varx/techMay 21

I very much get a "we just discovered radium and want to put it in everything" vibe from this whole generative AI bubble.

(Including the thing where companies used to slap the word "radium" on existing products even though they thankfully did not actually have any radioactive materials. Like "radium butter".)

Show threadMartin Owens May 21

@varx

"Wrist watch! Now with 3 radiums. Hour minute and seconds!"

Show threadRejZoRMay 21
@doctormo @varx Not so fun fact, they used tritium for watches and while it is harmless for the wearer, a lot of workers in watch factories got radiation poisoning because of prolonged exposure to tritium.
Show threadvarx/techMay 21

@rejzor @doctormo Indeed, although I've only heard of medical cases involving radium. (Tritium would have to be inhaled, I believe.)

The negative externalities are more diffuse with AI, but I've had the Radium Girls on my mind a lot recently. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_Girls

Radium Girls - Wikipedia

Show threadRejZoR
@varx @doctormo I forgot to mention they ingested tritium by licking the paintbrush tips to apply tritium easier on thin watch hands. As mentioned by someone in this thread.
May 21 at 1:13pmMastodon for Android
Show threadvarx/techMay 21

@rejzor Yes, although as I mentioned, it was radium, not tritium.

(Tritium is indeed used for self-luminous watch hands today. But it's in gaseous form, in little capsules.)