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[Partially incorrect, see comments.] Pens in Space (mander.xyz)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[-] frezik@midwest.social 18 points 1 year ago

You're probably thinking "it's just carbon, nbd", but that doesn't mean it's good for your lungs:

https://www.inchem.org/documents/icsc/icsc/eics0893.htm

"Repeated or prolonged inhalation of dusts may cause effects on the lungs. This may result in graphite pneumoconiosis"

[-] Eheran@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Nothing is good for lungs, that's the point. Workers inhaling stuff for 8 hours, 5 days a week for 30+ years with 20 % having respiratory symptoms is the kind of "dangerous" we are taking about here. What is NOT problematic at such exposure?

[-] piccolo@sh.itjust.works -3 points 1 year ago

I mean water is toxic if you drink too much. The amount of dust of a pencil is negligible... now graphite from pencil production? Thats more concerning.

[-] 4am@lemm.ee -4 points 1 year ago

“I mean, water is toxic if you drink too much”

Translation: “my argument is lazy and not really well thought out, I’m not going to even acknowledge your point, I’m just gonna double down”

[-] pennomi@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago

No it’s not. He said that the dose from writing with a pencil is trivial, but working in a factory that produces such pencils could potentially be dangerous, presumably because that’s a much higher sustained dose.

[-] piccolo@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You want a long drawn out answer? Ok then. Simple fact, our world is naturally dirty, just go outside in spring and you'll breathe in untold amount of pollen everyday. Yet our lungs cope. How? By excreting mocus and its cilia to carry out foreign material out. However, if an excess amount of foreign material overwhlems the protections the lungs offers, then problems occurs. That of course ignores materials that are toxic, radioactive, or carcinogenic. So unless you are using a pencil made from pure carbon-14... its harmless.

If you wanted clarification or a ELI5, next time just ask instead of being passive agressive.

this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2025
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