RSC Blog

The 42nd IUPAC Congress got off to a great start yesterday, with the opening ceremony and civic reception going down extremely well. Opening remarks from the IUPAC Secretary General Chris Black, IUPAC President Jung-Il Jin, Royal Society of Chemistry President Dave Garner, Chair of the 42nd IUPAC Congress Paul O’Brien and  were well received. The Clyde Auditorium looked stunning, by the way:

42nd IUPAC Congress Opening Ceremony, The Clyde Auditorium, SECC

Awards were made, by President Jin, to the winners of the IUPAC Prizes for Young Chemists from 2008 and 2009. Congratulations to Emilie Banide, Christopher Thomas Rodgers, Akinori Saeki, Andrea Rae Tao and Scott Warren (2008), and to Faisal Aldaye, Christopher Bettinger, Xinliang Feng, Xing Yi Ling and Shengqian Ma (2009).

The 2008 and 2009 winners of the IUPAC Prizes for Young Chemists

The bit that really stole the show, however, was when we were asked to follow the piper to the reception. Baffled looks abound, but the unmistakable sound came hauntingly through the curtains, and out stepped a kilted piper to lead us to the Glasgow Science Centre.

A traditionally-dressed piper leads the chemist congregation from the Clyde Auditorium

That was yesterday… this morning we had the pleasure and honour of being addressed by the inimitable Sir Harry Kroto. His enthusiastic, heartfelt talks are always a highlight, and today he discussed (among much else) his concept of “three senses”: common sense, uncommon sense (science) and nonsense (too common). And as he said himself: “common sense has been replaced by common NONsense – what we need is UNcommon sense, ie science!”

Sir Harry greets the adoring crowd

The scientific legacy of Scotland is awe-inspiring. As I hurtle down the East Coast line to the 42nd IUPAC Congress in Glasgow, which is being hosted by the RSC from today until Friday, I’m taking time to acquaint myself with a few of the many great scientists, engineers and inventors the country has produced. I may fling out a few Scottish science facts throughout the week on the official IUPAC Twitter stream, twitter.com/IUPAC2009.

We’re so taken with the prodigious scientific output of Scotland that we want to celebrate it by giving away a new Apple iPhone 3GS – the latest and greatest incarnation of Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone. He’s Scottish too. All you have to do is tell us (in 140 chars or fewer, naturally) the reason Scotland produces so many great scientists (via email, blog comment or preferably Tweet). More on Scottish scientists and full competweetion rules later in the post. (more…)

An enlightening cutting from Tuesday’s London Lite just hit my desk: a review of “six of the best chemical-free deodorants.” Oh ho ho, I thought to myself. More chemical-free myths to debunk on the blog, trying to explain that, while natural and organic, limonene smells the same whether you get it from a citrus fruit or a separating funnel. For the record its molecular structure is to the left. Looks like a chemical to me, but what do I know?

So in this list there are a few of the standard “all-natural, 100% chemical-free” deodorants – the ones with ingredients lists like this. My favourite of the non-chemicals on this particular list is eugenol, which has the delightful alternative name eugenic acid.

But, even better than the chemical-containing 100%-chemical-free deodorants of a standard body-spray nature, there are two that really made me laugh – and think. (more…)

50 years ago Alfred Hitchcock shot a film that would go down in history: Psycho. Starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, one scene in particular has become universally recognisable.

As Marion (Leigh) showers, a shadowy figure is seen through the shower curtain. The curtain is thrown back by the faceless figure, knife poised to strike, and Marion lets rip that famous bloodcurdling scream, as her attacker repeatedly stabs her to the backdrop of the now infamous orchestral stings.

It’s been recreated and parodied many times, but for some reason no-one has focused on the most important issue: such an indulgent shower is wasting a lot of water and setting a bad example.

Research we conducted previously with Ipsos MORI said that Britons (especially women) were among the most negligent showerers in Europe, with our French, German and Spanish neighbours being far more concerned about the amount of water wasted and composition of various soaps and gels we wash down the plughole.

So to draw attention to the plight, and attempt to remedy it, we’re looking for someone to fill the shoes… err… the role of Janet Leigh, and take part in a tasteful remake of the scene, to be titled Shower Murder.

The film will be a sixty-second video showing how one can shower effectively in one minute without wasting water. If you feel you’re the one for the role, send an email with a passport photo to elliotts at rsc dot org.

Put down that Sudoku and try a real challenge from the East. We’ve managed to get hold of and translate two entrance exams, in chemistry and maths, for Beijing City Senior High Schools, and we’d like you to give them a try.

These exams are for all students wishing to enter the high school. I must admit the translation isn’t perfect, but the aim of each question is clear. And quite revealing.

As reported by The Daily Telegraph this morning (story here), Dr Richard Pike, RSC’s chief executive, said: “In Britain most of the questions with some sort of mathematics or problem solving are very straight forward. With the Chinese ones you’ve got to think a little bit further, you can’t just stick down the answer.”

While a similar gradation of questions – from an easy start to difficult finish – can be seen in the new GCSEs, the curve is much steeper for the Chinese exams. Many of the longer answers require much critical thinking and problem-solving skill; compare this with the hand-holding a student gets in GCSE exam questions and you’ll see clearly the different levels of understanding required.

At the same time there are many topically-relevant questions, such as questions about the 2008 Olympics (although these are often quite heavily politicised.)

So why not have a look yourselves? Here are download links to the papers:

Download the chemistry paper here

Download the maths paper here

We’ll post the answers next week. If you have any opinions please do leave your thoughts in the comments below. If you can’t see the comments box, click here.

Trade in yer peg-leg for a real leg, mateys! Alchemists from Italy have discovered how  to transform wood into bone, and logged it in the ArrrSC Journal o’ Materials Alchemy.

Ahem.

A historically-accurate image of a buccaneer, complete with peg-leg

Although it’s not International Talk Like A Pirate Day until 19 September, this story called for a buccaneering theme. A relatively simple, multi-step chemical process to turn wood into bone has been reported by Anna Tampieri and colleagues at the Institute of Science and Technology for Ceramics, Faenza.

The organic structure of the wood is the perfect template for bone tissue suitable for use in repairing damaged limbs, which, in times past, might have been replaced with a peg leg. Cue stage right: gratuitous pirate picture, complete with all stereotypical accessories including wooden leg.

By changing the chemical composition of the wood, step by step, into hydroxyapatite (the main constituent of real bone) but retaining its natural structure, Tampieri’s team believe they have created a material that has the strength and structure of bone and could be suitably biocompatible for use in surgery.

Journal o’ Materials Alchemy (ok I’ll stop now) subscribers can view the article here.

Many famous brands are immediately recognisable symbols or colours: the Nike tick, Coca-Cola red, and so on. These aren’t necessarily evocative or appealing images – they’re just so well-known and consistent across the products that they’ve ascended to a whole new plane of brand awareness. The RSC’s theme for 2009 – food – has meant we’ve seen hundreds of brands and packaging for edible produce.

So let us look now to the most famous of sticky sauces, Lyle’s Golden Syrup. Everyone knows the century-old design: a round tin can with a lid you prise off with a knife; racing green bodywork with the golden words arching over a central picture of… of what is it again? A lion or something?

Look closely. It’s a lion alright, but a dead, rotting lion, and emanating from its stomach is a pestilential-looking swarm of bees. A more grotesque image for a foodstuff one can hardly imagine!

Under this disturbing logo are the words: “Out of the strong came forth sweetness”, a reference by its strongly-religious creator Abram Lyle to a scene in the Bible. Samson (of Delilah fame) saw in the desert a lion carcass which housed a honeycomb. For some reason Lyle thought this an appropriate way to sell his pancake topping.

Lyle's Golden Syrup - the most disturbing brand ever?

This marketing incongruity has puzzled us at the RSC. Clearly a household name and well-respected brand, Lyle’s Golden Syrup is as ubiquitous as Nike or Coca-Cola ever will be. EDIT: Our anonymous tipster below reports Lyle’s is “Britain’s oldest brand” according to the Guinness Book of Records. So the lion corpse definitely hasn’t done them any harm!

But have you ever even noticed that dead lion on the front? Now that you’ve seen it, does it put you off buying golden syrup? Is there a hidden champion of food producers with disgusting marketing that could tip Lyle’s to the title? Tell us below in the comments.

2009 marks the inexplicably overlooked 50th anniversary of the automatic electric kettle, the true patriarch of this noble dynasty being the Russell Hobbs K2.

As reported in today’s Metro, we’re appealing to the public on this contentious issue: should you reboil or refill a kettle for that second cuppa? The best answer wins a trip down to London for two people to indulge in a British instution: tea at the Ritz.

There’s a huge body of opinion that maintains a bad-tasting brew is inevitable if you reuse water once boiled – some say it rids the water of taste-enhancing dissolved oxygen gas. There are others who heard from their grannies that reboiled water causes cancer.

But some say that the difference in taste and composition is minimal, and a new draught of water is just a waste of a precious resource – not to mention more expensive. Still others say it makes no difference at all!

Arguments about limescale, dissolved gases… surely this is just chemistry, yes? So there must be a scientific explanation for all this.

Explain your choice of reboiled or reused water, in a clear and scientific manner, in a comment to this post. The answer we judge to be the best will win a trip for two to London, and tea at the Ritz hotel on Piccadilly – incidentally just a few steps down the road from home of the RSC, Burlington House.

We’ll be closing comments on 30 June, so pull up your favourite search engine, give your granny a ring and present your theory below!

Click here if you can’t see the comments box.

Last week an epic mission of sharing chemistry knowledge began at the University of Leeds – and will finish six weeks and 7000km later in Nairobi, Kenya.

Three thousand textbooks from the university library were shipped out and will be distributed through the RSC’s Pan Africa Chemistry Network (PACN).

The Head of the School of Chemistry, Professor Philip Kocienski, came down to lend a hand loading the huge haul of books into boxes and onto the van.

Prime Logistics International of Baildon, Shipley, are undertaking the massive journey to deliver the books to the chemistry department at the University of Nairobi, the African central hub of the PACN. From there they can be distributed to other learning centres that need them.

As the library undergoes redevelopment, it’s seen as an opportunity to support the growth of chemistry in Africa by providing these high-quality teaching aids such as textbooks.

The RSC’s Pan Africa Chemistry Network allows students, teachers and academics across Africa to access a wide range of support, including online science resources, networking opportunities and teaching materials.

UPDATE: Cadbury emerges the clear winner in our tasting. You can still cast your vote at the bottom of the post!

Over 300 people came to our chocolate tasting this morning, and a resounding 74% of participants said their preferred chocolate was Cadbury Dairy Milk.

Interestingly 71% of people raised in North America preferred Cadbury chocolate – so it’s not just “what you grew up with”!

Here’s a few photos from the morning’s event:

On Tuesday 28 April the RSC will host the bout of the century: Hershey’s vs Cadbury. Which is the public’s preferred chocolate?

The venue: the courtyard of Burlington House, Piccadilly, home of the RSC.

The contenders: in the purple corner, and weighing in at 49 g, Cadbury Dairy Milk. In the brown corner, at 43 g, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate.

The referees : the general public, who will express their opinions of their preferred chocolate in a blind test. A team of chemists from Keele University have analysed the chocolate and its different chemical properties, and will also analyse the results of the opinion poll on the day.

It would hardly be fair to limit this poll to the lucky few who walk past Burlington House at 10.30 on Tuesday, however. So we’re throwing the poll open to the entire world! Speed your preferred chocolate to success by casting your vote below:

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