Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2021 October 18

Welcome to the Wikipedia Science Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is a transcluded archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

October 18

Inconsistency on Tesla Coil harming humans

I discovered that from wiki media, a Tesla coil producing high-frequency current that is harmless to humans, but lights a fluorescent lamp when brought near it. But here, it says Tesla Coil can harm humans. Which is correct? Rizosome (talk) 05:16, 18 October 2021 (UTC)

The risk is strongly related to the power output of the Tesla coil, and the frequency also plays a role. If the power is sufficiently low, a high-frequency Tesla coil will be harmless.  --Lambiam 06:35, 18 October 2021 (UTC)

A fluorescent tube requires very little current.[1].--Shantavira|^{feed me} 08:30, 18 October 2021 (UTC)

• The OP's question is a bit like asking "I heard that getting shot with a bullet is harmful to humans, but I touched a bullet and didn't die". The level of harmfulness is dependent on the energy transferred. A fast moving bullet shot from a gun is much more dangerous than, say, the same bullet thrown lightly from your hand. In the same way, the amount of energy imparted by the tesla coil to a person will have a big effect on how harmful it is. --Jayron32 13:39, 18 October 2021 (UTC)

Switching from some genes to different ones as the organism matures

I know there should be a mechanism to activate some genes at certain stages of development. What is it?: AboutFace 22 (talk) 13:31, 18 October 2021 (UTC)

See Epigenetics and Regulation of gene expression for some introductions to the process. --Jayron32 13:37, 18 October 2021 (UTC)