A motley collection of ideas
A collection of articles on chemistry, covering a wide range of topics from everyday experiments to scientific insights.
Who hasn’t come across that moment when a formerly leather-like, silky-smooth coating on your stuff suddenly turns sticky? If it’s just a ballpoint pen that ends up in the trash because it’s gooey, you shrug it off. But when the kitchen knife holder sticks to the tiles—or worse, your e-book reader or an expensive studio … Read more
The mildew stain is very ugly and does not come out of the clothes when washed. But things can be saved if you know how to do it!No need to throw away clothes with mould stains! Small mould stains can be removed at home, but if you have larger, stubborn stains, it’s worth going to a dry-cleaning specialist (if you can find one who still knows how). Be careful with the practices that are circulating on various gossip sites! The use of strong detergents in particular can easily lead to completely ruining an otherwise salvageable garment. And if the mould fungus has really got into the fibres of the cloth, there is no other way to help but with vinegar scissors…
As I write these lines, there is half a metre of snow under the window and it is -10°C. The sunlight is playing nicely on the bruised trees, but the cold is evil. If we have to get out of our gloves, our fingers quickly get cold, our skin starts to burn. The blood circulation to the back of the hand deteriorates rapidly, and the gloves are of no use. It’s better to put your hands under a coat or use a hand warmer.
The salad is an undeservedly neglected part of holiday lunch. Hungarians just eat something pickled with the meat and call it a day, while food bloggers throw together something from the leftovers. Yet there’s real science in salad, let me tell you! The word “salad” comes from the Latin expression herba salata (meaning “salted herb”). … Read more
I came across an article titled “Xylitol, the Unnatural Sweetener” by Sándor Meleg on a friend’s website. At first, I had the impression that this, too, was going to bash poor xylitol and take the dark-green side in the natural vs. artificial debate. I’ll admit, the thought even crossed my mind that the author, dietitian … Read more
People have been sending secret messages since ancient times. Countless methods have been devised to protect information—and just as many to uncover it. Nowadays, digital methods are in fashion, and ciphers and chemical inks are more like toys, but there was a time when lives depended on them. Methods for concealing information fall into two … Read more