Florida school panics over mercury thermometers, and more
Florida school panics over mercury thermometers
A Florida high school went into lockdown after chemistry students brought thermometers to school. Asked to bring in an element from the periodic table, several students brought in thermometers containing mercury. Alarmed school officials, citing the toxicity of mercury, locked 2,200 students in their classes and summoned a hazmat team. “It’s almost stupid,” said sophomore Kyle Salvaggio.
Helping Sandy victims feel better
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A New Jersey tanning salon is giving away free spray tans to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Melissa Kinsman, 31, owner of the East Coast Glo salon, admits that a free spray tan won’t help rebuild homes of people devastated by the storm, but it “could make them feel a little better.” Dozens have accepted her offer. “Everyone has something to give,” said Kinsman.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 richly deserved political cartoons about tax breaks for billionaires
Cartoons Artists take on Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
-
The cinematic beauty of Sicily's Aeolian Islands
The Week Recommends These scattered islands have inspired film directors since the 1950s
-
How the civil service works – and why critics say it needs reform
The Explainer Keir Starmer wants to 'rewire' Whitehall, which he has claimed is too 'comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline'