ping pong

You may have seen the video (elsewhere on this site) of me using liquid nitrogen to make a rather crude bomb from a plastic bottle and a bin full of water. In fact, I may have even demonstrated it live for you on the all weather pitch.

However, in the video below a Plymouth University Professor has had a fine idea and has taken it one step further.

I'm now saving up for 1500 ping pong balls.

the history of molecules

Here's a link to a new part of the RSC website that Mr Bach put me on to. It's a set of short podcasts that gives a brief history of some well known, and in many cases controversial compounds, eg. TNT, nitrous oxide, kevlar and many recreational drugs such as cocaine and LSD.

history of molecules 

Each week a leading scientist or author tells the story behind a different compound or molecule.

They can be played online or downloaded as podcasts. And they're pretty good.


The RSC have a similar set of podcasts for the elements in the periodic table as well.

history of elements 

13A class photo

Thanks to Holly for sending the photo in. One are two of the group were unsurprisingly absent for this which is a bit of a shame but not any real surprise (I'm talking to you Moosa and friends), but I guess you get what you deserve in the end. I also pleased to report that three of you pictured here also scored higher than Maria Imran on your CHEM5 paper, and she well needs to get out more as I've told her on numerous occasions. Congratulations.

Thanks for the good company and (mainly) hard work. It's been a pleasure. Best of luck for the future.