Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on July 1, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

blingh2o.jpgWater is the new wine. For $33.50 you can get a bottle of “concentrated water” from Hawaii. Washington Post

An epic tale of carbon dioxide and climate change from the world of weed research. NY Times Magazine

Grossly deformed homegrown veggies in the U.K. linked to aminopyralid-tainted manure. Guardian

Subjects of a hallucinogen study report meaningful and spiritual experiences. Baltimore Sun

A short, speedy history of amphetamines in the U.S. Chronicle of Higher Education

Hey kids, take a lesson from this chemistry student and remember to be careful with those homemade fireworks. Pioneer Press

Should students get extra credit for taking hard sciences? Some British curriculum experts seem to think so. Wired

Even all of Bill Gates’s money may not be enough to solve some of science’s biggest challenges. Crosscut Seattle

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on June 24, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

styrofoam-cup.jpgAre styrofoam cups really all that bad? A back-of-the-envelope calculation says no. SciGuy

Before you go crazy on the beer at the summertime BBQ, consider this study linking alcohol to mouth and throat cancer. Sciencebase

Could a molecule found in chickens be the key to future allergy treatments? BBC

Carbon dating reveals that we may grow and shrink, but our number of fat cells stays the same. In the Pipeline

An analytical chemist who once worked for the space shuttle program brings his chemical know-how to the kitchen. Orlando Sentinel

Smart girls eat fish. ScienceNOW

Microfluidics get to work sorting worms. NY Times

Have you got a spare high-pressure carbon dioxide gas system? This guy used his to make a toaster cannon. Gizmodo

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on May 30, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

stonehenge.jpgRadiocarbon dating shows Stonehenge was a royal family’s burial site. LA Times

Are stem cells driving tumor growth? A new theory on cancer. Forbes

Not sure what to get Dad for Father’s Day? How about a suit made from recycled plastic bottles? Treehugger

Career advice for chemists who want to work with food. New Scientist

Ecohacking: Geoengineers have big ideas about averting climate change. Guardian

A little history on the discovery of Krypton. Wired News

Driving could get greener in an unexpected way: environmentally-friendly asphalt. CNET

Swimming pools minus the chlorine. (Someone should tell the reporter that ozone, silver, and copper are chemicals too.) NY Times

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on May 20, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

Hhooch.jpgomemade hooch is becoming a hot high-end hobby. Wired

Or you could just learn how great beer is made. NPR

On a healthier note, you should eat your veggies. But is it better to cook them or eat them raw? NY Times

Chemistry on other planets: using a radio telescope to detect exotic molecules in space. Pulse of the Planet

Novartis exec on the India drug patent quandry. India Knowledge@Wharton (via Pharmalot)

One step closer to nuclear fusion reactor: Vulcan laser gets matter hotter than the surface of the sun. Whoa. BBC

Soccer-playing nanobots will take the field at the US RoboCup. Endagadget

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on May 16, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

firestarter.jpgWelcome firestarters: The summer student season begins. In the Pipeline

A look inside Isis, the giant neutron source that once helped make a better mouthwash. Guardian

Mars’s north pole is layered, like a French parfait but not as yummy. LA Times

Los Angeles looks to sewage recycling to quench its thirst. NY Times

Electric cigarette gives smokers a hit of pure nicotine without the bother of tobacco. Daily Mail

Sand under a 3-D microscope. It’s cooler than it sounds. Discover

Chemistry prodigy starts college in Singapore at the tender age of 8. Antara News

Ethidium bromide: packed for safety or Armageddon? Wired Science

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on May 13, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

microwave.jpgRetooling the microwave to kill shipboard pests. NY Times

Undertakers take a page from the Sopranos: the environmental impact of alkaline hydrolysis vs. traditional cremation. Slate

Peel-and-stick solar panels. We’re holding out for scratch-and-sniff. Wired

Radiocarbon dating seaweed proves age of Chilean village. LA Times

Washington-based “intelligent design” lab releases a bunch of papers “proving” its theories. Short Sharp Science

Stephen Hawking opens African Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Cape Town, South Africa. SABC News

New CFC-free inhalers: easier on the environment, harder on the wallet. NY Times

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on May 9, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere, Uncategorized

shutterstock_11931994.jpgPlatypus peculiarity is genome-deep. NY Times

Trickle-down pollution: Melting glaciers are exposing penguins to DDT. New Scientist

Nanoholes let more light spill out of LEDs. Guardian

Funeral options: burial, cremation, or alkaline hydrolysis. LA Times

First they went for the catalytic converters. Then they were after bronze statues. Now what’s the hot ticket with enterprising theives? Restaurant grease. NPR

Canadian researchers hope algae can suck up the carbon dioxide generated in oil extraction. CNet

World science: Which countries are publishing the most scientific papers? In the Pipeline

Games for geeks: predicting protein folding for sport. Foldit via Slashdot

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on May 6, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

chewing-gum.jpgIonic liquids tidy up sticky chewing gum mess. Guardian

Leave the light on: 107-year-old bulb is still burning. LA Times

A brief history of LSD. NY Times

Just how spicy is that hot sauce? Get out the nanotubes! Nanowerk

Fungi to the rescue: a method to sequester depleted uranium. New Scientist

Who has greener intentions in the uranium rush? Environmentalists or mining companies? LA Times

Build your own MPLC. The Chem Blog

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on May 2, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

shutterstock_11159959.jpgPig-urine flavored cigarettes? The science of swine! Popular Science

Silicon Valley venture capitalists launch whopper of a green tech fund. CNet

Australian scientists make advances in getting plants to produce useful fatty acids. The Money Times

One we missed earlier this week: Are “green” cleaning supplies really safer? LA Times

Chemistry professor Abul Hussam won $1 million for his arsenic-removing water filter. So what has he done with his prize? Islamica Magazine

A brief history of the periodic table. The Guardian

DNA helps some men dupe antidoping tests. NY Times

All lab, no lecture: “The Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments.” BoingBoing

Figuring out food science: A call for help on hydrocolloid chemistry. Khymos

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on April 29, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

mentosandcoke.jpg

Reproducing the experiment no one ever seems to tire of, 1,500 poncho-clad Belgian students simultaneously dump Mentos into Diet Coke. Telegraph

Home brew for your car (or how to fill up your tank in your backyard). NY Times

Not enough scientists to go around? Attrition strikes the Indian pharma industry. Hindu Business Line

Element collector turns hobby into a career. Boston Globe

Venemous sea snail spits out powerful anesthetics and pain killers. The Guardian

Oil-based paints are 800 years older than originally thought. LA Times

A peek at K. C. Nicolaou’s new book. San Diego Union-Tribune

Has the Wicked Witch of the West got a bone to pick with Lawrence Livermore? A rare breed of poppies is exploding at the national lab’s Site 300. Contra Costa Times