If you’re over a certain age, chances are that your mom (or dad or grammy) took your temperature as a child with a mercury thermometer.

You probably also remember how you were warned not to play with it, because if it broke it would probably end you and your entire family line.

But what actually happens if you touch mercury?

It turns out, if you just touch it, absolutely nothing.

The reason is that, even though mercury is toxic, it cannot be absorbed through unbroken skin.

Its viscosity is somewhere between water and whole milk, but with a density 13 times that of water, you would also be surprised by how heavy just a couple of drops could feel.

That said, if you have any cuts or scrapes that allow the mercury into your bloodstream, your grammy is going to be saying “I told you so.”

The droplets separating and turning into vapor is also a concern, because that is a very efficient way for mercury to accumulate in the body.

Swallowing it is less dangerous, because your gut won’t absorb much (if any at all).

Some advise to refrain from eating fish that consume other fish high in mercury, but studies have shown that the benefits of eating fish outweigh the risks of ingesting too much mercury.

Mercury poisoning is most often the result of an accumulation through salts or organic compounds. Coal burning and gold mining both release it into the environment.

Mercury poisoning results in central and peripheral nervous system issues as well as kidney failure, tremors, insomnia, memory loss, neuromuscular effects, headaches, and cognitive and motor dysfunction.

It has also been associated with a lowered IQ.

As cool as it might be to play with a little ball of mercury, you might not want to chance it.

Or at least, don’t chance it every day.

If you think that’s impressive, check out this story about a “goldmine” of lithium that was found in the U.S. that could completely change the EV battery game.