The Genie in the Bottle

Steven Whang

The Genie in the Bottle


Joe Schwarcz's The Genie in the Bottle is a fascinating book that talks about the chemistry of everyday life. It has mixed stories about how chemistry impacts everyday lives and ways people never really expect. It talks a lot about interesting topics such as food and sunscreen which people would never really think is important. But this book shows that it does matter and how famous chemists made lives better. An interesting quote "You're more likely to get a cold from a handshake than a kiss or someone coughing in your face because the numerous crevices on the surface of our hands are an ideal breeding ground for microbes." shows interesting facts in the book.

Schwarcz interesting fact, "did you know that crazy glue works better in Miami than in Phoenix because its effectiveness depends on the moisture in the air." illustrates the importance in chemistry in modern life. He explains how cyanoacrylates (crazy glue) needs moisture to activate their bonds to hold objects better. The use of cyanoacrylate was also considered in medicine whether the glues could be used to hold human tissue together after surgery.

In today's society, majority of people view licorice as candy. However, they do not know that it is a flavorful herb that has been used in food and medicinal remedies for thousands of years. Schwarcs concludes and interesting fact that licorice root has been used in both Eastern and Western medicine to treat a variety of illnesses ranging from the common cold to liver disease. This herb has long been valued as a demulcent and expectorant and continues to be used by health care professionals today to relieve allergies, bronchitis, colds, sore throats, and tuberculosis, stomach problems and more.

Chocolate is probably America's favorite candy. Schwarcz explains that chocolate can even be used for medicinal value.For example, chocolate can be used to aid emaciated patients in gaining weight, to stimulate the nervous systems of apathetic individuals and to improve digestion. In the late twentieth century, attention focused on a class of compounds, phytonutrients, that tend to have antioxidant properties and are said to lower the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Among these phytonutrients are the polyphenols, in particular the catechins, which have demonstrated physiological antioxident properties.

Ginkgo biloba is one of the oldest trees on Earth, once part of the flora of the Mesozoic period. The ginkgo biloba is not an ordinary tree because it's leaves has interesting medical purposes like glue, licorice and chocolate. Schwarcz illustrates that the Ginkgo seeds were traditionally served to guests along with alcohol drinks in Japan. An enzyme present in the ginkgo seed has been shown in clinical research to speed up alcohol metabolism in the body, underscoring the wisdom of this folk custom. The leaf extract has been used in Asia for thousands of years to treat allergies, asthma, and bronchitis. It is also valued in Chinese medicine as a heart tonic, helpful in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia.

Almost millions of people go tanning to have their perfect skin tone. However, Schawrcz explains the effects of tanning which can lead to fatal effects such as skin cancer. Skin cancer is an uncontrolled proliferation of skin cells which can be caused by excessive, unprotected exposure to the sun. All outdoor athletes are at risk, especially if they compete for long periods in the summer during the middle part of the day. The term tanning is also used metaphorically for a hiding in the sense of physical punishment which leaves clear marks on the beaten skin. Therefore, people should realize, too much tanning is planning for cancer.

This book "The Genie in the Bottle," demonstrates interesting facts about chemistry that has been unknown to many people. Schwarcz's explanations of glue, intriguing facts on licorice, chocolate research, ginkgo biloba, and the effects of tanning demonstrates interesting facts that Schwarcz used to interest the people in chemistry. Joe Schwarcz uses "64 new commentaries on the fascinating chemistry of everyday life" that opens a path of the interesting world of chemistry around us.

Lauren Genie in the bottle

The Genie in the Bottle
By Joe Schwarcz

In The Genie in the Bottle, Joe Schwarcz presents a collection of questions from a number of fields all having to do with scientific connections. The text demonstrates a person’s broad scientific knowledge and links it to many aspects of culture. In his commentaries, Schwarcz reminds us that with every breath and movement we are experiencing chemistry. The collections of essays blend everyday chemistry with stories from the history of science. The book reveals the captivating scientific secrets gathered by Dr. Schwarcz. Infused with Schwarcz's humor and keenness for magic and science, The Genie in the Bottle celebrates some of the most amazing aspects of our world.
One of the most intriguing commentaries to me was the Dark Side of the Sun. For one thing I never knew that there were baby elephant orphanages in Kenya but it was also interesting to discover the affects that the sun has on human beings. I never knew there was no such thing as a safe tan. I always thought that if you applied sunscreen it was fine to tan. That little piece of information definitely took a toll on me since I spent most of my summer tanning on a beach. Reading about that and the bad affects of sun exposure really pushed me to apply the sun lotion. I kept thinking that I was going to end up with skin cancer, forcing me to age quicker and have a haggard look about me. My thoughts also kept drifting to other disorders that could happen to me from sun exposure. For instance I learned that sun exposure can cause eye cataracts and impair immune systems. Another fact that I found captivating was wearing dark shirts on sunny days instead of light ones. Dark shirts attract the sun’s rays sparing you from sunlight, while light shirts on the other hand can be penetrated by rays. From reading this chapter my knowledge on the affects of sunlight has been broadened and it has made me take more precaution with sun exposure.
This next chapter that I have chosen is a rather odd one. The name of the chapter is kissing toads and it is about the effects that toads have on humans. In Australia during the 1930’s the sugar cane industry was thriving. The only problem was that the grayback beetles were eating the sugar cane. To get rid of the beetles Australia imported toads from Hawaii. Then the toads started to multiple along with the beetles. Rumors started that licking toads can cause hallucinations. Teenagers tried licking toads and experienced delirium, high blood pressure, and rapid heartbeat. Scientists hypothesize that the reason for this is a defense mechanism of toads. When danger is approaching toads activate glands that create a mixture of toxins leading the attacker to find food somewhere else. This chapter caught my interest because I thought licking toads was a myth that was told from time to time.
I enjoyed Berry good News a lot because it was nice to know that berries have extra health benefits. Blueberries for instance have been proved in studies with lab rats to help with memory loss due to old age. Scientist have tested blueberries to discover that they have the highest antioxidant rate out of any other fruit which means that the berries are good at neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are linked to every aspect of aging from eye problems to memory loss. So, from this article I have now learned that when I get older and start to age more drastically I will start eating a lot of blueberries.
This next chapter the magic of Secret Inks is very interesting. It has a mix of chemistry, and magic. In this commentary Schwarcz goes back in time to the 1970’s where he talks about his creation of a wand that makes water change color. The magic was Gallic acid which reacts with iron chloride to form a dark blue compound that can be destroyed with citric acid which then brought the water back to its original colorless form. Schwarzc goes on to say that these chemicals can also be used to create secret ink. For the secret ink to work a person must first write a message in colorless Gall and then when the message arrives to its destination iron chloride can be used to let the words be seen. I found this information to be attention-grabbing and I like being able to know about it in case I ever need secret ink.
Lastly, I found Danger down the drain a particularly chilling chapter. Plumbers have come to my house before to unclog drains but I never knew about the disturbing creatures that could be causing the clogs. For instance it has been recorded in this chapter that strange creature ranging from rats to pythons has been extracted from pipes and in Singapore a python was able to sliver its way through a person’s pipes straight to the toilet. It was very interesting to learn that in different hemispheres and the equator water spirals down in different directions. In the northern hemisphere the water drains counterclockwise and in the south water drains clockwise and on the equator water spirals straight down.

Vitamins May Hurt Your health; Problems with Dose and Contamination

http://chemistry.about.com/od/medicalhealth/a/vitamincontam.htm

In the article, "Vitamins May Hurt Your health; Problems with Dose and Contamination", the author Anne Marie Helmenstine talks about the hidden harm of Vitamins. A recent feature about a ConsumerLab.com’s investigation on the purity of multivitamins has caused many people to think before they swallow. The studied showed that not all vitamins contain or work the way it says on their labels. For example, The Vitamin Shoppe Multivitamins Especially for Women has been found to be contaminated with a very high amount of lead, over ten times the amount permitted. The pills are suppose to be for calcium, and since calcium and lead are found in many chemical reactions, it is hard to separate the two completely. Also, in kids Hero Nutritionals Yummi Bears, there is 210% of Vitamin A. this is about 2,400 International units over the limit. The reason for the limit is because too much Vitamin A can weaken bones and cause liver damage in you children. The best thing to know about multivitamins is that the bigger the label the less chance of a harmful substance in it, but there is still a risk. Also one easy way to keep oneself safe from any harm is to never take vitamins after the expiration date.

Failed Anxiety Drug could Treat Cancer

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2008/September/10090802.asp

“Failed Anxiety Drug could Treat Cancer”

Scientists believe that they may have cracked a treatment that can kill cancer cells. The drug attacks molecules in the cell rather than the proteins. Siramesine has shown to be an effective drug but in 2002 they stopped using it because it was ineffective. Yet it has been shown to be effective on animal models. Recently in Finland, Denmark, and the UK it has been shown that the messenger in the cell involved cell proliferation. When starting the experiment at first the scientists said it was purely out of curiosity but as they looked closer they realized that what they had done could be very big. It creates a very strong hydrogen bond and the siramesine doesn’t let the cells do their job therefore stopping the cancer. A phosphatidic acid is formed which has been known to signaling pathway that promotes cell survival. This could be the cancer drug breakthrough scientists believe, but it is a very early stage and a lot has to be accomplished to know for sure it actually can cure cancer.

This article was very interesting. I learned that finally there could be a cure for cancer. If this experiment ends up working out, this could save so many lives every year. Even though it is an early stage in the testing, it is good to know that people are working on a cure that could potentially be a lifesaver.

This article even though very well written, it some what may have produced what can potentially be false hope. If these scientists end up failing with these testing, they will have let many people down. The scientists maybe should have waited to release this information until they were more sure on whether this drug could cure cancer.

Oil Magnets

Link: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/34477/title/Oil_magnets

The article "Oil Magnets" by Janet Raloff discusses the new ways scientists are experimenting with using magnetic rings to move oil. Oil spills are a constant problem, and are hurting the environment, thus scientists at the University of Carnegie Mellon have been investigation how to move oil by staying green. They have discovered a way, by using tiny iron cobalt magnets, to attract the oil. Ferrofluid is mixed with mineral oil, and then metallic nanomagnets are placed in the mixture. This combination allows for scientists to prove and demonstrate that the tiny magnets can move oils on their own. Although oil companies will not invest in this invention right away, when it becomes less expensvie and is looked into more, it will be a very useful way to clean up oil spills. The ocean is a common ground for oil spills and by using this method of magnets to attract and move oil can help make the earth greener.

William's Safety Poster Animation

Ryan's Genie in The Bottle

The Genie in the Bottle by Joe Schwarcz is a well thought out and educational book that uses real stories of scientific breakthroughs to teach the interesting subject of chemistry. This book discusses in detail over twenty scientific experiments and discoveries ranging from the saving of millions from deadly diseases to the development of common household objects and even children’s toys. It is a fascinating collection of chemistry mysteries analyzed and explained so anyone could understand these concepts.

One topic covered in this book is the deadly secret behind the drug, thalidomide that was meant to help millions. During the time it was given to pregnant women to ease morning sickness, many children were born with disfigurements. The American chemist, Dr. Frances Kelsey, believed that thalidomide was the culprit. At first, she was refuted because in test subjects pregnant women didn’t have deformed children since none of these women were given the drug during the first trimester when the drug adversely affected the fetuses. Kelsey made this connection saving millions. Another interesting passage talked about the mysteries of mercury. The Chinese thought it could give immortality. The Romans were the first to realize that those who mined mercury had a shorter life expectancy. We now know the dangers of mercury. It is still, however used in electrical switches, dental amalgams, batteries, and thermometers. Professor Wetterhahn spilled mercury on herself during an experiment to discover the causes of mercury’s terrible effects. She died months later. One commentary that I found amusing was the one on silly putty. I found the history of one of my favorite childhood toys interesting since it demonstrated how things don’t turn out exactly how you planned. Silly putty was invented by General Electric during World War II as a synthetic rubber to be used for troops overseas. It was thought useless at first until James Wright used it to entertain people at a party. Ruth Fallgatter and Paul Hodgson, who owned a popular toy store, were in the crowd and bought the substance and marketed it as silly putty. A fourth passage that I enjoyed talked of the history of the bunsen burner discovered by Robert Bunsen. Bunsen saw a need for a non sooty and easily controllable fire. His first prototype consisted of a metal tube with strategically drilled holes through which air could enter and mix with the combustible gas flowing through a tube. The burner also led to the discovery of the spectroscope. Bunsen realized that different elements burn different colors when introduced to the flame. He developed the spectroscope to help find out what elements were in what compounds. These are two of the most important pieces of lab equipment used today. Lastly, a commentary that I found interesting was the one on Dr. Snow, a man who associated contaminated drinking water with cholera disease. Cholera can cause a person to lose ten liters of water a day. At the time, no one believed that cholera had anything to do with water as they thought it was air born. Snow was able to prove his theory when more then 500 people died of cholera in the Soho region of London. He discovered that the local water pump was the source since workers down the street at a brewery didn’t get sick because they only drank beer.

In conclusion, The Genie in the Bottle is great book for anyone who is fascinated by chemistry or wishes to learn more about the significant role that chemistry has played throughout the course of history.

Sarah's Genie In the Bottle

Dr. Joe Schwarcz’s  The Genie in the Bottle relates chemistry to events that occur in ever day life whether its what your eating or natural herbs that you take. He relates his own experiences with other peoples’ and explains the chemistry behind all of it. This makes you wonder what other chemistry you encounter in your own life.

One of his commentaries brought up the old idea of a princess kissing toads to find her prince which in all fairytales involves magic, when in Australia its chemistry. Cant toads were imported into Australia to fix a bug problem. Yet they didn’t realize that the toads produced “toad slime” and when licked, boiled down, or dried out and smoked, you could get a quick high. The slime, they later realized, were the toads’ defense mechanism against anything that tried to eat them. This licking of toads would lead to hallucinations and the person might see their own prince or another unreal figure.

At one point in his life, his daughter wouldn’t eat peas because they looked “yucky” so he tried to make them appear a little more appetizing. To do this, he added baking soda to a pot of boiling water with peas which kept them greener after being cooked instead of losing color. This was because vegetables contain natural acids that are released during cooking and effect the color so when you add the baking soda it neutralizes the released acids and leaves the peas looking greener than usual.

One day the chemist decided to grow an alien toy which uses the same thing that super absorbent diapers use. A woman’s baby had a urinary tract infection and she got it fixed but when she starting using super absorbent diapers she realized the problem came back, they later realized that the baby had been going to the bathroom normally yet the new diaper absorbed 2 times more than a normal diaper so she had been fine all along. The super absorbent polymers in the alien and diapers look like a dry white powder but have amazing effects. When water is added it absorbs it and turns into gel which can be turned back by adding salt causing the water to flow out of the gel. It was also used for fires since it was not flammable, anti-leak tapes, and an underwater sealer for the Chunnel, linking England and France.

Another interesting commentary brought up the idea that many red dyes originate from ancient bugs. The Mesopotamians realized that the female kermes insect, which clings to trees all its life had a red color which they used for Pope Paul II’s robes, but the bugs had to be picked off the trees individually by people with specially grown fingernails so the prices were very high and the market for kermes was cut off. The Aztecs found another insect that produced a red dye, called the cochineal. It was easier to get these bugs for they could be swept off a branch into hot water and then dried in the sun. Another insect, bred in Peru and the Canary Islands, is used today to dye lipstick, cherries, and even other foods.

A boy once bought a muscle enhancer from Doc’s Gym and ended up in the hospital, the illegal substance he bought was GHB. GHB was once a legal dietary supplement that induced sleep which increased muscle growth but it had some serious side effects and was made illegal, yet the substance is easily made at home. After it became illegal, kids started buying it underground as a rave drug that reduced anxiety and was even used as a date-rape drug because it can make the kid powerless to resist. Yet, although it sounds so bad it also has a potentially good side. GHB unlike GABA can cross the membrane that protects the brain from intruders. It is often used as an anti-depressant and an anxiety reducer. The drug is also not harmful and even helpful when taken in the right dosage. 

Kyrie's Genie in The Bottle

 

            Joe Schwarcz’s The Genie in the Bottle is a very interesting book which covers many topics in chemistry.  It presents simple, yet convincing examples for everyone to understand.  Therefore, the book helped clarify materials that were once ambiguous.

Schwarcz explained how the sun’s ultra violet rays severely damaged the human skin.  Step by step, he explained how the skins proteins and elasticity would break down which consequently led to its after effects – skin cancer.

            Another commentary he made was about how pain killers such as aspirin.  For example, if aspirin was taken on a daily basis, it could reduce the possibilities of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction.  Although people knew how aspirin worked, Schwarcz view on this topic has helped others understand the whole concept of it. 

Schwarcz brought up the intriguing history of licorice. Today, many people view licorice as a treat; however, they were not aware of the fact that it was made from a plant which was used for coughs and digestive problems in ancient times.

            He also explained how chocolate contains higher polyphenol than fruits, vegetables, and red wine. Polyphenol is an antioxidant helps prevent the oxidation of human LDL. However, overdose of LDL could cause cardiovascular diseases.

            One last interesting commentary made was how the chemical characteristic in glue depends on the moisture in the air for it to “stick” properly. He explained how the chemical in glue – cyanoacrylates needs humidity to activate their sticky bonds to hold objects together.

            Overall, this book definitely illustrates that there is more to chemistry than people have ever imagined. In such an intriguing way of reading chemistry, many would say that Schwarcz’s book The Genie in the Bottle “would be hard to put down.”

 

Sara's Genie in the Bottle

The Genie in the Bottle is a creative book about finding chemistry in everyday life and how to use it to our advantage. Dr. Joe Schwarcz writes about many obstacles faced by the average person. He describes chemistry all around, including food and health. Also, the book is full of fun and exciting things one has never thought was related to chemistry.

In the entry called “Jumpin’ Jimson Weed”, Schwarcz describes how a lowly little weed can cause harm to one’s body. The first known documentation of this affect is from the 1600’s when a group of soldiers, in Jamestown, decided to make a stew with flavored plants. Little did they know, the plant they used was Jimson Weed. This weed contains compounds that interfere with the nervous system; thus producing hallucinations. Also, it can cause the pupils to dilate, blurred vision, rapid heart beat, reduction of saliva, and work as a sedative; all practical in medicine. This proves that Jimson Weed can be used as a drug. There are many stories of people in Mecca that shared meals with strangers and would wake up in the hospital not know what had happened, just that there valuables had been stolen. This weed was used in the food and therefore making the unsuspecting victims eat it, then ending up robbed! Although this weed just seems like an annoying plant it still has other effects that can not to be seen with the naked eye.

One may think that a Toad is just a gross slimy reptile, but in fact it can be of some use. Dr. Schwarcz informs one on cane toads in his segment “Kissing Toads”. In the 1930’s sugar cane was very dominant in Queensland, Australia; therefore so were grayback beetles. These pesky beetles were so hard to get rid of that Australia imported cane toads from Hawaii to eat them. Soon the toads multiplied, but had no affect on the beetles. After some years the beetle situation was under control, but the toad problem was just beginning. They began to increase in number quickly which became even more of a problem as kids started boiling and licking them to get a cheap high. The toads caused hallucinations, high blood pressure, delirium, rapid heart beat, and seizers. The reasons for these outcomes are because when a cane toad senses a predator they release venom behind their eyes. The poison contains 15 different compounds, including bufotalin, a heart stimulant, and bufotenin, effecting the mind. These creatures surely live up to their appearance.

A common household item for millions is aspirin. It is a tiny tablet that takes only seconds to swallow in the attempt to relieve pain. Dr. Schwarcz describes in his entry, “Willow Power”, about how not only can one alleviate a headache with aspirin, but can also prevent certain types of cancer! In the 1980’s a study was conducted in which thousands of males were given aspirin or a placebo. There was such an astonishing reduction in heart attacks for the aspirin takers that the study closed early so all the subjects could take aspirin if they wanted. This amazing drug was first discovered by Gerhardt, and then was perfected by Felix Hoffmann. Aspirin is a very effective drug, if taken in moderation; proved by a woman who took twelve tablets a day for her arthritis. She soon began to hear music even in a sound proof room. After reducing her dose to about six she no longer heard music. Schwarcz says that only one measly aspirin a day can lower the risk of breast cancer, cataracts, colon cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease.

It is a well known fact that millions of people around the world love chocolate. What most don’t know is that it actually can be good for the body. Schwarcz informs one on what chocolate can do for your body in his passage, “Chocolate Lovers Rejoice”. Some believe chocolate is a divine message from God saying we should eat it due to the fact its melting point is human body temperature; thus melting in ones mouth. In 1996 Andrew Waterhouse at the University of California decided to take that theory one step forward. He discovered a class of chemicals called polyphenols, which in fact had been related to health benefits. These chemicals had also been found in fruits, vegetables, and red wine; acting as antioxidants, they counterbalance free radicals in our bodies. Schwarcz notifies one that free radicals are a by-product of breathing and have been found to be related to heart disease and cancer. Some years after Waterhouse’s breakthrough, Harvard researchers published a study about how chocolate may help one live longer. The test subjects were all males over the age of 65. Those who ate 1-3 chocolate bars a month lived on average a year longer. The ones who had 1-3 bars a week still lived longer than those who ate none, but still didn’t live longer than moderate consumers. The real lesson here is that anything, even chocolate is good in moderation.

An interesting passage, having to deal with food, is called “Feeding the Diet Industry”. In our modern America, majority of people are overweight; therefore the diet industry has been thriving on new ways to help American’s drop pounds. There are thousands of different diets that apparently work, but Schwarcz informs his readers on why some of them can and why others cannot. The passage enlightens one on what a calorie really is. According to Schwarcz a calorie is a unit of measurement that is the amount of heat needed to raise one kilogram of water 1 degree. Also, because they are forms of measurement, they can not be burned. The reason for life is through calories and that is why they are the reason for weight gain and weight loss. The body needs calories to function because they are a source of fuel. If one doesn’t have enough fuel ones body will burn its stored supplies and therefore one loses weight. If there is a surplus of fuel and the body doesn’t work it off, then one gains weight. By the end of the passage one learns that the only way to a successful diet is by eating right and exercising.

Dr. Joe Schwarcz is an amazing writer and uses his knowledge of chemistry to relate to the normal person’s daily life. He helps one understand what can be good and bad for the body and what fact from fiction is. Genie in the Bottle is an interesting and endearing book, which anyone can understand.

Noble's Genie a Bottle Post

The Genie in the Bottle by Dr. Joe Schwartz was an extremely good way to teach chemistry. He offered a “different view” on chemistry that no many other people take, like the comic book we read. The book consists of sixty-seven commentaries all of which describe different aspects of chemistry. The book discusses things such as Internet pages that are misleading because of information that is not correct. Another topic that Schwartz discusses is how the sun is actually very harmful, more harmful then people actually know it to be. Schwartz goes into detail about sixty-five other commentaries in this book along with the sun and Internet. The most intriguing things the Schwartz discusses in his book were the effects of the sun, the Bunsen burner, how stress effects people, date rape drugs and what they do, and how something like rubber a useless rubber has been so popular.

In the chapter, “The Dark Side of the Sun” Schwartz explains how harmful the sun is to the human being. Back in the early 1900’s, when the ozone layer was not completely destroyed, the sun actually did good things to the people, it healed diseases. People were told to bath in the sun to heal some diseases by giving out vitamin D and if they did that now a day, they would just get skin cancer. The sun not only causes cancer, but it also creates wrinkles. Therefore, sun lotion was invented which helps protect people from the sun. Yet, even with the great invention of sun lotion it is still not a good idea to be in the sun all day. Sun lotion doesn’t work all the time and rubs off in water for the most part. The sun if still a very dangerous object and people don’t give it the respect it deserves. Sun lotion does not make you immune to the sun and when people learn that there will be a lot less skin cancer. Along with the sun being a very dangerous thing, stress is also a very interesting topic.

In Schwartz’s chapter “Surviving the Rat Race” he explains how stress can be a dangerous thing. He starts off his story by explaining how he went to an assembly and only remembered the story about the drunken man. The man had a lot of stress when he was drunk because of his high blood pressure. They used rats to test out if blood pressure was caused by stress. They found out that it did and that rats acted just like humans with adrenaline. It turns out that heart pressure, sweating, and heartbeat are all affected by how much stress a person has. This all tied into his drunk person story because a drunk person has no control of their senses and can’t handle stress in certain situations. Therefore that is why some drunk people get into fights and others just laugh. It has been proven that therapy have been set up to help people handle their stress that they are having. The therapies make it so that people don’t experience pain (Brest cancer patients) or crazy. Along with stress being an interest topic, date rape drugs were also an interesting commentary.

“Nothing to Rave About” was a very interesting chapter. GHB (gamma hydroxybrutyrate) used to be a legal drug. It helped people on diets and also helped people gain quick muscle while lifting so they could get bigger quicker. Yet because this drug was so dangerous, they made it illegal soon after they had made it legal. Schwartz’s explains that even though they made it illegal people still use it all the time because it is one of the easiest drugs to make it. It consists of two things that people can buy in stores. He also explains that teenagers should be informed about how dangerous this drug is. Even though people say it’s dangerous they have to have it driven into their mind for them to know. Along with date rape drugs being an interesting topic, the Bunsen burner was another good commentary.

“Playing with Fire” discusses how the Bunsen burner came about. When the Bunsen burner was first made it had a bunch toxic gases that came out of it when it was used. Robert Bunsen, the creator, had to wear a gas mask when he used it. Not only did it release bad gas into the air, it was dangerous for people to be around. After one bad experience with a fly, Bunsen began to “play with fire”. It had a tube that let in air and had gas flowing through. He wanted to create a clean fire so he could see all the beautiful colors it created. The only way he could do this was to change the air so it was clean. He then created the Bunsen burner, which everyone still uses, and we use it in our chemistry class. The last interesting topic along with the Bunsen burner is the commentary about rubber.

“The Silly Side of Flubber” Schwartz’s explains what a useless but necessary object rubber is to people. When the U.S. stopped getting imports from Japan of rubber they weren’t able to make a bunch of things. Rubber not only helped make cars and other things back home but it helped make ear plugs and things like that for the soldiers. Then one day, Paul Hodgson and Ruth Fallgatter, created flubber. From this object they earned themselves six million dollars. This simple, worthless object made these two men millionaires. All it took was a simple stupid idea to make people millionaires.

The Genie in the Bottle was a very interesting book. It took sixty-seven things that people would never think of and brought them to peoples eyes. Who would have ever known that some date rape drugs could be so harmful or that the Bunsen burner didn’t actually start of making fire. Schwartz’s book is a very good book and brought five things to my attention that I would have never known and I found them very intriguing.

Nicole's Genie In the Bottle

In Dr. Joe Schwarcz’s novel The Genie in the Bottle, he offers a different look on chemistry in everyday life. There are commentaries that discuss the chemistry involved in health, such as how the sun is much more dangerous than we think and that natural weeds, such as Jimson weed can make people delirious. There are also chapters that discuss how food and chemistry are related, such as most diets not making people lose weight and blueberries keeping people younger. The last section of the book involves different topics, such as how toiletries were once thought to be deadly, but it really was a wrongfully informed Internet webpage. There are many fascinating chemistry experiments that can be done to inform the world more on different parts of life.
In The Genie and the Bottle, there is a chapter called “Health Matters”, which has many commentaries on naturally occurring parts of chemistry. In 1903, sunbathing used to be used as a cure for diseases such as tuberculosis, syphilis, Hodgkin’s disease, and festering wounds. The ozone layer was not being destroyed at the time, and it was recently founded that the sun increased the skin count of vitamin D. However, soon after it was discovered by different scientists that too much sun caused people to get wrinkly skin (or a haggard look), eye cataracts, and skin cancer. Therefore, sun lotion was suggested for people to wear. The SPF number is the amount longer a person could stay in the sun than without sun lotion, so if the SPF is eight, a person can stay in the sun eight times longer. However, sun lotions with an SPF higher than thirty still remains questionable if it protects people more. Another naturally occurring substance in the world that was studied by scientists because it faltered people’s health is Jimson weed. When the people of colonial Jamestown wanted to expand their land so they could grow the very successful crop of cotton, they encountered a problem when camping in the fields, preparing to fight the Native Americans. The colonists put weeds they found in the ground into their food to make it taste better, little did they know they were putting Jimson weed into their meals. The people soon were wandering around the fields laughing, delirious, and slurring their words. The weed was later discovered to having naturally occurring compounds that interfered with the human nervous system. There are many chemical experiments done to inform people about health as there are to discover unknown facts about food.
The chapter “Food Matters”, is similar to health matters, except for it discusses the unproven and proven facts about food. In the commentary about blueberries, it is proven from animal experimenting with rats that fruit and vegetables prevent aging within the body. Rats that were of the human equivalent age of sixty-five have a balance time of five seconds, where as younger rats like the teenage human have a balancing time of thirty seconds. However, since blueberries have the highest anti-oxidant capacity (which have the ability to neutralize aging chemical species), rats were giving blueberry extract, which increased the older rats ability to balance from five to eleven seconds. Also, as people grow older they lose their short-term memory. The rats that ate the blueberry extract were able to get through a maze unlike rats that did not take the blueberries. Therefore, from animal testing it could be proven that fruits and vegetables, because they contain anti-aging chemicals, are able to prevent people from aging. There are around 26,000 diets out in the world, but it is puzzling to why some think that one will work when all the others do not. The different diets do not have the same theories. Some are low in carbohydrates, others low in fat, low in calories, and high in protein. All the companies have different reasons for what their diets contain. However, in the end all diets eventually lower the metabolism’s need for calories, which then makes the small amount of food that dieters eat seem the same as before to the metabolism. Therefore, the only proven way of losing weight is to eat less, avoid fatty and sugary foods, and exercise more than a person is used to. There is also a chapter in Dr. Schwarcz’s called “Silly Stuff” that is about the mistakes made in chemical experiments and wrongfully informed people.
In the chapter “Silly Stuff” in The Genie in the Bottle, there is a commentary about toiletries being deadly. Many shampoos and tile detergents for bathrooms contain molecules like sodium lauryl sulfate, or SLS. This molecule became common for using in bathroom substances because it was a good foaming and cleaning agent. SLS was also very quick and effective. However, websites began to post information saying that SLS will make peoples’ hair fall out, if it got in someone’s eye they could have a cataract, and lastly it gave people cancer. These people who wrote this were misinformed, and this is not true about toiletries and bathroom detergents. Therefore, bathroom soaps that contain the molecule of SLS are not dangerous to human’s health proven by chemical experiments.
In conclusion, The Genie and the Bottle discusses different parts of chemistry that are occurring people’s everyday life. Animals can be tested, and experiments can be done to prove different theories about foods, health, and the past. People’s diets and their health does matter, therefore scientists should be listened to because they will have an experiment to back up what they are saying, and prove it true. Dr. Joe Schwarcz’s book contains very informative commentaries about fascinating chemistry that relates to peoples’ everyday life.

Summer Reading Assignments

Each student is to create a new post using their synopsis of the reading assignment of "The Genie in the Bottle" book read over the summer. When you have posted your synopsis, other members of the class should then comment on the posting using the 3-2-1 format.