From Jay Pasachoff
James Mitchell Crowe writes about the somewhat exciting decay of celluloid materials, mentioning the spontaneous ignition of early film tapes due to the flammable nature of the plastic (19 June, p 42).
The Museum of Jurassic Technology in Culver City, California, devotes a room to the magician Ricky Jay’s collection of decaying celluloid dice. As Jay explains: “These cellulose nitrate dice, the industry standard until the middle of the 20th century (when they were replaced with less flammable cellulose acetate), typically remain stable for decades. Then, in a flash, they can dramatically decompose. The crystallisation begins on the corners and then spreads to the edges.” Evocative images of the progressive decay and implosion are online at bit.ly/biKW5W.
Pasadena, California, US
