/oss/taxonomy/term/2501/all en /oss/article/environment/putins-appetite-war-has-world-feeling-pangs-hunger <p>“A butterfly can flap its wings in Peking, and in Central Park, you get rain instead of sunshine.” That memorable quote comes from Jeff Goldbloom in Jurassic Park as he tries to explain how worldly events can be interrelated in a complex fashion. We now have just such a situation with the tragic war in the Ukraine. Its tentacles are reaching all over the world, causing problems ranging from the manufacture of silicon chips for computers to shortages in fertilizer. Ah, fertilizer! To put it simply, fertilizer feeds the plants that feed the world.</p> Wed, 06 Apr 2022 18:37:43 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9074 at /oss /oss/article/covid-19-videos/sept-24-2020-covid-more-guest-dr-paul-offit <p></p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-1"></div> Thu, 12 Nov 2020 20:55:17 +0000 OSS 8483 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/nasa-and-spacex-owe-their-accomplishments-dog-named-laika <p><span>In the late 1940’s both Soviets and Americans began investigating the expanse of space by </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals_in_space#1940s">sending animals</a> up, up and away. It began with fruit flies in 1947, grew to include monkeys in 1949 and mice in 1950, but no animal actually entered orbit until November 3rd, 1957, when <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laika">Laika</a>, a Soviet trained street dog, made history.</p> Wed, 20 Jun 2018 17:27:02 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7148 at /oss /oss/article/general-science/nervous-about-nerve-agents <p>It was back in 1939, that German chemist Gerhard Schrader was searching for better methods to control insects when he chanced upon a substance that had greater insecticidal activity than anything he had ever seen. He named the new compound "tabun" and envisioned a breakthrough for agriculture. Hitler, however, had something else in mind for the newly developed substance. If it could kill pests, it could also kill people. A terrible new weapon was born.</p> Tue, 13 Mar 2018 15:57:39 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 6961 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/excimer-lasers <p>During the 1970’s in Moscow, Russia excimer lasers were first developed, consisting of both reactive and inert gases. When excited electrically, the mixture of these gases produces a dimer. Thus ‘excimer’ combines the terms “excited” and “dimer.” This laser disrupts chemical bonds of organic tissue when it produces energy in the ultraviolet spectrum; because it neither burns nor cuts material the excimer laser has many applications. Most applications are medicinal, it’s most famous use being LASIK eye surgery.</p> Fri, 02 Jun 2017 16:27:22 +0000 OSS 2527 at /oss