Chemistry vs. bacteria, # 27. Development of penicillin in the Netherlands
When the Oxford team books its first successes, the Germans already occupy the Netherlands for three months. From 1943 onwards, the allies issue a ban on publications on penicillin. And yet, in November 1945 the Nederlandse Gist- en Spiritusfabriek in Delft already cures its first patient with penicillin of its own. There is a very
Green roofs
The Earth heats up; and in this process, towns are among the areas most hit. Buildings and streets tend to store incoming radiation. Towns urgently need to be turned greener, if only with the goal to keep them liveable. Green roofs are important agents in that process. They can lower ambient temperatures by 2oC, inside
Chemistry vs. bacteria, # 26. Penicillin development outside the US and UK
In 1943, the allies issue an embargo on all news and publications on penicillin. The subject is declared to be a military secret. But then, the rest of the world has already taken notice of the jubilant press releases in the UK and the US, and the Lancet publications of the Oxford team. How do
Carbon Take Back Obligation: make sure fossil fuels producers take responsibility for cleaning up CO2
This summer, the world has been shocked by disasters, probably caused by climate change. When will the global community take upon it in earnest the task of reducing greenhouse gas emissions? To this end, Dutch researchers have proposed a new instrument: the Carbon Take Back Obligation (CTBO). This will make fossil fuel producers co-responsible for
Sustainable materials policy? Try bans and taxes
Lux Research, an international research policy company based in Boston, published a report on sustainable materials policy. What are the most effective policy instruments in this area? Sustainab-ility is growing in importance Lux’s new report, ‘Predicting Policy for Sustainable Materials’, develops a qualitative framework to assess policies; concentrating on impact and probability of adoption. Lux starts
Chemistry vs. bacteria, # 25. Looking back and going forward
The first and most spectacular period in the early development of penicillin now draws to an end. That the events coincided with the Second World War, lent them additional weight. We now end these events with a peak into the vicissitudes in the lives of the main characters. And with the development of penicillin outside
Chemistry vs. bacteria, # 24. Chemical formulae
Formulae are of the essence to chemistry. We make an attempt to tell the story of chemistry versus bacteria in words only; with the occasional illustration. This episode is packed with formulae, with the beta lactam structure as the essence. You might skip the episode, or read it and let the formulae aside. Project ‘100
