WTF? Drinks containing liquid nitrogen?

[ICBM]

...and no-one thought that it could possibly be just a little dangerous?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/19866191

Unbelievable.

I've worked in a lab by the way, I know what precautions you're supposed to take when handling it, and any possibility of it coming into contact with any part of your body is a very bad idea.

[octatonic]

Saw this earlier.
Unbelievably stupid- what the hell were they thinking?
Maybe liquid nitrogen and dry ice is the same thing in some people's heads?

Liquid nitrogen is 200 degrees below zero- how does anyone think that is in any way drinkable?

I sense a maaaaahoosive payout.

[frankus]

that poor girl, how do you live without a stomach?

[octatonic]

that poor girl, how do you live without a stomach?

Badly I imagine.
No amount of compensation would make up for that.

Can they transplant a stomach yet?

[Myranda_Rose]

I'm not sure i fully grasp the mechanics of this? How was it still liquid nitrogen when she drank it? Was it miliseconds between pour and gulp?

There's a school of thought regarding handling it that says gloves can potentially be worse than not-gloves as if you get some inside the glove you're pooped, but a small splash on the hand wil evaporate befor actually coming into contact... so how fast did she have to down this drink in order to still be -300degrees C?

Unless most of the drink was liquid nitrogen in some sort of heavily insulated container which would be asking for troubles...

[octatonic]

I'm not sure i fully grasp the mechanics of this? How was it still liquid nitrogen when she drank it? Was it miliseconds between pour and gulp?

There's a school of thought regarding handling it that says gloves can potentially be worse than not-gloves as if you get some inside the glove you're pooped, but a small splash on the hand wil evaporate befor actually coming into contact... so how fast did she have to down this drink in order to still be -300degrees C?

Unless most of the drink was liquid nitrogen in some sort of heavily insulated container which would be asking for troubles...

It wasn't reported.
Just thinking about it gives me the squirmies though.

[Myranda_Rose]

Spooooooooky double post -snip-

[Myranda_Rose]

Badly I imagine.
No amount of compensation would make up for that.

Can they transplant a stomach yet?

Nope. They stitch the gut back together sans stomach... you get less nutritional stuff and can only eat small meals - though I bet she'll never ever have to watch her weight (oh how I hate her now I realised that!). Other than eating smaller meals and taking vitamins you can reportedly lead a full and normal life

[ICBM]

You've even got to be careful handling dry ice.

I would think that if the liquid nitrogen was at the bottom of the glass with the water/alcohol/flavouring on top, the evaporation rate would not necessarily be that fast - slow enough that there would be a fair quantity of nitrogen left if you tipped it back and drank it down in one go, even if there was a reasonable time between pouring it and drinking it. Obviously there was, in fact...

The thermal transfer from the air to even the top surface of a pool of liquid nitrogen in an open container isn't that fast, it stays in the container for quite a while bubbling away - minutes or more for a lab-type quantity.

[A5D5E5]

Heston Blumenthal does a course at the Fat Duck which is a spirit and mixer (I had vodka and lime) infused egg white type thing which is poached for a few seconds in liquid nitrogen at the table. It makes a hard, crisp shell that completely disappears the second you put it into your mouth. It is fantastic.

I suspect that this sort of thing is influencing other people to try using it who don't quite have his skill. Or common sense. Or desire to avoid inflicting serious harm on their customers. Or wish to avoid litigation.