Jul
4
4
Chemistry is Everywhere
Chemistry Newsbytes
Posted by Bethany Halford on July 4, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
If you indulge in a slice of watermelon this Fourth of July, be sure to be nice to your sweetheart. Science Daily
The revolution in flavor chemistry is already being waged in tomato juice. Gourmet
Listen to the sound of Jell-O wobbling. Telegraph
Canada Day bummer for the chemists at Simon Fraser University whose holiday was ruined when a hot water line busted and flooded their labs. The Province
Science of the Stradivarius sound: Is the difference in the density? Science News
Flat screen TVs could have a greater impact on global warming than coal-fired power plants. Guardian
For mosquitoes, attraction is all about chemistry. Newsweek
How Many People Does It Take To Make A Buckyball?
Jul
2
2
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.
Chemistry Newsbytes
Jul
1
1
Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on July 1, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
Water 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
Jun
27
27
Posted by Bethany Halford on June 27, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
Mud from Mars (the planet) could make a happy home for plants. C&EN
Scientists from Mars (the candy company) sequence the cacao genome, hoping to make genetically superior chocolate. Washington Post
Have you got a spare rotovap? Turn it into a flavor concentrator. CNET
Sea spray and tiny marine organisms are cleaning up greenhouse gases in the Caribbean. Guardian
In search of more accurate statistics on illicit drug use, chemists head for the sewers. LA Times
Don’t throw away your compact fluorescent light bulbs–they’ve got some mercury in them. Take the bulbs to Home Depot instead. NY Times
Deceased hobby chemist’s home chemical collection draws the attention of local news. Cincinnati Local 12
Forget Red Bull and vodka. Cocktail connoisseurs are getting hyped up on Agwa de Bolivia Coca Leaf Liqueur. (Can anybody out there take a mass spec of this stuff? We’re curious about which of this beverage’s compounds have people buzzing.) Phoenix New Times
Chemistry Newsbytes
Jun
24
24
Posted by Bethany Halford and Lisa Jarvis on June 24, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
Are 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
Postcard From Estonia
Jun
23
23
Posted by Sarah Everts on June 23, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere, Where is C&EN?
When I arrived in Tallinn, Estonia, on a trip to visit some local chemists, I didn’t expect the city to be so wired. Here, even the green spaces have small signs that announce how to get connected.
For example, to access this park’s wireless password, you just need to send a text message. You’ll then get a response with the correct code. Paying for street parking or bus fare is also just a text message away. Even on a bus through the countryside, I snagged some of the free wireless that blankets most of the country, including the bucolic middle of nowhere.
Chemistry Newsbytes
Jun
20
20
Posted by Bethany Halford on June 20, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
Wait, was that worm wearing diamonds? Mexican team prepares diamond films from tequila. New Scientist
Port Arthur, Texas, braces itself for 40 million lb of PCBs. NY Times
Pennsylvania chemist turns in his lab coat to pursue his true passion: beer. WGAL
And these Wisconsin chemists are making wine. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Invasive moths spared from pesticide spray. NY Times
GM mosquitoes enlisted to fight malaria. Baltimore Sun
Yo! Photosynthesis rap. Thus Spake Zuska
Chemistry Newsbytes
Jun
17
17
Posted by Bethany Halford on June 17, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
Go ahead a pour yourself another cup of coffee. A new study shows java may be good for your heart. Washington Post
Ranking pharmaceutical companies on how accessible their products are to the third world. NY Times
Hollywood’s hottest new accessory: The hydrogen-powered car. LA Times
MIT’s Dan Nocera on why chemistry is the key to solving the energy crisis. Guardian
Nucleobases in space. ScienceNOW
Do-it-yourself chelation therapy is probably not such a great idea. LA Times
How science will give you superpowers. Cracked
The tale of Prince Algorino–Imagining “An Inconvenient Truth,” The Opera? NY Times
Chemistry Newsbytes
Jun
13
13
Posted by Bethany Halford on June 13, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
As if getting out of bed and going to work wasn’t hard enough, now you have to worry about your shower curtain. LA Times
Having trouble getting your work published? Perhaps you should have been working on the Mentos-Diet Coke reaction. New Scientist
Metal fires - it’s best to let them be. Popular Science
Replace your tired old bones with custom-made titanium implants. Guardian
Trees are just like us. They prefer the thermostat at 70 degrees too. NPR
“Molecular archeology” studies search for allergy relief. Telegraph
Sniffing out chemical and biological threats with SPAMS. (No, it’s not a Monty Python sketch). Reuters
My Own Genome
Jun
11
11
Posted by Britt Erickson on June 11, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
As I left the National Press Club yesterday afternoon, I thought, wow, maybe now’s the time. For only $1,000, I could buy my personal genome. I had just attended a briefing sponsored by the
I went into the discussion with basically no knowledge of the issues. I had no idea so many companies were selling personal genomes. Where have I been? Blame it on the kids, the long commute, the fact that I focused only on environmental issues for the past two years. I’m familiar with the technology used to sequence the human genome from my days working as a reporter for the news section of Analytical Chemistry, so it wasn’t completely uncharted territory. I even know what SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms, pronounced snips) are.
As I sat there listening to the panelists talk candidly around the lunch table, I just couldn’t believe how fast the world is changing. I’ve always thought of myself as one of the younger ones, but when I hear things like 20 year olds are sharing their personal genomes with each other on social networking sites, I start feeling old. I’ve never even used a social networking site.
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