Jul
2
2
Carmen Drahl
Assistant Editor, Science/Technology/Education, C&EN
How Many People Does It Take To Make A Buckyball?
Posted by Carmen Drahl on July 2, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
Although early reports would have you believe the answer is five (Nature 1985, 318, 162)*, these videos could muddy the waters somewhat.
They appear (along with several other videos) on a website from New York City’s Whitney Museum, which just this weekend opened a new exhibit on R. Buckminster Fuller, the geometric visionary/architect who is C60’s namesake.
Watch closely: Is the video of museum employees putting together a geodesic dome a stop-motion video (like claymation) or is it merely sped up? Also, that origami buckyball looks mind-bogglingly hard to fold. (It took me days to master paper-crane folding in second grade.) If there are any detailed instructions for how to fold it, though, we’d love to hear about it!
*What I love most about this classic paper is the elegant simplicity of Figure 1.
Why Beer Goes Bad: The Latest
Jun
13
13
Posted by Carmen Drahl on June 13, 2008 in Chemistry and Food
I’m a veteran of graduate school social events, so the concept that the party is over when the alcohol runs out is firmly entrenched in my psyche. As a result, I was a tad overzealous the last time I bought beer for a party. To be honest, several cases were left over.
Now, months later, I still haven’t finished the beer. The thing is, I have this nagging guilty feeling about serving my friends old beer or bringing it with me to their parties.
I’ve done a pretty good job of following basic rules for keeping beer fresh. But some new research in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry suggests that beer aging could be nipped in the bud just by using the right additives.
The reference: “Formation of alpha-Dicarbonyl Compounds in Beer during Storage of Pilsner,” J. Agric. Food Chem. 2008, 56, 4134.
What’s In A Name?
May
30
30
Posted by Carmen Drahl on May 30, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
Washington, D.C.’s Union Station isn’t usually a part of my commute. I went there after work yesterday on a random errand, and as I rode the escalator up from the Metro, I noticed the person in front of me was wearing a t-shirt with an intriguing design (the one in the picture). We here at C&ENtral Science love chemistry t-shirts, so I had to ask her– are you a chemist? Why are you wearing that shirt?
My escalator companion, Linda Churchill (”Like Winston,” she said proudly), doesn’t call herself a chemist. She referred to herself as “a retired science teacher.” But she’s spent the last several months training middle school and high school students to do titrations, chromatography, and fiber analysis. Sounds like a chemist to me, at least in spirit.
Churchill is helping to coach the state of Alaska’s team of 17 middle and high school students for the 2008 Science Olympiad, which is taking place in Washington, D.C., this weekend. Science Olympiad aims to boost the quality of science education year-round, but the real fun for the students comes in the trip to the nationwide tournament, where this year, 46 out of 50 states will be represented.
Nanotech For Yuppies
May
20
20
Posted by Carmen Drahl on May 20, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
It’s good to know that nanotechnology has advanced to the point that we can use it to open gas station restroom doors. At least that’s what I came away with after a conversation with one of my more tech-savvy friends.
My pal Bruce is a proud owner of the Handler, a sleek-looking gadget for germophobes. There he is in the picture, using the Handler to open the door to Circa, the Dupont Circle locale where we had brunch. The device’s casing is roughly the size of a car door remote.* In Swiss Army knife fashion, one can eject a rubber-coated hooklike appendage from the casing, which can then be used to touch, say, a door handle or an ATM button. Embedded in the rubber and plastic are silver nanoparticles, which supposedly keep the hook germ-free. I checked the Handler’s product website and there is quite a bit of science-speak on there. I didn’t do enough reading to gauge how accurate it is. Can any readers who are well-versed in nanotechnology tell?
1.4 Cents For Your Thoughts
May
7
7
Posted by Carmen Drahl on May 7, 2008 in Uncategorized
My stash is rolled up in paper packets. My friend’s is in the back of a drawer in his dresser. Interest groups have been tussling for years about whether to rid the U.S. of it completely.
Before you jump to conclusions, you should know that I’m talking about pocket change–the penny and nickel specifically.
Yesterday, the House debated a bill that could lead to a cheaper reformulation of the penny and the nickel.Why would they want to do that? Well, the metals that make up these coins cost more than they used to, and it now costs more than a penny to make a penny (around 1.4 cents, depending on fluctuating metal values). Same goes for the nickel (one nickel costs about 7 cents to make).
The idea under consideration is whether to make pennies, and maybe nickels, out of steel, an iron alloy. Currently, pennies are made mostly from zinc, with a touch of copper plating. Today’s nickels contain more copper than nickel. (So technically, my graphic pitting elements against each other isn’t accurate, but I can never resist an opportunity to use Microsoft Paint.)
Sticky Reminders
Apr
23
23
Posted by Carmen Drahl on April 23, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere, Ripped From the Pages
I’ll admit that I don’t actively seek out fascinating references to chemistry after work hours. But there are times when I get subtle reminders of its omnipresence. I received a wedding invitation in the mail a little while back with a stamp on the return envelope that could only have been chosen by chemists in love. (People who are familiar with my graduate alma mater should be able to discern the meaning of the other stamp.)
I couldn’t find this stamp after a cursory search of the U.S. Postal Service’s website, although the stamps Sophie Rovner wrote about are available for purchase. Anybody know where to get my hands on this one?
A couple of impressions (and sorry about the poor picture quality):
I didn’t check to see whether the volumetric flask was filled properly, but I probably should have.
Is that enormous flask still called an Erlenmeyer flask? I’ve never seen one that looks like that.
If I were to put that (really full!) round-bottom flask on the rot. evap., I’d be concerned about it bumping and spilling everywhere, particularly if it contains an intermediate that’s 14 steps deep in my natural product synthesis. Of course, I don’t know what solvent is in the flask, and I’ve seen people just hook up a full flask anyway. Thoughts?
**Updated 4/25/08
Avid “C&ENtral Science” reader Corinne Marasco pointed out that this particular stamp dates to 1976, and that interested parties can find them on eBay. We’re guessing the stamps are still worth only 13 cents as far as the post office is concerned, though. Geek-chic costs extra.
A Little Night Music
Apr
16
16
Posted by Carmen Drahl on April 16, 2008 in 2008 Spring National Meeting, ACS Meetings
Exactly one week ago today, I was at the ACS national neeting, trolling the convention center in New Orleans for interesting talks in the Organic Division, when I chanced upon an unassuming stack of black-and-white photocopied fliers. They promised both music and refreshments at that night’s joint poster session with the Medicinal Division. I like music and refreshments, so I stuffed the flier into my bag.
It should come as no surprise to you that chemists also like music and refreshments. Long after the last poster was lovingly rolled into its case, they were tapping and dancing along to the Zydepunks, who I think were the best example of interdisciplinarity at the meeting.
(more…)
Leaving The Big Easy = Not Easy
Apr
10
10
Posted by Carmen Drahl on April 10, 2008 in 2008 Spring National Meeting, ACS Meetings
I’m sitting in the airport, waiting for my flight, hence my current state of blogorrhea (two back-to-back posts!). At least one of C&EN’s reporters got bumped from an American Airlines flight out of New Orleans yesterday. I’m flying US Airways this afternoon, so keep your fingers crossed for me. Safe (and on-time) travels to everyone, especially to the Nature team.
I feel like I’m leaving on a high note–last night, I was trading stories about the meeting with chemists and music lovers as the joint ORGN-MEDI poster session wound down and the Zydepunks kept on playing their unique blend of folk/punk music. I’d say they were good; they had more than a few chemists playing the air drums in the convention center when they thought nobody was looking. Expect a more detailed post (with pictures!) about this soon, where I do my best to pretend I write for Rolling Stone or Q Magazine.
The low point? Feeling more than a little guilty that I spent five days here and stayed exclusively in the nice, clean, touristy part of the city, pushing the gritty reality (see here and here) to the back of my mind.
Philly’s got next, but because we have a permanent blog now, I don’t have to say “see you in Philadelphia.” Awesome.
Chewing The Fat About Antibiotics, Cancer
Apr
10
10
Posted by Carmen Drahl on April 10, 2008 in 2008 Spring National Meeting, ACS Meetings
It’s Thursday, and the folks who cleared out of the New Orleans convention center early missed out on a great set of talks in the MEDI division about targeting fatty acid biosynthesis for antibacterial, anticancer, and other pharmaceutical applications.
Preparations: Medical, Mystical, And Logistical
Apr
9
9
Posted by Carmen Drahl on April 9, 2008 in 2008 Spring National Meeting, ACS Meetings, Chemistry is Everywhere
Earlier today, I decided to follow Lisa’s suggestion and visit the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. After Linda’s awesome voodoo post, I got the impression that pictures of musty hand-labeled vessels of liniment and snake oil would appeal to C&ENtral Science readers.
This is the door to the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. It has ornate and nicely timeworn handles. It also was locked when I got there.
Recent Comments