Daily Archives: January 18, 2018

Carl Gräbe — January 20 marks the passing of Carl Gräbe. Gräbe was a German organic chemist who discovered a method to synthesize the distinctive red alizarin dye with Carl Liebermann. Alizarin red has been a color found in textiles dating back to the Pharaohs of Egypt. This color was produced from the […]

Today in Science History – January 19 – Carl Gräbe ...

This entry was posted on January 18, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on January 21, 2023)

Definitions of chemistry terms may be confusing. (chuttersnap) — Learn the difference between two important chemistry terms. Sometimes these words are (incorrectly) used interchangeably. Other times, they are the terms students have a hard time keeping straight. These are differences relating to chemistry and the physical sciences, although you’ll encounter some of these terms in daily life, too. What […]

Commonly Confused Chemistry Terms

This entry was posted on January 18, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on February 28, 2023)

Fish can't live with Magic Rocks because the metal salts from the crystals get into the water and poison them. — One surprisingly common question I get is whether it’s okay to put fish in a Magic Rocks aquarium. The short answer is no, definitely not! For those who don’t know, Magic Rocks are a science project in which you take a packet of special rocks, pour a “magic” solution over […]

Magic Rocks and Fish in an Aquarium

This entry was posted on January 18, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on May 10, 2021)