Chemistry Week 11

What are your thoughts on the ethics of “gene therapy”

In terms of ethics I think it is a grey area. My overall assessment is that we simply do not yet have the experience, knowledge or wisdom to begin using this therapy. We need to acknowledge the enormity of the fact the this is biologically merging humans with other life forms. Granted a relationship like this already occurs with viruses when we are infected. However, folks doing/researching gene therapy are , in a way, attempting to mimic the brilliance of viruses that took perhaps millions (or billions!) of years to evolve. I don't think it is unethical to research into this but I do think it is very  irresponsible and quite arrogant to start actually using this therapy so soon in the life of genetics studies. I mean in comparison the amount of time humans have spent researching DNA and genes and the timeline of the evolution of DNA and genes, the former is barely a blink of the eye.  

The Chemistry of life: http://www.bookrags.com/research/biochemistry-wap/

This article approached discussing the importance of biochemistry by listing several Nobel Prizes that have been

Awarded in recent years. These included the 1997 Chemistry prize shred by 3 scientists for their discovery of the 

'engine" that carries the compound ATP and the another scientist who discovered the sodium-potassium pump in cell membranes.

It also included a story about 19th century scientist Freidrich Wohler who challenged the 

conventional belief that living matter was not subject to similar behavior and laws that non-living matter was. I am certainly fascinated by the continued inquiry and revelation into the molecular 

aspects of life and at the same time concerned that it is just more of the same reductionist attitudes and beliefs: 

that you can cut away bits and pieces of the living thing and still understand it as a whole. When these enzymes and chemical

constituents are sliced away from the living form they are not the same. While I am interested to learn more about these discoveries

it is my hope that those researching them stay connected with the ineffable and spiritual side of things.

Animation: I checked out the animation on Molecules and Geometry. . It stated that molecular shapes re determined

by the number of electrons around the "central species". I think that means the nucleus of that particular molecule?

There are simple shapes like linear, bent, pyramidal and tetrahedral as well as more complex shapes like trigonal bypyrimidal,

square pyramidal and (my favorite) octahedral. I don't know how accurate the representations are

but it is certainly fascinating to imagine these tiny shapes existing even within my own body.

Week 7 Chem

Alkali metal of the week:

Lithium:

Atomic number: 7

Symbol: Li

Mass: 7

Description: A soft silver white metal. Lightest metal; least dense solid element. Highly reactive, stored under petroleum. Highly flammable.

Discovery: a combination of scientists participated in the discovery of lithium:  1800 Jose Bonifacio de Andrade e Silva- petalite (lithium aluminum silicate), 1817- Jons Jakob Berzelius identified new element in petalite ore. Berzelius named it lithium.

Uses: is this the same lithium that is used as an anti-depressant? Yes! Lithium has been used medically to treat gout, mania, depression, SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone depression), migraines and cluster headaches.

What is a mole:

A mole is a unit of measurement used in chemistry (chemical equations?) Because atoms are so small, it is the basically the smallest unit of a group of atoms we can use and still be able to know that anything is there at all!  It is similar to the method of measuring feet, inches, meters or even months. The equation for determining a mole of an atom or molecule is: 

NA (Avogadro's number)X(mass of molecule/element)grams. .......I think......

Avogadro's hypothesis states that equal volumes of gas at the same temperature and pressure will contain the same amount of molecules. 

Chemistry Week 6

Alchemy: science, magic, art or all three?
I think that it is all three: it is science in the sense that it is a method of observing and contemplating the anatomy and functioning of our universe, magic in the sense that it challenges 'laws' that are thought of as "natural" (Crowleys definition of magic is "the art and acience of causing change to occur in accordnace with the will) and art in the sense that it is the conscious use of creative skill and imgination...i think that art and science are so dependent on eachother....so many technological advances would not have occured without the creative play of one's imagination....allowing themselves to imgaine outside of what was currently considered possible...art is constanlt benefiting from new sciences...new tools and mediums for artists to express themselves.

Halogen:
iodine
I
Number: 53
Weight: 127
Iodine is used in medicine, photography and dyes. It is in limited quantities in both the solar system and the earths crust. It is the heaciest element used by living organisms. Iodine is used by the human body in production of hormones such as thyroxine by the throid gland which helps stablize body weight and regulate cholesterol. Iodine deficiency can lead to goiter or enlargement of the thyroid.

Chemistry Week 5:

WEB SITE:

I checked out the about.com link on light....interesting. Light is broken down into 2 main categories: incandescence and luminescence. Luminescence is then broken down into several sub-categories. I was surprised to see how many different kinds of luminescence humans have defined. For example, electroluminescence refers to luminescence caused by an electrical current, triboluminescence occurs when phosphorescence or electroluminescence is generated by mechanical action some minerals, when scratched together create this and I think maybe this is what's happening under my sheets when I slide into bed in the dark, cathodoluminescence is electroluminescence caused by electron beams (how images are formed on t.v.). In all there are 10 of these subcategories listed on this page. I still can't quite get my head around what light actually IS. It's a wave, it's a particle. How can this particle with mass and all strike the glorious beams, cascading mysteriously through the forest trees? I love the way the sunlight refracts through a prism in the window, dashing rainbow spots all over the room. Of all the phenomena to observe light is truly one of the most fantastic! 

THE COLORS OF MY KITCHEN:

I find a lot of yellow (my neighbor keeps bringing me yellow tomatoes from his patch)...green (in vegetable form), browns (mushrooms and chocolate mochi, yum!), red (seaweed, beans and tomatoes), blue (blueberries and blueberry yogurt), oranges (carrots, sweet potatoes) creams or whites (potatoes, rice, white beans, coconut milk, tapioca granules and coconut bliss frozen ice treat double yum!)

INERT GAS:

HELIUM: 

HE, 

Number: 2

Mass: 4

Helium is so interesting. According to wikipedia it is one of only two true inert gases (the other being neon). And it is the second most abundant element in our observable universe, 12 times more present than all other elements heavier than helium combined. It is not found in great abundance on Earth because it was the evaporation of helium present out of the gaseous dust clouds that condensed to become Earth in the first place.  Its melting and boiling points are the lowest among all elements. Helium makes your voice sound like The Chipmunks (very important scientific fact).

Week 4: Green-growth-in Asia-Pacific

I appreciate the notion that "economic growth is an outcome, not a goal". It seems true to me that the pattern in American culture IS to focus on economic growth as a goal rather than an outcome. A good example of this can be seen in our personal lives. As children and young adults we are encouraged to get a "good" job that can provide material wealth, rather than focusing on work that is meaningful to us and benefits the community at large.

I don't know where this presentation was given but I really appreciate seeing his list of "What needs to be sustained" in a discussion of economics. In it he includes: 

•The community of life – from Earth Charter

•Human life - survival

•Societies/communities/cultures

•The quality of human life

•The realisable potential of each human life

•Nature/ other species/ biodiversity

•Life support infrastructure

•Resource supply infrastructure

•The social/economic value of non-renewable resources

•The ability of society to function, despite resource depletion 

I think these are all concepts that should be considered by economists, chemists and developers alike!

Lastly, I appreciate his acknowledgement of the crisis we stand before but also of the opportunity. He encourages the use of compassion, wisdom and creativity to move through it and I agree!

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Week 4: Discussion questions

While it seems our economy is moving toward "green-ness" I think we are still a long way off. The reliance on oil alone is immense.... most people can't even begin to imagine a life without it. And most people, I would guess, aren't even aware of how precarious our infrastructure is in it's dependence on oil.  Even those "green" citizens who make great attempts to reduce their 'carbon footprint' would be hungry and cold if this infrastructure should fail. On the other hand... humans can prove amazing in times of trouble and maybe folks would step up and work it out.... I think a "green" economy will require a massive psychological overhaul in the minds of the masses. A real shift in consciousness, of what we assume our role on this earth to be, what we are "due" if anything at all by nature, Learning to make real sacrifices for the good of the community. I am skeptical that we can have a true 'green economy' and  without drastic alterations to our amount of consumption of everything, including food, and basic lifestyle such as feeling like we ought to be able to drive away on weekend getaways or across town to buy that wonderful imported olive oil..but its organic so its ok right? Again, while I think the shift is happening.. it is my experience that peoples minds don't change so quickly...unless its brought on by some dramatic event....maybe thats what it will take...i don't know......

Chem Week 4: Atom Economy

This was a challenging article for me to follow but here's what I got:

Atom economy refers to the careful tracking of which atoms are used and which are wasted in chemical processes (man made ones in particular). The reagents of the 'formula', utilized, unutilized and weight of both make up a graph in order to measure the efficiency of a reaction.

Elimination and substitution reactions are the least favorable reactions because they have the poorest atom economy. The most favorable are addition and rearrangement reactions. 

I was reminded of how crazy, brilliant and frightening humans can be when I read about rearrangement reactions....rearranging atoms? what?!

A company has been working on improving atom economy of ibuprofren production and it looks like the graph states it is at %77 which I think means only %23 is wasted.