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by post_break 10 days ago
I wish these could be made with something non toxic. Having one on my desk to shake would be a great fidget spinner.
3 comments

To put it in perspective, people used to consume mercury-based medicine. I'm sure if the glass is thick enough, the risk of a spill (and your health) will be generally managed.
People used to do a lot of stupid stuff. If you live alone and are conscious of the risk, sure, this is not a terribly dangerous item if you're safe about it. If you live with pets or children, it's entirely sensible to be concerned about the risk. A mercury spill can seep between the floorboards and contaminate your house with volatile mercury vapors for years to come if not properly managed.
Relevant video series from the same guy, testing chemistry recipes from 1933: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIM6943BSRA
A few hours after I wrote the above comment, my wife dropped a thick bottle of nail polish and it shattered.

That being said, life without any risk is boring.

I suspect eutectic liquid InGa alloys would work, they stop wetting the glass when you are under vacuum. Although mercury is safe in the tube, just don't break the glass.
Just drink a little bit at a time to buoys up an immunity.