/oss/articles/rss en /oss/article/medical-history-did-you-know/lorenzos-oil-contributed-treatment-devastating-disease <hr /> <p><em>This article was first published in <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/the-right-chemistry-lorenzos-oil-raised-awareness-about-a-devastating-disease">The Montreal Gazette.</a></em></p> <hr /> <p>Given that he had trained and practised as a physician before turning to filmmaking, it is no surprise that George Miller was so captivated by the story of Michaela and Augusto Odone’s struggle to save their son from a deadly disease that he decided to turn it into a movie.</p> Fri, 08 Nov 2024 22:05:23 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 10154 at /oss /oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/linoleic-acid-neither-villain-nor-superhero <p>Are you familiar with linoleic acid? If you’ve heard about it from Dr.</p> Fri, 08 Nov 2024 16:23:16 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 10153 at /oss /oss/article/medical-student-contributors-health-and-nutrition/nutrafol-holy-grail-hair-loss-or-overpriced-supplement <p>Hair loss is a normal component of the natural hair growth cycle. Hair growth occurs in three stages: the growth phase where the hair grows for around 2-7 years, the transition phase where the follicle starts to shrink and hair growth slows for around 2-3 weeks, and the resting phase where the hair falls out at the end of this phase at around 3- 4 months. The falling out of the hair strand is necessary so that a new strand can take its place, and the cycle can begin again.</p> Fri, 08 Nov 2024 15:56:16 +0000 Daniela Padres 10152 at /oss /oss/article/history-did-you-know/chemistry-lesson-farmer <p>The farmer had purchased some potassium permanganate. Exactly why he needed it isn’t clear but using it as a disinfectant to clean the udders and teats of cows before and after milking is a possibility. The compound can also be used to remove iron and hydrogen sulphide from well water. Potassium permanganate is a purple crystalline material that produces a very pretty purple color when dissolved in water. But when dissolved in some other liquids, the story can be quite different, as our unfortunate farmer discovered.</p> Wed, 06 Nov 2024 18:31:21 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 10145 at /oss /oss/article/student-contributors-did-you-know-general-science/chemistry-spider-webs <p>“The itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the waterspout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out…”. But funnily her web remained unscathed. How?!</p> <p>With Halloween having just passed, we saw spider web decorations completely overtake houses, adorn witch hats and even candy wrappers. Despite my fear of spiders, I have an immense amount of respect for them and not for their contributions to our environment. I admire them because spiders are quite the biochemists, and their webs are a product of a biochemical reaction that we can only attempt to reproduce in the lab.</p> Wed, 30 Oct 2024 15:22:54 +0000 Angelina Lapalme 10130 at /oss /oss/article/critical-thinking-history/what-if-dr-kellogg-had-watched-seinfeld <hr /> <p><em>This article was first published in <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/the-right-chemistry-what-if-dr-kellogg-had-watched-seinfeld">The Montreal Gazette.</a></em></p> <hr /> <p>Dr. John Harvey Kellogg would have enjoyed The Contest and The Abstinence, two classic Seinfeld episodes.</p> <p>In The Contest, Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine wager on who can remain master of their domain for the longest time. In The Abstinence, George and Elaine experience the consequences of temporary celibacy.</p> Fri, 01 Nov 2024 21:51:44 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 10139 at /oss /oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition-pseudoscience/are-fums-essential-oils-safe-inhale <p>“It’s like some… like a wooden cigarette that gives you flavours, but it’s not even a cigarette, you don’t even light it.”</p> Fri, 01 Nov 2024 06:09:08 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 10138 at /oss /oss/article/history-did-you-know/true-story-frankenstein <p>"I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet."  With these words Victor Frankenstein began his account of the adventure that would terrify generations of readers.  Although Mary Shelley's classic 1816 tale is usually thought of as a horror story, it is actually a thoughtful fantasy about the consequences of science gone astray.</p> Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:03:49 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 10129 at /oss /oss/article/medical-technology/there-magic-bullet-alzheimers-disease <hr /> <p><em>This article was first published in <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/the-right-chemistry-is-there-a-magic-bullet-for-alzheimers-disease">The Montreal Gazette.</a></em></p> <hr /> <p>In 1888, bacteriologists Emile Roux and Alexandre Yersin demonstrated that diphtheria occurs when bacteria release a toxin that damages tissues.</p> Fri, 25 Oct 2024 19:14:12 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 10127 at /oss /oss/article/critical-thinking-student-contributors-health-and-nutrition/instant-coffee-and-acrylamide-should-you-be-worried <p>Coffee is a staple beverage for millions of people worldwide, consumed in endless scenarios: catching up with a friend, powering through an intense study session, or simply kickstarting the day.</p> <p>From the classic drip coffee and trendy cold brew to the precision of the French press and the intensity of espresso, there are countless ways to make the perfect cup of joe. The key difference between each brewing method is how the water interacts with the coffee grounds and the time it takes to brew.</p> Fri, 25 Oct 2024 16:24:27 +0000 Hosna Akhgary 10126 at /oss