Compound Interest
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.
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.
March 8 is International Women’s Day. To mark the occasion, here’s a graphic which takes a quick look at a selection of pioneering female chemists! Click the above image to enlarge and learn more about each of the chemists featured, or download the PDF poster below.