The Prometheus Club - a gentlemen´s club for mad scientists

[Herr Döktor]

Oh dear me, yes, I could never look Ralph Bates in the eye after that particular film..!

[clockwork creation]

today i created ... a lump .. of pure green !!!!!!!!

[Skylros]

today i created ... a lump .. of pure green !!!!!!!!

Soylent green? Or did you, *ahem* just sneeze?

[clockwork creation]

nope ... PURE GREEN

[rovingjack]

intrestingly enough the prime material, something to be found in the workings of alchemy was theorised by some to actually be green in colour.

[Violets4Ophelia]

today i created ... a lump .. of pure green !!!!!!!!

Been watching Blackadder recently?

[clockwork creation]

today i created ... a lump .. of pure green !!!!!!!!

Been watching Blackadder recently?

yes ... yes i have

[Violets4Ophelia]

I applaud you, sir.

[clockwork creation]

*bows*

[Rowan of Rin]

Well, I just received this Bunsen burner:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Now, where do I buy CNG?

[David Godfrey Esq.]

Spiffing! Maybe I shall post some of the essays I have written, would anyone be interested? My latest two were titled "The Ethics of 19th Century Science with regards to Mary Shelley's Frankenstien" and "The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and Psychological Devolution in the Fin De Siecle"....

I'd be interested in the Frankenstein one. I wrote an essay about Frankenstein for a history of science class many years ago.

[darkshines]

Emailing it to you now

[OldProfessorBear]

Well, I just received this Bunsen burner:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Now, where do I buy CNG?

I used to have pretty good results running a bunsen burner off of an ordinary propane tank, the sort you use with a common-or-garden blowtorch. I used the blowtorch valve for my "regulator". Just forced the rubber tubing over the end.

[Rowan of Rin]

Well, I just received this Bunsen burner:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Now, where do I buy CNG?

I used to have pretty good results running a bunsen burner off of an ordinary propane tank, the sort you use with a common-or-garden blowtorch. I used the blowtorch valve for my "regulator". Just forced the rubber tubing over the end.

Thanks for that advice, and it will give me a reason to buy a blowtorch as well

[Nikola Tesla]

Greetings, gentlemen.  I sincerely apologize for...(that whole not attending in almost a year thing)...

...but, as you may have read elsewhere, I have a small problem, in that my lair is being invaded on a regular basis by an alien creature known as a "Realtor", who has a tendency to make demands concerning housekeeping habits, visible hobbies, and other usually more or less private matters despite not taking up residence in the lair to assist with experiments or at the very least pay rent.  I have asked a few pesticide experts at my own workplace if they know of any extant materials that might help, but in response I receive only funny looks.  I'm sure present company is familiar with this last phenomenon.

If anyone else is having trouble with these Realtors (apparently they also refer to themselves as "estate agents", depending on where they are found, in an apparent attempt to escape detection), my researches have shown that while they cannot be completely eliminated they all share a phobia of something known as a "down market".  They have a whole Association in the U.S. Capitol city which regularly releases information to the public concerning this fear (in fact, membership in this Association is one of the factors that determines which term a given alien uses for itself).  My theory is that it does this to hide the Realtors' vulnerability, and perhaps even their alien nature.

If anyone has captured one and has it to spare, could he or she contact me?  I seem to have messed up this one.  It keeps thanking me for my cooperation.  It also has a habit of constantly checking its phone, despite said phone not ringing...this not ringing is apparently a sign that the "down market" disease has affected my specimen.

I also have a plan that involves stealing its central nervous system fluid to support my own continued existence.  (As you know I was supposed to have remained deceased after 1943.)  Does anyone know if using a Realtor for this is dangerous?  Would I end up offering everyone I meet "my card"?

I could also use the noisy little boy next door as a test subject, but he (may) have a brain disorder and would hence be unsuitable.  Also as others who live in large towns have undoubtedly noticed, the locals have a very strong negative reaction to any messing with their progeny.  So I'm rather stuck with the Realtor.  It has the advantage that no one will miss it.

In any event, I am pleased to see this fine assemblage once again.  However, until I can rid my lair of its infestation, I won't have much interesting to show.

(I'm also quite aware that all this likely means I once again need a new lair.  Astute readers might guess the problem with that plan.)

[Atterton]

I guess this might not be as new news as I thought, but I think it´s a great idea. A rat brain in a jar being used to control a robot via Bluetooth. Many possibilities for some really mad science. Not long before we can place Hawking´s brain in a jar, and have it control an 8 foot robot.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19926696.100-rise-of-the-ratbrained-robots.html

[Clockwerk Wolf]

Was fiddling around with our electric stove today trying to find the cause of the burner elements' dysfunctional behaviour. Turned out to be a dislodged plug. In the process of returning it to its socket I accidently touched the prong and had 120 volts run up my arm.  A most interesting day.

[DrTom]

Erhg!  I hate that!

When I was studying electronics in high school, I had a fascination with high-voltage systems and wanted to raise my body resistance in case of accidents (thus making it more difficult to reach that critical 0.1 amps).

I figured subjecting myself to repeated, lower-voltage shocks would somehow "condition" my body, so I arrived early to class each day and hooked myself up to 40v AC for about 5-10 minutes.

Didn't work....but I do have high blood pressure as a 40-year-old adult.

Naaah...probably genetics.

[Dimitry]

The level of "Mo-ral-i-ty" in this thread disturbs me. We're mad scientists. Mad in that we're stark raving sane.

Surely a few lives sacrificed in the sake of discovery are worth a great leap forwards in the well-being of the whole human race? It's only logical, after all.

Hear hear! Besides, minions are bloody cheap now away.

[Clockwerk Wolf]

You know, I just had a revelation. Have you ever noticed how many mad scientists present in popular culture engage in relativly little scientific research or pursuit, but instead just build death rays? Could it in fact be that most mad scientist are just mad engineers?

[Kittybriton]

Welcome to the Glass House.

And as a favorite comedian put it: "People who live in glass houses, shouldn't!"

[Dimitry]

You know, I just had a revelation. Have you ever noticed how many mad scientists present in popular culture engage in relativly little scientific research or pursuit, but instead just build death rays? Could it in fact be that most mad scientist are just mad engineers?

Mad engineers. Might I point out that you are being redundant, good sir? 

[Mr. Consciousflesh]

You know, I just had a revelation. Have you ever noticed how many mad scientists present in popular culture engage in relativly little scientific research or pursuit, but instead just build death rays? Could it in fact be that most mad scientist are just mad engineers?

It is a popular misunderstanding , death rays are a sad necessity for a mad scientist . All the mad research require insane amounts of money and resources which are hard to obtain without a decent death ray . Just think of it : do you know any financial institution which would give you money for investigating the influence of gamma radiation on leeches injected with artificial growth hormone ?
Gathering the victims the willing test subjects in the nearby town without a death ray is a tricky job too

[Dr. makebot]

Another thing that interests me is the possible effect of human-like intelligence (i.e. spoken language, widespread tooluse, many different tools etc.) in animals. Especially those further removed from us. Cephalopods, arachnids and the like.

Inserting a human-like intelligence into a cat would cause a feline unheaval across the universe with human slaves.

or the experament would not work because cats can`t understand complex instructions and they have very short atention spans.
(see Krosp the emperor of all cat in "girl genius" online comics).

But just one smart cat might be usefull. you could send it to do the shoping

[von Corax]

Another thing that interests me is the possible effect of human-like intelligence (i.e. spoken language, widespread tooluse, many different tools etc.) in animals. Especially those further removed from us. Cephalopods, arachnids and the like.

Inserting a human-like intelligence into a cat would cause a feline unheaval across the universe with human slaves.

or the experament would not work because cats can`t understand complex instructions and they have very short atention spans.
(see Krosp the emperor of all cat in "girl genius" online comics).

But just one smart cat might be usefull. you could send it to do the shoping

Actually, it's a little-known fact that the feline race has been plotting world domination for years.

They'll get on with it just as soon as they've finished napping.