Would you swim in power plant wastewater?
Normally, the answer would be no. But in these very limited circumstances, at Iceland's Blue Lagoon, you can swim in geothermal power plant wastewater, and it's even healthy: although the marketing material doesn't usually mention it. Here's a story about geothermal energy, cheap heat, and how to keep some ducks warm.
Sources:
www.c40.org/ca...
www.verkis.com...
nea.is/geother...
icelandmag.is/...
askjaenergy.co...
nautholsvik.is...
perlan.is/abou...
www.epa.gov/co...
Research on Blue Lagoon and a skin condition: doi.org/10.101...
Filmed safely: www.tomscott.c...
🟥 MORE FROM TOM: www.tomscott.com/
(you can find contact details and social links there too)
📰 WEEKLY NEWSLETTER with good stuff from the rest of the internet: www.tomscott.c...
❓ LATERAL, free weekly podcast: lateralcast.com/ / lateralcast
➕ TOM SCOTT PLUS: / tomscottplus
👥 THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES: / techdif
Пікірлер: 5 800
One thing I couldn't fit into my script: the pipeline expands by around several metres along its length when it's in use, because of the hot water running through it. The big boxes along the way are expansion joints and supports to allow it to move! As ever, all my sources are in the description.
@MonkeNoel
3 жыл бұрын
Hi
@jadeblades
3 жыл бұрын
Hi
@undefined6322
3 жыл бұрын
4 weeks ago???
@MixerGamesHD
3 жыл бұрын
You are going nucleair Tom
@swedishcomedian7090
3 жыл бұрын
Well this is old!
At this point I feel like like he's sponsored by Iceland's tourist department
@heathmccasland
3 жыл бұрын
I ain't even mad.
@WangleLine
3 жыл бұрын
That would be neat
@orange77_
3 жыл бұрын
I'm cool with that
@anthonyy1790
3 жыл бұрын
It’s working
@TapDat52K
3 жыл бұрын
I wish I could be sponsored by a country's tourist department
A Brit calling anywhere “a bit wet” is terrifying
@johannjohannsson8255
3 жыл бұрын
I live in iceland its always raining in reykjavik(the capital) were i live it does not rain much
@RealGestumblindi
3 жыл бұрын
@@johannjohannsson8255 As a tourist, I also noticed this difference. If you arrive in Seyðisfjörður (in the east of Iceland) with Norröna to wonderful sunny weather, you can expect to have a cold, rainy day in Reykjavík ;-)
@scootergrant8683
3 жыл бұрын
@@RealGestumblindi Gosh I wish ligatures, accents and other 'special characters' were still used in English. But unfortunately we dropped them.
@BierBart12
3 жыл бұрын
@@scootergrant8683 It sure would make all the confusion between same-sounding and same-looking words in English way less confusing
@theuncanspan
3 жыл бұрын
You're half right
"It only loses a couple of degrees over dozens of kilometers" I'M SORRY WHAT?! You can't just gloss over that bit, Tom! That's a MASTERPIECE of engineering!
@richardmillhousenixon
10 ай бұрын
It's the magic of a metric fuckton of insulation
@blablabla1000able
9 ай бұрын
The bigger the pipes the less heat it will lose (relative to the volume of water that gets moved)
@brendancull8316
5 ай бұрын
Across the road from my flat there is a plant that heats up water, built by for St. Andrews University, and it pipes hot water into St. Andrews four and a half miles away. it is used by the university to heat its' buildings in the town,
@qwertyboguss
3 ай бұрын
@@richardmillhousenixon thanks for not using the imperial system to share those numbers with us.
3:00 That is the greatest subtle way of saying "I'm really cold" on camera I've ever heard.
Those ducks don't realize how lucky they are. A place to swim in winter and being in a Tom Scott video!
@kathrinehmunk
3 жыл бұрын
Well Tom does get easily charmed by ducks.
@arixon3226
3 жыл бұрын
That Duck now is probably more famous than me
@finnersmcspeed5646
3 жыл бұрын
It's so sweet
@joshuaidugboe214
3 жыл бұрын
I wish I could touch the anime juice
@floxy20
3 жыл бұрын
Like Holden Caufield I too worried about ducks in the winter, until I saw them swimming in zero weather in a nearly frozen over river in Montreal. They were even diving under water.
When a British person says that somewhere is a bit wet, you should probably bring about seven umbrellas
@trashmix2184
3 жыл бұрын
Nah, the umbrellas will probably get destroyed by the sheer force of the rain
@Quasihamster
3 жыл бұрын
A scuba suit rather.
@ce1834
3 жыл бұрын
Hello from Ireland, the UK’s supposed rainshield 😂
@ÞorkellSigvaldason
3 жыл бұрын
Icelandic weather, wind particularly, laughs at your umbrella.
@rxfclaymore8782
3 жыл бұрын
@@ce1834 if yous are meant to be our rain shield you’re doing a shite job
"Would You Swim In Power Plant Wastewater?" Tom: Well yes, but actually no
@icantthinkofanoriginaluser1251
3 жыл бұрын
are you real
@icantthinkofanoriginaluser1251
3 жыл бұрын
i checked your channel and yes
@icantthinkofanoriginaluser1251
3 жыл бұрын
hi bro make another video
@bwub__
3 жыл бұрын
can you stop being everywhere thanks
@D4h
3 жыл бұрын
hi again
From what I've heard, spent fuel waste pools for nuclear plants are actually fairly safe to swim in, and will be actually "cleaner" from radiation than the surrounding room.
@R421Excelsior
2 жыл бұрын
From what I know if you tried to swim in one you would only live for a few seconds before you get shot by the security guards.
@ME0WMERE
2 жыл бұрын
@@R421Excelsior I see you are an XKCD fan
@topilinkala1594
Жыл бұрын
There are so many things about nuclear power that are wrong. Why can't the waste heat of a nuclear plant be used to warm a city or a town? If you have coal, pellet, gas or whatever burning plant the waste heat is used to warm the nearby city all the time. It's politics and nothing to do about safety. In a finnish schoolbook the section of radiation tells how Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident causes so and so many cancers in Finland and next to it is a pie chart where background radiatiom is hundereds times greater than Chernobyl's radiation. this is how nuclear power is depicted to children. No wonder that people think it's scary and won't have nothing to do with it.
@mrfrog0913
Жыл бұрын
@@topilinkala1594just don't put the thing that can go kaboom in the middle of a city, put it a bit outside. It's simple.
@timothymclean
11 ай бұрын
@@mrfrog0913 Nuclear power plants don't really go kaboom, not even if you get a Chernobyl-level disaster. Sometimes reactor components do, but the kaboom part doesn't really go past the power plant itself.
British guy calling a country "A bit wet" probably means there are rains 23/7
@pleaseenteraname9414
3 жыл бұрын
25/8**
@sex.master4
3 жыл бұрын
very accurate
@Fended
3 жыл бұрын
27/10
@FS-me8mj
3 жыл бұрын
∞/7
@GregoryMcStevens
3 жыл бұрын
2÷4
If Tom is trying to convince us that Iceland is awesome, then he's doing a bloody good job of it.
@HerkusM
3 жыл бұрын
I’ve been there it really is. I had an amazing adventure in only 3 days though I recommend you get ready for very strong winds
@hugodouglas7723
3 жыл бұрын
I know it's so great it's class
@Dango428
3 жыл бұрын
I already believe Iceland is awesome because of the sheer number of memes that say it is
@HandyC
3 жыл бұрын
Been there.... twice... still need another visit as it is indeed bloody awesome.. it's like a different planet and I've been around the planet quite a bit!
@Tooooooom
3 жыл бұрын
@Jimmi K That's the one issue with Iceland in my opinion, the booze is taxed to hell
I lived near a nuclear power plant growing up. There was a bay near the plant where they released the circulated cooling water back out into the ocean, and this bay was usually about 5-10°C warmer than the surrounding ocean. Biggest danger was getting swept out to sea though, since the current was very strong.
@zwenkwiel816
2 жыл бұрын
so no super powers?
@Vul_kaal
2 жыл бұрын
Tampa? Near Apollo Beach?
@mrfrog0913
Жыл бұрын
@@zwenkwiel816Well yes, but you just drown before you get back to land.
When I went to the Blue Lagoon, it was very calming - even though a very cold and snowy day. Careful - the restaurant attached was very expensive. A fantastic trip if you visit is to get a tour of the nearby geothermal plant. It is absolutely mind-boggling.
"There's a hottub on the beach." - most Icelandic sentence ever said by anyone
@Petra123231
3 жыл бұрын
Chip Walter if it were truly icelandic it wouldve been : það er heitur pottur á ströndinni ;)
@xiao4412
3 жыл бұрын
@@Petra123231 im trying to learn icelandic for my trip in 2022
@orrieliasen202
3 жыл бұрын
@@xiao4412 epískt
@melonkings4885
3 жыл бұрын
@@xiao4412 þú heillar mig
@ThePixel1983
3 жыл бұрын
@@Petra123231 I think I can almost pronounce that!
The fact that I'm willing to voluntarily watch someone talk about waste for 5 minutes genuinely amuses me. This guy could make waiting rooms sound interesting.
@J8n3eyr3
3 жыл бұрын
Now I want to know the history of waiting rooms. Thanks for that.
@tomstech4390
3 жыл бұрын
Post10 exists, were obviously not above watching someone unclogging a drain for 15 minutes. Just watch and enjoy folks.
@user-zr9hu3tf1y
3 жыл бұрын
you must be new here, welcome :)
@plzletmebefrank
3 жыл бұрын
Waiting rooms are mildly interesting. There's a few problems you have to solve, keeping the people there entertained, having a good system to call people, making sure you get to everyone in turn, what color to paint it, what sort of things to put in it... Idk, there's a purpose to it, so there's different ways to meet those purposes, so it's actually a little interesting.
@skankhunt4207
3 жыл бұрын
@@plzletmebefrank nice Ted talk
KZread gotta have an algorithm that's like: "You've forgotten the contents of this video, watch it again" Me: "I've never watched thi-" "Never mind"
@BenTenpenny
3 жыл бұрын
Oh my god, the same thing happened to me a few moments ago. "I know this video but I forgot what 'the catch' was."
I dont know why people keep comparing this to radiation. It’s literally geothermal waste.
@psirvent8
2 жыл бұрын
Because nuclear power plants do in fact exist 😂😂
@deezboyeed6764
2 жыл бұрын
@@psirvent8 and are the future.
"It doesn't feel warm or else the Pipeline wouldn't do its Job" Glad to hear I am not the only one whose inital thought was "I wanna touch it to see if its warm"
@elmerwilber3308
3 жыл бұрын
.
@caramelldansen2204
3 жыл бұрын
me too comrade
@trilogy7207
3 жыл бұрын
saaaaame
@ProPilotKo
3 жыл бұрын
*Interesting*
@Roberto-gn1hv
3 жыл бұрын
Same xD
Tom has finally found a way to get that permanent red t-shirt look
@Melatonin.Company
3 жыл бұрын
EklypsiSs it’s still there under his hoodie
@dr.winner2516
3 жыл бұрын
@@Melatonin.Company Oh shoot u r right
@anch95
3 жыл бұрын
Grian Scott
@SneakyAtom
3 жыл бұрын
@@anch95 XD
@Melatonin.Company
3 жыл бұрын
Aniruddha Chatterjee wait I’m subscribed to him too... 😱
Icelandic ducks: "Migrate south for the Winter?! You must be joking!"
youtbe recommending this video during japan releasing fukushima water is on point
@ifyouhaveghosts6
11 ай бұрын
Exactly what I was thinking
Ok, if a Brit consider a country "a bit wet", well the country is a bit wet
@jacobesterson
3 жыл бұрын
@Colin Deal *M O I S T*
@eee832
3 жыл бұрын
@@jacobesterson "hey whats up everybody its me critikal"
@piyushsahu6045
3 жыл бұрын
exactly what I was thinking
@ArsenalTheProtogen
2 жыл бұрын
@@eee832 "this is the most moist country of all time" will be the next video
there's a "waterfall" in Brazil where the water used by the nuclear generator is dumped and you can bathe there. The water is clear and warm (they use the heat from the nuclear energy to heat common water and turn a vapor turbine, so the water is from that turbine, not the heavy water used to cool down the plant itself, that one is heavily regulated)
@delet3999
3 жыл бұрын
Onde isso?
@danielmoura9421
3 жыл бұрын
delet Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro State
@hoshimaruhajime7933
3 жыл бұрын
Were is it by longitude and latitude and how completely safe it is
@Anna-xy2lj
3 жыл бұрын
cum to brasil
@bighawie1095
3 жыл бұрын
Anna yes
There is something really wrong here at the beginning. I'd like to see the stories of coal ash contamination... Water used to spin turbines in steam powerplants (gas/coal/nuclear, whatever) is actually demineralized so it does not damage the turbine itself - turbines are actually expected to work for 20+ years and the blades would be rusted much sooner and torn apart if the water had been contaminated. I'd gladly take a bath in demi-water. In fact, I remember our professor telling us that the steam turbines in Iceland are very special - because they are powered by the impure steam that comes from the geothermal activity, they have much shorter lifespan than conventional turbines (only a few years) and not as much precision goes into their making so it can be economically sustainable.
@fonz174
2 жыл бұрын
Agreed. Though feedwater isn't once-through, it's recirculated. This cooling water is just used in the condenser. No "coal ash" contamination possible.
@yakobsoulstorm5187
Жыл бұрын
@Ithecastic We literally tore a whole in our atmosphere with fossil fuels.
@tumbledryshoes
7 ай бұрын
I think he's referring to coal ash contamination that happens afterwards if waste products aren't contained properly, rather than contamination that happens in the turbines. For US based examples, there's a famous spill that happened in Tennessee in 2008 where a bunch of coal ash got into the local waterways. More recently there's Hyco Lake NC where Duke researchers found coal ash contamination, both from the power plant dumping coal ash directly into the lake before EPA regulation, and coal ash leaking into the lake later from faulty containment.
Wow. I love how you compact information in your videos and while presenting many details not mentioned elsewhere at the same time presenting them in the clearest organized form. Thanks Tom.
"Would you swim in a power plant waste water?" "No, because I can't swim."
@john_titor1
3 жыл бұрын
Missing out.
@zakay_
3 жыл бұрын
just time travel to a worldline where you can smh
@n0cturnalSFX
3 жыл бұрын
Nice excuse ;)
@jesslynaureliarudikan5803
3 жыл бұрын
Same
@ilikecheeseand4061
3 жыл бұрын
I've been their and its only about 1.50m at then most....... No exuse
I've been to the Blue Lagoon and it's absolutely brilliant. If you ever get the chance to go to Iceland, do it! Incredible place
Hey Tom! I have started to use your videos to study for school aswell as watching you in my free time. It's so cool to see that a KZreadr I usually watch coincidentallly has a video about a topic we're learning in school! Cheers
Reads title: "no" Looks at thumbnail: "yes?" Watches video: "yesn't"
@PersonManManManMan
3 жыл бұрын
Hmmmmmmmm, should I, nooo, maybe, nooooo better not
@Dogman_35
3 жыл бұрын
I think "God no, it's 30 bucks" is the only right response here.
@smokeybear1925
3 жыл бұрын
@@Dogman_35 it’s more like “nice, it’s only30 bucks”
@Olivia-W
3 жыл бұрын
I went "hell yes." Then again, I already knew about how safe it is.
@Kevin-tg1zr
3 жыл бұрын
Euhm for me it already was to late if IT wasn't safe
Fun fact: The Blue lagoon offers a considerable discount to those with psoriasis and excema because of the benefits from the water.
@Tom_-
3 жыл бұрын
I hope that discount is like 90%
@gunnara1459
3 жыл бұрын
It's free if you have a prescription from a doctor.
@anonanon3066
3 жыл бұрын
@@Tom_- be happy they are discounting at all. Don't get greedy
@fractaldaydream6839
3 жыл бұрын
When I went I got the worst sunburn of my life...
@HerKneeUgh
3 жыл бұрын
I’m booking my flight
Near Livorno, Italy is a village called „Rosignano Solvay“ where a factory pumps the cooling water back to the sea. Its nice to swim inside it and feel the temperature difference between the sea and the warm white water. The beach looks realy tropical from the lime inside the water. Really a journey worth!
@diegomanosperti8682
2 жыл бұрын
Dude, are you smocking or something? That isn't just water, its full of toxic minerals, there are signs everywhere telling you to not go in the water, all fish and plant life in the area of the beach is half dead if not gone and the reason the beach looks tropical is because of thoose dangerous waste products, dont tell people to swim there, they could get horrible skin irritations
@fleischlicht7452
2 жыл бұрын
@@diegomanosperti8682 The beach is filled with people. It’s dangerous when you live there and swim in it every day but when you’re on vacation and do it only for two days its completely harmless.
@diegomanosperti8682
2 жыл бұрын
@@fleischlicht7452 i can assure you, you will never feel worse after not swimming there, expecially if you stay all day, there are many othere beaches to go in Tuscany, but this one isn't worth it
That is the best sell I have ever heard for Iceland. Christ, I wouldn't mind living there right about now, sounds wonderful.
@armahpruski5877
3 жыл бұрын
A bit pricy but is nice country, I went to visit a while back. It has some strong winds though.
@meowikouwu
3 жыл бұрын
Dont move there
@vikingursigurdsson
2 жыл бұрын
@@meowikouwu oi what's that about mate
Did...a brit just call another land "a bit wet"?
@jakerussell135
3 жыл бұрын
yep
@TheRaudmagi
3 жыл бұрын
We are very wet tbh
@jakerussell135
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheRaudmagi that definitely can't be misinterpreted
@christopherg2347
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheRaudmagi But is your country wet compared to great Britain?
@TheReaverOfDarkness
3 жыл бұрын
hahaha Brits think their land is the wettest land. I live in Washington, it's about as wet as Britain. It's not that wet.
Coke or Pepsi? Actually, I'll have a glass of power plant waste water, please!
@tbrry
3 жыл бұрын
henry i love you but you havent uploaded in a year please upload henry please i need you countent hepl pelase i want to se ehnery
@daniele.parentmradamgamera2500
3 жыл бұрын
pepsi
@doggoplayz1253
3 жыл бұрын
HENRY THE RC CAR yes
@andrive
3 жыл бұрын
Vertified
@nick012000
3 жыл бұрын
But it's not drinkable water. Have you watched the video?
Why do I keep getting this guy's channel recommended asking random rhetorical questions nobody would even think off asking
I love that you never ask for subscribers or likes. Your videos are always fascinating, I very much enjoy them. Much respect from Australia!
Wow, I was in Iceland no longer than a month ago, driving all around the place. I can ABSOLUTELY recommend visiting iceland and renting a car to drive around in! it is the best vacation you can possibly have.
@KifTheIdiot
3 жыл бұрын
Did not expect you here
@koiq
3 жыл бұрын
There is a pandemic on right now.... no one except for journalists or famous youtubers are going to be allowed to go there. For us less privileged, normal people, we may not be able to visit for many years.
@ryanjenkins5450
3 жыл бұрын
Gromek999 oh damn gromek
@wootman8133
3 жыл бұрын
love your terraria series
@skippysmom
3 жыл бұрын
tbh if you’re going in colder months i’d recommend taking a tourist trip rather than a car. you learn a lot more and it’s also a lot safer. i saw a lot of overturned cars on the roads there. bus takes you to all the secret spots!
I'd swim in the outlet of a nuclear power station. The water is perfectly safe. It's probably the most monitored and controlled water going into any body of water.
@shanewright2772
3 жыл бұрын
They did in Die Hard V and everything worked out just fine!
@TheLostVector
3 жыл бұрын
Maybe not turkey point though
@user-ju6vo2rk7d
3 жыл бұрын
@@shanewright2772 Sadly, the movie didn't.
@ToddHowar.d
3 жыл бұрын
Sure all of the fission products physically cant escape into a holding pond but I personally don’t know if water can be irradiated itself. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
@FortressLordJP193
3 жыл бұрын
Nuclear plants get a bad rep from cartoons e.t.c. that make it look like glowing uranium rods melt into the water during direct contact and it just gets flushed out as toxic sludge. The water is almost entirely for cooling and then it gets filtered and topped up.
I visited the blue lagoon a few years ago. One thing I remember is there being signs prohibiting cameras, them selling waterproof phone covers and everyone taking pictures.
Imagine finding this video, about a week after swimming in that power-plant wastewater.
This cheap power is why one of Icelands main exports is aluminium even when they dont mine any, refining it just requires so much power that its cheaper to ship it there instead.
@82726jsjsufhejsjshshdjso
3 жыл бұрын
Jesper Håsteen the other half of that equation is the fact that a lot of bauxite is mined in places that can't process it for a lack of power/expertise (example Guyana)
@zapfanzapfan
3 жыл бұрын
They have an entire hydro power plant built especially for that smelter. Was a bit controversial at the time.
@heikesiegl2640
3 жыл бұрын
I didn't know that! Thanks for the info
@TheGodpharma
3 жыл бұрын
That's also why aluminium is the most economical metal to recycle. The power needed is a fraction of what's required to produce virgin metal. So always put it in your recycling bin!
@krashd
3 жыл бұрын
Russia does a lot of aluminium smelting and the energy costs are staggering to the point that they run power plants almost to the red line to keep their smelters going. The Sayano-Shushenskaya accident could have been avoided as they knew the turbine that caused the accident was problematic and should have been running slower but they had to keep their output at a certain level due to the two aluminium smelters that the power plant feeds. When I read up on how much electricity is required to process aluminium I was gobsmacked.
When will Tom get his own BBC programme? Tom is such a real and amazing talent.
@osvg5956
3 жыл бұрын
I have a bbc
@rowan3053
3 жыл бұрын
How is the bbc shite?
@itsjustaclint8404
3 жыл бұрын
@@rowan3053 they care only for politics not for knowledge. Unless knowledge of politics.
@uzijn
3 жыл бұрын
@@rowan3053 Taxpayer-funded bias, propaganda and corruption.
@ThePotato_
3 жыл бұрын
@@uzijn the BBC isn't bias enough and let the stupid side talk too much
Tom can now add this video to the list of "times he was in Iceland at the wrong time to see a volcanic eruption".
“Just so the ducks have somewhere to swim” that’s awesome
Iceland: The country where human creativity and engineering never go to waste.
@priyankagamer8845
3 жыл бұрын
But what about good grammar?
@Ledut-in-YT
3 жыл бұрын
Iceland: A country that should be covered or made with ice.
@bigjohnson9606
3 жыл бұрын
Iceland is made of ice
@Ledut-in-YT
3 жыл бұрын
@@bigjohnson9606 Stop spreading your iceland propaganda. Tom Scott has shown us that Iceland arent made with ice, but soil
@cyansus4227
3 жыл бұрын
@@priyankagamer8845Just correct him
"the worlds not going to run out of heat" 2020: "ill see if i can fit that into my schedule"
@heronumbertwo3171
3 жыл бұрын
Underrated
@KristianFraNorge
3 жыл бұрын
Dont give it any ideas
@Cl0ckcl0ck
3 жыл бұрын
But if you actively pump up heat from the core that heat doesn't just disappear. It will have a global warming effect.
@suhailab3634
3 жыл бұрын
Omg stop giving 2020 ideas
@RASHY616
3 жыл бұрын
It’ll get hotter I’m telling you
Near me in Germany, there is a waste burning facility, that doesn't directly put the wastewater in a swimming pool, but instead some of the heat is directly used to warm an outdoor swimming pool.
0:38 I love that sign. Its so minimalist.
Of course! I want 3 eyes like the simpsons fish. EDIT: Stop telling me it had 54 eyes. You're thinking of the squirrel from the movie. The fish had 3.
@fizzyegg
3 жыл бұрын
JAY HIHIHIHHH
@AngusMac_
3 жыл бұрын
Jay Exci yoooooooooooo
@evilbird4012
3 жыл бұрын
Hayyy
@disgruntledwelsh3817
3 жыл бұрын
Hey Jay Eggci
@_Azulite_
3 жыл бұрын
Hi jay
What's it mean when a Brit says a country is "a bit wet?"
@danielcoward3469
3 жыл бұрын
It means it's utterly miserable... Brits always skirt around the point. How are you?.. I'm not bad. How's the weather?.. Not great. How's the food poisoning treating you? Could be worse.
@LonelyCinderella123
3 жыл бұрын
The problem with rain in Iceland is we never get heavy rain its just a little rain for a long ass time, sometimes most of the day many days in a row. I envy countries where the rain is like a shower for few minutes and then its over.
@jamietalbot445
3 жыл бұрын
@@danielcoward3469 Ehhh, close enough
@Outfrost
3 жыл бұрын
Was about to say, if a Brit says Iceland is a 'bit wet', it's probably flooding
@Havron
3 жыл бұрын
@@LonelyCinderella123 Sounds a lot like the US Pacific Northwest, only much colder, of course.
I went to the Blue Lagoon once 10 years ago on holiday and I still occasionally have massive nostalgia. Smelled like eggs though. And it was way too crowded.
That thumbnail is a thing of utter beauty make no mistake
Spongebob narrator: _"Ah, Blue Lagoon.."_
@maxnaz47
3 жыл бұрын
"couchy couchy coo"
@hyngas1238
3 жыл бұрын
I was looking for this😂😂
@henrykieninger
3 жыл бұрын
SpongeBobs bikini atoll is a real place its in the marshal Islands. the USA did alot nuclear testing their and thats why SpongeBob and friends can talk
@zfortressyt_6662
3 жыл бұрын
No no no no no no no no no its Goo Lagoon
@chairshoe81
3 жыл бұрын
@@zfortressyt_6662 youre goo
My father worked at Perry nuclear power plant in Ohio for over 30 years. When we would go fishing on Lake Erie, before 9/11 and increased security concerns, we would often go out to what was called "the bubble". It was the cooling water outlet from the plant. It was a giant pipe emerging from the bottom of the lake, well below the surface, and the water around it was the clearest I've ever seen in that lake. It was warm and full of fish. You could see the rumble of expelled water on the surface, hence the name. We had no shame about diving in and touching bottom or just lounging around. I seem to remember my father cautioning us about staying in too long, but I think that had more to do with making the guard towers on land nervous than anything else.
@nickkosir9895
2 жыл бұрын
As Lake County resident and Fairport beach goer, where exactly was the cool water outlet? Is it close to the shore and plant? I'm kinda interested to see it now
@gudeosrs3830
2 жыл бұрын
Whiskey island represent
@howardnelson496
2 жыл бұрын
Euclid OH. Love it. My dad lives up there off E 223rd St.
@grn1
2 жыл бұрын
I'm maybe an hour out from Lake Erie myself but rarely go downtown or to the lake. I know a few people who like to fish (never fished myself) so maybe some day I'll check it out.
@R421Excelsior
2 жыл бұрын
I just looked it up and Perry NPP has cooling towers. Do they use the lake water as an auxiliary system?
That part about the ducks was very wholesome.
Tom Scott AKA the channel that makes me care about things I never thought I'd care
KZread is getting real comfortable with these 15 second double ads
@Leenapanther
3 жыл бұрын
Then don't watch on your mobile phone and use an ad blocker. Problem solved.
@polarispulsar
3 жыл бұрын
@@Leenapanther that costs money, and what if I wanna watch on my phone at nigh?
@mitexmusic
3 жыл бұрын
@@polarispulsar there are free ad blockers
@Jayden3649
3 жыл бұрын
@@polarispulsar uh youtube vanced exists and anyway there are free advlockers
@MoukhaSR
3 жыл бұрын
@@polarispulsar LMAO AD BLOCKERS ARE FREE
My main memory of this was being lovely and warm whilst having a chilled drink, and looking up to see a lifeguard on a chair with a thick jacket on.
@CED99
3 жыл бұрын
The Blue Lagoon is a great place to visit!
This is easily one of my favorite Tom Scott video I’ve seen, I want to visit Iceland now
I've been to the Blue Lagoon. It was a great time, and definitely something you shouldn't miss out on if you ever visit Iceland.
I have gone swimming in this “waste water” and I would recommend it however there were some parts which were much warmer than others and as there was quite a lot of people in their as well as myself, the relaxation factor of it was overcome by a though of just swimming in other people’s piss.
@valencehockey1668
3 жыл бұрын
Ummmmmm
@Rebar77_real
3 жыл бұрын
Don't forget the dingleberries.
@BagelBoi4000
3 жыл бұрын
I assume you have to shower once you get out to wash off the silica so not really a big issue hygienically... But just the idea of it it a bit strange.
@pugzgrinny2417
3 жыл бұрын
That would make me fully relaxed
@Rel1369
3 жыл бұрын
No different to any other public pool then (in regards to swimming in others piss).
Blue Lagoon is highly recommended, at least once if you're visiting Iceland anyway. On an unrelated note, 'waste' water from Nuclear power plants *should* be safe as well. They're also using heat exchangers, so the water they dump never actually gets in direct contact with anything radioactive. This isn't an endorsement to go swimming though, at least not without a Geiger counter.
@m00str
3 жыл бұрын
If I recall it correctly, nuclear power plants use two sets of hear exchangers, one loop of water just carries the heat from one side to the other, making the resulting steam that also contains droplets of water safe.
@Reason077
3 жыл бұрын
Myvatn nature baths, near Akureyri, is even better than Blue Lagoon in my opinion. Incredible views on a clear day!
@hubertblastinoff9001
3 жыл бұрын
Plus water is actually *really* good at shielding radiation. The only bad thing is if you ingest super-heavy water as Tritium decays fast enough to be of concern but slow enough to linger around....
@hedgehog3180
3 жыл бұрын
It's safe if you do that with any power plant, that's how the district heating in Denmark works, though the water does pass through one more heat exchanger in your home so really you're two steps removed from the waste water.
@michaelwarren2391
3 жыл бұрын
@@m00str You are correct - for a pressurized water reactor - there are three loops - primary (reactor side), secondary (seam and water that runs the turbine) and the cooling loop (cools and condenses the turbine exhaust steam). This is a very simplified explanation.
You are not running out of ideas, Sir! Fantastic podcasts, Tom! Thanks for the educational and for the entertaining ingredients :)
Hearing the story about the fact you just open a window rather than turn the heating off hits hard right now, especially given we put heating on for maybe 10 minutes to feel a single blast of heat for the day. Heaitng, water and electricity should be free or at LEAST subsidised heavily.
Fantastic info, as ever. I have to note that after my swim in the blue lagoon, as in - directly after, I lost all my toenails . they just fell off. No idea why - and they grew back normally , but by "directly" I mean that I was still there and able to speak to management and was told "it sometimes happens". I was training for ultra marathons at the time, so toenail loss wasn't unexpected, but it was weird.
@GregoryMom
2 жыл бұрын
No blood?
@lordsiomai
2 жыл бұрын
LMFAOOOOO
@neilja1
2 жыл бұрын
@@GregoryMom No, literally just detached from the nail bed. I had lost a couple already from running too far, so maybe it just accelerated the process, but that "Oh, that sometimes happens" response.... Perfectly safe, just very minerally.
@123TeeMee
2 жыл бұрын
@@neilja1 Fascinating
@kazzam5
2 жыл бұрын
that is very strange
Tom Scott is slowly moving over to Iceland... Already hooked by the equally cloudy weather and recruited by the tourism ministry I suppose XD
@barrytschirpig9328
3 жыл бұрын
You have to wonder how much rain they get when a Brit says it is a 'bit wet'
@mukrifachri
3 жыл бұрын
@@barrytschirpig9328 I'm imagining it's definitely more damp.
Love to always see this, Iceland learned to use what it has available without outside heating/cooling. Its great but sadly not most places can do this since natural sites are so few and abundant.
It's your definition of 'wastewater' that matters. In most modern conventional power plants, the water used to create steam is reused - up to 80% of it - by condensing the steam. The rest evaporates or is drained, and that is made up from a raw water source. That water is demineralized and degassed, then added to the steam condensate. Steam condensate has chemicals added to it for anti-corrosion, pipe protection, and any residual mineral and oxygen removal. So no, you wouldn't want to swim in the water used to make steam; the chemicals would really mess you up. But the water used to cool plant process systems is often drawn from and returned to a natural source, a lake or river. That water is the same as the natural water source, only warmer. Depending on the size of the lake, swimming in it would be okay, although I wouldn't get too close to the plant site. A river would be fine as any contaminants will be quickly diluted.
If a Brit says somewhere is a “bit wet” it’s time to put up the flood barriers
@kylemullen1139
3 жыл бұрын
In Iceland they also have ditches that are 2 meters deep and criss crossing their pastures just to get the water away from their fields.
@Handles_arent_a_needed_feature
3 жыл бұрын
Nah it's too hilly for that. More like just wear 5 rain coats
Omg we spend our entire trip in Iceland trying to figure out why the corner of this lake was not frozen and we thought how lucky those ducks were to have this corner of water to swim. Thank you, more than a year after i finally feel relieved hahah
@Theviewer100
2 жыл бұрын
I live here, and honestly never questioned it once lmao
I have water skied. In the cooling water of the Haynes power plant in so. Cal. From 30 to 50 years ago. Over 80 now and no health problems. Mike
Can’t complain about Iceland being wet it rains in the Uk at least 3 times a week
This channel has the most random stuff to show ever.
@hyreonk
3 жыл бұрын
But Austin McConnell
@elijahamgast
3 жыл бұрын
But Tom makes it so tasty
@hyreonk
3 жыл бұрын
@@elijahamgast I enjoy Tom more, it's just not the most random
I've been in the Blue Lagoon and I can attest: It's nice and relaxing and the look is quite unique. As for the marketing the story I heard was that the workers of the powerplant went swimming in the water and found it to be really nice...and then some smart people decided to market it as a spa. And yes: The earth would most likely run out of heat eventually...but it will probably be swallowed by the sun before that.
@nickbea3443
3 жыл бұрын
It's far more magical in the winter with snow on the surrounding rocks and great fog banks where you can't see anything as you swim around.
@therobot1080
2 жыл бұрын
Yea, earth loosing its geothermal heat will take a very, VERY long time
@sageosaka
2 жыл бұрын
Where does the heat end up escaping to, space? Because otherwise it's all recycled to an extent in some way or other right?
@dazor5212
2 жыл бұрын
@@sageosaka I could be wrong on a few things but I believe a little heat escapes are atmosphere into space ever so slowly
@Beefaroni_Bert
2 жыл бұрын
@@dazor5212 youd think with the sheer amount of friction in the earth constantly happening it would keep heating the planet forever.
“Could you swim in power plant waste water?” The thumbnail already gives away the answer *yes*
the answer will usually be yes, but now you've convinced me to go to iceland in general
Imagine going near a nuclear power plant and you just see Tom Scott taking a bath in nuclear waters. That's the source of his power
@unliving_ball_of_gas
2 жыл бұрын
It's not nuclear?
@R421Excelsior
2 жыл бұрын
While it depends on the exact type of a power plant, it's not really possible to encounter radioactive wastewater in a nuclear plant. The water that's sprayed inside the cooling tower or in some cases is drained into a nearby river never goes anywhere near the reactor. The turbine water is heating it up in a heat exchanger.
@DavideCosmaro
2 жыл бұрын
@@R421Excelsior catch me in the nuclear reactor core eating on those uranium-235 bars like Capri suns
@Clone-up2ge
2 жыл бұрын
@@DavideCosmaro they're good for you.... i think
@radiobiologist
Жыл бұрын
Geothermal energy is actually underground atomic energy.
I used to go to the blue lagoon when I was a kid. It was free but also a little dangerous, as there were still sharp lava rocks all over the bottom
@Petra123231
3 жыл бұрын
Inspector Haines ahh the good ol days before mayor tourism
@leexabyz
3 жыл бұрын
Do you visibly regenerate injuries? Read minds? Move stuff by thinking about it? Shoot lasers out of your eyes, perhaps?
@goef3281
3 жыл бұрын
Now it’s like £200 each. The secret lagoon is way better imo
3:17 thats so nice letting the ducks swim all winter
There’s actually a lake near my city that used to have it’s water used to cool a power plant, and it was perfectly safe to swim in. But then environmentalists made a big fuss about it and now the lake water doesn’t go through the power plant and now it’s full of toxic algae, the power plant was filtering the water.
@Vikesh7896
2 жыл бұрын
This is why greta must be stopped
@user-fy3rd8dr6h
2 жыл бұрын
@@Vikesh7896 Down with Greta and her buddy the Pope
"the earth is not going to run out of heat" don't jinx it
@chaylez4102
3 жыл бұрын
2020, I dare you.
@nibblrzlynx9746
3 жыл бұрын
Jynx*
@eduardobarreto5555
3 жыл бұрын
Unolock is going to sap all of the heat out of the planet's core and only Noktok: Hero of the South is going to be able to stop him.
@quicks902
3 жыл бұрын
It's just gonna get hotter
@nibblrzlynx9746
3 жыл бұрын
Jhon Krasnovskiy Jynx*
"Iceland is bit wet" says a Brit. I am concerned.
@Mastermind12358
3 жыл бұрын
As someone who is from Iceland, I spent few weeks in Britain and didn't find it wet at all.
@user-sk3cz4zc4q
3 жыл бұрын
Mastermind12358 WHAT
@apexkonchu2234
3 жыл бұрын
@@user-sk3cz4zc4q It doesn't rain in Britain anywhere near as much as Americans seem to think it does.
@user-sk3cz4zc4q
3 жыл бұрын
Apex Konchu I live in britain your right actually
@andrewkavanaugh6951
3 жыл бұрын
Total rainfall isn't that high but it's always lightly drizzling
This guy does a great job of explaining things
ad: "looks like you're about to watch a tom scott video" *fear 100*
To summarize what Tom said, while yes this is power plant wastewater, it is pumped from the ground into a pipe, ran next to another pipe of water to heat that water up, then dumped out into the blue lagoon. Alternatively, it is pumped from the ground then the water pressure and heat are used to spin a turbine for power. So while it was used in a power plant, it is still pumped from the ground then directly into the lagoon while never leaving that pipe or having anything else put into the pipe.
@HappyDragneels_page
3 жыл бұрын
its a geothermal reactor, theres no radiation involved or anything
In Iceland, word "cheap" is relative.
@Sci-Filip
3 жыл бұрын
They pay 4 cents per kwh. That's really cheap.
@omaxman1
3 жыл бұрын
@@Sci-Filip in iceland, thats free.
@omaxman1
3 жыл бұрын
@austinrover2005 come on... Really?
@Ishsa
3 жыл бұрын
@austinrover2005 that's less than half of US prices
@georgeorwell480
3 жыл бұрын
@austinrover2005 r/woooosh
How did I miss this Tom video?! Fascinating as ever.
The best sauna in Iceland is located on the crater rim of Grimsvotn. Only accessible by helicopter, multi-day hiking or a days drive in a monster jeep with glacier fissure map overlay on your GPS.
Swimming in Power Plant wastewater: Three Arms Later:
@Gmodfan750
3 жыл бұрын
@@marias5230 r/wooosh
@SillyFunnyDummy
3 жыл бұрын
@@Gmodfan750 stfu redditor
@revenant3678
3 жыл бұрын
@@SillyFunnyDummy yea right
@Gmodfan750
3 жыл бұрын
@@SillyFunnyDummy what's so wrong about being a redditor? you're probably a redditor too
@Thehouseoffail
3 жыл бұрын
Foil arms and hog have entered the chat
cant believe that this is the same guy as, two drums and a cymbal fall off a cliff
@Asiliea
3 жыл бұрын
That was one of his best videos
@ItsAsparageese
3 жыл бұрын
I'd say he's come so far, but he's always been spectacular
@Gositi
3 жыл бұрын
@@Asiliea Yes. It is legendary.
@acek2016
3 жыл бұрын
Wait, he’s the same guy??
@astashasta1
3 жыл бұрын
honestly this just doesn't compare
It feels sort of gratifying to finally have been to a place where Tom's been
@Tom Scott Thanks for citing your sources!
This is where Nuka Cola gets it's benefits from. BETHESDA: "Write that down! WRITE THAT DOWN!!!"
@xJack30t
3 жыл бұрын
Didn't expect to see you here :)
@angryox3102
3 жыл бұрын
Looked like a pool full of Nuka Cola Quantum.
@victormize4836
3 жыл бұрын
@@angryox3102 nukalurks
@BUCCIMAIN
3 жыл бұрын
@@angryox3102 It looked like it because it is
@normhiscock352
3 жыл бұрын
Another "write that down" joke. Every month it's something new and people just copy each other.
3:14 "... the ice was strong enough to safely walk on ..." Disclaimer: Tom is not an authority on whether it is safe to walk on a frozen lake.
@Petra123231
3 жыл бұрын
The lake isnt really a lake, its a pond, and its not even a meter deep
@cocoabeanzz
3 жыл бұрын
it was so much fun when it froze tho. People went ice skating on it!
@void8617
2 жыл бұрын
@@Petra123231 Tom is bad at measuring the structural integrity of ice, see his estonia trip
@dougashby5679
2 жыл бұрын
@@Petra123231 Mentioning it's not even a meter deep absolutely destroyed the heart of the original commenter because it actually does give them the qualifications to say if its safe or not that's funny af
3:23 aww, happy ducks :)
Your content is put together brilliantly
Tom Scott, five years ago: Don't swim in the Blue Lagoon in Buxton! Tom Scott, today: I went for a dip in the Blue Lagoon in Grindavik.
@gabor6259
3 жыл бұрын
You mean in Reykjavík.
@kattkatt744
3 жыл бұрын
@@gabor6259 It is actually closer to a place called Grindavik (about 10 min with car) than it is Reykjavik (about 45 min with car), but for turist purpose they say Reykjavik.
@performa9523
3 жыл бұрын
That's a mixup you don't want to make!
@gabor6259
3 жыл бұрын
@@kattkatt744 Oh, okay.
@stockicide
3 жыл бұрын
@Tailn O Wag The video he's talking about is called "The Toxic Blue Lagoon of Buxton" if you still want to watch it.
I feel like Tom Scott will become the new David Attenborough
@paradise_valley
3 жыл бұрын
*youtube’s
@mene6465
3 жыл бұрын
Ella Peterson who
@rizumikaru
3 жыл бұрын
Menecreft David Attenborough is a British documentary guy who does documentaries on nature, Americans are missing out on a great guy
@JovanLemon
3 жыл бұрын
i genuinely have no idea, but googling it shows me that its probably a british thing
@alfiepicton1339
3 жыл бұрын
@@mene6465 I hope your joking...
Tom never ceases to amaze yet educate!
Would be interesting for Tom to do an update, given what is happening at Blue Lagoon and the geo thermal power plant!