Science
had been interesting at school, mostly because I was A) good at it as per GCSE standards B)in the top set because of A) and so had decent teachers who not only knew their stuff but weren't that pressured to make sure we knew the syllabus - most of us were more than capable. And so they were more relaxed and prone to messing about like pouring ethanol on the table and lighting it, or sticking the gas cable into washing up liquid and lighting that, and, even better than those pyromanical spectacles, letting us doing the 'teacher only' experiments that student's shouldn't perform.

On one such day I had both of my hands bandaged up; a skiing accident had left me with a multitude of broken fingers and a mangled thumb, complete with the nail completely ripped off. As hands are difficult to set all that the hospital did was tape them all together, with a splint to make my thumb straight.

I was paired up with my friend (she did most of the practical stuff) and we set up our experiement. I can't remember exactly what we were supposed to be doing, but involved some white powdery substance and hydrochloric acid in a boiling tube.

The teacher had given his lecture on what we were supposed to be doing and hoping to achieve, and how we had to be CAREFUL with the boiling tubes; he didnt wan't any broken and every one returned to the box at the end of the lesson.

Well, everything is going well - the first half of the experiment went according to what we expected, and we were slowly increasing either how much acid we were using or how much of the powder (I can't remember which) but for some reason, and why is probably down to it being too hot, the boiling tube exploded.

All over me.

The teacher was drawn to the lound sound of a mini explosion and my subsequent shout of being shocked. No damage was done, everything was fine...

...until i noticed my right hand was on fire. The bandages covering my mangled right hand had caught fire in the confusion, but because of the dressing I hadn't felt it. I panic and shake my hand about, until the teacher reaches us and throws his jacket over my hand to starve the flame.

It was more embarassing than painful, I guess. Thankfully we didn't get a bollocking for breaking the boiling tube.

Length? About 10 seconds before I realised.
(Nikkusama, Tue 3 Feb 2009, 6:05, Reply)