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Toxic Moondust Bounces Like A Cannonball

Posted by Zonk on from the all-i-want-for-christmas dept.

Jotii writes "A new NASA article says that moondust fetched to Earth by Apollo 17 is now being studied. From the article: 'Zen-like, he studies the a single mote of dust suspended inside a basketball-sized vacuum chamber for as long as 10 to 12 days.' Moondust is apparently very static, and bounces like cannonballs. Another article from NASA emphasizes the dust's toxicity: 'In some ways, lunar dust resembles the silica dust on Earth that causes silicosis, a serious disease.'"

5 of 156 comments (clear)

  1. Re:If you find yourself breathing moondust... by KingSkippus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah.

    Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicolunarconiosis.

  2. statically bouncing by xfletch · · Score: 5, Funny
    I for one welcome our statically bouncing moondust neighbours

    I think the poster has grasped the less than clear point that 'bouncing like cannonballs' means not bouncing at all. Perhaps 'bounces like watermelons' would have been better, but then again 'melons' and 'bouncing' in the same sentence may have distracted some of our younger readers...

  3. Re:Zen-like, he studies the a single mote of dust. by lxs · · Score: 5, Funny

    Moondust bounces high
    Suspended in emptiness
    A scientist coughs

  4. Re:Watch out NBA by sweetnjguy29 · · Score: 5, Informative
    If everyone would RTFA, the actual quote is Eventually, the repulsive charges become so strong that grains are launched off the surface "like cannonballs" not "Moondust bounces like cannonballs" as the slashdot summary states.

    However, as the previous poster mentioned, cannonballs do in fact bounce. However, I doubt that it would be possible to actually see the bouncing cannon ball itself, as it is probably moving at least 300 m/s or so. (I imagine that most of the collisions were highly elastic...allowing a bounce) especially since archeologically recovered canonballs dont have too much damage to them. However, you could probably see the dust rising from where the canon ball is skipping...as well as the effect on any troops in the way. I remember watching a show on the Military Channel where they filmed different types of cannon shot...in slow motion...so you could see how the ball skipped/bounced and lost energy.

  5. Re:Watch out NBA by Perf · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I think you are assuming too much...

    Personal accounts by a Civil War era soldier (my great grandfather) say that the cannon balls looked like softballs bouncing across the field. He said that you would think you could put your foot out and stop it, but if you did, you'd lose your leg.

    Also, when the light is right, I've seen 22 bullets in flight. (22 Long Rifle) I was a doubter until someone showed me.