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Education
A bubbly new year, New Year's resolution, Be a star
January 2, 2006
| A version of this story appeared in
Volume 84, Issue 1
A bubbly new year
In the November 2005 issue of Popular Science magazine, Senior Associate Editor Mike Haney reveals the story behind one man's dream come true—disappearing colored bubbles.
Tim Kehoe, a St. Paul, Minn., toy inventor, spent 11 years pursuing his quest for such bubbles. One of his early formulations did produce a colored bubble, but the dye he used stained clothes, babies, and boardrooms.
After several attempts with different dyes and other materials (he unwisely tried using nitric acid once because of the red fumes it produces at room temperature), Kehoe eventually found a washable dye that attaches evenly to the surfactant molecules of a soap bubble. But then the bubble burst. At a bubble unveiling in July 2004, moms weren't so excited about the vivid splotches of color left behind on their kids, no matter how washable.
Enter Ram Sabnis, holder of a Ph.D. in dye chemistry. Sabnis was able to synthesize a dye that loses its color with friction, water, or exposure to air. This breakthrough in dye chemistry is based on a lactone ring. The dye molecule absorbs visible light—except the color of the bubble—when the ring is open. Air, water, or pressure closes the ring, Haney writes, allowing all visible light to pass through. The color vanishes.
Behold the birth of Zubbles, the brand name of these bubble wonders. Zubbles, produced by Ascadia Inc., won Popular Science's Best of What's New 2005 and will debut in stores sometime this spring.
Practical applications are in the works for the new disappearing dye as well, Haney reports. Kehoe envisions using the new dye to keep track of where you've mopped the floor, make sure kids have brushed their teeth appropriately, or test wall colors without making a commitment.
New Year's resolution
Chemists have a wide variety of resolutions for 2006—finish a thesis, publish earth-shattering findings, organize the world's largest snowball fight.
Jonathan Rosen, a chemist in Brooklyn, N.Y., wants to break the snowball fight record this winter. The New York Daily News reported on Dec. 15, 2005, that he would need to gather over 2,500 participants to break the current Guinness World Record established in Switzerland in 2003. Rosen had rounded up about 500 participants at that point.
Rosen began organizing the event with a posting on Craigslist.org, an online community bulletin board where people look for jobs, dates, and snowball hurlers. According to Rosen's posting on the site, he was inspired one morning while wandering through Prospect Park after a snowfall. He "was thinking how much fun it would be to get a group of friends together for a snowball fight. You know, get back in touch with my inner child."
Rosen is waiting for logistics to fall into place before announcing a date. He'll likely need a permit for Prospect Park, and he's hoping local businesses will contribute hot chocolate for the festivities. Then, of course, he'll need the people—and the snow.
Be a star
Have a New Year's resolution to become a star? FameLab could help.
Part of the Cheltenham Science Festival in the U.K., the competition allows fame seekers to compete to see who can give the best performance—of a lecture.
Five regional auditions will be held throughout the U.K. in March and April. Contestants must be at least 21 years old and working in science. They have three minutes to impress judges with "exciting and engaging talks" geared to a general adult audience, according to the competition's website. Props are allowed.
Two finalists from each regional audition will advance to the finals at the Cheltenham Science Festival in June. The winner will receive £2,000 (about $3,450) and an opportunity to develop a TV show.
Last year's winner, physicist Mark Lewney, lectured on the physics of music, complete with electric guitar riffs.
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This week's column was written by Rachel Pepling. Please send comments and suggestions to newscripts@acs.org.
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