# Deadliest substance/thing in the world by size/weight **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 17, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814 "2012-08-17T20:10:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/21 "2012-08-18T00:27:04Z")
::quick question:: Don’t you have to specify _which_ matter, and consequent anti-matter? There’s a lot of kinds of matter out there. ::/quick question:: ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/22 "2012-08-18T01:31:46Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Seriously, though, the amount is dependent upon the time the assailant is willing to wait for the victim to succumb. > There are bioweapons with very low dosages that will cause death in 5 days or so. > > Do those count? > > Does the death need to occur rapidly? Need answer fast! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/23 "2012-08-18T01:37:23Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > From wikipedia: > So, 1 microgram would produce an explosion equal to around 85 lbs of TNT. Thanks. I’m gonna assume that would likely be fatal. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/24 "2012-08-18T02:49:16Z")
[The short version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUtdXzBSVaU) (a mere 7 seconds) [A longer one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bda_eIX3J2Y). Start about 1:45 to cut down if you want. That’s Eugene Levy (lately from the American Pie movies) as Neil Sedaka. _May the good lord take a likin’ to ya and blow you up real soon!_ ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/25 "2012-08-18T03:44:38Z")
So, is polonium 210 deadly because of immense radiation, or regular chemical toxicity? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/26 "2012-08-18T03:51:13Z")
Radiation. It nukes you from within. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/27 "2012-08-18T05:15:15Z")
> [@grude](#): > > There are supposedly some fentynal analogues that are so insanely potent even one single grain or speck touching your skin could be fatal. For a chemist to work with it requires full bunny suit with air filter, and keep a syringe full of nalaxone handy in case your suit gets breached. Thats pretty crazy. You are correct that the Fentynal is some scary stuff. I am a chronic pain patient and the doctors had me on Fentynal patches for a couple of years to control the pain. I was warned tho never ever let anyone, person or pet come into contact with a patch, that even a brief contact could be fatal. I always worried that a patch might fall off while I slept and could come in contact with my wife. Even taking a hour shower was a risk as if the water was too hot it could cause the patch to release to much drug, causing an overdose. The first time I put one on I threw up all night. I was very thankful my nee doctor switched me to oral morphine. He tools me that if I stayed on the Fentynal I was a “dead man”. My tolerance kept rising so each year or so they would up the strength of the Fentynal. If your doctor ever suggest the patch to control your pain, think twice. It will control your pain very well, but the risk are very high. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/28 "2012-08-18T18:23:07Z")
> [@obbn](#): > > I was warned tho never ever let anyone, person or pet come into contact with a patch, **that even a brief contact could be fatal** … This makes no sense; if that were true, then you would be long dead because having a patch on your body is a lot more than a “brief contact”, which would be completely harmless since you need continuous contact to get the desired effects. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/29 "2012-08-18T22:28:20Z")
> [@Michael63129](#): > > This makes no sense; if that were true, then you would be long dead because having a patch on your body is a lot more than a “brief contact”, which would be completely harmless since you need continuous contact to get the desired effects. Because the patient has a tolerance to it through use which the other people and pets do not, it isn’t uncommon for pain patients to take a dose of opiates that would kill someone with no tolerance. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/30 "2012-08-19T01:14:01Z")
I have to call BS. Fentynyl patches are used as pain relievers and not as super ninja assin weapons. Here’s Wiki’s take on [Fentynyl](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fentynyl) ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/31 "2012-08-19T01:50:44Z")
As is apparent from the Wiki cite, the LD50 of Fentanyl is about 2 mg for an average-sized adult. The highest dosage available in the Duragesic patch is 100 µg per hour, so even a child isn’t going to get a lethal dose from brief contact. On the other hand, the lowest dose patch, intended for pain relief in opiate-naive adults, delivers 12 µg per hour, so a few minutes with the high-dose patch would probably put most kids under, and could kill an infant. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/32 "2012-08-19T01:57:01Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > I have to call BS. Fentynyl patches are used as pain relievers and not as super ninja assin weapons. Here’s Wiki’s take on [Fentynyl](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fentynyl) 😕 The page you linked to literally has a section about Fentanyl being used as a weapon by Mossad agents to assassinate people. Unless you literally meant it’s not used by ninjas I’d say use as a Mossad assassin weapon is close enough to say your cite does not support your claim. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/33 "2012-08-20T13:46:40Z")
What about the HIV Virus? Doesn’t it kill everyone who gets it eventually? ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/34 "2012-08-20T13:51:49Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Time. It’s weightless, yet it kills us all eventually. > > Duuuude. I was thinking, “Duuuude,” when I scrolled down and saw your “Duuuude,” already there. True story. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/35 "2012-08-20T13:56:06Z")
An idea. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/36 "2012-08-20T14:00:01Z")
I just tried a Fentanyl patch on my son and he didn’t even get sick. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/37 "2012-08-20T14:01:43Z")
The “die quickly” vs. “die slowly” thing is crucial to ruling a “winner” here. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/38 "2012-08-20T14:47:41Z")
Tortoise soup. I just fed some to my dog. She won’t live. But then again, who does? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/39 "2012-08-20T16:42:13Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Tortoise soup. I just fed some to my dog. She won’t live. But then again, who does? [Leon] What’s a Tortoise? [/Leon] ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadliest-substance-thing-in-the-world-by-size-weight/631814/40 "2012-08-20T18:09:25Z")
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