Molecule of the week
One molecule a week from the food, smells, medicines, household things and body chemistry people meet every day, with a line on why it is worth knowing. The newest week comes first. Follow along with the RSS feed.
This week
Aspirin
C9H8O4
Aspirin went on sale in 1899, but the idea is ancient: willow bark carries salicin, which the body turns into salicylic acid, the compound aspirin is made from. from source
Past weeks
- MelatoninC13H16N2O2
Darker evenings are here: melatonin is the body's own nightfall signal, released as the light fades.
- SucroseC12H22O11
Trick-or-treat week: most Halloween candy is built on sucrose, the table sugar every other sweetener is measured against.
- AdrenalineC9H13NO3
Haunted-house season: a good scare releases adrenaline, the surge that readies the body for a burst of action.
- β-CaroteneC40H56
Leaf-peeping season: as leaves stop renewing their green chlorophyll, pigments like β-carotene show through as yellow and orange.
- AmericiumAm
Fire Prevention Week: many home smoke alarms hold a speck of americium, a synthetic element whose radiation helps the alarm sense smoke.
- QuinineC20H24N2O2
Tonic water gets its bitterness from quinine, which also makes the drink glow blue under a black light.
- CinnamaldehydeC9H8O
Pumpkin spice has no pumpkin in it. It leads with cinnamon, and cinnamaldehyde is the molecule that makes cinnamon taste like cinnamon.