Frankincense and Myrrh

Frankinsense and Myrrh have been referenced as prized possesions and rare gifts since antiqity, but what are they? Explore here for some background info and here for current research that aims to unvail the mysterious power of these plant products.

"Who is this coming up from the wilderness
Like palm-trees of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
From every powder of the merchant?"

"Till the day doth break forth,
And the shadows have fled away,
I will get me unto the mountain of myrrh,
And unto the hill of frankincense."

- Song of Solomon

How much do we really know about the world we live in? Every year hundreds of new living creatures are discovered while hundreds are also predicted to become extinct, never to be reveled to human acknowledgment. One of the areas of Earth with the least amount of knowledge is the deep seas and oceans. Approximately 70% of the Earth's surface is covered in ocean water. More than half of this area is over 3,000 meters (almost 10,000 feet) deep. Little is known about ocean life from about 700 meters (almost 2,300 feet) deep because there is little sunlight at this depth. Thanks to inventive and daring research, we now have first hand accounts of the amazing creatures living in this incredible environment.

Holy Evolution, Darwin! Comics Take On Science

With all the publicity Marvel comic characters (such as the Hulk, Spider-man, Wolverine and Iron Man) have received in recent years, it only seems appropriate that the heroes of chemistry also get some lime light. Introducing.....Uncertainty Man and Mr. Atom

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The future of non-renewable energy sources such as gasoline and petroleum has reached a critical point. We now know that these energy sources will run out within the next 50 to 100 years. In order to keep our standards of living the same and be able to travel, eat and retain our global economies we desperately need an answer to this issue. Research on renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, biofuels and even hydrogen have been in the works for over 40 years.
Here is another wonderfully creative way to potentially solve the renewable energy problem:
renewableenergyworld.com

Chemistry Vocab

Water Should Be a Human Right

Water, water everywhere, and you’re entitled to a drop.

As scientists warn that the world’s fresh water supplies will soon run critically short, and companies scramble to privatize them, some researchers and activists say water should be considered a basic human right.

“Access to clean water, which is essential for health, is under threat,” write the editors of Public Library of Science Medicine in an essay published Monday.

In terms of intellectual coherency, the idea passes muster. Water’s just as essential to life as food, which makes an appearance in Article 25 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

As of now, the World Health Organization estimates that inadequate water is responsible for nearly one-tenth of the world’s disease burden, and that six percent of all deaths could be prevented by universal access to safe drinking water and better sanitation.

Of course, it’s a lot easier to declare a right than to enforce it. Despite the UN’s pledge to end hunger, nearly a billion people don’t have enough to eat. And the UN’s promise to halve the number of water-impoverished people by 2015 has a snowball’s chance in the Sahara of being met. But as the PLoS Medicine editors point out, recognizing water as a human right would at least provide a framework for dealing with water privatization.

Over the last 20 years, with the help of the International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization, water has become a $500 billion global industry dominated by just three companies. According to reports published by the nonprofit Food and Water Watch, it’s been a disaster in both the United States and the developing world.

“This model has proven to be a failure,” wrote Maude Barlow, senior advisor on water issues to the UN General Assembly’s president, in an essay published last year. “High water rates, cut-offs to the poor, reduced services, broken promises and pollution have been the legacy of privatization.”

According to the UN, 2.8 billion people won’t have enough water to meet their basic needs by 2025.

“A human rights approach to water recognizes the potential for inequity and ensures that the most vulnerable are not ignored,” write the editors.

By Brandon Keim

Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est (And thus knowledge itself is power)
-- Sir Francis Bacon.