/oss/taxonomy/term/3349/all en /oss/article/environment-general-science/can-rain-extract-blood-stone <p>When the land has been dry and it starts to rain, there is a peculiar smell in the air, an earthy scent called petrichor. In the 1960s, two Australian scientists, Isabel Bear and Richard Thomas, began to steam-drill rocks exposed to dry conditions and they discovered the oil that serves as a precursor to petrichor. This oil is secreted by plants during the dry season and seeps into rocks and clay-based soils. When it finally rains down on the porous ground, small air bubbles containing this oil form and migrate to the surface of the soil and become air borne.</p> Tue, 20 Nov 2018 17:23:31 +0000 Jonathan Jarry, MSc 7457 at /oss /oss/article/health/are-vegetables-grown-tire-gardens-safe-eat <p><span>When it comes to chemical composition, tires are extremely complex. Different kinds of rubber, carbon black, vulcanizing agents, antioxidants, antiozonants, polymerization accelerators, plasticizers, oils and solvents are all components of tires. Roughly 5% of the weight of a tire is made up of “processing chemicals.”  When tires are burned, these chemicals can be released, and even more nasties form as a result of their combustion. However, a tire that lies dormant in the back yard is not being incinerated.</span></p> Thu, 02 Aug 2018 18:18:33 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7201 at /oss