> The problem isn’t that one little bird has died. The problem is that the bird might be dead because the whole mine is filling with deadly carbon monoxide or highly flammable methane gas.

I don't get it, you've already been poisoned by those gases and can hardly breath, why do you need to look at dead birds for any signal?

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rkomorn 6 days ago | parent | next [-]

I'm pretty sure the issue with carbon monoxide poisoning is that you don't actually feel it clearly enough and that it doesn't manifest as "can hardly breathe".

"Gases such as ammonia and chlorine are ir- ritating to the skin, eyes, and throat and have a very definite smell. CO, however, has no odor or other warning properties." [1]

1- https://www.msha.gov/sites/default/files/Alerts%20and%20Haza...

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eviks 6 days ago | parent [-]

I'm pretty sure your own link is consistent

> Medium exposure... will produce ... and breathing difficulties.

	▲	rkomorn 6 days ago \| parent [-]
		I think the difference comes down to prolonged exposure to lower levels (eg medium exposure) vs short-term exposure to high levels. The canary is for the latter scenario. If the EPA says it can kill "in minutes" [1], then I'd be inclined to believe them over "you'll feel it if you're exposed to it for hours". 1- https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/protect-your-fami...

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eCa 6 days ago | parent | prev [-]

That’s the thing. The canaries died before the miners realized they were in danger, due to their sensitivity of carbon monoxide and other bad stuff.

	▲	eviks 6 days ago \| parent [-]
		But in this case the miners died long before the icons were redesigned?