University of Otago, New Zealand

Chemistry

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"Chemistry Matters"

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"Chemistry Matters" is an ongoing monthly column by Dr Allan Blackman, on topical chemistry subjects of interest to the general public, published in The Otago Daily Times newspaper, and reproduced here."

  1. It's brimstone, with or without fire (02 April 2013)
  2. Searching for theory that smells right (09 March 2013)
  3. Remarkable thinkers due in Dunedin (02 February 2013)
  4. Incredible survival, despite vitamin A  (16 January 2013)
  5. Nervous watch kept on lab death case (06 December 2012)
  6. Allowing drugs to be tailored to fit (28 November 2012)
  7. Y, Lu useful in fighting cancer (15 October 2012)
  8. Natural fluorine provokes reaction (15 September 2012)
  9. Whole lot of spin on the Higgs (01 August 2012)
  10. Once more into the world of hydronium and logarithm; but never mind the mole (04 July 2012)
  11. Know your hydroxide from your hydronium (08 June 2012)
  12. Radioactivity in you and me (18 May 2012)
  13. Good to be noticed, shame it took death (31 March 2012)
  14. Some teams look at the big picture (10 March 2012)
  15. Pathologist's discoveries to dye for (07 February 2012)
  16. Not surprisingly, chemistry plays essential role in best TV show ever (03 January 2012)
  17. 1861 good year for Solvay (02 December 2011)
  18. Argentina, as in silver (12 November 2011)
  19. Prize proves chemist was not so crazy (17 October 2011)
  20. Case of the crooked chemist (26 September 2011)
  21. Argon can help keep your home warmer (05 August 2011)
  22. Antimatter is going to amaze us (09 July 2011)
  23. Fruit waste extracts metal contamination from water (06 June 2011)
  24. All that glisters. . . can be white, or rose, or purple (09 May 2011)
  25. A winning formula (05 April 2011)
  26. Chemical principles yield drinkable water from sea (10 March 2011)
  27. Avogadro numbered among greats (10 February 2011)
  28. Year of Chemistry also honours Curie (08 January 2011)
  29. Science high priority at Chinese military university (04 December 2010)
  30. Organic Chemists discipline's cryptic crossword solvers (19 October 2010)
  31. Earth still has not settled down (18 September 2010)
  32. For want of a few surfactants  (19 August 2010)
  33. Pill's invention far-reaching (23 July 2010)
  34. Phar Lap's death by poison verified (08 June 2010)
  35. Element 117 flashes into being (10 May 2010)
  36. Acid not worth wailing over (07 April 2010)
  37. Yes, it's even hotter than a Dunedin summer (06 March 2010)
  38. Hell of the toothpaste with liquid calcium (30 January 2010)
  39. For the record: 2011 the year of Chemistry (22 December 2009)
  40. Copper is an unusual prince among metals (21 November 2009)
  41. Understanding ribosomes has profound merit (10 October 2009)
  42. Order brought to compounds (19 September 2009)
  43. Vitamins vital victuals (08 August 2009)
  44. Cold fusion or confusion? (11 July 2009)
  45. Primordial ooze shocked into life (08 June 2009)
  46. Radon a shaky predictor (16 May 2009)
  47. Hunting Higgs Boson bill a mere 7 billion (11 April 2009)
  48. Sexy city – it's a geyser thing (11 March 2009)
  49. Dunedin off radar but pulls laureates (31 January 2009)
  50. Linked: the beats and the beers (07 January 2009)
  51. Humanity strand of Rutherford legacy (11 December 2008)
  52. Spineless bit of work key to discovery (10 November 2008)
  53. Nitrogen testing the melamine problem (11 October 2008)
  54. Substituting cheaper chemical in toys the high road to posioning (15 September 2008)
  55. The link between acetone and the state of Israel. (11 August 2008)
  56. Extremely rare and impossible to see. (05 July 2008)
  57. Who to blame for chemical weapons? (07 June 2008)
  58. Winter washday reverie (10 May 2008)
  59. Synthetic chemical preparation trail without end (08 April 2008)
  60. Satellites and things that go bump in the night (10 March 2008)
  61. Advertisement is offensive to science (06 February 2008)
  62. Centennial of Rutherford's Nobel Prize (21 January 2008)
  63. Book takes historic look at science (01 December 2007)
  64. Electrons put on a show (06 November 2007)
  65. Nobel award a birthday prize for chemistry pioneer (03 October 2007)
  66. Mysterious missing element (20 September 2007)
  67. Medal for model physicist (09 August 2007)
  68. So, why lace a toothpaste with poison (19 July 2007)
  69. Mercury: unusual, and toxic (20 June 2007)
  70. Headaches finding remedy for products sold with pseudo-science (28 May 2007)
  71. Ribena revelation inspires budding scientists (02 April 2007)
  72. Nobel prize-winner leaves future scientists a remarkable legacy (05 March 2007)
  73. Challenge issued to lead solar and battery research (06 February 2007)
  74. Polonium isolated by Curies in 1898 (07 December 2006)
  75. Brilliant parents can help (13 November 2006)
  76. "Friendly" chemical has its mean side (03 October 2006)
  77. Crackpots driven by inspired absurdities (06 September 2006)
  78. Currents around our cash change as well as its size (07 August 2006)
  79. From soccer to German chancellor no big leap (03 July 2006)
  80. New type of gold developed using synthesis (05 June 2006)
  81. And how would you like your ice? (01 May 2006)
  82. Research giant's record blighted by Nazi association (03 April 2006)
  83. World-famous scientist set to turn ytterbium (06 March 2006)
  84. Be sure that scientists' sins will find them out (07 February 2006)
  85. New form of popular pill discovered (02 January 2006)
  86. Rutherford's latest accolade certainly fitting  (06 December 2005)
  87. Top honours for some a lesser for others (05 November 2005)
  88. Curse the TV, saturated with fatty ads (03 October 2005)
  89. Two female chemists found formula to fame and political power (06 September 2005)
  90. Making things go with a bang (03 August 2005)
  91. "Natural" salt poorer than that with natural additive (11 July 2005)
  92. 19th-century German chemists gave Gregan his caffeine shot (07 June 2005)
  93. Serious side to nitrous oxide (02 May 2005)
  94. Vitamin C's secrets held for 200 years (05 April 2005)
  95. A certain chemistry in the world of film (08 March 2005)
  96. Focus on physics shines light on achievements of Einstein (09 February 2005)
  97. New Zealand Chemist makes strongest acid (05 January 2005)
  98. Chemists are human too, you know (06 December 2004)
  99. Curious case of taxes and greenhouse gas (01 November 2004)
  100. The science of pretty much everything (12 October 2004)
  101. Chemical interactions hold key to life (30 August 2004)
  102. New element named for discoverer of X-rays (02 August 2004)
  103. Olympian task to expose drug cheats (05 July 2004)
  104. A day to celebrate (don't count the candles) (16 June 2004)
  105. Obscure chemical bounds into news (03 May 2004)
  106. Separation technology a useful barrier (05 April 2004)
  107. Pseudo science nets gullible drinking mugs (01 March 2004)
  108. Fascinating account of chemistry's big achievers (02 February 2004)
  109. Count to an appreciation of a 5c piece (12 January 2004)
  110. Humour used to explain molecules (01 December 2003)
  111. Leading lights in science prize-fight (03 November 2003)
  112. NZer's key role in DNA work (06 October 2003)
  113. Methane - and lots of hot air (01 September 2003)
  114. Coming to grips with entropy (04 August 2003)
  115. England dials up a winning connection (07 July 2003)
  116. The difficulty of holding a bunsen to Shostakovich (02 June 2003)
  117. White powder paranoia world problem (05 May 2003)
  118. An important alternative energy war (07 April 2003)
  119. Success from serendipity and science (03 March 2003)
  120. Chemical reaction powers air bags (03 February 2003)
  121. Here's to a new year of more science, less superstition (06 January 2003)
  122. Molecular bonds key to carbon's properties (10 December 2002)
  123. A matter of counting size wins the prize (11 November 2002)
  124. Metric system well worth its weight in gold (07 October 2002)
  125. Scientists get to the bottom of alcohol (02 September 2002)
  126. Informed debate of GE a fine thing (08 August 2002)
  127. Chemical-free products in response to chemophobia (08 July 2002)
  128. Inside the workings of controversial killer (03 June 2002)
  129. Peer review vital to avoid cooking up controversy (06 May 2002)
  130. A break for our air, not for Auckland (01 April 2002)
  131. Quiet death of scientist reminder not all stars grace the magazine covers (04 March 2002)
  132. Naming of elements could stir rows (11 February 2002)
  133. Universe made up of 114, or so, elements (31 December 2001)
  134. Sunlight essential, but not too much (03 December 2001)
  135. Why it matters whether molecules are left or right handed (05 November 2001)
  136. 'Natural' and 'good for you' don't always go together (08 October 2001)
  137. How the body benefits from sacrificial antioxidants (03 September 2001)
  138. Coming to the defence of the notorious free radical (06 August 2001)
  139. What exactly are 'the party drugs'? (01 July 2001)
  140. Carbon dioxide plays pivotal role in global warming (04 June 2001)
  141. Depleted uranium: what is it? (07 May 2001)
  142. Conductive polymers: their discovery and applications (02 April 2001)

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