In the Interest of Science!
Sep. 4th, 2003 09:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kallistiiI read this, and had to pass this article on in the interest of Science!
I'll finish my worldcon report this weekend.
ttyl
You can also read it at it's home URL:http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/09/04/coffee030904
*Chemists seek mouldy coffee mugs
*Last Updated Thu, 04 Sep 2003 12:07:03
LONDON - Chemists in Britain are looking for photos of colourful and creepy coffee moulds to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the discovery of penicillin.
To commemorate the discovery, Britain's Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) wants people to e-mail photographs of furry coffee cups from their offices and factories.
The dark corners of desks offer a good opportunity for coffee moulds to lie undisturbed before being discovered, contest organizers say. Co-workers are unlikely to clean up gross cups for their colleagues.
Sir Alexander Fleming discovered the antibiotic properties of penicillin partly by accident. He left some dishes in his laboratory while he went on vacation. Some of the dishes missed out on a squirt of disinfectant.
Fleming noticed bacteria weren't able to grow in the areas covered in Penicillin mould. He investigated further, and the rest is history.
"We just hope people realize about science that you sometimes need a bit of luck to get the right result," said James McNish, a contest organizer for the RSC.
McNish said he is looking for thick, furry coffee mould. The colour doesn't matter, but green would be nice and entrants will receive extra points for pink mould, which he says is rare on coffee.
People can include comments describing the depth, smell and age of the mould in their e-mail, but these details aren't required.
The winner will receive a meal at a restaurant and cultural tickets to an opera or theatre. E-mailed photo entries are welcome from anywhere in the world.
The society will accept photos until Sept. 10 – the closing date is designed to prevent people from cheating and growing their own cultures.
The winner will be announced during Britain's National Chemistry Week in November. E-mail photos to emsleyb@rsc.org.
Written by CBC News Online staff
I'll finish my worldcon report this weekend.
ttyl
You can also read it at it's home URL:http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/09/04/coffee030904
*Chemists seek mouldy coffee mugs
*Last Updated Thu, 04 Sep 2003 12:07:03
LONDON - Chemists in Britain are looking for photos of colourful and creepy coffee moulds to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the discovery of penicillin.
To commemorate the discovery, Britain's Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) wants people to e-mail photographs of furry coffee cups from their offices and factories.
The dark corners of desks offer a good opportunity for coffee moulds to lie undisturbed before being discovered, contest organizers say. Co-workers are unlikely to clean up gross cups for their colleagues.
Sir Alexander Fleming discovered the antibiotic properties of penicillin partly by accident. He left some dishes in his laboratory while he went on vacation. Some of the dishes missed out on a squirt of disinfectant.
Fleming noticed bacteria weren't able to grow in the areas covered in Penicillin mould. He investigated further, and the rest is history.
"We just hope people realize about science that you sometimes need a bit of luck to get the right result," said James McNish, a contest organizer for the RSC.
McNish said he is looking for thick, furry coffee mould. The colour doesn't matter, but green would be nice and entrants will receive extra points for pink mould, which he says is rare on coffee.
People can include comments describing the depth, smell and age of the mould in their e-mail, but these details aren't required.
The winner will receive a meal at a restaurant and cultural tickets to an opera or theatre. E-mailed photo entries are welcome from anywhere in the world.
The society will accept photos until Sept. 10 – the closing date is designed to prevent people from cheating and growing their own cultures.
The winner will be announced during Britain's National Chemistry Week in November. E-mail photos to emsleyb@rsc.org.
Written by CBC News Online staff
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Date: 2003-09-04 07:54 pm (UTC)But fun!