Upcoming Events		Books
September 13th, 2010 "Environmental Estrogens" (J. Schwarcz) Public Lecture Eleanor London Public Library Cote-St-Luc, QC 2:00 P. M. Click here to see all upcoming events		Now Available: "Science, Sense And Nonsense"     Click here to see all available books and to purchase
Science Issues		Science In The News
Phytophotodermatitis and the Giant Hogweed “Phtyo” derives from the Greek word for plant, “photo” from light and “derma” from skin, so “phytophotodermatitis” is a skin reaction initiated both by exposure to light and to some plant material.  Both exposure to a photosensitizing agent and to ultraviolet light are necessary for the reaction to occur, although not necessarily concurrently.  If exposure to the photosensitizing substance takes place in the absence of ultraviolet light, such as at night, a reaction can still occur on subsequent exposure to the sun if the substance has not been completely washed off the skin ...more For more, please see Features.		Making Trans-Fat Free Margarine Margarine originally was a cheap butter substitute made by emulsifying beef fat with water or milk.  Eventually animal fat was replaced by partially saturated vegetable fats, hardened by the process of hydrogenation, mainly for economic reasons.  When saturated fats were linked with increased blood levels of cholesterol, margarine became a quasi-drug, at least until trans fats, byproducts of the hydrogenation process reared their ugly heads... more For more, please see Features.
You Asked...		Science From Afar - Melody in Clerkship in NY
Q. What is actually meant by “digestion?”  Click here to find out... For more, please see Features.		At Least I'm in the Picture! Lincoln Medical Center's MICU team in July 2010
		Lectures on COOL
		Click here to visit COOL (COurses OnLine) Be sure to visit the "Special Lectures" section on COOL as well!
Did You Know?		Coin francophone
If you see a product label that lists “guar gum or cellulose gum” among its ingredients you would probably expect to chew rather than lick.  But these substances are critical to making a smooth-textured ice cream.  One of the biggest banes of ice cream lovers is the dreaded “heat shock” which occurs when ice cream is repeatedly removed from and put back into the freezer.  Each time a little melts and refreezes to form crystals which give the product a crunchy texture. The added gums absorb water and prevent it from refreezing into ice crystals.  Gums therefore provide the velvety texture that makes ice cream so appealing we eat enough of it every year to fill the Grand Canyon!     Click here for more interesting facts		Examen de fin d'année For more, please see Features.
		"The Dr. Joe Show" on CJAD & CFRB (Sun. 3PM)
		In 1767 the brilliant English scientist Joseph Priestley produced carbonated water for the first time and thereby laid down the foundation for the soft drink industry.  Where did he get the carbon dioxide he needed to put the fizz in the water? Click here to find out... For more, please see Features.