/oss/taxonomy/term/3060/all en /oss/article/history-general-science/passover-stories-can-ignite-science <p> “Moses looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” That passage from Exodus is one of the most famous ones in the entire Bible! After all, it was from that burning bush on Mount Horeb that God spoke to Moses, telling him that he had been chosen to lead his people out of slavery in Egypt. </p> Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:00:12 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9914 at /oss /oss/article/history/passing-over-exodus-story <p>Can you imagine eating 78 matzah balls in 8 minutes? That’s about 4,000 calories and 2,700 mg of cholesterol! Joey Chestnut accomplished that monumental feat back in 2008 at the Inaugural World Matzoh Ball Eating Championship! Joey, though, is a professional. He eats for a living. As a competitive eater, he holds numerous records, the most famous one being 76 Nathan’s hot dogs and buns downed in ten minutes. It seems, though, that matzah balls were a tough challenge because Joey has passed over trying to better his record.</p> Tue, 12 Apr 2022 23:30:04 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9081 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/there-scientific-explanation-behind-moses-and-burning-bush <p><span>Suggestions have been made that the Dictamnus albus plant, found throughout northern Africa is a candidate for the burning bush. In the summer, the plant, also known as the “gas plant,” exudes a variety of volatile oils that can catch fire readily and may give the impression that the bush is burning. So was Moses witnessing the combustion of a mix of terpenes, flavonoids, coumarins and phenylpropanoids? An interesting hypothesis about the burning bush, but one that can be readily doused.</span></p> Wed, 28 Mar 2018 19:21:28 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 6978 at /oss