/oss/taxonomy/term/786/all en /oss/article/medical-environment/hoping-breath-fresh-air <p>Twenty-five sextillion is an inconceivably large number. Think 25 followed by 21 zeros. Now take a deep breath! You have just inhaled roughly that many molecules! Quite mind-boggling, but if you want a statistic that may leave you breathless, the single breath you just took contained at least one molecule that had once been exhaled by Napoleon, Einstein, Genghis Khan, or anyone else in history you care, or don’t care to choose. Most of those molecules are either nitrogen or oxygen but there are plenty of others, many of which would be classified as pollutants.</p> Thu, 08 Feb 2024 01:50:58 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9825 at /oss /oss/article/critical-thinking/these-diamonds-are-made-deceased <p>In 2017, I visited the oldest diamond polishing factory in the world when I was in the Netherlands for a conference. I was given a guided tour during which I learned about the many ways in which a diamond can be cut. I did not anticipate that the tour would end with the expectation of a sale. In the tour guide’s office, I was allowed to inspect individual diamonds available for purchase, and much like the conditions that turn carbon into a diamond, I could feel the pressure mounting.</p> Fri, 23 Dec 2022 11:00:00 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 9341 at /oss /oss/article/medical-did-you-know/lesson-nature-what-click-chemistry-and-why-it-won-nobel-prize <p>“This year’s [Nobel] Prize in Chemistry deals with not overcomplicating matters” says Johan Åqvist, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. It has a simple and catchy name: Click Chemistry.</p> <p>There is a certain chemical reaction that is often referred to as <b>the</b> click reaction. But that’s a bit of a misnomer. Click chemistry is a framework or methodology for doing chemistry. Specifically, making complex organic molecules, mainly pharmaceutical ones.</p> Wed, 12 Oct 2022 00:58:30 +0000 Ada McVean M.Sc. 9261 at /oss /oss/article/covid-19-videos/dr-joe-schwarcz-explains-graphene-face-masks <p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-1"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" id="media-youtube-2fnkgco1p4e" width="640" height="390" title="Dr. Joe Schwarcz explains graphene face masks" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/2fNKgCO1p4E?wmode=opaque&controls=&enablejsapi=1&modestbranding=1&playerapiid=media-youtube-2fnkgco1p4e&origin=https%3A//www.mcgill.ca&rel=0" name="Dr. Joe Schwarcz explains graphene face masks" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of Dr. Joe Schwarcz explains graphene face masks</iframe> </div> </p> <p> </p> Fri, 02 Apr 2021 21:43:02 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8680 at /oss /oss/article/health/single-carbon-makes-all-difference <p>Oh what a difference a single carbon atom makes! </p> Tue, 25 Sep 2018 17:19:24 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7366 at /oss /oss/article/health/are-vegetables-grown-tire-gardens-safe-eat <p><span>When it comes to chemical composition, tires are extremely complex. Different kinds of rubber, carbon black, vulcanizing agents, antioxidants, antiozonants, polymerization accelerators, plasticizers, oils and solvents are all components of tires. Roughly 5% of the weight of a tire is made up of “processing chemicals.”  When tires are burned, these chemicals can be released, and even more nasties form as a result of their combustion. However, a tire that lies dormant in the back yard is not being incinerated.</span></p> Thu, 02 Aug 2018 18:18:33 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7201 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/do-activated-charcoal-face-masks-actually-work <p>They are being talked about all over the Internet as a way of clarifying the skin and removing “toxins", but is there any science to back up the use of charcoal face masks?</p> Tue, 02 Jan 2018 16:49:47 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 6858 at /oss /oss/article/environment-news-space-technology/space-molecules-are-branching-out <p>In a paper published in this week’s issue of Science, astronomers from the Max Planck institute, the University of Cologne (Germany) and Cornell University (USA), announced to have for the first time detected, in interstellar space, a carbon-containing molecule with a branched structure. The molecule, isopropyl cyanide (<em>i</em>-C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>7</sub>CN), was discovered in a gas cloud called Sagittarius B2 close to the center of our galaxy.</p> Wed, 08 Oct 2014 01:29:27 +0000 Ariel Fenster PhD 2202 at /oss /oss/article/history-science-science-everywhere-you-asked/what-link-between-diamond-graphite-and-buckyballs <p>They are all composed only of carbon. What determines the properties of any substance? Simple. The properties of any substance depend on the type and number of atoms they are composed of, and of course on how those atoms are joined together. Water and hydrogen peroxide, for example, are both composed only of hydrogen and oxygen, but a molecule of hydrogen peroxide has two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms while water of course has two hydrogens and one oxygen. So even though they have the same components, they have dramatically different properties.</p> Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:50:42 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1917 at /oss /oss/article/environment-quirky-science-you-asked/humans-and-animals-exhale-carbon-dioxide-every-breath-why-not-considered-be-problem-far-global <p style="text-align:justify">The carbon dioxide we exhale does not contribute to global warming for the simple reason that we also take up an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide from the air, albeit indirectly. Everything we eat can be traced back to photosynthesis, the process by which plants take up carbon dioxide from the air and use it to produce the vast array of organic compounds needed for life. Our bodies can be regarded as living engines that require fuel and oxygen to produce the energy needed to sustain life. In that sense we are not all that different from a car.</p> Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:00:27 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 1918 at /oss /oss/article/quirky-science-you-asked/what-activated-carbon <p>Many people are plagued by the problem of fragrant feet. But there are shoe inserts that claim to solve the problem. They make use of a remarkable material called activated carbon. “Activated” in this case refers to carbon’s ability to adsorb a variety of molecules to its surface. Here’s the deal. Any two substances brought close together will experience an attraction as the negative electrons of one are attracted to the positive nuclei of the other. The extent of attraction depends on the surface areas in contact.</p> Mon, 19 Nov 2012 01:33:22 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1823 at /oss