Element number 8 in our International Year of the Periodic Table series is oxygen. Oxygen is a paramagnetic gas which is essential for respiration of living things, and also finds use as a rocket fuel. Oxygen is a magnetic gas, though this isn’t something that’s demonstrable in the gaseous state. However, if oxygen is cooled …
Pregnancy is a rollercoaster of shifting hormone levels which can have numerous effects. This graphic looks at six key hormones during pregnancy, their roles in the development of the baby, and other effects. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)hCG is an important hormone in early pregnancy. It’s produced by the placenta after implantation, and supports the function …
We’re up to element 7 in our International Year of the Periodic Table series: Nitrogen. This element was feeding the world long before Band Aid made it cool, and also makes up the bulk of the air that surrounds us. 78% of air is nitrogen, making it the most common element in the Earth’s atmosphere. …
Here’s element number six, carbon, in the series of element graphics I’m producing with the Royal Society of Chemistry for the International Year of the Periodic Table. Elemental carbon has several different forms, known as allotropes. Diamond is one of the best known, and one of the hardest known substances. Graphite, another allotrope of carbon, …
Here’s element number five in the series of element graphics I’m producing with the Royal Society of Chemistry for the International Year of the Periodic Table. Boron is found as a preservative and buffer in eye drops and contact lens solutions in the form of borax (sodium tetraborate). You might be more familiar with borax …
Air pollution is a growing concern in cities around the world, and seeing people on the streets wearing masks to block air pollution is increasingly common. What exactly are these masks intended to block – and more importantly, do they actually work? This month’s graphic in C&EN has the answers. https://www.compoundchem.com/2019/02/18/do-air-pollution-masks-work-in-cen/
Air pollution is a growing concern in cities around the world, and seeing people on the streets wearing masks to block air pollution is increasingly common. What exactly are these masks intended to block – and more importantly, do they actually work? This month’s graphic in C&EN has the answers. https://www.compoundchem.com/2019/02/18/do-air-pollution-masks-work-in-cen/
Element number three in our series of International Year of the Periodic Table graphics, made in partnership with the Royal Society of Chemistry, is beryllium. Beryllium is found in the mineral beryl, varieties of which include emerald and aquamarine. As one of the lowest density metals, gold-plated beryllium was used to make the 18 mirrors of …
Perfect porridge can be a challenge. Too lumpy, too runny, too stodgy – unpalatable porridge is a sadly common phenomenon. Here, we look at how science can provide pointers on getting porridge-making right. Let’s start with the porridge basics. Oats are around 40–60% starch. Starch is a carbohydrate which forms granules made of amylose and …
Element number three in our series of International Year of the Periodic Table graphics, made in partnership with the Royal Society of Chemistry, is lithium. Lithium is one of only three primordial elements created by the Big Bang (along with hydrogen and helium, who we’ve already met). It’s also the element we have to thank …
