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So, this article shows up in my Google news aggregator titled “Scientists Experimenting With Quantum Effect That Some Fear Could Cause Chain Reaction That Ends Entire Universe“. My goodness, says I. How could that happen? I don’t recall signing off on that experiment. The article links to a Nature abstract by Max Tegmark and Nick […]
According to a March 29, 2026, report in OilPrice.com theft in the Permian Basin of Texas amounts to 1 to 2$ billion annually. The Permian Basin, source of benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, reportedly holds 15 % of the global oil reserves. Oil theft is nothing new but recent high prices for oil have […]
Both mechanochemistry and abiogenesis are each pretty deep subjects, and this essay will not due either of them justice. This is just a nudge to the curious out there. I follow a Facebook page called “Abiogenesis”. It usually posts links to the primary literature and recently to a very intriguing paper. It is titled Mineral-mediated […]
Texas State Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation over whether or not Lululemon has misled the public over their claims of the safety and health of its products. Specifically, this is in regard to the alleged presence of so-called forever chemicals and microplastics. According to USA Today, Paxton said “I will not allow […]
I’m saddened to learn of Emeritus Professor of Chemistry Michael P. Doyle’s passing. Mike had retired recently from the University of Texas San Antonio. Those who knew Mike knew that he was a dynamo of research productivity in undergraduate institutions and later in a PhD granting institution. In his career, Mike had 439 or more […]
Americans, especially those of a particular political bent, love to exclaim that we love and cherish freedom. In America, the word ‘freedom’ is frequently used to amp up political rhetoric and to make people’s chests swell with pride with the aim of making us more receptive to a message. Particularly when playing Lee Greenwood’s song […]
I noticed that many links I imbedded into past posts have ‘expired’. For those who clicked and slammed into one of these, I apologize. I have over 1700 posts so fixing it will take a while.
I’ve come around on this business of the atom being almost entirely empty space. This is an established bit of folklore in intro chemistry and physics. It dates back to experiments by Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden under Ernest Rutherford, showing how alpha particles could sail through thin gold foil and infrequently, an alpha particle would impact something […]
Back in my undergraduate days I remember finding the CRC Handbook of Laboratory Safety. One photograph really stuck with me. Years later I decided to replicate it and use the image in chemical safety training. The picture above shows what happens when a solution of soluble proteins in water is subjected to a large excursion […]
I need to say that I have been an enthusiastic fan of America’s aerospace activities since the Mercury program in the early 60’s. Aerospace was an instrument of modernization and held promise for a bright and prosperous future. To be sure, America has gotten very good at aerospace since early WWII. The Soviet Union was […]