Ah yes... feedback. You must wonder what kind of e-mail we get from the people who read through the experiments, hmmm? Well, take a look at what people share with us after being inspired by our handiwork. These are just a few of the hundreds of e-mails I received when my old "college experiments" website was active from 1996-1998.

I decided to make a necklace out of a .22 bullet. Everything was going fine, I removed the lead slug from the casing, dumped out the gunpowder and drilled a hole near the bottom on the casing... I stuck the casing on a fork (through the hole I had drilled), took a bic lighter and began to heat the slug... luckly the seal between the slug and the casing was loose and the bullet was pointed away from my face. The small charge had enough power to bounce the slug off a door jam (leaving a small dent), off of the refridgerator (leaving a scratch) and landed on the floor of the kitchen ... as for myself, I was left sitting with a stunned look on my gunpowder blackened face and a fork in my hand with an empty .22 shell hanging from it.

JS

You can almost hear the Looney Tunes theme in the background of this one.

I need some help with a chemistry experiment. The question is: "How does pH affect corrosion inside a food can?" How can I get started? What kind of solutions will be necessary and at what quantity? Help!

M

This kid has to be pretty desperate to come to me for advice. The last chemistry experiment I tried resulted in my pantleg catching on fire.

The most daring thing I've done fire is pile a few dynomite sticks and fireworks around a totem pole at girl scout camp...I'm not in Girl Scouts anymore just for that!!

...With PCV cannons, I've have never been able to shoot stuff very far. Although I did knock a lady unconcious with a flying bottle of air freshener once.

...Well, I'm only 13 and I can't wait for college!

ZGD

While the "flying bottle of air freshener" bit is kinda amusing, if this girl is this far along when she's 13, imagine what she'll be doing in about ten more years. She might not even make it to college.

... I am 13 and an amature pyro. I have been working on an idea on how to make a plastic explosive. Here is the process:

[Process omitted. You people are dangerous enough already.]

Tips: have some thing to get behind and take turns liting the fuse so you can watch.

DE

I think we should hook this guy up with that 13 year-old chick above. I bet that would produce an interesting litter. At least this one has the brains to hide behind something while he blows up his neighborhood.

Iwish you guys had been around when I was in college, either time. I broke into the FBI, but that was in the good old days when they only slapped your wrists and explained, if you say anything your ass is the governments.

DW

Guess what! You just said something! The FBI is on their way to your house right now. You always wanted a federal job, right?

I like the way you guys think. When I was a kid in the 30s my buddy and I found an old valise full of gelatin dynamite, dynamite caps, and slow fuse...

I guess nothing ever really changes. Continue to have a good time and try not to grow up. I haven't.

70 and still getting in trouble.

jhbny

See? Let this be a lesson to all of the mothers out there that tell their kids that they'll kill themselves before they reach 30. This remarkable fellow made it to 70 (though he did forget to tell us how many of his fingers are still remaining).

... Before I met my husband, I might have thought that you were a menace to society who would never do anything productive; however, since he tells me he used to do this kind of crazy stuff, I figure there's hope. You're still a menace, mind you, but you can also use your "talent" for good.

MA

After a brief conference amongst our intrepid group of experimentors, we have come to the conclusion that we are somewhat flattered by being called a menace. Seems to me the last time I was called a menace was in my 10th grade health class.

...Of course i have absolutely nothing interesting to say... Oh, except that when i was in high school, my boyfriend at the time made gunpowder. He was tired of waiting for it to dry, so he put it in the microwave... He turned it off fairly quickly, but the light show was neat! :)

KW

Now think about this one for a moment. Does this scare you as much as it scares me? I suggest that anyone in this guy's neighborhood be on the lookout for kitchen appliances travelling at high velocities.

Dude!!! Your site kicks ass! I thought college wasn't gonna be any fun at all but now I can't wait to go. Are all colleges like yours? Where do you go to college?

BA

Yup. Help legalize dynamite and keep the kids off the streets. I guess we have just used our "talent" for good... I think. Keep your eyes on your local newspaper headlines for "Student Destroys Dormitory Complex".

Have you ever tried microwaving shampoo in a styrofoam cup? Its really cool when it starts to boil.

TR


We once filled a lightbulb with gunpowder and screwed it into a light socket.

BD


Hey I got 1 4 ya... ever microwave a cat?

WT

I fear for our country when these guys are in control of our economy.

You brought back some fond memories of my college days. It is a wonder we didn't burn down our dorm (a wiring short in our lighting display on our door shorted, filling the room with acrid smoke) or the neighbor's house (our UFO fun involved floating the plastic bags...

And then there were the firecracker darts we could shoot over to the women's dorms...but, they weren't really too dangerous...

DH

Since this one came all the way from England, I'd say that its pretty much agreed upon that colleges the whole world over have people like us. Most just won't admit it.

I was recently directed to your site, and was appalled by your use of the title "Act of God" for one of your so-called "experiments". What right do you have to make such a claim?

... and the name of our Heavenly Father should not be abused in the manner in which you have used it.

EP

Well, I figured it was only a matter of time before some nut sent me one of these. One of the main reasons that it was called the "Act of God" in the first place was because it prompted us to begin praying a lot more (mostly praying that the Housing department for the dorms never found out that we did it in our room). Besides, we figured God might like some favorable press.

I'm going to hell for this, aren't I?

I tried so hard to be a cool guy when I was at college. I did most drugs, drank alcohol untill I vomited, never had a girlfriend, never went to classes, but still something seemed missing, I didn't feel real cool. Now I've seen your site I know what it is that I should have done.

RVB

Checked into rehab?

... I've been laughing almost to the point of pee-squirts since I started reading!

I've never considered myself a pyro ever since we started that leaf-pile fire in the middle of our culdesac at age 11 ... but I'm now contemplating a suitable lab site for an Act of God Experiment of my own --

DC

"Pee-squirts"?

DRINK AT LEAST 12 OZS OF COUGH SYRUP CONTAINING 10-15 MG DEXTPOMAPHORTHAN PER TEASPOON .WAit about 1 hr until your head feels like its full of fleas .Smoke a big old bomber and think aBOUT your mommer .Wait 15 or 20 minutes. Call your mom collect and ask her if she ever got high . Have a nice talk.Fireworks may begin immediatelly ,later,or next time you go home .

GOMER

Ten to one this guy owns stock in Robitussin.