The magic flask

What is this I see before me, bubbling ominously? Could it be an elixir for immortality? A cure for warts, perhaps?

It is in fact a flask filled with fluorescent dye (rhodamine), with dry ice applied liberally!

I do so love when I get sent samples that are shipped on dry ice. It's awesome stuff! Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide and has a temperature of -78.2 °C. When it heats up, it turns to gas without bothering to stop by a liquid state et route. This process is called sublimation, which I think is a gorgeous word.

The flask itself was retrieved from a box in storage during a big clean-up operation in advance of some renovations due to start soon.

When they start, my office is going to be between two floors with very loud drilling. I may have to work from home a lot!