Um, everyone, today we're going to be taking a closer look at one of the most infamous chemical compounds known to science, cyanide. You've probably heard it in crime novels or spy movies. It's often portrayed as a fast acting poison. But beyond the headlines in Hollywood, cyanide has much more complex identity. It's found in nature, used in the industry, and plays roles in both life and death. In this presentation, we will explore what cyanide is, how it works, where it's found, and why it is a powerful tool and a serious threat. Cyanide is a chemical compound that can that contains a carbon atom triple bonded to a nitrogen atom together. This is known as a cyanide group or CN. This simple structure is what gives cyanide its highly reactive and toxic nature. It can exist in forms including gases like hydrogen cyanide and solid salts such as sodium or potassium cyanide. All these forms can be extremely dangerous to living organisms. The reason cyanide is so deadly is because it disrupts a process that is essential to life. How our cells use oxygen even in small amounts can prevent our cells from producing the energy they need to function. So when we talk about cyanide, we're talking about a compound that's simple in structure but is incred incredibly powerful in effect or can you go back one? Yeah. Okay. Believe it or not, in small amounts of cyanide can be found in some of the foods we eat, especially in certain seeds and pits. Examples include apple seeds, cherry pits, peach pits, apricot kernels, and almonds. These seeds can contain amy glycin, a natural compound that can release cyanide when it's broken down during digestion. Normally, it can accidentally swallow a few seeds whole. It is not that dangerous because the seed coat is hard and passes through the body undigested. However, if seeds are crushed or chewed, the amigin can be activated and release cyanide from inside bodies. This is why eating large quantities of these seeds, especially ground in extract form, can be toxic. Over here, we have my test that I put on earlier this morning. I used apple seeds and um I crushed them up inside the cup. And the way that the cyanide test kit works is it tests the water to see the uh how um compounds in it. And uh this one is just plain water. So I didn't expect it to react to anything. And then these two over here were the ones that were dipped in the um apple seeds. If you I don't know if you can notice from over here, but it matches up with the 0.1. This test kit is safe. um and can be handled without gloves. This test kit also this uh reacts to ocean salt water which will interfere with this test. When salt water uh sample was diluted, it uh spiked with cyanide. So I just thought that was an interesting fact since we had somebody talk about salt earlier today. The history and discovery. In the early 1700s, early cyogenic plants like almonds and casa were used in both poisons. In 1782, Carl Wilham Scalis isolated hydrogen cyanide from Brucian blue dye. And in the 1800s, cyanide compounds gain scientific interest and are studied for industrial purposes. In 1887, myth Arthur Forest processes and patented um uh revolutionized gold extraction using sodium cyanide. 1930 to 1940, cyanide is used in xylon V pesticide, later infamously repurposed in NSI gas chambers. 1950 cyanide widely used in mining and gold industry and global awareness of its toxicity grows. Despite its toxicity, cyanide is used for uh various industries because of its unique chemical properties. One of the most common uses is in gold and silver mining. Cyanide solutions are used separate to these uh precious metals from or a process called leeching. It's highly efficient but highly controversial due to environmental risks. Cyani is also used in chemical manufacturing industries and plays a role in producing plastics, synthetic rubber and certain pharmaceuticals. Medical uses um a cyanide containing compound uses a putin vascillator treats hyper sensitive emergencies and acute heart failure. It works by relaxing blood vessels due to reduced blood pressure and it's monitored via an IV due to uh the risk of cyanide toxicity. Antidotes to cyanide include um hydroxin bal lamin and sodium thofucide. Cyanide is also used in biochemical studies to inhibit cellular respiration. Uh it helps researchers understand the function and oxygen metabolism. Cyanide in warfare has so cyanide has been weaponized because of how rapidly and effectively it can kill. One of the most dangerous forms of cyanide is hydrogen's uh cyanide gas which interferes with the body's ability to use oxygen leading to unconsciousness and death within minutes of high exposure. In World War I, both sides experiment with uh hydrogen cyanide that is rarely used on the battlefield compared to other chemical weapons. However, uh its true infamy came during World War II when the Nazis used xylon beef, a cyanide based pesticide to kill millions in concentration camps. This remains one of the most horrific uses of cyanide in human history. After the war, several uh countries continued researching cyanide based weapons as a part of chemical worker programs, recognizing how in small amounts it could have a massive lethal effects. However, the morale and human uharian consequences led to widespread um condemn. Uh today, cyanide uh is strictly prohibited by international agreements like the chemical weapons convention. These laws aim to prevent the horrors of chemical warfare ever happening again. To conclude, cyanide is a chemical with dual nature. On one hand, it is powerful tool used in industries like mining, electroplating, and even in small amounts of certain foods. On the other hand, its toxicity makes it one of the most dangerous substances known to science, whether in the form of poison or in a chemical weapon. The history of cyanide from its natural currents and seeds, whose role in warfare reminds us the fine line between nature's chemical gifts and human manipulation. Today we use cyanide control regulated ways and we we always must be mindful of its potential risks. Understanding cyanide is not just about knowing these dangers but recognizing how powerful chemistry can be for both the good and harm. [Music] [Applause] Can you explain to us why? Okay. So, if you didn't know, Jonestown massacre that happened in Africa not too long ago, um they used Kool-Aid mixed with a cyanide um containing compound which led to one of the biggest mass suicides in um human history. So, I found your back and the fascinating and I really enjoyed the demonstration that you did with the uh the test. Um, does it indicate on the test this the amount with which it would be necessary to actually harm? I think did you say it was like 0.1 that it registered? Yes. So, the one over here, the one with the apple seeds that registered 0.1, but on my um strip that shows the colors, it would need to be like a really dark black. I don't know if anybody can see that. And that means that it's over 200. Okay. So, that would potentially cause um extreme digest it. How many apple seeds do you have to eat to die? You have to eat nearly 100 apple seeds. That's a lot about um what other ways can side be used? Um, so I kind of highlighted all the main ways that cyanide is used or has been used. Um, I believe that they're experimenting it uh right now with testing how robots do um can hold cyanide and how they can react to it over time. But that's like the newest um that's the newest thing that has come to light. Okay. Um, you said there are like uses of signag what are those? Well, the good uses would be the medical uses so in um you go back yeah heart medication sodium nitrous fusine um that one is extremely important for understanding and helping with uh hyper sensitive emergencies to because cyanide relaxes the uh blood. That's the reason why they used it in this heart medication and it could save lives. Laura, this is fascinating. But unfortunately, we are out of time. So everybody, let's give all of