1949 to be used as a chemical weapon. Just 1 mg of the substance can have effects lasting for 3 days.
28. A chemical compound called betanin is what gives beetroot its red color. If your body has difficulty breaking down this compound, it can cause red coloration of the urine, a condition known as Beeturia. 10 to 14% of the human population suffers from this condition.
29. Denatonium Benzoate, which is considered to be the bitterest compound known to science, is used to give its bitter taste to toxic products to make them very difficult to ingest. It is used in antifreeze, detergents, floor cleaners, paint strippers, and toilet cleaners.
30. In 1921, 450 tons of Ammonium Nitrate exploded at a chemical plant in Germany, killing 561 people. The plant had been using dynamite to break up the stockpile for years, believing it was Ammonium Nitrate Sulphate. Only 1 other NH4NO3 accident had more casualties - Texas City, Texas, USA in 1947.
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31Bhopal Gas Tragedy
The Bhopal Gas Tragedy which took place in India is considered to be the world’s worst industrial disaster. A Union Carbide plant in Bhopal leaked 40 tons of methyl-isocyanate (500x deadlier than hydrogen cyanide) in the midnight hours of December 3, 1984. More than 16000 people died and 500,000 people suffered long-term effects.
32. Acacias trees whose leaves are eaten by giraffes, release an airborne chemical called ‘Ethylene’. Ethylene alerts nearby acacia trees to produce tannin, a toxin that makes the leaves poisonous and lethal if over-consumed. Giraffes avoid this by eating trees downwind from other trees.
33. Some coffee brands that make decaf coffee use a chemical solvent called “methylene chloride” a.k.a. Dichloromethane (DCM), in the process to remove caffeine from the beans. Though it is a known cancer-causing agent, it evaporates and dissipates after decaffeination. It doesn’t remain in the final product.
34. Artichokes contain a compound called cynarine and it makes other foods paired with it taste sweeter. Apparently, this is the bane of sommeliers.
35. Chocolate is poisonous to dogs due to a compound called ‘Theobromine’ which is present in it. Dogs and other animals metabolize the compound slower, so they are more susceptible to theobromine poisoning (chocolate poisoning or cocoa poisoning).
