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April 30, 2008
Rest In Peace, Albert Hofmann
Posted by Rachel Pepling on April 30, 2008 in Uncategorized
The father of LSD died from a heart attack Tuesday at his home in Basel, Switzerland. He was 102. Who knew a shelved compound could have such an impact on society? Okay, so clearly Hofmann had an inkling. C&EN’s Managing Editor, Ivan Amato, wrote a lovely piece (subscription required) at the time of Hofmann’s 100th birthday. He told me today, “The thing about Hofmann, and particularly his discovery of LSD, that amazes me the most is how it so fantastically links the categories of materialism and psychology.”
Where Chic Geeks Meet To Eat
Apr
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Posted by Corinne Marasco on April 30, 2008 in Chemistry and Food
In the Central Square section of Cambridge, Mass., lies the Miracle of Science Bar & Grill. If you guessed from the name that Massachusetts Institute of Technology is nearby, you’re right, and the decor is distinctly scientific. The menu is displayed periodic table-style on a chalkboard (the prices are where the atomic weights would be) and is organized according to entrée type–appetizers, sandwiches, desserts, etc. Hb is hamburger, Cb is cheeseburger, C1 and C2 are chicken skewers and Br is a dessert brownie. The tables look like lab benches, drinks are served in beakers, and condiments arrive in test tubes.
Overall, it sounds like a place for pub grub and beer. A review in the April 20, 2007, edition of The Tech, MIT’s campus paper, concluded, “Overall the food was pretty good, though nothing really to write home about.” Although the student reviewer thought the food was expensive, the prices he quoted sounded average to me; here in the D.C. area, a $7.50 hamburger is not unusual. Reviews on Yelp.com confirm my impression that this place is a stop, not a destination. Still, it sounds like the kind of place where you go once just so you can say that you’ve been.
A tip of the toque to the Serious Eats blog, where I found this story.
Photo: Scott Beale/Laughing Squid
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