Compound Interest: .science

The chemistry of condom materials – from sheep guts to synthetic rubber

August 10, 2018 0Comments 0Likes 317Views

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Today, we take contraception for granted to a certain extent. It’s easy to forget that, less than 200 years ago, the only condom available was one made from a length of sheep gut that you had to wash and re-use. Today, they’re made from a handful of different materials. This post looks at their recent material history, and some of the other chemistry modern condoms utilise.

Today in chemistry history: Germain Hess, Hess’s Law, and enthalpy changes

August 7, 2018 0Comments 0Likes 409Views

Today in Chemistry History graphic on Germain Henri Hess, born 7 August 1802. He is known for Hess's Law, published in 1840, which relates to enthalpy changes of reactions and allows for the calculation of unknown enthalpy changes. The graphic shows an example Hess cycle and explains how it can be used to determine enthalpy values. — Click to enlarge

On this day back in 1802, Germain Hess was born in Switzerland. Hess would go on to do important work in the field of thermochemistry, the part of chemistry concerned with energy changes in chemical reactions. His work led to the eponymous Hess’s law, explained in the graphic above. Hess also analysed the mineral silver telluride, which was named Hessite in his honour.

The science of thunderstorms – thunder, lightning, and chemical reactions

July 31, 2018 1Comment 0Likes 308Views

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Here in the UK, a completely un-British heatwave finally came to a thundery end last weekend. Having already looked at the chemistry behind the smell of rain, here’s a look at some of the science behind thunderstorms. How does lightning happen, what gives it its blue-violet tinge, and what does it have to do with plant growth?

Volcanic eruptions: the chemistry of lava and volcanic gases

July 25, 2018 0Comments 3Likes 291Views

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Volcanic eruptions can be unpredictable and destructive. In the latest edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical and Engineering News, we investigate the types of lava produced in volcanoes and the gases ejected during eruptions. Click here to view the full graphic on the C&EN site.

Infographic on snowdrops, Alzheimer's and chemical warfare. Snowdrops contain poisonous alkaloids which, if they are eaten, can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Falling levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine are associated with Alzheimer's disease. Galantamine stops an enzyme that breaks acetylcholine down. Organophosphate nerve agents target an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine; galantamine can bind reversible to this enzyme, blocking the nerve agents.

What links snowdrops, Alzheimer’s disease, and chemical warfare?

February 8, 2018 0Comments 1Like 318Views

Snowdrops and chemical warfare aren’t two things you’d expect to mention in the same sentence. However, there’s a surprising link between the two thanks to a compound found in these winter flowers. This graphic looks at this compound and how it helps treat both Alzheimer’s disease and nerve agent poisoning.

Today in Chemistry History – Rosalind Franklin and the structure of DNA

July 25, 2017 2Comments 2Likes 320Views

Today in Chemistry History graphic on Rosalind Franklin and the structure of DNA. Rosalind Franklin was a chemist and X-ray crystallographer whose work was instrumental in the discovery of the structure of DNA. She missed out on a Nobel Prize for her work as they are not awarded posthumously. Photograph 51 is an X-ray diffraction image of DNA taken during Franklin’s research. It was crucial in developing a model of DNA and confirming its double helical structure. — Click to enlarge

Rosalind Franklin was born on this day in 1920. Her contributions to the discovery of the structure of DNA were key; she took photos of DNA’s structure using X-ray crystallography, and it was these photos that informed the work of Watson and Crick’s model of DNA’s structure. Sadly her contributions were not fully recognised until after her death, and she did not share in the award of the Nobel Prize for the discovery of DNA’s structure as the prize is not awarded posthumously.