Just about every textbook of toxicology pays homage to Paracelsus, the sixteenth century alchemist. Why? Because he introduced the idea that “only the dose makes the poison.” It makes no sense to...
A long, long time ago, before electricity, fire was the only weapon against darkness. Ancient civilizations made use of torches but by 4500 B.C. oil lamps made out of shells or hollow rocks were in...
People readily understand that solids can dissolve in a liquid. Salt or sugar dissolve in water and the warmer the water, the faster the rate of dissolution. We learn this in elementary school. But...
Today I learned two things. First, that we apparently have an albino squirrel on our campus. Second, that seeing an albino squirrel before a test is good luck....
It’s nice to be tall. Tall people are more likely to get hired, get promoted and are paid better than their shorter counterparts. They can reach things from high shelves, have unobstructed views at...
The report of “a new study” in the media is often followed by a comment on social media pointing out that scientists can’t seem to agree on anything. One week, meat consumption should be reduced;...
Is the pen really mightier than the keyboard? I know a professor who begins each semester by pointing out that, according to this one study, students perform better on tests when their notes were...