Theodore Gray over at PopSci stuck his left hand into a sub -320° F container of liquid nitrogen without injuring himself.  Before we start hailing him as a superhero, let’s get into the science of sticking appendages in liquid nitrogen (awww yeah).  Skin is hundreds of degrees hotter than liquid nitrogen’s boiling point, causing a layer of evaporated nitrogen gas to immediately form when he dipped his hand into the liquid, protecting his skin for a very brief moment.

The phenomenon is called the Leidenfrost effect (after Johann Gottlob Leidenfrost, the doctor who first studied it in 1756). I’d known about it for years, but when it came time to test it in real life, I have to admit that I used my left hand, the one I’d miss less. [PopSci]

It’s the same effect which describes why water droplets bounce around on a hot skillet, why people can run across hot coals, and why Adam and Jamie didn’t severely injure themselves with molten lead during that one Mythbusters episode.

Video of this crazy stunt is below.  Obviously you should never try this at home . . . unless you’re cool.


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