Powell’s City of Books occupies 1.6 acres of retail floor space in downtown Portland, Oregon and is one of my favorite places in the world. My first time there, I searched out the chemistry shelves–and was slightly disappointed. I counted two cases of chemistry books sandwiched between biology and physics, which had eight cases each.
The post R.J.P. Williams and the advantages of thinking like a chemist appeared first on OUPblog.
When people think of evolution, many reflect on the concept as an operation filled with endless random possibilities–a process that arrives at advantageous traits by chance. But is the course of evolution actually random? In A World from Dust: How the Periodic Table Shaped Life, Ben McFarland argues that an understanding of chemistry can both explain and predict the course of evolution.
The post How does chemistry shape evolution? appeared first on OUPblog.
When people spark in each other's presence, and shine brighter than alone, we call that Chemistry. The ineffable, mysterious SOMETHING that arises between like souls. How fitting, then, that this Poetry Friday, the Poetry Sisters culminate our year-long poetry project with a Crown Sonnet about....
Chemistry.
The Periodic Table, to be precise. (You might've heard of it. Been in the news lately.)
If you've arrived here, you may have already read the first two sonnets, and the story of how we came to write about the seven rows of the Periodic Table. If not, here are the links to read before you hear about my contribution:
Laura: Row 1
Tricia: Row 2
And now, me.
Me and Row Three.
K-i-s-s-i-
Yes. That was about my level of comprehension of my task. Say what? I'm writing about WHAT?
Luckily, I was fortunate to have Tricia's lovely last line, "What other treasures will the chart reveal?" to launch my sonnet. Still, I had to make choices. Write about the entire third row? Feature three elements, one in each stanza? Throw up my hands and say: WHO picked this topic anyway???? (Answer: Laura)
In the end, I was seduced by one element: Argon.
I'm not going to lie. I picked it mostly because I liked the word itself. It sounded noble. Regal. Important. This was confirmed when I waded through cool Argon related trivia on the Internet...
Argon is: (according to the Internets)
a prince from very late writings of Tolkien
a defunct British automobile (1908)
a codename used for the KH-5 Argon reconnaissance satellite (At least 12 missions were attempted, but at least 7 resulted in failure)
a family of Soviet computers (“military real-time computers”)
the fourth ruler of the Mongol empire's Ilkhanate (although it was spelled Arghun.) According to Wikipedia, Arghun "requested a new bride from his great-uncle Kublai Khan. The mission to escort the young Kökötchin across Asia to Arghun was reportedly taken by Marco Polo. Arghun died before Kökötchin arrived, so she instead married Arghun's son, Ghazan." (Well! There's a whole book of sonnets there, don't you think? )
Sadly, most of this didn't have much to do with the periodic table.
Happily, I found many more facts about Argon that did. I allowed myself one literary reference (to Portia, choosing suitors from "caskets" or decorated boxes in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice) and then I stuck to science.
Because, really, science and poetry are sisters. They allow us to look closely, to challenge our assumptions, and to boldly go where we haven't before. As sisters should. (Here's looking at you, Laura, Kelly, Liz, Tanita, Tricia, and Andi.)
A Sonnet Inspired by Row Three
of the Periodic Table of Elements
and AR (Argon) in particular
What other treasures will the chart reveal,
in double-lettered gilded boxes, fine
as Portia faced? AR has sex appeal,
I think, and choose my fate by noble shine.
A lilac glow when placed in voltage fields!
A barrier, so wine may age sans air!
Unseen, from dust, our Constitution, shields!
Argon, you worthy prince! you mighty heir—
You cheat. Hypoxic in the blood, you dope
to win; and ew! you asphyxiate, too—
a “kinder” end to fowl. “Inactive”? NOPE.
Those who search for matter (dark) target you.
Still, even the unstable can excite
A science lover, choosing in the night.
Thankfully, Kelly was inspired by that last line, and picked up with Row Four. (Go! Read on!)
Poetry Friday is hosted today by Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference.
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