Biochemistry

The Chemistry of Stinging Nettles 2016

The Chemistry of Stinging Nettles

The Chemistry of Stinging Nettles 2016
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Doubtless the majority of people reading this will, at some point in their life, have had the unpleasant experience of being stung by stinging nettles. But what chemicals do stinging nettles contain that elicit this effect? Further to that, a commonly espoused remedy for the stings, in the UK at least, is to rub dock leaves on them – but does this actually work, or is it just a widespread myth? This graphic sorts the nettle sting remedy fact from the fiction.

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The Chemistry of Spider Venom

The Chemistry of Spider Venom

The Chemistry of Spider Venom
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Spiders are the most numerous venomous animals on the planet; the number of species predicted to be in existence, 150,000, is thought to be greater than the numbers of all other venomous creatures combined. Almost all spiders, with only a few exceptions, produce venom, which serves the primary purpose of immobilising their prey. However, the content of this venom can vary wildly from species to species, and the majority are not harmful to humans. This graphic takes a look at some of the different possible components, and their roles in venoms.

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Neonicotinoid Pesticides & Their Effect on Bee Colonies - The Facts

Neonicotinoid Pesticides & Bee Colonies

Neonicotinoid Pesticides & Their Effect on Bee Colonies - The Facts
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Neonicotinoid pesticides have, not for the first time, been hitting the news over the past few weeks. The commonly used chemicals help keep pests from decimating crops, but have been linked with negative effects on other organisms, in particular bee colonies. This graphic and article take a look at what we know about the neonicotinoids, and the evidence for their suggested impacts.

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What makes up the Chemical Structure of DNA?

Infographic on the structure of DNA. DNA has a sugar-phosphate backbone with a set of four different bases holding its two strands together. DNA acts as a code for building proteins. An enzyme transcribes it into mRNA, which carries the code out of cell nuclei, then ribosome build proteins from the code.
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Today’s post crosses over into the realm of biochemistry, with a look at the chemical structure of DNA, and its role in creating proteins in our cells. Of course, it’s not just in humans that DNA is found – it’s present in the cells of every multicellular life form on Earth. This graphic provides an overview of its common structure across these life forms and a brief explanation of how it allows proteins to be generated.

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The Chemistry of Slug Pellets

The Chemistry of Slug Pellets

The Chemistry of Slug Pellets
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Slugs and snails are common garden pests, and gardeners often turn to slug pellets in order to fend them off. What exactly are those blue pellets made of, though, and can they pose a risk to other animals as well as molluscs? This graphic examines the compounds used, and their potential undesired effects, as well as some of the alternatives available.

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