What birds were used in coal mines to detect toxic gases such as carbon monoxide?
Correct answer: Canaries
DEJ
neat to know but those poor birds
Player #3090415
penawareof, I'll bet you would have thought differently if you worked in a coal mine a hundred years ago.
IronEagle
my dad and grand pa retired from coal mines in West Virginia, grand pa was in the mines back when birds were used, miners even share there lunch with rats to keep rats in mines as early warning systems, now days they have a hand held device to detect methane which is also called black damp
Player #9442102
WilledGazelle9, for some men the coal mine was their only option for a job!
Syr Hal
Methane, otherwise known as firedamp, was the greatest worry in mines.
Shaddy1997
(Shotglass), one can understand the need to use canaries to detect toxic gases and still feel empathy for the creatures. No one is suggesting using humans instead.
* Seshati *
Reno, why is it more precious ffs cause what; we are bigger, can talk etc we are destroying this earth more than any other animal on this planet. We as a collective race don’t seem to understand enough that we are a part of an eco-system albeit one we’ve put out of whack with what we do, but part of a macro-microcosm. All life is precious take a closer look, observe the natural world it’s so very evident. By us thinking we are above every other inhabitant .. we’ve removed ourselves from the awareness that we are a part of something far greater, than just us.
penawareof
Canaries are too beautiful to use as guinea pigs.
Birdiemom
CubicAftermath, oh, for...! They do it for PAY, to keep food on the table and a roof over their head, just like any other job.
DSDA
penawareof, Would guinea pigs be too beautiful to use as guinea pigs?
J
IronEagle, I also have family that worked in WV mines.
Barb@70
Shaddy1997, Plenty of immigrant miners died in mines throughout PA, West Virginia etc
Barb@70
Syr Hal, Had another relative killed by a mine press in Centralia ( town wiped off map due to out of control mine fire)
Barb@70
IronEagle, My PopPop was a retired mine supervisor when the Centralia Fire started. He died not long after he retired with Black Lung disease.
toothless beachrat
The band "The Police" recorded a song called "canary in a coal mine" which is why I knew this answer.
Jevo
Kinda cruel when you think about it
Player #57348766
Uninitialized, BUT THEY NEVER USED THE GUINEA PIGS! (You were joking right? Now THAT’S funny!
Player #57348766
Nessa, we’re still on Guinea pigs! Lol
Player #57348766
DSDA, love your humor!
James
* Seshati *, Best comment on this entire thread. Could not have expressed my views any better.
MissK
Svjetlana81,
Glad to see this mentioned. The toxic fumes given off by teflon coated cookware when heated to smoking point are indeed deadly for birds and humans may develop symptoms known as Teflon Flu.
Deborah
DEJ, If the birds were caged, it would probably have been easy enough to carry them out of the mine once they started looking sick and then stay out of the mine yourself.
Player #34641139
Svjetlana81, you're absolutely right, and the same applies to all pet birds.
Manel
Don't know how many poor innocent birds have sacrificed their lives for these mining plants 😢
Tsetsa💜
You know, budgies like canaries are also sensitive to gases, especially gas from teflon pans. If you ever plan to own either one of these small birds don't cook in teflon, or if you do keep them away from kitchen, please.
ohnoitstrevagain
* Seshati *, totally agree, if anything we are worthless to the world for destroying it like we all do, half of the people on this planet are not on this planet and clueless
Player #2512936
DaintyFlyer55866, poor Humans destroying everything They encounter!
RockNRollMama82
I only know this because on the Police's "Zenyatta Mendatta" album, there's a song called, "Canary in a Coalmine".
OsMikaVi #26065885
I knew the answer thanks to the movie Arrival (2016) <3
Player #24058760
Reno,
oh!! come on
can't believe about your comment. every living organism is important.
Player #28862810
I don't know
Nessa
penawareof, guinea pigs should not be used as guinea pigs either
Uninitialized
poor poor guinea pigs
Uninitialized
Player Elf Counsel, Life is better with all these beautiful creatures
Ermac
penawareof, So you base the life of an animal on its beauty? Wow that's really thoughtful...
WilledGazelle9
ok. they send the birds in for toxic detection so that coal miners can work safely, but once they start working, the dust would cause lung cancer in many of them and die anyway? Hmmm.