[lazide]

Aqua Regia is relatively normal in the sense that being threatened with a knife is relatively normal.

If you think it is, you’re probably hanging out in a pretty bad neighborhood. But yeah, most people won’t be surprised it exists.

[djtango]

Well I'd argue getting threatened with a knife is relatively normal in London but that's off topic :)

Aqua regia is not particularly exotic as compared with all the fancy ways you can harm yourself or react things in Chemistry. You can probably prepare it at home using stuff that might be buyable over the counter.

Getting your hands on things like azides or Polonium 210 or having access to a nuclear reactor to do ad hoc fission/fusion is a lot less normal on that scale.

Additionally aqua regia has been known for quite a long time, from before we even knew about gases

Fwiw I forgot what the magic cleans everything mix was but I want to say it was H2SO4 and cif which we'd just squirt around in our fume hoods

[lazide]

For sure! Cleaning solution, you’re thinking Piranha solution probably.

Aqua Regia definitely isn’t exotic (same as getting threatened with a knife), but also isn’t going to be nice to be around, and getting ‘cut’ is pretty easy if you don’t pay attention.

And either one are frowned upon at most dinner parties. At least the ones I’ve been to, but I try not to judge ;)

[djtango]

Ha yeah I think it was called Piranha solution - thanks for the nostalgia! :)

Yeah you're right getting threatened by a knife isn't very exotic

[BearOso]

Bad neighborhood like Nazi Germany? And suppose you're Niels Bohr? How should you hide those Nobel prize medals...