14 DAY TRIAL // Only yesterday night, illusionist and endurance artist David Blaine willingly stepped into a man-made electrical storm, planning to spend the following 72 hours surrounded by a million volts of electric current.
It may very well be that this daredevil has a steel chain-mail suit and a metal head cage to protect himself, yet researchers now say that Mother Nature might not be so happy about his performing this little stunt.
This is because the electrical storm intended to amaze the audience and prove this man's courage will also cause ozone to build up in the air.
Scientists explain that the electrical current discharged during this performance stands to separate the oxygen molecules found in the air. Thus, rather than O2 (dyoxigen), the air surrounding David Blaine's stage will begin to witness the buildup of O (oxygen).
These simple O-es can easily bind with each other again, leading to the formation of O3, which happens to be ozone.
Scientific American explains how, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, ozone is more than welcome there in the stratosphere, seeing how it protects us from harmful ultraviolet rays.
However, this chemical compound is rather harmful when close to the ground.
Commenting on David Blaine's stunt, an atmospheric scientist working with the Texas A&M University said that, “I saw the [promotional] photo and I thought, wow, he will create a lot of ozone.”
Paul Hoffman, presently employed as chief executive of the Liberty Science Center, also made a case of how, during a test run he conducted together with David Blaine, “Ozone built up, I could feel it. I have asthma, and my throat got irritated.”
The good news is that a team of specialists will be monitoring the ozone concentrations in David Blaine's proximity throughout the entire duration of this performance.
As well as this, the US Environmental Protection Agency asked that the public avoid being close to concentrations of ozone of up to 75 parts per million for periods of time longer than 8 hours, so as to not have their health affected by this chemical compound.