On hot, humid summer days many women rely on waterproof mascara to keep their lashes soft and smooth. The main chemical responsible for smoothing the lashes is a type of silicone polymer known as...
While it makes for a great album title, the dark side of the moon is simply a myth. As the moon rotates around the Earth, and the Earth around the sun, the moon is exposed to the sun’s light just...
The fear behind the rule of ‘no phones on planes’ is that portable electronic devices could potentially interfere via electromagnetic radiation with the measurement and navigation tools on board....
You’ve probably heard of the bounce test for dead batteries- simply drop a battery, and if it bounces, it’s dead. It turns out that this isn’t completely true. Conventional batteries have an outer...
Bourgeonal is an aromatic aldehyde used in perfumery with a fragrance resembling that of the Lily of the Valley. What’s so special about this fragrance? It is secreted by the ovum within the...
Sperm whales produce a black, smelly substance called ambergris which changes to a pleasant smell when exposed to air. It is rare and expensive but is used as a base in some perfumes. Ambergris...
Such warnings have become ubiquitous as a result of California’s Proposition 65, a well-intentioned law that has gone haywire and has caused undue anxiety among consumers. The intent was to protect...
As you can imagine, the ad caught my eye. “Earth Smart Laundry CD works on the principles of quantum physics, not chemistry.” I had to have it. So I sent in my sixty dollars and waited. A couple...
"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...