A recent Twitter discussion on long work weeks by academics caused me to reflect on my previous life in academia – that decade where I completed my MSc and PhD in chemistry, postdoctoral studies, and four years as an assistant professor of chemistry in two different universities. The Twitter discussion began in earnest when, In response to this tweet about the distribution of work hours for “average” professors: The average #professor works over 60 hours…

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When I first saw a periodic table of the elements, I observed that the three Olympic medals – gold, silver and copper, the largest component of bronze – were the three group 11 elements. The order of these elements from lightest to heaviest – copper (Cu), then silver (Ag), then gold (Au) – follow the order of the medals in ascending value. (In 1994, a fourth group 11 element was discovered. With a half-life of…

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Going to the movies in the first half of the 20th century was dangerous.  The movie theatre projection room was a hazardous place to work.  And while the source of the danger was well understood, it took several decades for filmmakers to finally offer moviegoers and projectionists a safer environment to enjoy Hollywood’s finest works. Before looking at the dangerous chemistry of early film, let us remember how motion pictures work.  The video portion of…

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During our recent short trip to Niagara Falls, my wife and I strolled through a casino, as a warm and sheltered shortcut from our bed and breakfast to the waterfront.  I had no interest in trying out the slot machines or any of the table games.  I enjoy considering the statistics behind casino games, and I love playing card games and games in general with friends.  But I’m not a big fan of casinos themselves…

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My wife and I left the Downtown Toronto hustle for a few days between Christmas and New Year’s, for two nights in a lovely bed and breakfast in Niagara Falls. The intent of our mini-vacation was to spend some quiet time indoors, reading books, perhaps writing (in my case, I thought more about relaunching Atoms and Numbers!), and just relaxing after a busy few months. Unbeknown to us when we booked this trip in early…

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