A summary of what makes a wine acceptable to vegans, in terms of the chemical additives used during winemaking
In day-to-day life, climate change can seem intangible. But long-term records of global temperatures and atmospheric composition and their correlations show that climate change is real.
I appreciate Anthony Zipper's comments on attempts to define 'natural' and 'organic'. I agree that 'natural' is a term that is essentially impossible to define - it is, as I noted in my November/De...
In the early 1950s, only a few years after Willard Libby\u0027s invention of the technique of radiocarbon dating, the Museum of Applied Science in Melbourne decided to establish a dating laboratory. The basics of the technique are probably well known to chemists but - just to recapitulate - cosmic ray neutrons interact with nitrogen-14 nuclei to produce carbon-14 and a hydrogen nucleus. The carbon-14 is radioactive, losing an electron (beta-particle) to revert to nitrogen-14, with a half-life of about 6500 years. In living organisms, an equilibrium concentration of carbon-14 is maintained by constant exchange with the atmosphere, but when an organism dies this equilibrium is no longer maintained and the concentration of carbon-14 falls steadily as the atoms decay. Ages up to about 40 000 years can be determined by careful counting. Libby checked the validity of his method by determining the age of wood from archaeological sites of known longevity, and he also showed that really old materials such as natural gas and coal had no remaining radioactivity.
Most pet owners know chocolate and dogs don't mix. Despite this, chocolate poisoning in dogs remains a problem, particularly at Christmas and Easter, as a new study in the journal Vet Record shows.
Introducing students (and non-scientists) to the concept of chirality is a fundamental aspect of science education. This often involves a discussion of chirality in nature and the implications of this molecular asymmetry, using real-world examples. Consistent with these objectives, one of the first laboratory experiments that second-year undergraduate chemistry students undertake at the University of Tasmania involves the steam distillation of R-(+)-limonene from lemons and oranges. R-(+)- Limonene is the major enantiomer present in these citrus fruits. As part of this exercise we have been somewhat surprised to find that some secondary sources (correctly) state that R-(+)- limonene is the major enantiomer present in oranges, while (incorrectly) claiming.
Once thought of as the 'gunk in the bottom of the flask', metal-organic frameworks have emerged as a potential wonder material. Marta Rubio-Martinez and Matthew Hill present an Australian perspective.
Australia is throwing away more than four million tonnes of food each year. It's too good to waste, say environmental chemist Nanthi Bolan and chemical engineer Dan Tsang.
Youu0027ve probably read stories about new research using the gene editing technique CRISPR, also called CRISPR/Cas9. The scientific world is captivated by this revolutionary technology, since it is easier, cheaper and more efficient than previous strategies for modifying DNA.
As the UK rolls out a new 5 note, we ask what are the advantages of ditching the old paper fiver?
Review(s) of: Writing for science journals: Tips, tricks, and a learning plan, by Hart G., Diaskeuasis Publishing, Quebec, Canada, 2014, ISBN 9781927972014, 434 pp., US$32.
The quality of fuel sold in Australia is regulated by the Fuel Standards Act. The Act sets the levels of various components and performance criteria for petrol, diesel, LPG, ethanol fuels and biodiesel. The Fuel Standards Act complements vehicle design rules, which set performance levels for new vehicles sold in Australia, including emission limits. A review of vehicle design rules is currently underway, which will tighten emission standards and extend emission limits to include greenhouse gas emissions. This harmonises Australian design rules with European design rules.
I have been engaging in a mild bout of decluttering, and so browsing in the collection of old science books that are scattered on my bookshelves. Is the book a gem that gives me a glimpse of how chemistry was seen and done during the last 150 years, or is it junk that should go into the recycling bin? It might be available in a library or repository, where I could get it if I wanted it, but how would I know that it was interesting if I wasn't able to inspect it?
The Nobel Laureates in Chemistry for 2016 have designed and synthesised molecular systems that can be taken out of equilibrium and into higher-energy states in which their movements can be controlled. Molecular machines will likely lead to nanorobots, sensors, storage devices and perhaps even artificial life.
