365
Day 1 - Chemical Abstracts First Publishes in 1907
Posted on January 1, 2011First issue of Chemical Abstracts, is published in 1907, featuring summaries of findings from scientists worldwide.
Day 2 - Walnuts – Beneficial in Prostate Cancer?
Posted on January 2, 2011St. Berchtold’s Day, Switzerland. Named for Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen, who founded Bern, the capital of Switzerland. Eating nuts is a tradition on this day.
Day 3 - Margarine
Posted on January 3, 2011Henry Bradley patented oleomargarine in 1871. This butter substitute was touted for its health benefits — until more studies clouded the picture.
Day 4 - First Electrolytic Production Of Bromine
Posted on January 4, 2011In 1891, Herbert H. Dow discovers way to produce bromine, opening the doors for major chemical production in the U.S.
Day 5 - George Washington Carver: Chemist, Teacher, Symbol
Posted on January 5, 2011Death of food chemist George Washington Carver, who discovered hundreds of new uses for crops such as the peanuts.
Day 6 - Capsaicin
Posted on January 6, 2011This chemical, found in the flesh and seeds of chili peppers, can put a sizzle in a cold January day.
Day 7 - Sir John Ernest Walker
Posted on January 7, 2011Sir John Ernest Walker born 1941, helped unravel the process that creates ATP, the molecule that transports energy throughout the body.
Day 8 - Aircraft De-icers
Posted on January 8, 2011When winter weather hits, air travelers can jet off to warmer climates, thanks to these chemicals, which dissolve snow and ice and then keep the water from refreezing.
Day 9 - Søren Sørensen
Posted on January 9, 2011What makes an acid an acid and a base a base? Søren Sørensen, born 1868, figured this out when he introduced the concept of pH as a measure of hydrogen ion concentration.
Day 10 - Carl von Linde
Posted on January 10, 2011This scientist developed a way to extract oxygen from the air, making it available to hospitals and industries and for use as rocket fuel.
Day 11 - The Discovery of Insulin
Posted on January 11, 2011January 1922, the first successful treatment of diabetes with insulin, co-discovered by chemist Charles Best.
Day 12 - Durable Press and Flame Retardant Cotton
Posted on January 12, 20111916 birth of American chemist Ruth Rogan Benerito, a pioneer in the development of wash- and-wear fabrics. Her research resulted in the development of cotton fabrics that are crease and stain resistant and better able to retard flames.
Day 13 - Self-Darkening Eyeglasses
Posted on January 13, 2011National Eye Care Month: These shades aren’t just cool, they help protect eyes from the sun’s high-energy UV light.
Day 14 - Nail Polish
Posted on January 14, 2011This date marks the death of Paul Vieille, discoverer of nitrocellulose, a key ingredient in nail polish and gunpowder.
Day 15 - Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
Posted on January 15, 2011Eleuthère Irénée du Pont founded the DuPont company in 1802. January marks the anniversary month of the arrival of the du Pont family in America in 1800.
Day 16 - Fermium
Posted on January 16, 2011Fermium, a radioactive rare earth metal, was first isolated and identified by scientists in 1953 at University of California, Berkeley.
Day 17 - Artificial Snow
Posted on January 17, 2011When Nature fails to drop enough snow or brings a January thaw, skiers use this to keep thing moving smoothly.
Day 18 - Nanoscale soldering
Posted on January 18, 2011In 1861, Hans Goldschmidt found a simple way to produce and use very high temperatures by mixing aluminum with a metallic oxide. The process is used in welding. Today, scientists working at the nano-scale are designing similar techniques in which a filler metal is melted to join metal pieces together.
Day 19 - United States Synthetic Rubber Program
Posted on January 19, 2011Harry Fisher, born 1885, inventor of rubber technology, helped the U.S. rubber industry replace tons of natural rubber with a synthetic substitute.
Day 20 - Horace Wells
Posted on January 20, 2011Horace Wells, born 1815, gave patients a fit of giggles when he became the first to use nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, as an anesthetic.
Day 21 - Separation of Rare Earth Elements
Posted on January 21, 2011Separation of Rare Earth Elements — used in aluminum baseball bats, electronics and green technologies — first described in 1907.
Day 22 - Excipients
Posted on January 22, 2011King James I charters the first English organization of pharmacists, 1617, long before these inactive ingredients in medicines could help drug delivery.
Day 23 - Marie Curie
Posted on January 23, 2011In 1911, Nobel Laureate Marie Curie’s nomination to the French Academy of Sciences is rejected by the Academy’s all-male membership.
Day 24 - An Internet Gold Rush
Posted on January 24, 2011Gold discovered at Sutter’s Mill, Calif., 1848, causing the ‘49er gold rush. Today, another type of gold rush is on, as companies “prospect” for solutions on the Internet.
Day 25 - Robert Boyle
Posted on January 25, 2011Robert Boyle, born 1627, described the relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas. Boyle’s law is used to calculate the volume and pressure of internal-combustion engines and steam engines.
Day 26 - Atomic Weight
Posted on January 26, 2011For the first time in history, a change was made to the atomic weights of some elements listed on the Table of Standard Atomic Weights of the chemical elements found in the inside covers of chemistry textbooks worldwide.
Day 27 - F. August Kekulé
Posted on January 27, 2011F. August Kekulé presented his six-sided benzene structure to the Société Chimique in Paris, 1865.
Day 28 - Kathleen Lonsdale
Posted on January 28, 2011Kathleen Yardley Lonsdale determined the crystal pattern of molecules using X-ray crystallography, part of a lifetime of fundamental contributions to the study of the of molecules using x-rays.
Day 29 - The Ozone Layer
Posted on January 29, 20111978, Sweden becomes the first nation to curb aerosol sprays to halt CFCs and destruction of the ozone layer.
Day 30 - Peter Agre
Posted on January 30, 2011Peter Agre, born 1949, discovered “channels” that transport water through cell membranes, garnering him a 2003 Nobel Prize. Studies of the channels have helped in understanding kidney disease.
Day 31 - Irving Langmuir, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1932
Posted on January 31, 2011Birth in 1881 of Irving Langmuir, renowned chemist and Nobel laureate who was namesake for an American Chemical Society journal.
Day 32 - Dental Anesthetics
Posted on February 1, 2011National Dental Month: Exotic compounds discovered by using high-throughput technology help take the pain out of dental work.
Day 33 - Gasoline
Posted on February 2, 2011Leaded gasoline hit the U.S. market in Dayton, OH, 1923, when Thomas Midgley, Jr., of General Motors Research labs added tetraethyllead to gasoline.
Day 34 - Shower Cleaners
Posted on February 3, 2011Chinese New Year: To celebrate, families may give their homes a thorough cleaning, sweeping away any ill-fortune to make way for good luck in the new year. Showers are often one of the least enjoyable places to clean.
Day 35 - Dr. Joseph Goldberger & the War on Pellagra
Posted on February 4, 2011In 1915, Joseph Goldberger begins the experiment that demonstrates that pellagra is a dietary disease. Pellegra is caused by having too little niacin or Vitamin B3 in the diet.
Day 36 - High Performance Carbon Fibers
Posted on February 5, 2011In February 1960, materials engineer Roger Bacon published findings on studies of graphite and carbon fibers, which contributed to a revolution in the heat-resistant materials used in aircraft and satellites.
Day 37 - Diagnostic Test Strips
Posted on February 6, 2011Commemoration of test strips, used by millions to help manage diseases such as diabetes as well as kidney and liver conditions.
Day 38 - John Newlands
Posted on February 7, 2011Four years before Mendeleev announced his Periodic Table, John Newlands organized the known elements by listing them in order by atomic weight, according to his “Law of Octaves.” His method, published in Chemical News Feb.7, 1863, was ridiculed at the time.
Day 39 - Taxol
Posted on February 8, 2011Robert Holton announces total synthesis of taxol, an important cancer drug, 1994. Taxol is used to treat breast cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer and AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma.
Day 40 - Light Sticks
Posted on February 9, 2011Adam’s Peak Pilgrimage, Sri Lanka: Pilgrims of all religions flock to climb the steps on this steep mountain path, which is illuminated with light.
Day 41 - Artificial Sweeteners
Posted on February 10, 2011Ira Remsen, born 1846, founder of American Chemical Journal, made life sweet for millions when he discovered saccharin.
Day 42 - Frederick Soddy
Posted on February 11, 2011British radiochemist Frederick Soddy coins the word “isotope” for elements that appeared to occupy the same place on the periodic table.
Day 43 - Discovery of Organic Free Radicals
Posted on February 12, 2011Death of Moses Gomberg, 1947, who opened the study of free radicals in 1900 when he inadvertently prepared the first one, triphenylmethyl. Free radicals are essential to body functioning and are used in the production of plastics and other synthetic materials.
Day 44 - Solar Cells
Posted on February 13, 2011In 1990, the U.S. space probe Voyager I captured a series of photographs of the sun on a voyage to the edge of the Solar System. Today, scientists are working to develop new materials and strategies for designing photovoltaic systems that convert sunlight into electricity.
Day 45 - Silly Putty
Posted on February 14, 2011This ‘silly’ toy made its debut this week in 1950 at the International Toy Fair in New York City.
Day 46 - Chemistry and Microelectronics
Posted on February 15, 2011In 1897, Ferdinand Braun published a paper in the journal Annalen der Physik und Chemie describing his “Braun tube,” which was the first cathode-ray oscilloscope. He developed this as a method to record and study the time dependence of alternating currents.
Day 47 - Synthetic Diamonds
Posted on February 16, 2011Synthetic diamond makers are targeting the gem market first, but their product could transform many other industries, too
Day 48 - Dmitri Mendeleev
Posted on February 17, 2011In 1869, Dmitri Mendeleev cancelled a planned visit to a factory and stayed at home working on the problem of how to arrange the chemical elements in a systematic way. These documents, still in existence, mark the beginning of the form of the Periodic Table used today.
Day 49 - John Sinfelt
Posted on February 18, 2011John Sinfelt, born 1931: His research allowed refiners to remove lead alkyls from gasoline years before the mandated deadline.
Day 50 - Svante August Arrhenius
Posted on February 19, 2011Svante Arrhenius was first to speculate that changes in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere could alter surface temperatures through the greenhouse effect.
Day 51 - The Chemical Revolution
Posted on February 20, 2011In 1773, Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier described a new nomenclature for chemistry which clarified the distinction between elements and compounds.
Day 52 - Instant Film
Posted on February 21, 2011Edwin Land demonstrates Polaroid camera to an Optical Society meeting, 1947, after his daughter asks why she had to wait so long to see her picture.
Day 53 - Friedrich Wöhler
Posted on February 22, 2011Friedrich Wöhler wrote a letter to J. J. Berzelius stating that he had synthesized urea, making an organic compound from inorganic materials, 1828. Wöhler and colleague Justus von Liebig were friends who helped make organic chemistry a field of systematic study.
Day 54 - Vitamins
Posted on February 23, 2011Birthday in 1884 of Polish biochemist Casimir Funk, who realized that certain substances in food were essential to good health, and named tham “vitamines,” with “vita” meaning vitality and “amines” meaning chemical compounds containing nitrogen.
Day 55 - Teeth Whiteners
Posted on February 24, 2011In 1938, DuPont began commercial production of nylon toothbrush bristles for the so-called “Miracle Tuft Toothbrush.” Before 1938, the world relied on toothbrush bristles of neck hairs from wildwild boars and hogs. Today, chemists are still developing new materials to keep you smiling.
Day 56 - Reinhold Benesch and Ruth Erica Benesch
Posted on February 25, 2011Reinhold and Ruth Erica Benesch co-discovered how hemoglobin works like an oxygen delivery truck, carrying oxygen molecules to cells that need it. Ruth Erica Benesch was born this day in 1925.
Day 57 - Otto Wallach
Posted on February 26, 20111931 death of Otto Wallach, who analyzed fragrant essential oils to determine the molecular structure of terpene compounds. Terpenes were of importance in medicine and the perfume industry.
Day 58 - Henry Aaron Hill
Posted on February 27, 2011Black History Month, February the United States and Canada and September in the United Kingdom, celebrates the achievements of individuals like Henry Aaron Hill, the first African-American president of the American Chemical Society.
Day 59 - Linus Pauling
Posted on February 28, 2011Linus Pauling, born 1901, applied quantum mechanics to the study of molecular structures and chemical bonding. He received the 1954 Nobel Prize for Chemistry and introduced the concept of electronegativity — the ability of an atom to attract electrons to form bonds.
Day 60 - Deep-tank Fermentation
Posted on March 1, 2011Pfizer opened the world’s first large-scale penicillin facility in 1944, making it possible to mass produce germ-killing medicine.
Day 61 - Hot-Air Ballooning
Posted on March 2, 2011In 1784, Jean Pierre Blanchard made his first successful ascent in a self-built balloon. The following year, he and American physician Dr. John Jeffries, made the first flight over the English Channel.
Day 62 - U.S. National Bureau of Standards
Posted on March 3, 2011National Bureau of Standards, later named the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), created in 1901.
Day 63 - New method could revolutionize dating of ancient treasures
Posted on March 4, 2011Today in 1947, Willard Libby and coworkers developed radiocarbon dating, a method used to determine the age of ancient mummies and fossils.
Day 64 - Lipstick
Posted on March 5, 2011A variety of waxes, oils, pigments, and emollients in this product have helped people put on a happy faces for years.
Day 65 - Aspirin
Posted on March 6, 2011In 1899, Felix Hoffman was issued a U.S. patent for Aspirin. He had successfully created a chemically pure and stable form of acetylsalicylic acid in 1897. Aspirin is still used today to fight pain and swelling.
Day 66 - Fix-A-Flat
Posted on March 7, 2011Air-filled tires came in 1888 when John Boyd Dunlop wrapped a rubber tube inflated with air around the wheel rims on his son’s tricycle. Too bad he didn’t have this on hand.
Day 67 - Women in the Chemical Industry
Posted on March 8, 2011International Women’s Day, first observed March 19, 1911 in Germany, is now a day of global celebration of women, including those in the chemical industry.
Day 68 - Susan Solomon
Posted on March 9, 2011Susan Soloman, who led a team to study a mysterious ”hole” in the ozone layer over Antarctica, reported her findings to a U.S. House subcommittee in 1987.
Day 69 - Molecular Gastronomy
Posted on March 10, 2011Aaron Lapin received a patent in 1955 for what may have been the first mainline aerosol food product — whipped cream dessert topping in a spray can — as food technology began its march toward the modern era of molecular gastronomy.
Day 70 - Early Aluminum Processing
Posted on March 11, 2011Henri-Étienne Sainte-Claire Deville, born 1818, invented the first industrial process for producing aluminum. In 1854, he built on earlier work of German chemist, Friedrich Woelher, and found a method of preparing aluminum, based on aluminum chloride and sodium.
Day 71 - Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
Posted on March 12, 2011The molecule that is the basis for heredity, DNA, contains the patterns for constructing proteins in the body, including the various enzymes. A team of scientists, Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins determined its structure.
Day 72 - Joseph Priestley: Discoverer of Oxygen
Posted on March 13, 2011Joseph Priestley born in 1733 discovered the gas that would later be named oxygen, answering the age-old question, “How do things burn?”
Day 73 - Albert Einstein
Posted on March 14, 2011Physicist Albert Einstein, born this day in 1879, made contributions to the development of modern chemistry as well. His explanation of the photoelectric effect became the basis of the quantitative laws of photochemistry, as noted in this 2005 article.
Day 74 - Meteorites
Posted on March 15, 2011In 1806, a 6-kg meteorite carrying carbon-based, organic chemicals was identified for the first time. Studies of meteorites may lead to a better understanding the origin of the solar system.
Day 75 - Synthetic Rubber Production
Posted on March 16, 2011Synthetic Rubber Program first described in 1928. Export restrictions of natural rubber sparked interest in finding ways to synthesize the material.
Day 76 - Sugar Processing
Posted on March 17, 2011Norbert Rillieux’s strange-sounding invention, the Multiple Effect Evaporator under Vacuum, revolutionized sugar processing, making it safer, cheaper, and more efficient.
Day 77 - Gilman Hall
Posted on March 18, 2011Gilman Hall, chemistry building at the University of California, Berkeley, dedicated in 1918. Research done here has resulted in two Nobel Prizes.
Day 78 - Irène Joliot-Curie and Frédéric Joliot
Posted on March 19, 2011Frédéric Joliot-Curie worked with Marie Curie and married her daughter, Irène Curie. He and Irène did research on the structure of the atom, garnering the pair a Nobel Prize in 1935.
Day 79 - Contact Lenses
Posted on March 20, 2011Bausch & Lomb, incorporated as Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. in 1908, has used materials from Plexiglas to silicone hydrogels to help people make eye contact.
Day 80 - Darleane Hoffman and Plutonium
Posted on March 21, 2011Plutonium named: In 1942, a secret report was submitted suggesting the name “plutonium” for artificial element 94 since it followed neptunium and uranium (elements 93 & 92). In 1971, Darleane Christian Hoffman discovered small amounts of plutonium in a rock formation.
Day 81 - Robert A. Millikan
Posted on March 22, 2011An experiment performed by Robert Millikan in 1909 determined the size of the charge on an electron. He received the Nobel Prize for his work.
Day 82 - Neil Bartlett and Reactive Noble Gases
Posted on March 23, 2011Neil Bartlett demonstrates reactive noble gases, 1962. Today, noble gas compounds produce laser beams used in eye surgery and create anti-tumor agents.
Day 83 - NMR
Posted on March 24, 2011Two-dimensional NMR techniques already had advanced the study of protein structures in solutions. In 1988, Richard Ernst’s group published a report in Nature showing how NMR spectroscopy could be used to elucidate structure in three dimensions. Now, studies are underway to increase NMR sensitivity by 100-fold.
Day 84 - Ellen H. Swallow Richards
Posted on March 25, 2011March is Women’s History month, honoring women such as Ellen Swallow Richards, American chemist who in 1876 created the Woman’s Laboratory at MIT where women could learn the rudiments of science.
Day 85 - Nanofertilizers
Posted on March 26, 2011Fiesta del Arbol (Tree Festival), Spain. Marks the day in 1895 when King Alfonso planted a pine tree near Madrid. When trees and other plants need a nutrient boost—fertilizers can help.
Day 86 - The Sohio Acrylonitrile Process
Posted on March 27, 2011In 1957, researchers developed a single-step way to produce acrylonitrile — a key raw material for many everyday fibers and plastics.
Day 87 - Leonor Michaelis and Maud Leonora Menten
Posted on March 28, 2011Wilhelm Friedrich Kühne, born 1837, coined the term enzyme, but it was Leonor Michaelis and Maud Leonora Menten who showed how these complex compounds make possible the chemical reactions of life.
Day 88 - Electron Microscopy for Chemists
Posted on March 29, 2011In 1956, Soviet scientists claimed the development of a new form of electron microscope that enabled atoms to be seen for the first time. Today, advances in imaging are allowing chemists to probe materials with extraordinary resolution using transmission electron microscopy.
Day 89 - Anesthesia
Posted on March 30, 2011Crawford Long first used ether in 1842 to anesthetize a patient to remove a neck tumor, marking the beginning of the use of anesthesia during surgeries. To celebrate this occurrence, this day is now designated as National Doctor’s Day.
Day 90 - Robert Bunsen
Posted on March 31, 2011Robert Bunsen, born 1811, made many contributions to science, but is most widely recognized for a burner he created for use in flame tests.
Day 91 - Trick Candles
Posted on April 1, 2011A highly reactive metal used in this novelty item will put a spark in April Fools’ Day again and again.
Day 92 - Redefining DNA
Posted on April 2, 2011Francis Crick and James Dewey Watson mailed brief article on the double-helix structure of DNA to Nature in 1953. More recently, scientists have designed of a new type of DNA.
Day 93 - Raincoats
Posted on April 3, 2011This invention, patented more than 180 years ago, insures you’ll be well protected against April showers.
Day 94 - Vitamin B6
Posted on April 4, 2011Synthesis of vitamin B6 was announced by Merck, Sharp & Dohme in 1939. This vitamin has a wide variety of functions in the body.
Day 95 - Morphine
Posted on April 5, 2011Marshall Gates and G. Tschudi announced synthesis of morphine in 1956. Considered to be the first true drug, it remains the gold standard for relieving severe pain.
Day 96 - The American Chemical Society
Posted on April 6, 2011The American Chemical Society (ACS) founded in 1876 in New York City. John W. Draper, a scientist interested in photochemistry, served as first president.
Day 97 - Joan Berkowitz
Posted on April 7, 2011Joan Berkowitz, environmental consultant who tackled everything from preventing water pollution to the best ways to treat industrial waste.
Day 98 - The Columbia dry cell battery
Posted on April 8, 2011In 1886, German scientist, Dr. Carl Gassner, was issued a German patent for the first “dry” cell. The following year, he received a U.S. patent for the dry cell battery, a forerunner to today’s Energizer battery.
Day 99 - Bowling Balls
Posted on April 9, 2011The U.S. Bowling Congress kicks off its Women’s Championship Tournament this month. Polymer science and surface chemistry play an important role in this very popular sport.
Day 100 - The Beckman pH Meter
Posted on April 10, 2011Arnold Beckman, born 1900, invented the pH meter to help the California citrus industry measure acidity. The device revolutionized scientific instrumentation.
Day 101 - Percy Julian
Posted on April 11, 2011Percy Lavon Julian, born 1899, brought relief to millions with aches and pains caused by rheumatoid arthritis. His synthesis of cortisone made the treatment affordable.
Day 102 - Otto Fritz Meyerhof
Posted on April 12, 2011Otto Fritz Meyerhof, born 1884, showed that there was a fixed relationship between the consumption of oxygen and the metabolism of lactic acid in the muscle, garnering him a Nobel Prize in 1922.
Day 103 - 75th Anniversary of the ACS Committee on Professional Training
Posted on April 13, 2011For 75 years, the Committee on Professional Training (CPT) has promoted excellence in postsecondary education and provided leadership to the ACS in the professional training of chemists.
Day 104 - Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators
Posted on April 14, 2011NASA’s Nimbus III weather satellite made the first civilian use of nuclear batteries, or “space batteries,” 1969. Officially known as Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs), the batteries have provided spacecraft power for many years.
Day 105 - Helium
Posted on April 15, 2011On this day in 2000, the American Chemical Society designated the discovery of this element within natural gas as a National Historic Chemical Landmark at The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.
Day 106 - Humphry Davy
Posted on April 16, 2011Humphry Davy performed the first physiological experiment on nitrous oxide by inhaling it, 1799. (Don’t try this at home!)
Day 107 - Cheese
Posted on April 17, 2011In 1810, a U.S. patent for pineapple cheese was issued to L.M. Norton of Troy, Pennsylvania. Cheese is one of the oldest processed foods known to mankind, and process cheese products such as Cheez Whiz can add flavor to broccoli or cauliflower.
Day 108 - Federation of African Societies of Chemistry (FASC)
Posted on April 18, 2011FASC and other African nations and Chemistry Societies played a critical role in obtaining UNESCO and UN support for the declaration of 2011 as the International Year of Chemistry (IYC).
Day 109 - Road Markings
Posted on April 19, 2011Of all the standard driving safety devices—seat belts, air bags, antilock brakes—many of us take these for granted.
Day 110 - Whisky
Posted on April 20, 2011Eduard Buchner, born 1860, was awarded the 1907 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for demonstrating that the fermentation of carbohydrates results from the action of different enzymes contained in yeast and not the yeast cell itself. Such complex chemistry is used to develop alcoholic drinks such as this.
Day 111 - Marshmallow
Posted on April 21, 2011Although a year-round treat, spring uniquely promises brightly colored marshmallows shaped like chicks and bunnies.
Day 112 - Green Chemistry
Posted on April 22, 2011In 1970, the first nationwide Earth Day was celebrated in the U.S. as an environmental awareness event celebrated by millions. Green chemistry promotes the careful design of chemicals manufacturing processes to reduce the use of toxic components and minimize waste and energy use on Earth Day and everyday.
Day 113 - Licorice
Posted on April 23, 2011This popular root is used worldwide as a flavor and a medicine.
Day 114 - Helen Vaughn Michel
Posted on April 24, 2011In 1997, paleontologists announced the discovery of a trove of fossilized dinosaurs in northeastern China. Using high-tech chemical instruments, Helen Vaughn Michel helped uncover the cause of the mass extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
Day 115 - Paul Cook
Posted on April 25, 2011Paul M. Cook, born 1924, created a chemistry lab in his house when he was 12 years old, and went on to develop high-performance materials used to build the electronic infrastructure that serve as the backbone of today’s wired world.
Day 116 - Rumford Baking Powder
Posted on April 26, 2011In 1856, Eben Horsford received a patent for calcium acid phosphate, one of the ingredients in the basic formula still used today for the manufacture of Rumford Baking Powder.
Day 117 - Wallace Hume Carothers
Posted on April 27, 2011Wallace Carothers, born 1896, studied the chemistry of giant molecules, leading to production of the first synthetic rubber made in the U.S. and the production of nylon.
Day 118 - Fireflies
Posted on April 28, 2011Fireflies get their brilliant glow from a light-emitting pigment called luciferin. Similar substances cause the glow of other so-called bioluminescent or light-producing creatures, including certain fish.
Day 119 - Kathleen C. Taylor
Posted on April 29, 2011In 1969, a patent was issued for the catalytic converter, which uses chemical reactions to turn noxious emissions into less harmful gases. Originally invented by Eugene Houdry, chemical engineer Kathleen C. Taylor and others improved the device.
Day 120 - J.J. Thomson
Posted on April 30, 2011Joseph John Thomson announced in 1897 the discovery of a particle lighter than all known elements — the electron.
Day 121 - Honey
Posted on May 1, 2011Bees rely on enzymes to create the world’s first ready-to-eat sweetener.
Day 122 - Commercial Processes for Making Calcium Carbide and Acetylene
Posted on May 2, 2011In 1892, Canadian Thomas L. Willson accidentally discovered the electric-arc process for preparing calcium carbide.
Day 123 - Instant Coffee
Posted on May 3, 2011This ‘instant’ classic was first unveiled at the World’s Fair in Buffalo, NY this week in 1901.
Day 124 - Alice Hamilton
Posted on May 4, 2011Occupational Safety and Health Professional (OSHP) Day. Alice Hamilton made the American workplace less dangerous by exposing dangerous working conditions in early twentieth-century America.
Day 125 - Water
Posted on May 5, 2011Water, a simple yet under-appreciated substance, is essential for life. It plays a key role the biological processes that occur in the human body as well as the process that plants use to convert sunlight into energy.
Day 126 - Sticky Notes
Posted on May 6, 2011In 1840, the adhesive postage stamp was first sold in Great Britain. Since then, adhesives have improved greatly, and in 1968 chemists developed these handy little notepapers with an adhesive that allows it to be repositioned with ease.
Day 127 - Monocrystalline silicon and microchips
Posted on May 7, 2011Monocrystalline silicon is one of the most important technological materials of the last decades. It uses include computer chips and high-performance solar cells.
Day 128 - Liquid Bandages
Posted on May 8, 2011Mother’s Day: One of the new tools in the medicine kit of Dr. Moms everywhere makes it easier to mend those cuts, scratches, and scrapes.
Day 129 - Origins of the Sulfuric Acid Industry
Posted on May 9, 2011In addition to his work with the properties of gases, Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac contributed to the development of the sulfuric acid industry. Gay-Lussac died on this day in 1850.
Day 130 - Sir Edward Frankland
Posted on May 10, 2011In 1852, English chemist Sir Edward Frankland presents the concept later known as chemical valence, a theory fundamental to understanding chemical structure. Frankland also was an advocate for clean water.
Day 131 - Sodium
Posted on May 11, 2011Eleven is the theme for the day, so it’s no surprise that Sodium —atomic number 11 — is everywhere, too. Sodium compounds are among the most frequently used materials for industrial and domestic use, and salt is needed for human life.
Day 132 - Roy J. Plunkett
Posted on May 12, 2011Death of Roy J. Plunkett, who accidentally discovered Teflon in 1938 when he found that a tank of gaseous tetrafluoroethylene had polymerized to a white powder. During WWII this new polymer was applied as a corrosion-resistant coating to protect metal equipment.
Day 133 - Discoveries on Extrasolar Planets
Posted on May 13, 2011On April 21, 1994, astronomer Alexander Wolszczan discovered the first extrasolar planets, or planets located outside the solar system. Since that time, scientists have discovered at least 529 of these planets, which are also called exoplanets and have started to discover the gases that comprise their atmospheres.
Day 134 - The Birth of the American Chemical Enterprise at Jamestown
Posted on May 14, 2011The Birth of the Chemical Enterprise founded in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia as chemical practitioners from Europe settled in early Virginia.
Day 135 - Paper
Posted on May 15, 2011Paper, a mainstay of everyday life from books to store receipts, traces its origins to China and Egypt. Most paper today is made from trees using a wood processing technique called pulping.
Day 136 - Quantum Cascade Lasers
Posted on May 16, 2011In 1960, a synthetic ruby crystal laser was first operated at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California. This first operable laser device helped propel studies in physical chemistry. Today, scientists continue making advances with quantum cascade lasers.
Day 137 - Pool Chemicals
Posted on May 17, 2011During pool season a cornucopia of additives keeps pool water sparkling and clean.
Day 138 - MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Posted on May 18, 2011Together, NMR and MRI revolutionized the practice of chemistry and medicine by providing fast, non-destructive, and non-invasive means for the observation of matter from the atomic to the macroscopic scale.
Day 139 - Max Perutz
Posted on May 19, 2011Max Perutz, born this date in 1914, received the 1962 Nobel Prize for his studies of the structure of hemoglobin, the protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues via blood cells.
Day 140 - The Noyes Laboratory
Posted on May 20, 2011Chemical sciences in the United States have been immeasurably strengthened by the important and continuing interdisciplinary research conducted by Noyes Laboratory scientists.
Day 141 - Sandpaper
Posted on May 21, 2011Spring cleaning is often accompanied by a wealth of do-it-yourself projects using this ubiquitous abrasive.
Day 142 - The Fluid Bed Reactor
Posted on May 22, 2011First fluid bed reactor for gasoline production went on stream in 1942 to meet growing demand for high-octane fuels.
Day 143 - Edgar Fahs Smith
Posted on May 23, 2011Born in 1854, Edgar Fahs Smith was regarded as a a pioneer in the study of the history and culture of chemistry in the United States during the early decades of the twentieth century.
Day 144 - St. Elmo Brady
Posted on May 24, 2011In 1916 St. Elmo Brady became the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry in the United States.
Day 145 - The Houdry Process
Posted on May 25, 2011Houdry process for gasoline production unveiled in 1937, conserved natural oil by doubling the amount of gasoline produced by other processes.
Day 146 - Formation of low-iron alloys
Posted on May 26, 2011In 1857, Robert Mushet received a U.S. patent for an improved method of manufacturing steel to make it more malleable. In 1894, chemists began experiments leading to low-iron alloys that could be dissolved in steel to impart toughness, strength and corrosion resistance.
Day 147 - Deciphering the Genetic Code
Posted on May 27, 2011Scientists decipher the genetic code in 1961 experiment using Synthetic RNA, showing how messenger RNA transcribes genetic information from DNA.
Day 148 - Stephanie Kwolek and Kevlar
Posted on May 28, 2011An inventor of industrial-strength fibers that today protect and save thousands of lives.
Day 149 - Sulfonamides
Posted on May 29, 2011In 1951, a patent for improved sulfonamide drugs was issued to James W. Clapp and Richard O. Roblin. Sulfonamides — discovered in 1932 by Gerhard Domagk — were the first chemical substances systematically used to cure bacterial infections in humans.
Day 150 - William Ramsay
Posted on May 30, 2011William Ramsay and Morris William Travers discovered krypton in 1898. Krypton is used in certain photographic flash lamps for high-speed photography.
Day 151 - Rachel Holloway Lloyd
Posted on May 31, 2011The first American woman to earn a chemistry Ph.D., Lloyd introduced a beet sweetening agent as a sugar substitute.
Day 152 - Correction of Debye Theory
Posted on June 1, 2011The sixth-most cited paper in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, “Electric Moments of Molecules in Liquids,” was submitted in 1936, paving the way to a better understanding of polar liquids.
Day 153 - Self Tanners
Posted on June 2, 2011These products help people get a jump-start on their summer glow without exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Day 154 - Robert Woodward
Posted on June 3, 2011In 1960, Robert B Woodward first synthesized chlorophyll, one of many natural products whose structure he defined, garnering him a Nobel Prize in 1965.
Day 155 - Prussian Blue
Posted on June 4, 2011Prussian blue was the first major synthetic pigment that created an affordable alternative to the expensive mineral-based pigment, ultramarine.
Day 156 - Ibuprofen
Posted on June 5, 2011Ibuprofen, commonly used as an alternative to aspirin, received an environmental make-over of its industrial production process in 1997.
Day 157 - Walter G. Campbell
Posted on June 6, 2011Pure Food and Drug Act signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt, 1906. As time wore on, it became clear that a stronger, more a enforceable law was needed and in 1938 the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was passed.
Day 158 - Luminol
Posted on June 7, 2011The chemiluminescence of luminol, which produces light rather than heat when it reacts with an oxidizing agent, has become a valuable tool in crime scene investigations.
Day 159 - Nuclear Waste Storage and Disposal
Posted on June 8, 2011Edwin M. McMillan and Philip Abelson announced discovery of neptunium (Np, 93) in 1940. Today, neptunium’s 2.14 million year half-life makes it a challenge for nuclear waste storage and disposal.
Day 160 - Liquid Crystal Displays
Posted on June 9, 2011Joel E. Goldmacher and Joseph A. Castellano filed a patent application in 1966 for the first room-temperature liquid crystal display. Their work paved the way for today’s 100 billion dollar industry in low-power LCDs, found in popular consumer goods such as laptop computers, televisions and cell phones.
Day 161 - Ice Cream
Posted on June 10, 2011What makes ice cream taste so good? Studies on physical chemistry and flavor release have benefited this sweet treat.
Day 162 - Lava Lamp
Posted on June 11, 2011Patented in 1968, this groovy lighting fixture is pure liquid motion created by matching the density of two insoluble ingredients.
Day 163 - Fritz A. Lipmann
Posted on June 12, 2011Fritz A. Lipmann, born in 1899, discovered coenzyme A and described the central role of ATP in metabolism; he received the Nobel Prize in 1953.
Day 164 - Nickel Batteries
Posted on June 13, 2011Rechargeable Ni-Cd and NiMH batteries provide power for cordless phones, cordless power tools rechargeable batteries for consumer electronics and for hybrid cars.
Day 165 - Rockefeller University
Posted on June 14, 2011Rockefeller University, incorporated in 1901, was among the first to research protein and nucleic acid chemistry.
Day 166 - Biodiesel
Posted on June 15, 2011Biodiesel, made from either waste fry oil or vegetable oil, shows excellent commercial promise as an alternative fuel to gasoline and oil.
Day 167 - Vanadium
Posted on June 16, 2011Henry E. Roscoe announced the isolation of vanadium in 1867. This transition metal, which helps strengthen steel, was first discovered in Mexico over 200 years ago but was lost in a shipwreck before its identity could be verified.
Day 168 - Forensic Science
Posted on June 17, 2011Hiram Maxim received a patent in 1890 for smokeless gunpowder, an innovation leading to the automatic and semi-automatic firearm. At the time, he likely didn’t anticipate that traces of gunpowder could someday be used to link a suspect to a crime by forensic scientists.
Day 169 - The Age of Plastic
Posted on June 18, 2011The Age of Plastics dawned in 1907 when Belgian-born chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland made the first plastic.
Day 170 - Tagamet®: A medicine that changed people’s lives
Posted on June 19, 2011FDA approved Tagamet® — a widely prescribed treatment for ulcers and heartburn — bringing relief to millions.
Day 171 - Sunscreen
Posted on June 20, 2011Northern latitudes recognize the June solstice as the start of summer – and sunbathers everywhere slather on this material to prevent sunburn.
Day 172 - “I’ll take ‘Chemistry’ for $200, Alex!”
Posted on June 21, 2011The game show Jeopardy will celebrate IYC by devoting a category of questions to chemistry on June 21. Spread the word and tune in!
Day 173 - The kilogram
Posted on June 22, 2011The first standards for the meter and kilogram were deposited in the National Archives of France in 1799. The kilogram is the only unit in the International System of Units still defined by an artifact rather than a fundamental physical property that can be reproduced in different laboratories.
Day 174 - Natureworks Polymers from Renewable Feedstocks
Posted on June 23, 2011The 2002 Presidential Green Chemistry Award winner NatureworksTM polymers are made from plant-based starting materials through an environmentally friendly process. The fibers and packaging can be recycled or composted at the end of their lifetime.
Day 175 - Sports Drinks
Posted on June 24, 2011Many summer athletes ward off dehydration and carbohydrate loss by chugging these typically brightly-colored beverages.
Day 176 - Iron
Posted on June 25, 2011The versatile element, iron, facilitates essential biological functions, provides colors for the artist’s palette, and is abundant on Earth as well as on other planets.
Day 177 - James Smithson
Posted on June 26, 2011Death in 1829 of James Smithson, a fellow of the Royal Society of London, whose bequest founded the Smithsonian Institution.
Day 178 - Origins of the Oil Industry
Posted on June 27, 2011Canadian geologist Abraham Gesner patented the process for obtaining kerosene by distilling bituminous coal in 1854. Gesner was a rather flamboyant character who played a major role in the emergence of energy in the early to mid-19th century.
Day 179 - Maria Goeppert-Mayer
Posted on June 28, 2011Birth in 1906 of Maria Goeppert-Mayer, who developed the shell model of the nucleus and received a Nobel Prize in 1963. Because of anti-nepotism rules – she was married to another professor — she spent decades teaching university physics as an unpaid volunteer, and did not receive an offer of paid full-time employment until 1959.
Day 180 - Rightfit Pigments
Posted on June 29, 2011RightfitTM Organic pigments received a Presidential Green Chemistry award in 2004. The 2011 awards will be given this week at the 15th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference.
Day 181 - Humphry Davy
Posted on June 30, 2011Humphry Davy announced the isolation of the elements barium, calcium, “magnium” (magnesium), and strontium to the Royal Society in 1808. Earlier in his career, he isolated nitrous oxide, naming it “laughing gas” after testing its effects on his friend, the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Day 182 - Research on the Atomic Weight of Oxygen
Posted on July 1, 2011Edward Morley’s 1895 paper provides way to determine atomic weight, making chemistry less laborious and more precise.
Day 183 - Fritz Haber
Posted on July 2, 2011Despite the World War I British naval blockade, Germany maintained a constant supply of fertilizers and explosives thanks to the Haber-Bosch process for fixing nitrogen from air, which Fritz Haber presented to the German chemical company BASF in 1909.
Day 184 - Bromine
Posted on July 3, 2011Bromine, an element discovered in 1826 by Antoine-Jerome Balard and found in a dye extracted from Mediterranean snails, produces the vibrant purples and blues favored by the kings and emperors of antiquity.
Day 185 - Fireworks
Posted on July 4, 2011Bigger, brighter and more colorful every year, fireworks cap off Independence Day celebrations around the country.
Day 186 - Robert R. Williams
Posted on July 5, 2011Robert R. Williams pressed his wife’s washing machine into service as a centrifuge to begin his research on the molecular structure of vitamin B1.
Day 187 - Alum
Posted on July 6, 2011An exceptionally versatile chemical, alum has been especially vital as a mordant in the dyeing industry and in the area of water treatment.
Day 188 - Chemistry fights Friction
Posted on July 7, 2011Robert Goddard’s patent of the first liquid fuel rocket in 1914 marked the dawn of modern aeronautics. Since then, researchers have developed various materials and lubricants that can hold up in space and on Earth.
Day 189 - Space-Dust Science
Posted on July 8, 2011Astronomers’ understanding of stellar evolution takes a step forward with Jason Cardelli’s 1994 publication showing the abundances of the heaviest elements, including thallium and lead, yet detected in interstellar dust.
Day 190 - Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles
Posted on July 9, 2011On this date in 1919, the Ford Motor Company is reorganized, with the Ford family retaining full control. Today, Ford is one of many automotive companies exploring plug-in hybrids, flex-fuel vehicles and other technologies meant to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Day 191 - Soap Bubbles
Posted on July 10, 2011Blowing bubbles is one way to while away summer’s lazy days.
Day 192 - The Commercialization of Aluminum
Posted on July 11, 2011The commercialization of aluminum began in 1886 when Charles Martin Hall discovered a way to separate pure aluminum from its ore.
Day 193 - Super Glue®
Posted on July 12, 2011The quick-bonding super-strong adhesive, Super Glue, can support more than a ton of weight, but keep it off your fingers!
Day 194 - Iodine
Posted on July 13, 2011Iodine and its isotopes keep us healthy in a variety of different ways.
Day 195 - Chemistry of Wine Flavor
Posted on July 14, 2011The French celebrate Bastille Day — La Fete Nationale — in commemoration of the 1789 storming of the Bastille, one of the main events in the French Revolution. Wine is strategically paired with many of the foods typically eaten at picnics commemorating this national holiday.
Day 196 - The Royal Society
Posted on July 15, 2011King Charles II grants a charter to the Royal Society (UK) in 1662, establishing one of the world’s oldest scientific societies. The society officially started in 1660 when a group of 12, including Robert Boyle, met at Gresham College and decided to meet weekly to witness experiments and discuss scientific topics.
Day 197 - Glenn Seaborg
Posted on July 16, 2011On this date the first atomic bomb test took place in 1945 at the Trinity Site, Alamogordo Air Force Base in New Mexico. One of the scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project, which developed the bomb, was Glenn Seaborg, a towering figure in 20th century chemistry.
Day 198 - Polycarbonate
Posted on July 17, 2011High impact resistance and excellent transparency make polycarbonate the material of choice for water bottles, windshields, and eyeglasses.
Day 199 - Biobased Toners
Posted on July 18, 2011The development of soy-based toners has greatly streamlined the process of recycling paper and has the potential to reduce significantly the environmental footprint of waste paper.
Day 200 - Rosalyn Yalow
Posted on July 19, 2011Birth in 1921 of Rosalyn Yalow, who was awarded the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her description of the radioimmunological assay (RIA) technique and her insights into peptide hormones such as insulin and the diseases resulting from their improper regulation.
Day 201 - Chlorine Record Suggests The Moon Was Always Dry
Posted on July 20, 2011On this day in 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took the first steps on the moon and collected soil and rock samples. These samples, along with others from lunar exploration, have been used to study the question of whether the moon is wet or dry.
Day 202 - Advances in Chromatography
Posted on July 21, 2011Russian botanist M. S. Tswett submitted the first paper on chromatography to the Journal of the German Botanical Society, in 1906. His work laid the foundation for the use of chromatography in countless analytic applications, such as drug discovery and food purity testing. Today, the demands for faster and more efficient chemical separations have guided innovators toward the extremes of particle size, pressure, temperature, and other chromatography parameters.
Day 203 - Tattoos
Posted on July 22, 2011With summer’s hot days comes more bared skin, and more opportunity for people to show off their tattoos.
Day 204 - Waterlock (Sodium Polyacrylate)
Posted on July 23, 2011Sodium polyacrylate, which can hold up to 800 times its weight in water, has found applications from home to Hollywood.
Day 205 - Space Suits
Posted on July 24, 2011Chemistry, art conservation, and space-age materials meet as conservators try to preserve the space suits worn by NASA astronauts.
Day 206 - Madder and Alizarin
Posted on July 25, 2011The laboratory synthesis of alizarin, the vibrant red chemical in madder dye, transformed the dyeing industry and laid important foundations for the future of the chemical industry.
Day 207 - Pierre Curie
Posted on July 26, 2011A true marriage of scientific minds, Pierre Curie and Maria (Marie) Sklodowska wed on this day in 1895. Pierre and Marie Curie shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903.
Day 208 - John Dalton
Posted on July 27, 2011Death of John Dalton (1844) who investigated the physical and chemical properties of matter and deduced an Atomic Theory (1803) whereby atoms of the same element are the same, but different from the atoms of any other element.
Day 209 - Bug Spray
Posted on July 28, 2011Chemistry is key to insecticide formulations.
Day 210 - Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin
Posted on July 29, 2011Death in 1994 of chemist Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, who used x-ray crystallography to identify the structure of insulin, penicillin, and vitamin B12. She received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1964, making her the third woman, following Marie Curie and Irene Joliot-Curie, to win a Nobel Prize in chemistry.
Day 211 - Tin
Posted on July 30, 2011A metal of great importance to human civilization, tin is a key component in the alloys bronze and pewter, as well as lending its name to several modern kitchen items.
Day 212 - Polyester
Posted on July 31, 2011Polyesters have a diverse set of applications including fibers, fabrics, disposable beverage containers, wood finishes, and films to archive and store paper.
Day 213 - Joseph Priestley’s Discovery of Oxygen
Posted on August 1, 2011Joseph Priestley’s discovery of oxygen, 1774. Today, the American Chemical Society recognizes groundbreaking chemists with the Priestly Medal, the Society’s highest honor.
Day 214 - The Production and Distribution of Radioisotopes
Posted on August 2, 2011Production and distribution of radioisotopes at Oak Ridge National Laboratory helps advance medicine, industry, and agriculture.
Day 215 - Lithium Batteries
Posted on August 3, 2011Powering our cell phones, iPods, and laptops, lithium-ion batteries make our electronic technology portable.
Day 216 - Cisplatin
Posted on August 4, 2011Cisplatin, a drug with the ability to target and kill cancer cells, is a powerful weapon the fight against cancer.
Day 217 - River Chemistry in Yosemite National Park
Posted on August 5, 2011The pristine environment of Yosemite National Park provides ideal circumstances to study the natural chemistry of a snow-melt fed river and evaluate the impact of human activities on the river downstream.
Day 218 - Lead Crystal
Posted on August 6, 2011Cut glass objects of lead crystal were developed in response to chemical properties and political factors.
Day 219 - Low VOC Paint
Posted on August 7, 2011Award-winning low VOC paints from Sherwin-Williams provide the superior surface of solvent-based paints without all the smell.
Day 220 - Hair Perms
Posted on August 8, 2011Hair stylists apply numerous chemical principles as they create curly or straight hair.
Day 221 - Bioprospecting
Posted on August 9, 2011Bioprospecting in the hot springs at Yellowstone led to one of the most valuable techniques for DNA analysis used in biochemistry and medicine.
Day 222 - Barium
Posted on August 10, 2011Scavenging oxygen during the fabrication of vacuum tubes and aiding medical imaging of the digestive tract are two important applications of the element, barium.
Day 223 - Frederick Gardner Cottrell
Posted on August 11, 2011Patent issued (No. 895.729) in 1908 for Frederick Cottrell’s new method for cleaning up smokestack emissions. The method — called electrostatic precipitation — is still used today to remove pollutants from industrial waste flows.
Day 224 - Quality and Stability of Frozen Foods
Posted on August 12, 2011The frozen food industry was born in 1930, when Clarence Birdseye found a way to flash-freeze foods.
Day 225 - Color Printing Inks
Posted on August 13, 2011Inks made from dyes vs. from pigments have different advantages and disadvantages and are ideal for different types of printing jobs.
Day 226 - Acrylic Emulsion Technology
Posted on August 14, 2011Acrylic Emulsion Technology transformed home painting from a smelly, messy ordeal into a cleaner and more user-friendly process.
Day 227 - PVC
Posted on August 15, 2011How is Polyvinylchloride used in a house? Let me count the ways.
Day 228 - Selman Waksman and Antibiotics
Posted on August 16, 2011Selman Abraham Waksman co-discovered streptomycin along with Albert Schatz. After the discovery of penicillin, Waksman played a major role in initiating a search for antibiotics among microbes. He died in 1973.
Day 229 - Molecules of Life in Meteorites
Posted on August 17, 2011Meteorites can carry amino acids, the building blocks of proteins—of life on Earth. What does the presence of these molecules in meteorites mean?
Day 230 - Azidothymidine (AZT)
Posted on August 18, 2011Although a failure as an anti-cancer drug, AZT has become a front-line defense in managing HIV infections.
Day 231 - Copper
Posted on August 19, 2011The ‘easily recycled metal’, copper has numerous applications including electrical wiring, roofing materials, and for anti-microbial surfaces.
Day 232 - Baking Soda
Posted on August 20, 2011Sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, is a versatile household chemical with applications for every room of the house.
Day 233 - Lead White Paint
Posted on August 21, 2011An example of a banned substance that is still in use for limited, nonhazardous applications.
Day 234 - Cleaning Dishes
Posted on August 22, 2011Although the sink and the dishwasher may be right next to each other in the kitchen, detergents for cleaning dishes are very specific for one method vs. the other.
Day 235 - Pickles
Posted on August 23, 2011Originally created to can and store excess produce from the garden and provide vegetables in winter, pickles are now a common addition to summer picnics and cookouts.
Day 236 - Lipstick
Posted on August 24, 2011Throughout history, lipstick has been made from a wide variety of ingredients and spanned the full range of fashion: from ‘not-dressed-without-it’ to scandalous and back.
Day 237 - Michael Faraday
Posted on August 25, 20111867 death of Michael Faraday, whose many experiments contributed greatly to the understanding of electromagnetism. He published pioneering papers that led to the practical use of electricity.
Day 238 - Silicon Chip
Posted on August 26, 2011The invention of integrated circuits to allow rapid fabrication of large arrays of tiny transistors has been the cornerstone of smaller, faster, and more reliable technology.
Day 239 - The Development of the Pennsylvania Oil Industry
Posted on August 27, 2011Development of the Pennsylvania oil industry started in 1859, when Edwin Drake drilled the world’s first oil well.
Day 240 - Feast of the Gods
Posted on August 28, 2011Chemical and instrumental analysis revealed the rich story behind the painting, The Feast of the Gods.
Day 241 - Fiberglass
Posted on August 29, 2011An all-season material, fiberglass is used for boat hulls and surfboards as well as for thermal and electrical insulation.
Day 242 - NASA
Posted on August 30, 2011Known predominantly for its exploration of space, NASA also leads research efforts to improve our understanding of Earth’s atmosphere.
Day 243 - Pencils
Posted on August 31, 2011Graphite pencils, an essential back-to-school supply, have an interesting history.
Day 244 - Chandler Chemistry Laboratory
Posted on September 1, 2011Chandler Chemistry Laboratory at Lehigh University, which created the model of modern chemical education, opened in 1884.
Day 245 - Air in the Great Smoky Mountains
Posted on September 2, 2011The blue gray mist that lingers over the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is created by both natural and artificial sources.
Day 246 - Discovery of Penicillin
Posted on September 3, 2011Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin and its potential uses in 1928, leading to the development of one of the 20th century’s greatest lifesavers.
Day 247 - Cochineal
Posted on September 4, 2011Carmine, a red dye extracted from cochineal insects, is an example of a chemical product created in nature’s laboratory.
Day 248 - Jacobus Henricus van’t Hoff
Posted on September 5, 2011Date of pamphlet in which Jacobus van’t Hoff proposed a tetrahedral structure for carbon, 1874. It was not universally embraced, but in 1901 he received first Nobel Prize in chemistry.
Day 249 - Erasers
Posted on September 6, 2011A must-have for first day of school, these small bits of molded rubber are handy to have when you need to fix something written in pencil or pen.
Day 250 - Crayons
Posted on September 7, 2011The brilliant pigments of crayons allow children of all ages to color their worlds.
Day 251 - Scotch® Tape: An Innovation That Stuck
Posted on September 8, 2011Scotch® Transparent Tape takes hold in 1930, when 3M sent its first roll of cellophane tape to a prospective client.
Day 252 - Synthetic Grass
Posted on September 9, 2011When the World Cup for rugby opens in New Zealand, the action will unfold on top of this innovation.
Day 253 - The Williams-Miles History of Chemistry Collection
Posted on September 10, 2011Williams-Miles History of Chemistry Collection, a collection of rare and old chemistry books, opened at Harding University in Searcy, Ark., 1992.
Day 254 - Memorial Elements
Posted on September 11, 2011The four basic elements — water, air, earth and fire — provide us a rich tradition for honoring the dead.
Day 255 - Fullerenes or Buckyballs
Posted on September 12, 2011Scientists announce discovery of fullerenes, or “buckyballs,” the scientific achievement that gave birth to nanotechnology.
Day 256 - Phosphorus
Posted on September 13, 2011Phosphorus plays a crucial role sustaining life, which is why it is crucial to fertilize crops sufficiently, but without adding too much of a good thing.
Day 257 - Paper
Posted on September 14, 2011The back-to-school stack of loose leaf notebook paper on every child’s desk is the product of numerous chemical and engineering processes.
Day 258 - Chemical Engineering
Posted on September 15, 2011In India, Engineers’ Day is celebrated on 15 September every year. In the U.S., the field of chemical engineering got its start at MIT in 1888.
Day 259 - Albert Szent-Györgyi
Posted on September 16, 2011Albert Szent-Györgyi, born 1893, isolated ascorbic acid, the agent in citrus juice that helped combat the deadly disease scurvy.
Day 260 - Beer
Posted on September 17, 2011Oktoberfest Begins in Munich, and the drinks will flow thanks to this brewing process.
Day 261 - Selenium
Posted on September 18, 2011The mineral selenium is a micronutrient found in meats and nuts and is an important part of a healthy diet.
Day 262 - Helmets
Posted on September 19, 2011Safety helmets for a wide range of conditions have become more effective by exploiting the availability of rugged lightweight plastics.
Day 263 - Statins
Posted on September 20, 2011The class of cholesterol-reducing medicines called statins directly attack a major factor contributing to heart disease that kills one in four Americans every year.
Day 264 - Shampoo
Posted on September 21, 2011The ingredients in shampoo are carefully chosen and combined to result in clean, manageable hair.
Day 265 - Vitamin D
Posted on September 22, 2011Unlike other vitamins, we can absorb Vitamin D from our diets or synthesize it directly through exposure to sunlight.
Day 266 - Kem-Tone© Wall Finish
Posted on September 23, 2011In 1941, a Kem-Tone® paint, waterborne wall paint was introduced, spurring the expansion of “do-it-yourself” painting.
Day 267 - Mustard
Posted on September 24, 2011From mild to spicy, mustard’s zing depends as much on precise chemistry as on the seed itself.
Day 268 - Amber
Posted on September 25, 2011In 1992, scientists reveal oldest genetic material, a 40-million-year old bee, preserved in this yellow ooze.
Day 269 - U.S. Drinking Water Chlorination: A Public Health Giant Step
Posted on September 26, 2011Chlorine, a common component of drinking water and swimming pools, destroys germs and has helped to virtually eliminate waterborne illnesses like cholera and typhoid that once killed thousands of Americans each year.
Day 270 - Silent Spring
Posted on September 27, 2011Silent Spring, written by Rachel Carson and published on 27 September 1962, is widely credited with helping launch the environmental movement.
Day 271 - Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassmann
Posted on September 28, 2011First meeting of Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn, 1908. Their collaboration led, 30 years later, to the experimental detection and interpretation of fission.
Day 272 - Titanium
Posted on September 29, 2011Named for the Titans of Greek mythology, titanium facilitates our society’s mobility whether through artificial joints or through use in airplanes and spacecraft.
Day 273 - Frescoes
Posted on September 30, 2011One of the oldest art forms, the fresco, depends on a solid understanding of acid-base chemistry.
Day 274 - Opal
Posted on October 1, 2011This iridescent stone, known in modern times as the birthstone for October, is comprised of water and quartz.
Day 275 - Tamoxifen
Posted on October 2, 2011Tamoxifen used to target estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells is an important step on the path to curing this disease.
Day 276 - Mary Engle Pennington
Posted on October 3, 2011Born in 1803, John Gorrie, was granted the first U.S. patent for mechanical refrigeration in 1851. Mary Engle Pennington, also born this month in 1872, spent her career studying refrigeration and how best to use it for food preservation.
Day 277 - Human Hibernation
Posted on October 4, 2011On this date in 1957, the Soviet Union launches the first satellite in space, Sputnik I, Today, space exploration takes on a new meaning, as scientists examine ways to send people into space for long periods of time.
Day 278 - Baseballs
Posted on October 5, 2011Baseball player Don Larson pitched a perfect game in the 1956 World Series. To better grip the ball, he likely relied on an ingredient from the Delaware River.
Day 279 - Chemicals from Coal Facility
Posted on October 6, 2011The Coal Facility in Kingsport, Tennessee — the first U.S. plant to use coal rather than petroleum to produce chemicals for plastics —began operating in 1983.
Day 280 - Cortisone
Posted on October 7, 2011Nobel Prize-winning research resulted in the discovery of cortisone, which has eased chronic joint pain for decades.
Day 281 - The Microwave Oven
Posted on October 8, 2011Percy Spencer invented the microwave oven, which uses a type of radiation to warm food quickly and efficiently. People now use the device on a daily basis to heat foods ranging from popcorn to frozen dinners. One this day in 1945, the patent application for the microwave cooking process was filed.
Day 282 - Emil Fischer
Posted on October 9, 2011Hermann Emil Fischer, born 1852, discovered a family of bases called purines. Caffeine and theobromine—found in tea, coffee, and chocolate—are two familiar purines. Fischer received a Nobel Prize in 1902.
Day 283 - Ernest Orlando Lawrence
Posted on October 10, 2011Ernest Orlando Lawrence invented the cyclotron in 1930, paving the way for deep new insights into the innermost nature of matter.
Day 284 - Bakelite
Posted on October 11, 2011Bakelite opened the door to the Age of Plastics and seeded the growth of a worldwide industry that today employs more than 60 million people.
Day 285 - Paul Hermann Müller
Posted on October 12, 2011Death of Paul Hermann Müller, Swiss chemist and Nobel laureate. His work helped in efforts to control diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.
Day 286 - The Development of Nylon
Posted on October 13, 2011Production of the world’s first totally synthetic textile fiber, nylon, began in 1939 when the first nylon plant began operations.
Day 287 - Alfred Nobel
Posted on October 14, 2011Alfred Nobel receives the first of 355 patents, a Swedish patent for preparing nitroglycerin, in 1863. He died in 1896, leaving his considerable estate as an endowment for annual awards in chemistry, physics, medicine or physiology, literature, and peace.
Day 288 - Chocolate
Posted on October 15, 2011A favorite gift for Sweetest Day, this yummy concoction contains around 800 chemical compounds.
Day 289 - Chemistry: There’s An App For That
Posted on October 16, 2011National Chemistry Week, Oct. 16-22: There’s an App for that. Chemists on the go can check the safety of cosmetic ingredients, scroll through millions of chemical structures and molecular formulas, and model liquid chromatography flow rates.
Day 290 - The Steroid Industry
Posted on October 17, 2011During this month in 1951, the first oral contraceptive, the steroid hormone norethindrone, developed by Carl Djerassi and co-workers at Syntex.
Day 291 - Pasteurized Food
Posted on October 18, 2011Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard initiated a test of the idea of pasteurization by heating blood and urine in sealed flasks, 1862.
Day 292 - Ozone Solutions
Posted on October 19, 2011Creative solutions by companies such as Dow Chemical are successfully addressing the issue of ozone depletion.
Day 293 - Mt Pinatubo
Posted on October 20, 2011Gases from the 1991 eruption of Mt Pinatubo in the Philippines had a global impact on temperature for several years following the event.
Day 294 - Cotton
Posted on October 21, 2011Scientists and farmers have developed a number of strategies to reduce the need for large quantities of pesticides and fertilizers when growing cotton.
Day 295 - Incandescent Light Bulbs
Posted on October 22, 2011October 22nd marks the anniversary of Thomas Edison’s successful test of his prototype for an incandescent light bulb.
Day 296 - Toothpaste
Posted on October 23, 2011It wasn’t until the 1950s that a vigorous tooth brushing campaign was launched to encourage young children to brush twice daily to reduce tooth decay.
Day 297 - Vitamin K
Posted on October 24, 2011Vitamin K plays an essential role in the blood clotting process – another good reason to eat your vegetables.
Day 298 - Neon
Posted on October 25, 2011“Mel’s Diner,” “Lovelace Motel, no vacancies,” and “Blue Moon espresso coffee”
Day 299 - Fiber Optics
Posted on October 26, 2011Fiber optics, which transmit pulses of light through tiny, glass fibers, have transformed communication technology.
Day 300 - Instant Mashed Potatoes
Posted on October 27, 2011National Potato Day: Instant mashed potatoes are made possible thanks to this technology, developed in the 1950s.
Day 301 - Marie Maynard Daly
Posted on October 28, 2011American biochemist Marie Maynard Daly, died 2003, was the first African American woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry, awarded by Columbia University in 1947.
Day 302 - Tide®
Posted on October 29, 2011Tide®, the first heavy-duty synthetic detergent, debuted in October 1946 replacing traditional soaps that didn’t clean well in hard water and left a residue of scum.
Day 303 - Hair Coloring
Posted on October 30, 2011For Halloween tomorrow night, many ghouls and goblins may change their hair color – whether it rinses right out or stays until the hair grows out is a matter of chemistry.
Day 304 - Licorice
Posted on October 31, 2011After a long evening of ringing doorbells and parading in costume, some trick-or-treaters may find this sweet treat in their bags.
Day 305 - The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM)
Posted on November 1, 2011The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) suite of instruments on the Mars Science Laboratory’s Curiosity rover is headed to Mars to follow the carbon.
Day 306 - Synthetic Rubber
Posted on November 2, 2011Chemical company DuPont begins mass-production of the first commercially available synthetic rubber, Duprene (later named neoprene) in 1932. Because it was difficult and expensive to manufacture, the company turned its attention to developing a synthetic “superpolymer,” ultimately leading to the development of nylon.
Day 307 - Inhaled Vaccines
Posted on November 3, 2011In 1955, Carlton Schwerdt announced the crystallization of poliomyelitis virus– an essential step in the eventual development of the polio vaccine. Scientists working in vaccine development today have come up with new ways to deliver vaccines, including inhaled powders, microneedle patches, and even bananas.
Day 308 - Quinine
Posted on November 4, 2011Peruvian Quechua Indians discovered the first effective treatment for malaria.
Day 309 - Conservation of Paper
Posted on November 5, 2011Because of natural chemical processes that can attack and degrade paper, librarians and conservationists rely on chemical strategies to preserve our written heritage.
Day 310 - Shape Memory Alloys
Posted on November 6, 2011Memory metals have the unusual property of returning to their original parent shape upon heating even after extensive bending and deforming.
Day 311 - Indigo
Posted on November 7, 2011It might come as a great surprise that ‘blue jeans’ are dyed by first submerging denim in a pale yellow solution – but that is the mysterious nature of indigo.
Day 312 - Wilhelm Röntgen
Posted on November 8, 2011Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays in 1895. In 1901, he was awarded the first Nobel Prize in physics, for his identification of this new form of energy.
Day 313 - In the Limelight
Posted on November 9, 2011In 1825, Thomas Drummond heated a ball of lime in front of a reflector, creating a brilliant white light. The discovery led to improvements in theater and lighthouse lighting.
Day 314 - Gladys L. A. Emerson
Posted on November 10, 2011Good Nutrition Month: Nutritionist and biochemist Gladys L. A. Emerson, isolated vitamin E in the 1930s. She then went on to work on the whole B complex of vitamins.
Day 315 - Body Armor
Posted on November 11, 2011Scores of U.S. veterans can celebrate Veteran’s Day thanks to high-tech ceramics that provide protection against bullets or other projectiles.
Day 316 - Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier
Posted on November 12, 2011Antoine Lavoisier described to the French Royal Academy of Sciences in 1783 experiments that show water to be a compound, not an element.
Day 317 - Bio-Based Succinic Acid
Posted on November 13, 2011Synthesizing succinic acid from bio-based starting materials could provide an important and plentiful petroleum alternative for the manufacture of everything from de-icers to pesticides.
Day 318 - Bleach
Posted on November 14, 2011In addition to its use as a laundry additive, bleach’s antimicrobial activities have seen widespread use in cleaning up houses flooded by hurricanes or tropical storms.
Day 319 - Polypropylene and polyethylene
Posted on November 15, 2011Polypropylene and high-density polyethylene plastics — the plastic that made the Hula Hoop® possible — discovered in 1955.
Day 320 - Vitamin A
Posted on November 16, 2011Vital for healthy eyes, Vitamin A is luckily found in plenty of food sources including animal protein, dairy products, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Day 321 - Platinum
Posted on November 17, 2011Platinum: the metal and the metaphor are associated with high privilege and outstanding performance.
Day 322 - Modeling
Posted on November 18, 2011Chemists use models to envision molecules, to explore complex systems and to predict chemical reactions.
Day 323 - Photoionization Detectors
Posted on November 19, 2011Photoionization detectors are light, portable instruments that are invaluable for assessing potential chemical hazards onsite.
Day 324 - Radiopharmaceuticals
Posted on November 20, 2011Small quantities of radioactive pharmaceuticals minimize risk while creating invaluable opportunities for physicians to image and evaluate the body without surgery.
Day 325 - Fire Extinguishers
Posted on November 21, 2011Fire extinguishers, which are effective at controlling small fires, work by removing the oxygen needed to maintain the combustion process.
Day 326 - Paul C. Zamecnik
Posted on November 22, 2011Paul Zamecnik (1912 – 2009) was the discoverer of cell-free protein synthesis systems, transfer RNA and the antisense principle. Nov 22, 2011 would have been his 99th birthday.
Day 327 - Henry Gwyn Jeffreys Moseley
Posted on November 23, 2011Henry Gwyn Jeffreys Moseley, born on this day in 1887, organized the modern Periodic Table of the Elements on the basis of atomic number, or proton number, which uniquely identifies a chemical element and helps predict the properties and reactivity of the elements.
Day 328 - Tryptophan
Posted on November 24, 2011Although the amino acid, tryptophan, is especially associated with turkey, it is actually present in many every-day foods including poultry, eggs, cheese, meat, and fish.
Day 329 - Chalk
Posted on November 25, 2011Probably no one misses the task of clapping together elementary school erasers to clean them, but chalk is still essential to many sports and art endeavors.
Day 330 - Niobium
Posted on November 26, 2011Charles Hatchett announced discovery of columbium (niobium, Nb, element 41) before the Royal Society, 1801. Niobium is used in jet engines and rockets.
Day 331 - Cider
Posted on November 27, 2011Hard or sweet, apple cider is the iconic beverage of the season.
Day 332 - Adhesives
Posted on November 28, 2011Adhesives bind our wounds, repair our mistakes, and help attach that gold star to a job well done.
Day 333 - Magnesium
Posted on November 29, 2011Metallic magnesium finds applications in lightweight alloys and in high-temperature combustion reactions. Not to be confused, magnesium ions play important roles in hundreds of biological enzymes.
Day 334 - Clot Busters and Blood Thinners
Posted on November 30, 2011Following a heart attack or stroke, clot busters are powerful emergency medications that break up blood clots. Blood thinners prevent the formation of future problematic blood clots.
Day 335 - Mauve
Posted on December 1, 2011Mauve was one of the first dyes derived from a synthetic process rather than from natural materials and its availability prompted a fad for purple in Europe in the 1850s.
Day 336 - Cloves
Posted on December 2, 2011Cloves are a potent spice used in different cuisines from around the world.
Day 337 - Vitamin C
Posted on December 3, 2011Vitamin C not only plays an important role in good health, it has been a significant factor in the historic exploration of our world.
Day 338 - Paper from Pine: A New Chapter in Papermaking
Posted on December 4, 2011Charles Holmes Herty, born 1867, found a way to make paper from pine trees, creating badly needed jobs in the South and savings millions of Northern trees.
Day 339 - Gerty Theresa Cori and Carl Ferdinand Cori
Posted on December 5, 2011Husband and wife team Gerty Theresa Cori and Carl Ferdinand Cori identified the process that muscle cells use to make and store energy — a finding that has helped in treating diabetes.
Day 340 - Paint Binders
Posted on December 6, 2011The different classifications of paint such as oils, acrylics, and latex refer to the ‘binder,’ the component that sticks the colors to the wall or to a canvas and protects the finished product from damage.
Day 341 - Brass
Posted on December 7, 2011Whether ringing in the holidays, gracing a winter evening with a chandelier of lights, or simply opening a door, brass lends a glowing touch.
Day 342 - Wool
Posted on December 8, 2011In addition to wool’s outstanding performance as a cold weather fabric, its fire resistant properties make it a desirable material for carpets and upholstery.
Day 343 - Molybdenum
Posted on December 9, 2011The 42nd annual Christmas Chemistry Lecture given by Professor Bassam Shakashiri on December 10th and 11th celebrates the chemistry of element #42, molybdenum.
Day 344 - Hermann Staudinger
Posted on December 10, 2011Hermann Staudinger, won Nobel Prize in Chemistry for polymer science work, 1953. His research helped spur the development of polymer science in industry.
Day 345 - Alpha Chi Sigma
Posted on December 11, 2011In 1902, a group of students formed Alpha Chi Sigma, the only national professional fraternity specializing in chemistry. The organization now has a membership of more than 63,000 men and women.
Day 346 - Rosin
Posted on December 12, 2011Generations of aspiring ballerinas have gotten their start by dancing in December productions of The Nutcracker. For their leaps, turns, and pirouettes, dancers rely on rosin to secure safe landing.
Day 347 - Bread
Posted on December 13, 2011In the cold of winter, bread with its complex chemistry, is at once a daily staple, holiday treat, and a symbol of life itself.
Day 348 - Mascara
Posted on December 14, 2011Chemistry has helped cosmetics evolve from concoctions of messy, toxic ingredients to today’s formulations that yield smooth, easy, and long-lasting applications of color to adorn the eyes.
Day 349 - Allene Rosalind Jeanes
Posted on December 15, 2011Listed among the ingredients of foods such as salad dressing, ice cream and canned soup is a substance called xanthan gum. This groundbreaking product and a process for producing it was discovered in the 1950s by chemist Allene Rosalind Jeanes, who died this day in 1995.
Day 350 - Silver
Posted on December 16, 2011Used for money, jewelry, tableware and making mirrors, the lustrous white metal silver is also a common feature of holiday decorations.
Day 351 - Porcelain
Posted on December 17, 2011Whether arranging flowers in a decorative vase, setting a table for a holiday celebration, or indulging in a relaxing cup of tea, porcelain is often a part of special events or everyday pleasures.
Day 352 - Frankincense And Myrrh
Posted on December 18, 2011Frankincense And Myrrh, aromatic resins formed from the sap of trees, may have medicinal properties.
Day 353 - Supercritical fluids
Posted on December 19, 2011Thomas Andrews, born 1813, demonstrated the continuity of the gaseous and liquid states showing that during changes between the two states, physical properties display no abrupt changes.
Day 354 - Candles
Posted on December 20, 2011At the darkest time of the year, candles are an important symbol of hope and life in this month’s Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, Christian celebration of Christmas, and in the celebration of Kwanzaa.
Day 355 - Hand Warmers
Posted on December 21, 2011First Day of Winter –a pair of these will keep your hand warm via an exothermic reaction that, in essence, creates rust.
Day 356 - Tinsel
Posted on December 22, 2011Silver was the original material used to make tinsel, the metallic ribbons that decorate Christmas trees.
Day 357 - Paul B. Weisz
Posted on December 23, 2011Swedish chemist Axel Fredrik Cronstedt, born 1722, discovered zeolite. Today, natural and synthetic zeolites are used as catalysts to boost the amount of gasoline obtainable from petroleum, thanks to pioneering work of another chemist, Paul B. Weisz.
Day 358 - Radiation Chemistry Commercialized
Posted on December 24, 2011Radiation chemistry, which uses high energy electrons to alter the structure of polymers, goes commercial Dec 24, 1957.
Day 359 - Scent of Memory
Posted on December 25, 2011Christmas present is made all the sweeter to mind and heart as our sense of smell helps us recall and savor memories of Christmas past.
Day 360 - Peppermint
Posted on December 26, 2011The pungent flavor of candy canes, peppermint is also favored for ice cream, toothpaste, and tea.
Day 361 - Glass
Posted on December 27, 2011In spite of its tendency to break when handled roughly, optical transparency and thermal properties make glass ideal for items ranging from drinking vessels and laboratory containers to works of art.
Day 362 - Chewing Gum
Posted on December 28, 2011The first patent for this chewy treat was awarded today in 1869, though the ancient Greeks had discovered their own version.
Day 363 - Perfume
Posted on December 29, 2011Often a finishing touch on primping for a party, perfumes are complex combinations of natural and synthetic chemicals.
Day 364 - Photography
Posted on December 30, 2011Photography is a powerful means of capturing memories through pictures and of connecting with friends and relatives separated by distance or time.
Day 365 - Champagne
Posted on December 31, 2011Toasting in the New Year: champagne and all other sparkling wines must conform to just one law, Henry’s Law.
Day 60 - Test
Posted on February 29, 2012Test