Tag Archives: Chemistry

Molecules in space may show how life formed on Earth

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Scientists have known for a while that the molecular ingredients of life can be found in nearby comets and meteorites, but it's now clear that those building blocks exist much, much further away from home. A research team has used spectral analysis...

Cognitive Surplus Chemistry Glassware Has Molecular Structure of Drinks Bonded on Their Surface

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Geek store Cognitive Surplus attracts chemistry buffs with a variety of glassware that are embossed with the molecular structure of the molecule(s) in the drink suited to each glass. There’s a glass for water, coffee, beer, wine and whiskey.

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Combine your browser and this link to order the glasses. They cost $15 or $18(USD) each.

[via Laughing Squid]

 

Chemistry Crayon Labels: Writin’ Nerdy

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Crayon labels are kept pretty basic for a good reason. The colors really don’t need much of a description. Besides, kids don’t know what Periwinkle, Scarlet, or Aquamarine are. They just want to color between the lines in their book. Well, if you want to teach kids about chemistry, maybe you can change the labels on their crayons. It might work.

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Each crayon wrapper approximates the color of the chemical or the flame it produces when burned, so they might end up learning a thing or two. Then again, kids will probably not care and just grab some colors and get to coloring. It’s an interesting idea, but here’s the thing: most adults don’t even know what these fancy chemistry names mean.

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Hey, at least you are trying to better your kid as they sit there coloring pages. Chemistry Crayon Labels come in sets of 8 to 48 adhesive-backed stickers. They also come with a sheet with information about which chemical should be stuck to which color crayon.

[via Dude I Want That]

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Tec Torch Will Punch a 5,000 Degree Hole Through Anything

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Thermite is awesome. It’s a powdered mixture of metals and metal oxides that, when ignited, will reach temperatures of 5,000 degrees Farenheit, hot enough to melt any metal. But it’s also potentially dangerous and hard to handle. The EMPI Tec Torch uses this reaction, and harnesses it into a handheld instrument that can be used to breach just about anything. A Thermite cartridge is inserted into a flashlight-like tool that also contains a battery and an ignition switch. When you press the button, the contents are lit and the front of the tool expels a metal vapour for 1 to 2 seconds, a vapour hot enough to melt any metal padlock, cable, rebar, or object that stands between you and where you want to go; it can cut a 0.35 inch diameter hole through a 0.50 inch steel plate, and even works under water! It’s marketed to military, law enforcement, and first-response personnel that would have legal reasons to use this tool, but we imagine if you have legitimate uses for it you could buy it too. Considering the starter kit (which comes with 4 cartridges) costs $995, miscreants with nefarious intentions will think twice before buying this to commit a crime.

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[ Product Page ] VIA [ ThisIsWhyImBroke ]

Have Yourself a Very Chemistry Christmas

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Each Halloween, we see all sorts of cool carved pumpkins, but we rarely see any Christmas trees that aren’t real or faux trees. This year we have run across a couple interesting “chemis-trees.” These have the look of a Christmas tree, but they are made using beakers, tubes, and cylinders that are attached to a pole by beaker holders.

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The result are two Christmas trees that any science geek will love. My favorite is the one with the atomic symbol at the top. It also appears to have DNA and atomic models scattered about as well. I even see a Rubik’s Cube on there.

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The other is a bit more plain, but does make use of tubing for garland, and has what I think is a star made out of coffee stir sticks.

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Do you have an unusual Christmas tree? Share yours in the comments below.

[Reddit and Reddit via Nerd Approved]

Snatoms Magnetic Molecular Kit: Metallic Bonding

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Molecular modeling kits usually use sticks to connect models of atoms. Veritasium creator Derek Mueller came up with a beginner kit that’s more realistic, intuitive and easier to use. He calls it Snatoms.

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Snatoms consists of plastic atomic models embedded with spherical neodymium magnets. It will launch with a glucose kit, which has six carbon atoms, six oxygen atoms, and 12 hydrogen atoms.

You can make smaller molecules with those atoms, as well as make larger ones by combining multiple kits. If it proves successful, atomic models for other elements will follow.

Pledge at least $42 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a Snatoms kit as a reward. Derek said that if the fundraiser reaches $200,000 (USD) – which it most likely will – backers who pledge enough to get a kit will also receive two nitrogen Snatoms with their reward. A separate kit with double and triple bonds will be made if the fundraiser reaches $420,000 while an interactive app is Derek’s $840,000 stretch goal.

[via Cool Things]