CSI: Miami

Bunk - S1-E13

Factual error: Using a Draeger tube to test for nitric acid fume, the instrument made a clicking sound. This device does not click. The bellows pump is squeezed drawing air through the tube. A reaction takes place between the air contaminant and the material in the tube causing a color change. The length of stain is proportional to the concentration.

Bunk - S1-E13

Factual error: Nitric acid is a liquid and not a gas. The gaseous precurser is NO2 which combines with water forming nitric acid, HNO3. Neither causes instant death.

Dead Woman Walking - S1-E15

Factual error: I-131 (or any radioactive material) "at the end of its half life" does not instantly become non-radioactive, as was depicted in this episode. Radioactive decay is a continuous process; the half-life has no "beginning", but tells you how much time after "now" for however much is there at any time "now" to be reduced to one half that amount. Wait enough half-lives and the amount will fall to an inconsequential amount, but one is never enough.

Dead Woman Walking - S1-E15

Factual error: Firstly, I-131 has an eight day half life. It is thus impossible that she is poisoned on day 1 (a dose enough to kill her), and then the following day there is no detectable rad. reading at the source. The eight day half-life also comes into play with the hand that becomes "neutralized" to radioactivity. Secondly, the discussion re: alpha, beta, and gamma radiation is true, however if breathed/ingested, I'd sure rather it be a gamma emitter than an alpha emitter, as alphas will deposit more energy (this is contrary to what was stated).

Double Cap - S1-E19

Factual error: During their investigation, the CSIs learn, through a number of phone calls she made to her mother, that their murder victim was in the Witness Protection Program. Contacting family members is one of the cardinal sins of WITSEC; she would have been immediately relocated with another new identity, and not left in a city where people who want her dead know where she is.

Cubs Fan

Rampage - S4-E24

Other mistake: During the scene (towards the end of the episode) when Horatio's young wife Marisol dies, there are two worthy mentions. First is when we see Horatio walk into Marisol's room, there is a doctor present but the two do not speak. Horatio speaks to Marisol at the side of her bed and they joke about their supposed date later that night, and her speech seems fine. A few seconds later while holding her hand, we hear the "flat line" and Marisol passes away. About two seconds after we hear the flat line, the camera angle shows Marisol still turned toward Horatio, her chest still moving to breathe. A split second after that though, the camera angle now shows Marisol face up in the bed, presumably dead. Second issue and perhaps most importantly - Marisol was young, and a gunshot victim who had been in stable condition just the day before. Even if her condition had turned more critical, it seems almost impossible that as soon as she flat lined, there still would not have been immediate resuscitation attempts or calls for a resuscitation team, especially with a doctor who was already in the room.

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Season 1 generally

Question: In the last few episodes of series 1, Horatio tells a few people that they will be spending the next few years a jail. But sometimes he says a 6x6 cell and others a 6x9 cell. So I was wondering do the sizes of cells usually differ or was it just a slip of the tongue?

Answer: Yes, sizes of jails differ.

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