# April Fool's day in the Lab **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 1, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741 "2003-04-01T16:57:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/21 "2003-04-01T22:10:43Z")
OK, anyone here got good April 1st pranks they actually pulled at work? When I helped manage a database of top secret information in the UK, one April 1st with the help of a Russian linguist, we converted the users interface home page to the database into Russian. Unfortunately we couldn’t get the Cyrilic character set up in time so it was just in normal text. A few users apreciated the humour and we didn’t get in trouble over it. Cheers, Bippy ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/22 "2003-04-02T00:10:47Z")
I’ve done the glove thing a few times… but it wasn’t in a prank way… I had 3 hrs to kill and a bucket full of dry ice. ---
**Author:** ![Skerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Skerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skerri)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/23 "2003-04-02T00:37:07Z")
Damn. I have access to a freezer that goes to -30, but no dry ice. I have to figure out something fun to do when I leave this place. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/24 "2003-04-02T00:45:00Z")
I did a quick spur-of-the-moment one today. A coworker and I started a 3-month contract with our old employer who laid us off 6 months ago. We just started last week, and we had to have a urine drug-screening. he told me how he hates having to do that, because he has trouble “producing” on demand. I tell him today “Harald! Did you see that email from the contracting company? We have to do a drug test EVERY WEEK!” I let him off the hook pretty quick. I was _very_ happy with myself that managed to say it with a straight face; I usually have a lot of trouble in that area. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/25 "2003-04-02T01:35:22Z")
One time, when I was REALLY bored in the lab, I closed the fume hood, tuned on both the vacuum nozzle and the air nozzle, and watched the pressure gauge to see which one was winning. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/26 "2003-04-02T02:02:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CRorex \* > \*\*DAMNIT it not even two hours. \*\* **CRorex’s boss:** Listen up people! I thought I could trust you simpletons with this stuff. Unfortunately, the injuries Bill sustained while you guys were fucking around on April Fool’s proved to be fatal. **CRorex:** Oh, damnit it. **CRorex’s boss:** CRorex, you are suspended _without_ pay pending investigation, effective immediately. And on a personal note, if it wouldn’t damage Bill’s estate’s case against you, I’d punch you right in the mouth. **CRorex:** Hey, fucko off! It was an accident! [_cut to Bill’s funeral_] [_CRorex and his colleagues are standing in a pew together._] **Bill’s corpse:** Gotcha ya! **Colleague 1:** What chemical did you spill again? [_A woman approaches them._] **CRorex and colleagues:** Hi, Opal. ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_Mexico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@Roger\_Mexico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_Mexico)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/27 "2003-04-02T02:13:49Z")
CO2 bombs are boring. For a really big bang, put some dry ice or liquid nitrogen in a plastic juice bottle and set it in the lab somewhere…BOOOM!!! ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/28 "2003-04-02T04:51:49Z")
Wouldn’t that blow pretty much immediately upon mixing the two? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/29 "2003-04-02T04:58:55Z")
Troy… perhaps a refresher course in Conjunctions 101… The recipe was dry ice or liquid nitrogen. Not “and.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/30 "2003-04-02T05:25:52Z")
I see. What you say intrigues me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/31 "2003-04-02T17:00:55Z")
I wouldn’t use liquid nitrogen… frozen rock hard pieces of plastic shrapnel everywhere. There’s a reason why I set up my CO2 bombs they way I do… they don’t explode the tube the dry ice is in and the glove will contain anything that goes flying even if it should explode. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/32 "2003-04-02T17:49:57Z")
> [@](#): > > electrocompetent bacteria Where can I get me some of that? I got a chili recipe that could use some kick. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/33 "2003-04-02T19:34:50Z")
You know, I was wondering how SARS could possibly have escaped past all the Red Chinese military’s containment measures, defeating what was probably a dozen safety protocols. I guess its April Fools for ‘Captain Trips’… ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_Mexico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@Roger\_Mexico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_Mexico)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741/34 "2003-04-02T20:42:49Z")
Then there is acetylene bombs. Dump some manganese dioxide and calcium carbide in a plastic bottle of hydrogen peroxide. Put a balloon over the opening and allow the mixture of oxygen and acetylene fill the balloon. The loudest boom requires a stoichiometric mixture of the 2 gases. Masking tape doubles as a fuse…tape it to the door, light and run off. KA-BOOOOM!! Very impressive and totally non-destructive. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-fools-day-in-the-lab/165741.md?page=1)