Radium

Thank you all so much for checking out my post from yesterday! It was certainly a fun one to write and it's hard to come up with another post so soon that even comes close...

I was pondering doing a Christmas wishlist of science things, but obviously that never got done. So in an attempt to make a list that only slightly resembles a belated Christmas list, here are some sweet reads for the holiday break!

The Poisoner's Handbook. A friend of mine recommended this one to me and one of today's fun facts actually comes from the book. During the Jazz Age in New York, a medical examiner explores the world of toxicology and poisoning, which at the time was the perfect crime.

Fool Me Twice: Fighting the Assault on Science in America. I would be lying if I said I haven't drooled about getting the chance to read this book. This book has a similar feeling to yesterday's post. Here's a tidbit from it:

Will the media save us?  Don't count on it.  In early 2008, of the 2,975 questions asked the candidates for president just six mentioned the words "global warming" or "climate change," the greatest policy challenge facing America.  To put that in perspective, three questions mentioned UFOs.

A Short History of Nearly Everything. Let's be honest, Bill Bryson is the man. I'm pretty sure when this book came out in 2004, science had a short stint as a popular subject.


Fun Fact: Radium was once believed to have health benefits, so people included this radioactive element in medicines, facial creams, and health drinks. Turns out radium is not so healthy, as it stores itself in bone and wreaks havoc in the body.

Geneva's Fun Fact (!!): A friend of mine sent me this one the other day after reading The Poisoner's Handbook. People who suffer from radium poisoning exhale radon gas!

Barium

Random fact for today: It is Napoleon's 242nd birthday! To say the least, that is a lot of birthdays.

So why does this matter? I am a sucker for the integration of academic subjects, so when I noticed that history and chemistry had a link through Napoleon I couldn't resist. You may have noticed Napoleon's Buttons as a link in the Science Resources tab, so I wanted to discuss the chemistry (and history) of the title.

I am no historian, but what I do remember about Napoleon from my high school days was his tiny stature and that he was an emperor/conqueror (besides loving to do that "one arm in coat" pose). Napoleon had some success in creating a French empire, but ultimately chemistry failed him in the invasion of Russia. Among many factors Napoleon's retreat from Russia was due to the extremely cold winter faced by inadequately prepared French troops. Their lack of preparedness ties into their uniforms which had tin buttons. As I've mentioned in a fun fact, tin becomes brittle and turns to powder in cold conditions, so imagine being a soldier whose buttons fell off (not so hot...literally and figuratively).

Napoleon's Buttons (the book not the concept) documents these interplays between science and history/culture with other molecules, but it is important to understand that even the best laid plans get foiled by silly little things like disintegrating tin buttons.


Chemistry Joke: Q: What do you do with a dead chemist?
                           A: Barium!

Fun Fact: Barium sulfate is a compound that is used in oil well drilling and enemas (what a link!). When drilling oil wells, barium sulfate is pumped into the hole to bring rock chips up and away from the drill head. In medical terms, barium sulfate can be swallowed or be used in an enema as a contrast for digestive tract x-rays. Yum. 

Strontium

Sometimes science does good things and sometimes science goes too far. Take for example Nobel: he invented TNT to help build infrastructure (i.e. blasting through rock for railroads, highways, etc.) but realized its potential to do catastrophic damage. From this he invented the Nobel Prize to recognize great advances in science.

On a smaller scale, the NY Times just highlighted the use of technology to create a safer playground. While science has advanced playgrounds to make the surfaces softer and the equipment safer, there have been detriments to the safety of playgrounds. Research has suggested that these safe playgrounds reduce risk taking because kids do not have the challenge of the monkey bars or the height of the jungle gym. Kids who have played on safe playgrounds also tend to have phobias in their adolescence. So the question arises: do we give up cuts, bruises, or broken bones for phobias that must be medicated or cured with therapy? 


Historical Reference: Strontium-90, a radioactive isotope of strontium, is found in nuclear fallout (think: WWII, Chernobyl). Because of its similarities to calcium, strontium is a bone-seeker, which is why many people suffered from bone cancers (among other cancers) and generations later were affected with limb deformations (though that is also a compilation of the effects of many radioactive isotopes).

Common Occurrences: Strontium is a component of luminous paints and powders as well as the main ingredient in Sensodyne toothpaste. It is also found in vitamins that stimulate bone growth.

Fun Fact: Before imitation diamonds were made of cubic zirconium they were made of strontium titanate.

Calcium

I think I've mentioned before that I check some cool (okay strange and weird) sites to find science facts. According to "Today in Science History" nothing of importance happened seeing as they noted the invention of the first pen with truly erasable ink. Apparently there were erasable ink imposters?

Anyway, like science's past, I too have nothing amazing to report back. However there are some weird things I've noticed about Michigan that have finally accumulated to being worthy of a post:

1) I think New York may be the only state that doesn't sell fireworks. Every time we crossed a state border, the first billboard was related to buying fireworks. In Michigan, you can buy fireworks in your local grocery store...

2) Again, I think it's just a growing up in NY thing, but buying wine in a grocery store really loses its appeal. But I guess it remains classy since it's still separated from beer. Nothing says grocery list like wine and fireworks.

3) Clearly I have a grocery store fetish. Cheddar cheese is only that awful yellow/orange color. In the land of dairy, apparently cheddar comes in one color only. I think I'll get worried when mozzarella changes hues.

4) Despite being in dairy country, apparently Michigan's thing is cherries. Who knew?

5) I've mentioned it before, but it's worth mentioning again: robot stores. Though U of M has a strong engineering program, I still don't understand it. On venturing in to the "bot shop" I fed a robot a coin because it was part of a fundraiser for cancer research. The robot burped at me. Is there some science humor that I just don't get?

6) This one is going to be hard to explain, so I'm sorry if you don't get it. If a road butts up to campus and is otherwise blocked by buildings, that same road will continue on the other side of campus. Try following Thayer road in Ann Arbor. You'll lose it when you hit U of M's campus and then if you walked straight through every building you'll pick it up on the other side of campus. Word of the wise: don't let Google maps tell you to follow Thayer Rd.

7) Saxophonists on rooftops. Clearly the man doesn't care about tips.
7.5) Street flutists. There's a first for everything.

So really these aren't actually weird. I'm just sheltered. 


Fun Fact: The saying "in the lime light" comes from the reference to the incandescence produced by placing a flame near lime (calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide) to illuminate a theater stage.

Magnesium

Is it too early to reflect on my blogging experience with only 12 posts? I have learned MORE than I expected about chemistry finding the daily fun fact and I hope you've enjoyed them as much as I have. I have also come across some really cool websites and videos that I will continue to share with you in the coming posts. I have greater respect for YouTube and Google after less than two weeks of posting.

The big move is now less than two days away (Saturday!). We are stopping in Erie, PA to split up the 12 hour drive (the Great Lakes are probably the biggest imposition I have ever run into). I am almost all packed - no more clothes in my dresser, everything in suitcases in my bedroom, and boxes leading down the hallway from my bedroom. Eek!

Woo hoo!! This post completes a periodic table clock (yes, I am a geek). Now you can tell a friend you'll meet them at half past fluorine...I'm sure they will really think that you are a winner.


Fun Fact: Magnesium is extremely flammable; so flammable that early photograph flashes were nothing more than a rubber bulb that blew magnesium powder into a candle flame.

Beryllium

So I mentioned in a past post that I've been making my own skirts and here they are!!

How do they look? Any favorites? If you want to make your own skirt or if you are interested as to how I made mine, check out this blog: http://whatwouldanerdwear.blogspot.com/


Fun Fact: The mineral beryl is a crystalline form of beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate and is the primary component of aquamarine and emeralds!