Your Favorite Scientific Warning

  • Thread starter mbrmbrg
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In summary, there are many warning labels that may seem unnecessary or ridiculous, but they are often included as a precautionary measure to protect people from potential harm or danger. It is important for individuals to approach all theories and products with an open mind and to carefully consider any warnings or precautions provided.
  • #1
mbrmbrg
496
2
My vote goes to

"WARNING: This product contains lead, a harmful substance in the State of California."

But outside the State of California, eat all the lead you want!
 
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  • #2
On the bottom of boxes:

Do not flip over.

----------------------------------


Windex: DO not spray in eyes.
 
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  • #3
Do not look into laser cavity with your remaining eye

"Danger hole" - at the shaft of a 1000m deep gold mine!

The best is a possible apocryphal story from WWII. Artilary shells are perfectly safe if dropped on the pointy end, the fuse has to be armed by the force on the base when fired. Because of this shells are normally stored pointy end down - this lead to a famous notice:
"Warning these shells must be stored upside down - to avoid confusion the top of the crate has been marked bottom"
 
  • #4
Once I was trying to connect to a printer from an oscilloscope. I got a warning message from the scope "cannot connect, printing failed". But the printer received it anyway. So I printed "cannot print". At this very moment, I thought I should frame it.
 
  • #5
This product contains nuts.

Found on a bowl of peanuts in the company cafeteria.
 
  • #6
"Warning - This product may contain fish" on a label of canned tuna fish.
 
  • #7
Ouch! Hot! Burn!

Warning on a water heater.

My favorite warning label is used by one of my customers. It shows a hand with severed fingers and gushing blood. It definitely gets your attention!
 
  • #8
"Contents may be hot" on a cup of coffee.
"contains nuts" on a bag of peanuts sold as bird food.
 
  • #9
Ivan Seeking said:
My favorite warning label is used by one of my customers. It shows a hand with severed fingers and gushing blood. It definitely gets your attention!

They make proactive chastity belts?
 
  • #10
jimmysnyder said:
This product contains nuts.

Found on a bowl of peanuts in the company cafeteria.

That's a valid warning if the peanuts are packaged using the same equipment that's used to package nuts. Peanuts are not nuts and people allergic to nuts are not normally allergic to peanuts - unless there's a chance that traces of nuts are packaged along with the peanuts. This shouldn't happen, but there is a chance if the peanuts use the same packaging equipment since cleaning between products isn't guaranteed to remove all traces of the nuts.

If the equipment for the two products (peanuts/nuts) is never used for the other, then the warning is unnecessary.
 
  • #11
"Warning--This product contains dairy/" (on a carton of milk)
 
  • #12
Household iron warns:
Never iron clothes while they are being worn.

from:
http://www.power-of-attorneys.com/wacky_warning_labels.asp
 
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  • #13
Toilets and urinals flushed
with reclaimed water

DO NOT DRINK​




(Actual image available on request)
 
  • #14
Serious infections, some fatalities, rare cases of tuberculosis, rare cases of multiple sclerosis and other central nervous system disorders have been observed, rare reports of blood disorders... reports of the worsening of congestive heart failure as well as rare reports of new cases of congestive heart failure. possibly an increased risk of developing lymphoma...

All this to help clear up a skin condition? That's okay, I'll stick with my liver and kidney damaging topical creams.
 
  • #15
Yes I live in this state now...

This textbook contains material on
evolution. Evolution is a theory, not
a fact, regarding the origin of living
things. This material should be
approached with an open mind,
studied carefully, and critically
considered.

Of course the best response was that it didn't go far enough and should be included with all theories, such as gravity.
 
  • #17
mgb_phys said:
"Warning these shells must be stored upside down - to avoid confusion the top of the crate has been marked bottom"

wtf?

The warnings on Chinese toys are often pretty funny. Things like do not stick knives in children.

Although mundane, I like how coffee cups always say something like "Caution: Contents May Be Hot"
Boiling water is hot? I had no idea.
 
  • #18
http://www.engrish.com/image/engrish/dangerengrish.jpg
 
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  • #19
Actually, that's not all that bad. Every theory, including gravity, should be "approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered". I wish creationists would do that!
 
  • #20
mikelepore said:
15 Stupidest Warning Labels
http://www.oddee.com/item_88437.aspx

The warning label about not holding the wrong end of the chain saw might make sense. I doubt any sane person would knowingly grab the wrong end of a chain saw when the blade is moving, but they might do so when the chain saw (or circular saw, or jig saw) isn't activated. It's amazing how many people are sure there's no chance the chain saw could be unexpectedly activated, or how many people are sure there's no bullet in the chamber of a gun, for that matter.

I am surprised that warning label would be required on the screwdriver set, however.
 
  • #21
BobG said:
I am surprised that warning label would be required on the screwdriver set, however.
That's actually a new fad, believe it or not, I was listening to it being discussed on the radio.
 
  • #22
Evo said:
That's actually a new fad, believe it or not, I was listening to it being discussed on the radio.

 
  • #23
HallsofIvy said:
Actually, that's not all that bad. Every theory, including gravity, should be "approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered". I wish creationists would do that!

Evo said:
That's actually a new fad, believe it or not, I was listening to it being discussed on the radio.

But perhaps not every theory (or fad) is worth an actual experiment.
 
  • #24
what level of stupidity do we want our culture to sink to?

Should there be a warning label on my kitchen faucet (and all other faucets)

WARNING: DRINKING TOO MUCH WATER CAN CAUSE DEATH!


or

WARNING: STANDING IN FRONT OF THE REFRIGERATOR DOOR WHILE OPENING CAN CAUSE BRAIN INJURY OR DEATH!

should every steak knife be banned, because there are more stabbings than gun shot wounds?

should every rock have a label, "SHOULD NOT BE THROWN--CAN CAUSE DEATH!"


Little kids can't read, so it should be the adults responsibility, but as far as the stupid adults...I don't know...
 
  • #25
That's it, if PF doesn't add the note "Warning, hitting self in face with keyboard while surfing PF may result in personal injury" on the home page, you will be hearing from my lawyer!
 
  • #26
moe darklight said:
That's it, if PF doesn't add the note "Warning, hitting self in face with keyboard while surfing PF may result in personal injury" on the home page, you will be hearing from my lawyer!
:rofl:

My old hair dryer had a warning "do not use while asleep".
 
  • #27
"Warning: has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice." -- On a box of rat poison.

"Do not use orally after using rectally." -- In the instructions for an electric thermometer.
 
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  • #28
BobG said:
"Warning: has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice." -- On a box of rat poison.
Well, you don't want them to get cancer...
 
  • #29
Evo said:
:rofl:

My old hair dryer had a warning "do not use while asleep".

but were you using it in the shower (when the cop came)?

(the hair dryer didn't have a warning about using around water?)
 
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  • #30
BobG said:
"Warning: has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice." -- On a box of rat poison.

We have a sign up in our lab, "Caution: Exposure to a laboratory can cause cancer in mice."

I get annoyed that warning on the coffee cups too...may be hot?! MAY?! It BETTER be hot! Though, you have to admit it's ingenious in that it covers both eventualities, that the coffee is either hot or not hot. Take it back and complain your coffee is served cold, and they can point at the caution telling you it only MAY be hot.
 
  • #31
Math Is Hard said:
Household iron warns:
Never iron clothes while they are being worn.

My aunt is not the brightest bulb in the box and has actually managed to burn herself trying to iron her clothes while wearing them when in a hurry. But, at least she had the sense NOT to sue anyone about it. When she told my mom and me about it, we both just laughed at her and asked how she could be so stupid. She attempted a few feeble explanations of being in a hurry and realizing there were some wrinkles on the pants...we asked how late she was for work after treating the burn on her leg and if it was still faster than just taking the pants off to iron them, and she shut up.
 
  • #32
moe darklight said:
That's it, if PF doesn't add the note "Warning, hitting self in face with keyboard while surfing PF may result in personal injury" on the home page, you will be hearing from my lawyer!

Only on the home page? I sometimes forget from page to page, so this should be at the top of every page. Also something about not eating your computer mouse.
 
  • #33
how about combining yours and one from above:

WARNING: HANDLING YOUR COMPUTER MOUSE CAN BE DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH AND MAY CAUSE CANCER!


like MB said anytime the words 'may' and 'can' is used is the cop out---anyone else notice the huge number of times that all news reports somewhere in their reporting of DANGER/WARNING/WATCH OUT stories use the words 'may' and/or 'can' to add that sense of dread/fear/spin to the reports to make people watch 'their' reporting of the news?
 
  • #34
Poop-Loops said:
http://www.engrish.com/image/engrish/dangerengrish.jpg
[/URL]

Why do they even put these on things? Anyone who reads English won't know what the hell it means anyway.

If you flip over your keyboard, you'll notice a warning about carpel tunnel.
 
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  • #35
Evo said:
That's actually a new fad, believe it or not, I was listening to it being discussed on the radio.
I way can't believe that's a fad. It hurts really bad.
 

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