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Video: Why Canadian trash costs $30,000 per gram
How do you turn nuclear waste into a $30,000-per-gram commodity? Tritium, once discarded as a by-product of Canadian nuclear reactors, is now one of the most expensive materials on Earth. This rare isotope of hydrogen powers ...
Other
Sep 16, 2024
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What's the difference between MSG and table salt? A chemist explains
It's dinner time. You've worked hard to prepare a nutritious and tasty meal. But after taking your first bite you feel something is missing. Perhaps you should have added more salt? Pepper? Or maybe even something more exotic ...
Analytical Chemistry
Sep 10, 2024
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Grenfell victims were 'overcome by toxic gases' after construction loophole
Governments have a duty to protect their citizens. While they won't go as far as telling us what we can and cannot put in our homes, we do expect them to ensure that the buildings we live in are safe from fire.
Other
Sep 4, 2024
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Researchers develop an instant version of trendy, golden turmeric milk
If you've visited a trendy cafe in the past few years, you might have noticed "golden" turmeric milk on the menu. Though recently advertised as a caffeine-free, healthy coffee alternative, the drink is a fancified version ...
Biochemistry
Aug 18, 2024
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Evidence stacks up for poisonous books containing toxic dyes
If you come across brightly colored, cloth-bound books from the Victorian era, you might want to handle them gently, or even steer clear altogether. Some of their attractive hues come from dyes that could pose a health risk ...
Analytical Chemistry
Aug 18, 2024
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Video: Don't drink raw milk. But what about raw milk cheese?
A lot of people on the internet have been telling our host Alex to drink raw milk.
Other
Aug 5, 2024
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Improving cat food flavors with the help of feline taste-testers
Cats are notoriously picky eaters. But what if we could design their foods around flavors that they're scientifically proven to enjoy? Researchers publishing in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry used a panel ...
Other
Aug 2, 2024
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Retaining flavor while removing caffeine—a chemist explains the chemistry behind decaf coffee
For many people, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is the start of a great day. But caffeine can cause headaches and jitters in others. That's why many people reach for a decaffeinated cup instead.
Analytical Chemistry
Jul 23, 2024
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Deep learning model overcomes the challenge of real-world measurements of isotope production target cooling systems
When a particle beam hits a target in an isotope production facility, it generates heat that is removed by water channels. The transfer of heat between the target and the flowing water produces subcooled flow boiling. This ...
Other
Jun 28, 2024
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First chemist in history may have been a female perfumer—how the science of scents has changed since
Perfume making dates back at least 3,000 years—to the time of Tapputi-belat-ekalle, who is considered the first chemist in history. What we know about her comes from inscriptions on fragments of clay tablets dating back ...
Analytical Chemistry
Jun 24, 2024
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Great British Bake Off finalist discusses the parallels between chemistry and baking
Last year on a Friday evening, chemical biology researcher Josh Smalley was in the lab when he received a call inviting him to appear on the 14th and latest season of "The Great British Bake Off." Starting as one of a group ...
Analytical Chemistry
Jun 20, 2024
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Video: Making this Parkinson's drug is just turtles all the way down
L-DOPA is the best drug we have for Parkinson's disease, but its molecular mirror image, D-DOPA, causes dangerous side effects.
Other
Jun 17, 2024
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Why doesn't water help with spicy food? What about milk or beer?
Spicy foods taste spicy because they contain a family of compounds called capsaicinoids. Capsaicin is the major culprit. It's found in chilies, jalapeños, cayenne pepper, and is even the active ingredient in pepper spray.
Analytical Chemistry
Jun 13, 2024
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Japan biochemist who discovered statins, Akira Endo, dies
Japanese biochemist Akira Endo, who discovered cholesterol-lowering statins, has died aged 90, his former student and colleague said on Tuesday.
Other
Jun 11, 2024
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Video: This edible mushroom could kill you
Morels are one of the most commonly eaten wild mushrooms. So how did two people die from eating them at a single restaurant in Bozeman, Montana?
Other
May 28, 2024
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With the help of catalysts the chemical industry can be revolutionized and create a circular economy, say researchers
The chemical industry is a cornerstone of global development, driving innovation, and providing essential products that support our modern way of life.
Materials Science
May 17, 2024
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Chemist explores the real-world science of Star Wars
A professor at the University of Warwick is exploring the chemistry of the galaxy far, far away this Star Wars Day, May the 4th.
Analytical Chemistry
May 3, 2024
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Many old books contain toxic chemicals—here's how to spot them
In our modern society, we rarely consider books to be dangerous items. However, certain books contain elements so hazardous that they require scrutiny before being placed on the shelves of public libraries, bookstores or ...
Analytical Chemistry
Apr 30, 2024
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Some plant-based steaks and cold cuts are lacking in protein, researchers find
Many plant-based meats have seemingly done the impossible by recreating animal products ranging from beef to seafood. But beyond just the taste and texture, how do these products compare to the real thing in nutritional value? ...
Biochemistry
Apr 19, 2024
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Video: Is there a quick fix for ocean acidification?
Acidification is threatening the ocean's ability to pull carbon dioxide out of our atmosphere, so scientists and startups are looking to ocean-sized antacids to raise its pH.
Other
Apr 15, 2024
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