/oss/taxonomy/term/788/all en /oss/article/covid-19-pseudoscience/madej-madness <p>I’m irritated. There just seems to be no end to the nonsense that floods social media. This time the purveyor is Dr. Carrie Madej, an osteopathic physician who no longer practices and now “dedicates her time to educating others on vaccines, nanotechnology and human rights.” When it comes to Dr. Madej, I see two possibilities. Either the tungsten from the filament in her mental lightbulb has evaporated, or she is knowingly peddling balderdash. In either case, her views about COVID-19 vaccines are a menace to society.</p> Wed, 17 Nov 2021 21:23:40 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8924 at /oss /oss/article/general-science-history/borax-and-slimy-concerns <p>Health Canada recently issued an advisory about minimizing exposure to borax based on some studies that have found developmental and reproductive problems in animals. This raised questions among teachers who use the reaction of borax with polyvinyl alcohol to form “slime,” demonstrating the ability of boron compounds to cross-link polymers.</p> Fri, 31 Mar 2017 16:28:31 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 2383 at /oss /oss/article/environment-history-household-products-quirky-science/pyrex-wonders <p>Glass is made by mixing and heating silica (sand), sodium carbonate (soda) and limestone (calcium carbonate).  But, as we know, glass breaks quite easily, especially when subjected to sudden changes in temperature.  Pour hot liquid into a cold glass, and often the liquid ends up on the floor.  However, if a little boron (in the form of borax), is added to the mix, the resulting glass becomes shatterproof and expands and contracts much less with temperature change.  The first such glass was produced in Germany by Otto Schott back in 1884, although there is a popular, but probably apocryphal,</p> Mon, 03 Mar 2014 05:57:55 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2107 at /oss /oss/article/history-you-asked/what-borax <p>One day a craftsman showed up in the court of Tiberius, Emperor of Rome (14AD to 37AD), to present the ruler with a beautiful transparent glass vase. Just as he was about to hand the vessel to Tiberius, the man let the vessel slip through his fingers. Everyone jumped, expecting a crash and flying glass. Roman glass after all had a history of fragility. But the glass did not break! Tiberius was very impressed and asked the glassmaker for the secret of the unbreakable glass. The craftsman was unwilling to divulge his method and boasted that he alone would be the keeper of the secret.</p> Mon, 19 Nov 2012 03:02:37 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1825 at /oss