Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on November 7, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

xanthangum1.jpgEverything you wanted to know about xanthan gum. Popular Science

Black holes cure cancer! Okay, not really, but some think nanoparticles might. Economist

Nine nifty nano-powered products. Discover

Only 28% of British teens think the sciences are relevant. Guardian

The Arab world gets its first science news site. SciDev

Going handheld: A look at the future of NMR. Scientific American

Dozens of suspected terrorists have attempted to infiltrate UK labs as graduate students and postdocs. Guardian

Aldrich founder Alfred Bader on the latest chapter in his autobiography. Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on October 17, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

space.jpgEver wondered what outer space smells like? A British chemist is recreating the scent. ITV

A sign of the difficult job and funding market out there for scientists: Doug Prasher, whose research provided an essential piece for this year’s chemistry Nobel Prize, is driving a courtesy van for a car dealership. NY Times

Japanese Nobel Laureates, including Osamu Shimomura and Ryoji Noyori, chat about innovative research, amateur science, and the difference between working in the U.S. and Japan. Daily Yomiuri

California chemistry teacher convicted of trying to make meth. Bakersfield Californian

Obama and McCain on science and technology. NY Times

The chemistry of monogamy – it’s all in your head. LA Times

When the planet is the reaction flask: Carbon dioxide is changing seawater chemistry. Christian Science Monitor

Any prospective grad students out there? This Australian Ph.D. studentship in wine chemistry sound like fun. Nature Jobs

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on October 7, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

fema-trailer.jpgFormaldehydegate: CDC allegedly demotes scientist who blew the whistle on chemicals in FEMA trailers. LA Times

New Jersey chemist takes home chemicals from work to clean out his septic system. His car explodes, attracting the attention of local authorities and the FBI. Times of Trenton

Trying to get rigorous with our definition of our “carbon footprint.” Wall Street Journal

MIT professor breaks down how to clean up your ride. CNet

Is Harvard counting their Nobels before they’ve hatched? The Crimson

The billionth jar of Vegemite was made this week. Australian chemist Cyril P. Callister earned his Ph.D. by inventing the stuff. Sydney Morning Herald

The origins of chirality. Washington Post

With a little lab space and analytical equipment, Illinois chemist tests orange juice, Coca-Cola, and his own urine. Rockford Register Star

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on September 23, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

shutterstock_1617117.jpgSpit parties: Martinis, music, and genetic testing. Guardian

Neglecting your house plants? They’re probably making their own painkillers. LA Times

Fat helps mice keep trim. ScienceNOW

Happy belated birthday, Michael Faraday. Wired

Hey kids, only a few days left to get your National Chemistry Week poster entry ready. Rohm and Haas

Slashdotters weigh in on whether docs need to take O-Chem. Slashdot

Scientists discover a “chemical equator” protecting Antarctica. New Scientist

The inside scoop on one company’s “ethanol-making bug lab.” CNet

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on September 12, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

protocell.jpgBiologists and chemists are getting closer to creating a living protocell. (Only biologists, however, get the headline and the category tag.) Wired Science

Happy 200th birthday Aluminum! Or is in Aluminium? Red Orbit

Mercedes’ diesel-powered SUV cleans up emissions with urea. This is probably the first time an automotive column has used the phrase, “Organic chemistry was never so cool.” LA Times

Spanish scientists think packaging infused with cinnamon oil might keep bread from getting moldy. Christian Science Monitor

Some interesting news from across the pond: More than 90% of chemistry students report that they are happy with their degrees. Guardian

And yet, the Royal Society’s education director wants creationism and intelligent design taught in science classes. Guardian

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on September 5, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

old-wine.jpgWondering how old that dusty bottle o’ wine is? Why just send it off to the particle accelerator for testing! Yahoo News

Happy 205th Birthday, atomic symbols. Wired

Germans fire up the oxyfuel burner for the world’s first complete demonstration of carbon capture and sequestration technology. Guardian

Hot metal, a sieve, a hydraulic lift, and a fish tank: everything you need to make your own ammo. Popular Science

DNA suggests woolly mammoths in Europe and Asia were American ex-pats. ScienceNOW

Monkey study brings more bad news about bisphenol A. Washington Post

If you’re gonna be in New York City this Sunday, stop by the Cornelia Street Cafe and hear the father of the Pill talk about parenthood and his new play, “Taboos.” Cornelia Street Cafe

Chemistry Newsbytes

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

cinnamon.jpgSpice up your packaging materials. Cinnamon-infused wrapper keeps the mold away. NY Times

Synthetic trees: new strategies of carbon dioxide sequestration. San Diego Union-Tribune

As autumn approaches, scientists link brain chemistry to the seasonal blues. BBC

Go greased lightening! The Grease to Greece race is on. Guardian

Slimmer waistlines and a smaller carbon footprint. Portland gym runs on people power. LA Times

Climate change experts go one element beyond carbon to gauge the effects of its neighbor, nitrogen. NY Times

Can Democrats blame a mix of altitude and alcohol for any antics at last week’s convention? Probably not. Slate

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on August 15, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

shutterstock_819211.jpgBiochemist’s quest to find a pill that prevents poison ivy’s itchy ravages proves elusive. NPR

And the medal for tiniest Olympic logo goes to Northwestern’s Mirkin. Nanotechnology Now

Isomer triggering: new military technology or pseudoscience? Guardian

Ladies, using the pill may prompt you to sniff out the wrong type of guy. Scotsman

Joysticks and video game controllers are so cumbersome. Near-IR imaging technology could let you play video games using just brain power. LA Times

Nitrogen-rich fertilizers are starving the oceans of oxygen. NY Times

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on August 8, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

veuveicebox.jpgHaving a picnic in the desert? This champagne icebox uses chemistry to keep your bubbly cold. Electricpig

Inkpads are for suckers: Try fingerprinting with desorption electrospray ionization. Economist

The secret ingredient to giving bullets a unique chemical signature? Lily pollen. Guardian

How green is too green? NY Times

Speaking of green…a start-up wants to develop a solar-powered fridge with no moving parts. CNet

And could cement be the answer to the world’s CO2 woes? Scientific American

In the kitchen, cold is the new heat. NY Times

Will those fancy black respirators actually protect Olympians? Slate

Chemistry Newsbytes

Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on August 5, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

lamprey_mouth.jpgA chemical war on sea lampreys in Lake Michigan. Creepy! Muskegon Chronicle

Cane sugar versus high-fructose corn syrup. LA Times

Mars mission is the pinnacle of one chemist’s career. Boston Globe

A plea for more research institutions in Africa. SciDev

Chemical analysis proves Spaniards do the most cocaine. ScienceDaily

Things are heating up in Ventura County, Calif. There’s a 2-acre patch of land out there that’s topping 800 ºF. LA Times

Cool down in the kitchen with liquid nitrogen. Popular Science

Greener paint in a rainbow of colors. Baltimore Sun