/oss/taxonomy/term/3559/all en /oss/article/general-science/shaking-champagne-bottle <p>People readily understand that solids can dissolve in a liquid. Salt or sugar dissolve in water and the warmer the water, the faster the rate of dissolution. We learn this in elementary school. But for some reason, the idea that gases can dissolve in water causes more confusion. Indeed, they do dissolve. If oxygen from the air did not dissolve in water, for example, fish could not survive. And if carbon dioxide did not dissolve in water, we wouldn’t have carbonated beverages. Temperature, on the other hand, has a different effect as to how gases and solids dissolve in water.</p> Tue, 17 Dec 2019 15:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8044 at /oss /oss/article/general-science/bubbling-new-year <p>Louis the fifteenth's favourite paramour, as the fable goes, commissioned a glassblower to make the glasses in order to please the king who was so enamoured of her bosom. The story goes down well with the tourists, probably better than champagne goes down from the saucer shaped glasses.</p> Thu, 27 Dec 2018 17:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7503 at /oss /oss/article/health/holiday-heart-attacks-one-more-thing-worry-about <p>A new study in the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4811">British Medical Journal</a> might be enough to ruin your Christmas mood because it suggests that the risk of having a heart attack is higher during the holidays and on Christmas Eve in particular.</p> <p>Swedish researchers looked at their national registry, the Swedish Web System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies (SWEDEHEART), and looked for patterns of when people have heart attacks.</p> Thu, 20 Dec 2018 17:00:00 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 7500 at /oss