> > The theory is that you can't stand to look at the full sun long enough to damage your eyes. However, with part of the disc blocked by the moon, you can continue to look and the part that is still visible will burn your eyes. That's what they tell us.
>
> I had always heard it was something like since there was less light overall, your pupils would be more dilated thus letting the light from the disc (which is just as intense as always) do more damage. I have no idea how true that is.
>
> > But I must repeat my question: How many people do you know who have been blinded by a solar eclipse?
> >
> > It's kind of like that tetnus shot. If you don't have one you could get tetnus. But how many people do you know who have had tetnus. People aren't exactly dropping like flies in a tetnus epidemic. I'm 66, and I have never known of anyone who had tetnus. It doesn't scare me. But just to be safe, I don't look directly at a solar eclipse.
> > Howard
>
> Of course, maybe the reason that nobody gets blinded by solar eclipses is because everyone tells you not to look at them. The reason nobody gets tetanus could be because of the shot.

Thank you, Stephen, for our daily dose of paranoia. :-}