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Comment by CaliforniaKarl | Hacker News Reader

Every time I hear anything about Flourine, I’m reminded of “Sand Won’t Save You This Time” http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/san...

I also suggest watching the Periodic Table of Videos episode on Flourine: https://youtu.be/vtWp45Eewtw

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The book Ignition!, mentioned in the article/comments, is soon back to print[0]. After reading these articles I think the book is a must read. Too bad the Kindle version is quite bad quality.

[0] https://www.amazon.com/Ignition-Informal-History-Liquid-Prop...

Thank you very much for that, I've now swapped my pre-order to paper after reading some of the kindle reviews.

>Ignition!

FOOF

Cody's Lab is also a very accessable series where the guy somewhat casually handles various acids to dissolve gold and such. He's got a series showing various ways to extract gold from other metals (or more commonly, the other metals from gold). Just in his home, maybe with an amateur extractor.

Despite failing chemistry in high school (and never looking at it again afterward), I loved Derek Lowe's "Things I Won't Work With" column.

He did an excellent job of describing some truly terrifying chemical substances in a lighthearted and engaging way.

http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/?s=things+I+won%27t+wor...

It reminded me of this gem from the same author -- http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2010/02/23/thi...

There is a great rundown of the history of fluorine by Isaac Asimov in _Galileo's Commandment: 2,500 Years of Great Science Writing_ (it might be excerpted from his book _The Noble Gases_, I'm not sure. I couldn't find an online version of the text)

(the reason I think it may be in The Noble Gases is because he talks about the creation of Xenon Tetrafluoride)

A link to "things I won't work with"? Well there goes my entire day!

The best part is perhaps the quote at the end from Ignition!.

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