The giant gypsum crystals in Mexico's "Cueva de los Cristales" are a stunning natural wonder featuring crystals up to 11 metres long.

Many agree that replacing conventional petrol driven cars with hydrogen is a good idea provided the hydrogen does not originate in a process involving oil as the only product from hydrogen burning is water, rather than carbon dioxide.

However the road to hydrogen-powered vehicles will not be easy, industry experts state. Representatives of European and American car and energy companies at the National Hydrogen Association convention said hydrogen technology is feasible, but faces big challenges to become commercially viable.

Dr. Thomas Neff, a research affiliate at the MIT (Massachussetts Institute of Technology) Center for International Studies states that limited supplies of uranium fuel for nuclear power plants may thwart the renewed and growing interest in nuclear energy in the United States and other nations.

This stamp commemorates the death of Mendeleev (February 1907), one of the lead figures responsible for the periodic table. Absolutely excellent choice of colours if I might say so! The stamp was sent to me by Prof Gabriel Pinto (Departamento de Ingeniería Química Industrial, ETSI Industriales, UPM, Madrid, Spain) and I quote from his web page:

An article in the Journal of Clinical Investigation outlines how a new antimicrobial approach kills bacteria in laboratory experiments and eliminate life-threatening infections in mice by interfering with a key bacterial nutrient. Iron is critical for the growth of bacteria and for their ability to form biofilms, slime-encased colonies of microbes that cause many chronic infections. "Gallium acts as a Trojan horse to iron-seeking bacteria," said Pradeep Singh (senior author). "Because gallium looks like iron, invading bacteria are tricked, in a way, into taking it up.

This is off topic really but it is slightly chemical. I'd never heard of ambigrams until Punya Mishra at the Michigan State University in the USA was kind enough to send me one that he constructed using my name (as thanks for constructing WebElements). He has constructed many other beautiful ambigrams. You need to stand on your head to see exactly how clever it is. All chemists need to appreciate symmetry and this is a good example of C₂ symmetry. For more information on ambigrams try http://www.ambigram.com/.

Here in the UK, Channel 4 just screened an interesting documentary: The Great Global Warming Swindle. Good viewing and challenges what seems to have become the accepted view that global warming is caused by man-made CO₂ emissions.

For the last few days there have been many reports of damage to car oxygen sensors in England's south east. This seems to have been cause by faulty fuel supplied by some supermarker chains, including Tesco and Morrison's. Initial reports suggested the fuel was up to standard but one wonders if this is a consequence of not applying the correct tests. Expecially now that reports are emerging (for instance from The BBC) that indeed there is a contamination arising from silcon, probably from silcone contaminants. Silicones are used in diesel but damage high-tech petrol engines.

This website (the WebElements Chemistry Nexus) is now incorporated within the main WebElements site at http://www.webelements.com/nexus/ - please adjust your bookmarks accordingly.

If you use a newreader please change your link to http://www.webelements.com/nexus/rss.xml.

the new communication paradigm will change our Culture

The new Apple iPhone could change everything.  Well, that may be a little too strong.  But there is a good possibility that historians will look back on the introduction of this device as a landmark change for those of us who do chemistry, learn chemistry, or just use chemistry.

Culture is changing and that change is accelerating.  A half century ago when I was a student in school, history teachers noted how slowly culture changed in the past.  Nearly everything I learned in school came from my teachers, the assignments they had us do, or what they had us read in books.  But that has gradually changed so that the situation is considerably different for many of today's students.  With the introduction of the iPhone, we are about to see another dramatic change....