Browsing Tag
chemistry
126 posts
What is a semiconductor? An electrical engineer explains how these critical electronic components work and how they are made
A silicon disc, or ‘wafer,’ yields dozens of semiconductor chips. Steve Jurvetson/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY Trevor Thornton, Arizona…
Mixed messages: Is coffee good or bad for us? It might help, but it doesn’t enhance health
The chemical properties of coffee are what produce its waking-up effects. (Shutterstock) Thomas Merritt, Laurentian University Coffee is…
Do You Know All the States of Matter?
Some of you may remember the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Others who studied a…
Food expiration dates don’t have much science behind them – a food safety researcher explains another way to know what’s too old to eat
Without obvious signs of contamination like the mold in this jam, consumers use expiration dates to decide whether…
How Nigeria can turn its huge cashew waste into valuable citric acid
Cashew apples. VW Pics via Getty Images Agbaje Lateef, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso and Adekunle O.…
Where Does the Candle Wax Go?
Light a candle, and a flame starts while some smoke goes up. However, leave it on for long…
What is BPA and why is it in so many plastic products?
Most plastic products that are clear and strong are made using bisphenol A, or BPA. Beton Studio/iStock via…
A celebrated AI has learned a new trick: How to do chemistry
Figuring out what makes some proteins glow requires an understanding of chemistry. eLife – the journal, CC BY-SA…
Decades of research document the detrimental health effects of BPA – an expert on environmental pollution and maternal health explains what it all means
The chemical BPA has been shown to leach from food packaging products into our bodies. Jacobs Stock Photography…
What makes smoky, charred barbecue taste so good? The chemistry of cooking over an open flame
Cooking food over an open flame produces unique flavors thanks to some interesting chemistry. Lars Szatmari / EyeEm…