If you go down to the woods this autumn, you might encounter a strange organism. It erupts from dead wood, lives for a day, and then dissolves itself, leaving only a pile of black goo. This is no supernatural or imagined organism, but the inkcap mushroom, which also has the distinction of being poisonous depending on what you’re eating it with.
Alcohol-free beer is increasingly popular and sought-after as people become warier of their alcohol intake. A few decades ago alcohol-free beer was a poor imitation, but these days it’s steadily improving and some examples can hold their own compared to the real thing. This graphic takes a look at how alcohol-free beer is defined, the range of ways in which it can be made, and how these methods work.
It’s Friday, and it’s National Mojito Day tomorrow (July 11)! Here’s a look at some of the chemistry that goes into this popular cocktail.
Port’s often relegated to the festive period, and forgotten about for the rest of the year (at least, in the UK). This is a shame as if you look beyond the standard ruby port, there are several other delicious types, particularly the varieties that are aged for longer periods of time. There’s also some interesting chemistry behind these varieties and how they transform during ageing.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Here’s a throwback to an old edition of Periodic Graphics which looks at the chemistry behind the bubbles and bitterness of Guinness. You can view the full graphic over on the C&EN site.
You could be forgiven for thinking there’s not a great deal that’s interesting about the chemistry of vodka. After all, isn’t it essentially just a mix of two compounds, ethanol and water? Though this is pretty much the case, there’s more to vodka than you might expect. Here we take a look at some of its chemical secrets.
