Apothecary bottles found in a collectibles shop

// August 21st, 2010 // No Comments » // Drugs

About a week ago I was in Gulgong, a small town in New South Wales near the wine region of Mudgee. The main road was spelled Mayne Road, and was brown stone rather than tarmac. Along the footpaths were old stone troughs for watering horses. Key landmarks included the Ten Dollar Motel and the Gulgong Butchers Cafe. It was an old gold mining town which had lost its gold but kept its rural charm.

Wandering the streets I came across a collectibles shop filled with coloured glass jugs and gold rimmed plates. Amongst the copper kettles I found these old bottles from an apothecary, dated around the 1800′s I believe.

The craftsmanship is stunning, and they teased my imagination. What were these drugs used for? What did they look like, when those bottles were filled, and who was the chemist who filled them?

I have since looked into some of the medicines written on the bottles.

Iodoformum is now called tri-iodomethane (CHI3). The crystals are lemon yellow and have a disagreeable odour and taste. I think it was used to treat tuberculosis, and is still used in homeopathy for a range of ailments. Hexamine may have been mixed with hippuric acid to make methenamine hippurate, which was used to treat lower urinary tract infections. Salol was a white powder derived from salicylic acid, the active ingredient in willow bark, which we take as acetylsalicylic acid in asprin. It was used to reduce pain and fever. Menthol you probably recognise from chest rubs. It comes from mint oil, though it can be made synthetically. As well as clearing sinuses it can ease sore throats and muscle pains, and is one of the ingredients in tiger balm.

While researching I found an issue of the British Medical Journal from September 5, 1885 which is an interesting read.

National Science Week

// August 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // Jibber Jabber

Just a quick one to say that National Science Week has officially started. If you’re in Australia, there’s tons of awesome science shows and stuff to do this week. Post a comment if you know of something particularly incredible that’s happening.

I’m in Parkes, NSW (home of the Dish) at the moment, so I’m missing out on most of it. I’m feeling pretty FOMO actually. FOMO is a great adjective, isn’t it. Start using it too and maybe it will really take off.

Solar powered laptop bags and handbags

// August 5th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Science Art, Science at Home

Voltaic Generator Bag

Winter sun is something worth enjoying. Spreading out lizardlike and soaking up UV rays to make Vitamin D is an excellent endeavour. I often take my laptop out with me and blog in the sunlight.

Today as I was doing just that, my laptop started complaining about low charge. It made me wonder if you could solar power your laptop. Turns out you can.

You can have a panel on just about anything. Most only charge small devices like a phone, but you can have one on your desk, one on your bike, or even one on your hat (powering a small fan which spins faster as it gets more sun.)

The one pictured is a laptop bag with solar panels on the front, and it’s capable of charging a laptop. They charge a battery inside the bag, which you can run your laptop on.

Solar Handbag

I did a bit more snooping, and I found some fashionable handbags that do a similar job. These were sold on auction in mid July (one of a kind, probably couldn’t have afforded them anyway), and feature sexy solar panels that can charge your ipod, camera or phone as you walk.

It’s part of the portable light project, which has sadly finished. They create flexible photovoltaic textiles for use in developing countries. The material lends itself to traditional weaving and sewing, so people can incorporate the technology into their own culture. Open source electricity.

The solar units charge during the day, and at night work as lamps. They also have a USB port to charge phones, making it easier for traveling artists to connect with stores or midwives to seek clinic advice and diagnosis.

A mighty fine endeavour, but I’d be happy with something that quickly charged my iPod nano because he has problems. It leaks charge all over the joint like a poorly toilet trained puppy. I leave it switched off and locked in my bag, and next time I try to use it, it’s gone to Davey Jones locker. Perhaps it be time to update to an iPhone…

Big Blog Theory announced – Second place in best Australian blogger!

// August 1st, 2010 // No Comments » // Jibber Jabber

A somewhat belated announcement – A Schooner of Science was awarded second place in The Big Blog Theory, sharing the runner up position with Mr Science Show. Huzzah!

Congratulations to the winner, Bec from Save Your Breath for Running Ponies. The blog has a really interesting writing style, a bit like a novel with characters and dialogue. I’m looking forward to seeing her coverage of National Science Week.

Thank ye to all who voted for me, I’m honoured to be Australia’s equal-second-best science blogger and I couldn’t have done it without your support. Let’s dance a merry jig about my ship and down a mug o’ rum in celebration!

Globs of jellyfish equals stings aplenty!

// July 28th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // The Realm of Bizzare

Image by Dan Hershman (click through)

With tentacles up to 30 feet long and measuring three feet across the bell, this is a Lions Man Jellyfish. The tentacles are full of nematocysts, small cells that automatically sting when they come in contact with something.

Last Wednesday, pieces of one of these jellyfish washed up on a beach in New Hampshire and stung up to one hundred people. One hundred people! Horrific! Just imagine swimming about, splashing, maybe macking in the surf, when suddenly for no apparent reason you’re being stung and a hundred people around you starts freaking out. ‘Tis why I stay on ship.

I remember visiting North Queensland where they protect people from swimming with the deadly box jellyfish by walling off areas of the sea into small pools. Sea water passes through a filter to fill the pool. But I heard that if a jellyfish gets caught in the filter, it can get ripped up and washed into the pool, stinging everyone inside.

The first aid treatment for jellyfish stings is vinegar. In North Queensland they have bottles of pink vinegar kept in letterbox-shaped metal contraptions all along the beach, in case of box jellyfish stings.Why is the vinegar pink? I’m told it’s so people don’t pour it over their chips!

Hat tip to Deep Sea News.

New blog features animated MRI’s of fruit

// July 24th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Science Art

I have stumbled across Inside Insides, a blog of fruit and vegetables as seen through an MRI machine. Each fruit or vege has an animation, so you can see inside it from one end to another. Pictured is a screen shot of the latest entry – celery.

Me favourites be the broccoli which looks like fireworks and the artichoke which looks like a kaleidoscope.

Is this another example of art and science? The line is so blurry now we pirates get confused.

The Japanese bullet train, designed by kingfishers

// July 18th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // How Things Work

Images by heavenlyvacation and MJTR (´･ω･) on flickr

It’s a beautiful example of biomimicry, nature informing technology. The shinkansen bullet trains of Japan are airplanes on rails, traveling at over 300 km per hour in comfort and style.

Traveling at this speed, tunnels present a problem. When the train enters the tunnel it compresses a cushion of air ahead of it. The compressed air waves become a small shock wave when they exit the tunnel, moving through the air faster than the speed of sound. The tunnel boom sounds like a clap of thunder, and residents complained.

Engineers looked for examples in nature to solve the problem, and they fixed on the kingfisher. When the bird dives into the water for fish it makes hardly any splash. They generated computer models and found that modifying the nose of the train to mimic the kingfisher bill would reduce tunnel boom. The new generations of bullet trains now sport the kingfisher look and are quieter, faster and use 15% less electricity.

If you enjoyed this post, please vote for me now in the Big Blog Theory! Fabulous booty to be had, failure to vote will result in walking the plank.

Why moths circle lamps, and darkness is our friend

// July 16th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // How Things Work

Sydney Opera House. Image by Froge

I wear my sunglasses at night. It’s for the light pollution. New Scientist today sent out a plea to bring back the night for wildlife’s sake, particularly birds, bats and turtles.

Moths are also at risk to death by light. In Australia, the Bogong moths cause October plagues around Sydney and Canberra. They swarm houses, government buildings, and sometimes land on bosoms of opera singers during the Sydney Olympics (or was that the Hawk moth?)

The reason for the plague is simple, we stupidly built cities near their migratory paths. Every spring the Bogong moth travels from the plains to the mountains, to get away from the heat. They spend the summer lying dormant in caves, aestivating (hibernating in the summer.)

Aboriginal groups would sometimes collect them, cooked they taste nutty and are an excellent source of protein. Unfortunately it’s not an option anymore because they eat stacks of pesticide as caterpillars on the plains.

It’s a common thing to see a moth circling a lightbulb. Why do they do it? They aren’t actually attracted to the bright lights, it’s a mistake in navigation. At least, according to one theory, though there are others I like this one best.

Bogong Moths, Image by Pbpanther

When moths make the migration, they need to know how the hell to get to the mountains. I sail by the stars, but moths fly by the moon. By keeping the moon at a certain angle to the side, they can fly in a particular direction. For example, if you know the moon is in the north and you want to go west, you would keep the moon on your right hand side. I think a similar method was used in Apollo 11, when their navigation systems were down (I’m going by a vague recollection of Tom Hanks following the Earth out the window of the ship.)

It works because the moon is so far away the angle doesn’t change as you move. But imagine you tried the same thing with a street light. If you kept the light on your right, you’d end up going around in circles. Just like moths do.

Some moths don’t fly in circles around light, they just WAP into them. They might be using the same method, but aiming directly for the moon instead of keeping it to one side.

In Adelaide we have trees with lights mounted to shine up on them all night. I would like to know if it damages tree growth or the native wildlife around it. What are your thoughts, and when was the last time you really saw the stars?

A Schooner of Science could be Australia’s best science blog, but only with your vote! If you enjoyed reading, take a second to vote for me here.

The Big Blog Theory announces finalists

// July 13th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Science Communication

I’m pleased to announce A Schooner of Science has been named one of ten finalists for The Big Blog Theory.

As well as being named Australia’s best science blog, the winner will attend and blog about National Science Week events across Australia.

Now it’s up to you.

Three reasons to vote for A Schooner of Science:

1. I’ll make videos, tweet AND write posts, you can’t get better coverage than that.
2. I will have a system so you decide which events I should cover.
3. We could get a pirate to National Science Week.

Have a look at the list of finalists and vote for your favourite.

Preserved in amber, new beetle species discovered in Australia

// June 22nd, 2010 // No Comments » // Recent Research, The Realm of Bizzare

A massive trove of precious amber, fossilised tree sap, was found last September. The pieces were found on a remote stretch of beach in Cape York, far north Queensland.

The amber comes from an ancient rainforest that must have existed between Australia and New Guinea. Up until now there were almost no remains from that area, because they’re underwater, I guess, and some landlubbers don’t enjoy venturing into the depths. Especially in far north Queensland with the box jellyfish and what not.

Best part is, the amber contains insects preserved a la Jurassic Park. They have found a prehistoric spider, ants, and wasps as well as a brand new species of beetle. Some of the amber has been taken to the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, where they have scanned the insects and built large scale models. *Want*

The New South Wales University have a press release with pics of the beetle.