The Canary in the Coal Mine
Illustration by ChatGPT There was a time when miners carried canaries into coal mines. The practice was simple though the science behind it was grim. Certain poisonous gases, particularly carbon monoxide, could accumulate underground without warning. A miner might breathe the deadly air without recognising the danger. The canary, being more sensitive, would show signs of distress sooner. Its suffering served as an alarm. If the bird became ill, the miners knew it was time to escape. The bird would die in all probability. Male canaries generally escaped this tragic fate because they were valued more for their sweet songs. Female canaries were cheaper in the market, in other words. Society has always had its expendable creatures. Those who sing less beautifully, those who possess less power, those whose lives command a lower price in the marketplace of human dignity – they are the ones most readily sacrificed. That way, the canary in the coal mine was not merely a warning of poisonou...
