Only in America: The felonious science experiment

A straight-A student is expelled and handcuffed after mixing chemicals in a plastic bottle — and more in our collection of strange revelations about the nation

The felonious science experiment
(Image credit: Courtesy Shutterstock)

A Florida high school student was expelled, handcuffed, and charged with two felonies after mixing two chemicals to see what would happen. Kiera Wilmot, a straight-A student, combined aluminum foil and toilet bowl cleaner in a plastic bottle, producing a popping sound and a small amount of smoke. No one was hurt and nothing was damaged, but the school said expulsion and felony charges would teach Wilmot that there are "consequences to actions."

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Samantha Rollins

Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.