In 1943, the Smith, Kline and French pharmaceutical company added hot pepper extract to Benzedrine, its popular decongestant inhaler. The fiery taste of capsaicin, the compound responsible for the ...
In 1862, over 6 million visitors flocked to the 鈥淕reat London Exposition鈥 where they were astounded by the electric telegraph, watched an early refrigerator make ice, gawked at Charles Babbage鈥檚 ...
These days we are accustomed to pressing the delete key and a word on the screen disappears, ready to be replaced by a few keystrokes. But that doesn't mean pencils and erasers have disappeared. On...
Luminous paints such as those used on watch dials make use of chemicals that can absorb visible light and re-emit it over a protracted period. This phenomenon was first noted in the 1500s when...
Yes, in a limited way. Honey is a concentrated solution of various sugars in water. The main sugars are fructose and glucose with smaller amounts of sucrose (table sugar) also present. Of course,...
The young mother was surprised by the doctor鈥檚 question. 鈥淲hat does your little girl eat for breakfast?鈥 鈥淥nly hot oatmeal with milk,鈥 she answered. 鈥淒oes she put any sugar on it?鈥 the doctor...