RSC Blog

The first couple of days of the IUPAC congress have flown by, with some fantastic events and speakers really making this conference one to remember.

Monday afternoon’s plenary lecture was given by Prof. Dame Louise Johnson, who after her talk was awarded an honourary fellowship of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Professor Dame Louise Johnson receives her Royal Society of Chemistry honourary fellowship from RSC President Dave Garner

In the evening Harry Kroto led a great Café Scientifique, talking about what he calls the “GooYouWiki World”, and a lot else besides! The house was full (sorry to those we had to turn away!) and everyone was up for questions and debate in the relaxed atmosphere of the Tron Theatre.

Café Scientifique at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow, with Harry Kroto

We talked a lot about education, particularly in the context of getting the best teaching resources to the teachers that need them most. Harry was keen to explain the benefits of the GeoSet project, too, where students can upload videos and synchronised presentations. “I’ve revolutionised marking,” Harry proudly proclaimed. “While other teachers have a huge stack of essays or papers to mark, I’m sitting at my table with a coffee watching the students on my laptop.”

Harry Kroto at the Tron Theatre

Limonene: natural and organic

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…)

In another landmark case, setting new bounds for sanity, the ASA have banned an advert that suggests drinking beer gives you courage. The advert breaches the ASA guidelines.

Of course, no one would want to encourage the drinking of beer. I am delighted that the ASA has such a rigorous policing policy. But I’m not sure that anyone will have been misled here – ask most people and I think the odd drink ’will have bolstered most people’s confidence’ at some time or another.

So humour is well and truly dead at the ASA. Pity then that they don’t take their roles more seriously over the 100% chemical free fertiliser. The £1 million prize is still on offer – perhaps a pint of courage might help the ASA to admit they’ve got their earlier decision wrong. Ever thought about 100% chemical free beer? That’s got no courage at all!