/oss/taxonomy/term/479/all en /oss/article/contributors-technology-environment/dry-water-lets-whet-your-appetite-some-science <p>The poem, “My country”, by Dorothea MacKellar, is recited by every preschooler in Australia. One line is of particular relevance: </p> <p style="text-align:center"><em>“A land of droughts and flooding rains”. </em></p> Fri, 01 Dec 2023 19:00:10 +0000 Ben Selinger FRACI, CChem 9747 at /oss /oss/article/general-science/ice-science-slippery <p>Let’s start at the very beginning. As pure water is cooled to 0<sup>o</sup>C, it begins to form ice. This simply means that the H<sub>2</sub>O molecules which were randomly scurrying about in the liquid state now assume an orderly pattern and begin to form crystals. Any substance that is dissolved in the water will interfere with this crystallization by getting in-between the water molecules and disrupting the ordered arrangement that characterizes crystal structure.</p> Wed, 21 Dec 2022 17:35:14 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9339 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition-you-asked/table-salt-kosher-salt-sea-salt-himalayan-salt-which-one-should-i-buy <p>Salt was the first seasoning used by our ancestors. They got it by evaporating seawater, or by mining it. The origin of salt deposits in the ground can also be traced back to oceans which no longer exist so that basically all salt is "sea salt." Salt was mined near Salzburg ("City of Salt") in Austria as early as 6500 BC and the ancient Romans built large evaporation ponds by the sea to collect salt. In fact, the Romans prized salt so much that soldiers were given a special allowance, known as the "salarium" to purchase it.</p> Fri, 23 Oct 2020 14:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8458 at /oss /oss/article/videos/right-chemistry-space-artificial-snow-and-diapers <p></p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-1"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" id="media-youtube-guux1vcfa4s" width="640" height="390" title="Dr. Joe Schwarcz: On space, artificial snow and diapers" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/GUux1vCFa4s?wmode=opaque&controls=&enablejsapi=1&modestbranding=1&playerapiid=media-youtube-guux1vcfa4s&origin=https%3A//www.mcgill.ca&rel=0" name="Dr. Joe Schwarcz: On space, artificial snow and diapers" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="">Video of Dr. Joe Schwarcz: On space, artificial snow and diapers</iframe></div> Thu, 09 Jan 2020 21:44:05 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8076 at /oss /oss/article/nutrition-videos/right-chemistry-seaweed-and-its-surprising-subplots <p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-2"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" id="media-youtube-ve8ch0jiovg" width="640" height="390" title="Dr Joe Schwarcz: Snacking on Seaweed" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vE8cH0Jiovg?wmode=opaque&controls=&enablejsapi=1&modestbranding=1&playerapiid=media-youtube-ve8ch0jiovg&origin=https%3A//www.mcgill.ca&rel=0" name="Dr Joe Schwarcz: Snacking on Seaweed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of Dr Joe Schwarcz: Snacking on Seaweed</iframe> </div> </p> Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:45:26 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7830 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition-you-asked/whats-difference-between-regular-salt-and-kosher-salt <p>Kosher salt should really be called “koshering salt” because it is used to draw blood out of meat based on the biblical reference that consuming blood should be avoided. It is not blessed by a rabbi nor is it healthier than any other salt. The only difference is that it is composed of large irregular shaped flakes which, after slathering it on a piece of meat to draw out the blood, can be easily washed off.</p> Fri, 17 May 2019 18:47:03 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7769 at /oss /oss/article/nutrition/time-parmesan <p><em>Time Magazine</em>, usually a reliable source of information, got this story wrong. “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that products labeled ‘100% Parmesan’ might actually contain cheese substitutes like wood pulp” claimed <em>Time</em>. Well, the FDA did not issue any such warning. What it did to was send a letter, in 2012, to Castle Cheese about the company’s grated Parmesan cheese containing more cellulose than the 2% that is commonly allowed as an anti-clumping agent, but there was no mention of wood pulp.</p> Wed, 03 Apr 2019 20:00:46 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7688 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-nutrition/under-microscope-sea-salt-vs-table-salt <p><img height="1536" width="2048" style="width: 600px; height: 450px;" class="file-original " src="/oss/files/oss/seasaltedited.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p> <img height="1536" width="2048" style="width: 600px; height: 450px;" class="file-original " src="/oss/files/oss/seasaltedited2.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p><img height="1536" width="2048" style="width: 600px; height: 450px;" class="file-original " src="/oss/files/oss/tablesaltedited.jpg" alt="" /> </p> Wed, 06 Mar 2019 18:54:24 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7634 at /oss /oss/article/health-you-asked/you-asked-hard-water-dangerous-drink <p><b>What is Hard Water? </b></p> Fri, 11 Jan 2019 17:00:00 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7530 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/do-fish-drink <p>Our bodies and fishes’ (yes, fishes is a <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fishes">grammatically correct</a> plural form of fish) bodies as well need water. Without it, the chemical reactions that take place constantly in our bodies would have no solvent and we would die.</p> <p>Nonetheless, it seems silly that an underwater creature should have to drink. Can’t they just, I don’t know, absorb it or something?</p> <p>Kind of.</p> Thu, 04 Oct 2018 18:19:07 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7383 at /oss /oss/article/quackery/food-babe-has-no-idea-how-physiology-works <p><span>Our good friend the Food Babe has published an interesting piece of pseudoscience writing entitled ‘</span><a href="https://foodbabe.com/natural-flavors-really-bad-must-watch/">Are Natural Flavors Really That Bad? (MUST WATCH)</a><span>’. If you’re looking for the quick answer to this superfluous, click-bait title, let me tell you that it’s no: natural flavours are perfectly safe and healthy. But if you’re looking for an explanation of how taste actually works (and why her claims about natural flavours are utter nonsense), then please read on!</span></p> Tue, 20 Feb 2018 16:42:03 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 6927 at /oss /oss/article/environment/can-science-explain-new-star-wars-planet <p>Science fiction movies are usually a little more fiction than science, but you never know where you might catch a glimmer of the real world. For instance, take the bona fide space classic: <em>Star Wars</em>. Of course, “using the force” to make things happen is just about as scientifically credible as using <a href="/oss/article/controversial-science-health-news/healing-code">“energy medicine”</a> to cure diseases. However, while watching the final scene of the film’s most recent instalment, <em>The Last Jedi, </em>I noticed something very interesting.</p> Mon, 05 Feb 2018 17:18:29 +0000 Cassandra Lee, OSS Intern 6913 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-quackery-you-asked/himalayan-pink-salt <p>We were asked what to make of the many claims circulating about Himalayan pink salt, whether there is any truth to the ideas that this salt will help respiratory illnesses, increase bodily hydration or strengthen bones. <span>There are a lot of claims about Himalayan salt, but let’s start with its origin. </span></p> Sun, 18 Jun 2017 20:12:42 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2552 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/salted-butter <p>Before refrigeration butter would often spoil due to bacterial contamination. Salt was then added as a preservative. It works by dehydrating bacteria. Obviously since salted butter lasted longer, it could be produced more cheaply. Today, the salt is added only for flavor because bacterial spoilage is rarely a problem due to refrigeration. But the price differential has survived.</p> Tue, 23 May 2017 17:45:06 +0000 emily.shore@mcgill.ca 2480 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition-general-science/less-salt-better-sleep <p>We have long been told to cut back on salt to reduce blood pressure. That’s old hat. (But one worth wearing).  Now we learn that a low salt diet can also help us sleep better! In a roundabout way. Japanese researchers have shown that cutting back on salt can reduce those annoying nighttime trips to the bathroom that become more and more frequent with age. Actually, they are more than just annoying because interference with sleep is stressful and can cause daytime irritability and fatigue.</p> Tue, 28 Mar 2017 16:07:41 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2379 at /oss