Jesper de Jong wrote:Greg: I understand that you think "it looks like mercury, which is toxic, so this might also be toxic!" - but that's of course not really a logical argument... (something doesn't necessarily have the same properties as something else, just because it looks like that something else).
Greg's response is reasonable considering how many of us have been trained practically from birth to group things into "safe" and "unsafe or unsure." Red berries, red leaves, and most things red shouldn't be eaten or rubbed on our skin if we don't know for sure that they're safe. There are plenty of exceptions, but if one is unsure whether to eat or touch something, if that something is red, it is generally considered to be not safe and caution should be exercised. Metals that are soft or become liquid at relatively low temperatures seem "unsafe." Greg's reaction is reasonable, or at least certainly understandable.