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Where there is Smoke, there are Air Quality Indices

21 Jul 2023

I woke up from a nap to see a doomsday-esque picture outside the car window. My friends and I were driving back to Montreal during the poorest air quality day of the summer, and the city looked...

Smoke Alarms Are Not Created Equal

8 Jan 2022

Earlier this week, a fire broke out in a rowhouse in Philadelphia, killing at least 13 people. The deputy fire commissioner stated during a news conference that there were four smoke alarms but...

It's Time to BBQ!

12 Jul 2018

The word “barbecue” derives from the ancient Caribbean tradition of supporting food over a fire with a scaffolding made from green wood which in Spanish was called "barbacoa." The technique itself...

It’s Not the Smoke from a Joint That Makes Your Eyes Red

12 Jul 2018

The familiar red and glassy-eyed stare of someone who’s high was previously thought to be due to the irritation of eyes by pot smoke. But, now we know that weed makes your eyes red for the same...

Safety and Chemistry of the Self-Cleaning Oven

18 Jun 2018

Si vous voulez lire cet article en français, cliquez ici!

Wood burning stoves should be extinguished

20 Mar 2017

Wood burning stoves are a health hazard. Period. Not debatable. To understand, we first have to examine what combustion is all about. When cellulose and lignin, the major components of wood, burn...

Chemistry at the Vatican

20 Mar 2017

The new Pope, Francis, we now learn, has a degree in Chemistry. He received a Master’s from the University of Buenos Aires.  It is interesting then to note that his selection was signaled through...

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