That's The Way The Cookie Crumbles (eBook)

62 All-New Commentaries on the Fascinating Chemistry of Everyday Life

Joe Schwarcz (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2010 | 1. Auflage
280 Seiten
ECW Press (Verlag)
978-1-55490-520-1 (ISBN)

Infos

Interesting anecdotes and engaging tales make science fun, meaningful, and accessible. Separating sense from nonsense and fact from myth, these essays cover everything from the ups of helium to the downs of drain cleaners and provide answers to numerous mysteries, such as why bug juice is used to color ice cream and how spies used secret inks. Mercury in teeth, arsenic in water, lead in the environment, and aspartame in food are discussed. Mythbusters include the fact that Edison did not invent the light bulb and that walking on hot coals does not require paranormal powers. The secret life of bagels is revealed, and airbags, beer, and soap yield their mysteries. These and many more surprising, educational, and entertaining commentaries show the relevance of science to everyday life.

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In this collection of delightful, instructive, witty, and thoroughly accessible essays, Dr. Schwarcz presents stories of science and its illegitimate imitators. This authoritative book, well grounded in science, turns the table on the pseudo-science of snake oil nostrums, palliatives, and nutritional nonsense.

Textauszug

HEALTHY SCIENCE MlCROWAVED SOCKS, AND OTHER TALESFROM THE AIRWAVES I look forward to my Friday mornings. That's when I spend an hour and a half conversing with the public on CJAD Radio in Montreal. The idea behind the show is for me to provide reliable scientific information, answer questions about current concerns, and attempt to clear up some of the mysteries that permeate daily life. But the show is an education for me, as well. For over twenty years, it has allowed me to monitor the pulse of the population and gain a glimpse into its psyche. I have been pleased by callers who have made unusual scientific observations, elated by those with intriguing questions, and frustrated by the occasional demonstration of scientific illiteracy. I have also come to realize that people are burdened with numerous fears, both rational and irrational. And I have learned not to besurprised. Shocked, maybe - but never surprised. 'How do you wash microwaves out of socks?' one callerqueried. I didn't quite know what to make of this. Quickly,though, we established that he was not worried about havingtrodden on some stray microwaves, but he had heard about adevice being marketed to reduce the risks of cell phone use. First of all, we need to understand that there is very little scientific evidence to suggest that cell phones are dangerous, other than to those who use them while driving. But that has not stopped the inventive marketers. They've come up with a socklike device that one places over the phone to absorb the 'harmful microwaves.' The instructions that come along with this gem apparently instruct the user to launder the sock regularly to 'wash out the radiation.' Total nonsense. Microwaves are a form of energy, and they can indeed be absorbed by materials. After all, that's how microwave ovens work. Moisture absorbs the waves, energizing the water molecules.They move around more rapidly, and it is this motion that we sense as heat. But microwaves cannot be stored in asubstance for later release. It seems, though, that this contention is not restricted to scam artists who want to protect us from cell phones. A listener once called to ask how long one should allow microwaved food to stand after cooking to 'allow the microwaves to escape.' Obviously, this person had been reading her microwave cookbook, which would have advised her to allow microwaved food to stand briefly before serving it. This is common practice, necessary to complete the cooking process. Contrary to what many think, microwaves do not penetrate food deeply. The exterior of the food in question is easily heated, but the inside cooks through heat transfer by conduction. That's why the food must stand for a few minutes. It has nothing to do with allowing vagrant microwaves to escape. Microwaves are not the only form of radiation causing undue concern. A terribly agitated caller was worried because after being x-rayed she was asked to take the films to her physician herself. She had heard all about exposure to x-rays being dangerous and thought that by carrying the films she was 'exposing'herself. Since the infamous date of 9/11, a number of people have asked about wearing clothes that have gone through x-ray scanners at airports. They are concerned that these items may become radioactive and pose a risk to their health. Excessive exposure to x-rays can certainly be risky, but x-rayed items do not store and reemit radiation. Unfortunately, just a mention of the word radiation is often enough to alarm people.

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 10.11.2010
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Natur / Technik
• Themenwelt: Schulbuch / Wörterbuch ► Lexikon / Chroniken
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Chemie
• Themenwelt: Technik
• ISBN-10: 1-55490-520-6 / 1554905206
• ISBN-13: 978-1-55490-520-1 / 9781554905201