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Author Archives: Sharon Neufeldt
Favorite Reaction – SN2
My all-time favorite chemical reaction has to be the SN2. This may sound like a cop-out answer to Rachel Pepling’s question, since the SN2 is arguably the second* simplest organic reaction ever, almost more a mechanistic step than a reaction … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Chemistry Basics
1 Comment
FDA Warning to Brazilian Blowout. Also, Fume Hood for Hair?
I interrupt this blog from its regularly-scheduled hiatus* to comment on a new tidbit of information about Brazilian Blowout that has recently come to light. The FDA has issued an official warning letter to Mike Brady, the CEO of GIB, … Continue reading
Posted in Brazilian Blowout, Fun Stuff
9 Comments
A Deuterated Mouse: Isotopes and Phys. Org.
What would happen, hypothetically, if a baby mouse could grow up eating only deuterated food and water? Could you make an unusually heavy mouse?
Posted in Chemistry, Chemistry Basics, Fun Stuff
19 Comments
What I Want to Be When I Grow Up
I began this blog last September as an experiment. Like any good experiment, this particular one was designed to answer a question. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been mulling over the “data” I’ve acquired through this experiment, and realized … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
14 Comments
Sour Patch Kids are Full of Protons
Take a look at the ingredient list on the back of a Sour Patch Kids bag the next time you go to the movie theater, and you probably won’t be surprised to discover that this gummy candy contains a lot … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Chemistry Basics, Fun Stuff
5 Comments
You know you spend too much time in the lab when…
I hope I’m not the only chemist who frequently wakes up in the morning to realize I’d just been wasting my sleep time by dreaming about chemistry. Kekule famously dreamt , but mine – so far – have been just … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Fun Stuff
6 Comments
Low Hanging Fruit
This past week, I met with a visiting professor who commented that chemistry research is harder and more complex than it used to be. Most of the “low-hanging fruit” has already been picked, and the major problems facing chemistry today … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Fun Stuff, Old Chemistry
1 Comment
Chemistry of Morphine, Heroin, and Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
You’ve heard the warnings – don’t eat poppy seeds before taking a drug test. The seeds can trigger a false positive reading for opioids, making your potential employer think you could be a heroin addict. A few years back, Mythbusters … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Fun Stuff, Medicine
26 Comments
A Lexicon of Chemistry Terms to Review Before Attending Your Kid’s Thesis Defense
Hypothetically, let’s say that (1) I graduate someday and (2) my parents come out for my thesis defense. Since I am, in fact, not curing cancer, I fear that my defense will be a snoozer for any non-chemists such as … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Chemistry Basics
2 Comments
This Just In: Grow a Bigger Brain Without Getting Off the Couch!
A couple of months ago, published an article demonstrating that aerobic exercise can increase the size of your hippocampus. Well, for those of you interested in growing your gray matter without breaking a sweat, this latest (unrelated) study is for … Continue reading
Posted in Brain Stuff, Psychology Stuff
1 Comment
A Proposed Modification to the English Language
A Question I begin this post with a serious question, particularly for non-chemists. If I say the following to you, does it make sense? I would love to be done with my taxes by now, but there’s such a high … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Chemistry Basics, Fun Stuff
12 Comments
Sunny Days (and the chemistry they cause)
Winter is finally commencing its retreat in my part of the country, which means we’re actually getting a little sunshine! Clear blue skies usually inspire thoughts of barbecues or pool parties, but they could just as relevantly inspire thoughts about … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
5 Comments
Seriously Dude… Where’s My Car?
Sometimes it seems like all the junk accumulated in our memories makes it harder to remember new things. For example, if you drive in to work every morning and have to hunt for parking, it may be difficult at the … Continue reading
Posted in Brain Stuff, Psychology Stuff
1 Comment
Animals and Aminals (and two kinds of metathesis)
Unless Even if you’ve been living under a rock, you know what an animal is. But do you know what an aminal is? Well, it’s two things: (1) A metathesis of the word “animal” (2) A chemistry term for a … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Chemistry Basics, Fun Stuff
2 Comments
Those Devilish CO2 Bubbles
If you’ve ever stared pensively into a , then you probably have a good mental picture of what CO2 bubbles look like. Tiny little things that wiggle their way up or cling to the sides of the glass… nothing terribly … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry
4 Comments
Reliable Information is Written Respectfully
This is part 3 of a 3ish part series on navigating the language of chemicals. Read an introduction, part 1, part 2, and part 2.5 if you wish. When researching the chemicals in a product, the curious consumer will most … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Chemistry Basics, Communication
3 Comments
In Defense of Aldehydes
Consider this an unscheduled footnote to part 2 of the ongoing 3 part series on navigating the language of chemicals. Read an introduction, Part 1, and Part 2 if you wish; Part 3 should appear on Monday. While reading about … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Chemistry Basics, Communication
6 Comments
Myths, Hyperboles, and Buzzwords about Chemicals
This is part 2 of a 3 ± 1 part series on navigating the language of chemicals. Read an introduction and part 1 if you wish. Efforts to make sense of the health and safety information for any given product … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Chemistry Basics, Communication
20 Comments
What Is – And What Isn’t – A Chemical
This is Part 1 of a 3 ± 2 part series on navigating the language of chemicals. Please see this earlier post for an introduction. If you try to look up the ingredients in Suave shampoo – Google search Suave … Continue reading
Posted in Chemistry, Chemistry Basics
17 Comments
The Chemistry of Our Pets
My proposed mini series on navigating the language of chemicals shall begin on Monday. For now, please enjoy some cute furry and/or reptilian animals (and their chemistry!) on the C&EN Newscripts blog HERE. They very kindly offered to let me … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off on The Chemistry of Our Pets
