Category Archives: chemistry

Chemical Exposures: The Good, the Bad, and the Tiny

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Thoughtscapism

I have often written about the lack of perspective on chemical scares, which is why I was happy to find out that Swedish Professor Emeritus in toxicology, Lennart Dencker, has written a book on this topic called “Not as dangerous … Continue reading →

Posted in biology, chemistry, environment, health, nutrition, science communication | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Toward More Intuitive Toxicology Information

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Thoughtscapism

Last week I had the privilege to attend a conference on risk science in New Orleans, and hold a roundtable together with neuroscientist Alison Bernstein from SciMoms. We were kindly invited to talk about our approach to risk communication by Center … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, chemistry, health, science communication | Tagged , | 12 Comments

Measures of Toxicity

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Thoughtscapism

This article is co-written by biologist Iida Ruishalme (yours truly at Thoughtscapism) and neuroscientist Alison Bernstein, aka Mommy PhD from SciMoms. We live amidst a mind-bogglingly rich sea of molecules. Nowadays, we also have astonishingly sophisticated methods of chemical detection … Continue reading →

Posted in biology, chemistry, health, methods, science communication | Tagged , , | 19 Comments

From Ideas to Evidence, an Interview: My Organic Crisis and the Birth of This Blog

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Thoughtscapism

In four short years, since I started looking at the science of farming more closely, the topic of organic vs conventional has felt very worn out to me, several times. I already know how it will go: some people have … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, chemistry, environment, health, meta, nutrition, organic, science communication | Tagged | 1 Comment

Radioactive Reflections – A Radiochemist’s Take on Nuclear Power, Frog Legs, and Cigarettes

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Thoughtscapism

When Eerika Häkkinen was young, she used to carry a “Nuclear, No Thanks” -badge with her wherever she went. Later she began to study chemistry at the University of Helsinki, and thought that majoring in radiochemistry would be a great … Continue reading →

Posted in chemistry, energy, nuclear | Tagged , | 13 Comments

On the Nature of ‘Natural’

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Thoughtscapism

Is something good because it’s natural? The word natural is often used when we want to convey something good, and imply that the object of discussion is not, in some way, the product of a humans-only process. To note, this … Continue reading →

Posted in biology, chemistry, society | Tagged | 2 Comments

5.-6. Glyphosate, Other Pesticides, and The Precautionary Principle

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Thoughtscapism

In my series 17 Questions about Glyphosate, question 5. deals with questions I have encountered about how to prepare for and anticipate potential problems which we may have too little knowledge of to foresee at present. In other words, should … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology, chemistry, health, medicine | Tagged , | 7 Comments

2.-3. Glyphosate and Health Effects A-Z

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Thoughtscapism

In my series 17 Questions about Glyphosate, question 2. looks at glyphosate and health effects, and also at what role surfactants might play in some of the results. *Added: Information about glyphosate breakdown product AMPA, and a section on endocrine disruptor … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, chemistry, health, medicine | Tagged | 9 Comments

17 Questions About Glyphosate

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Thoughtscapism

Many worry about pesticides for health or environmental reasons, and the most common target of general concern is undoubtedly glyphosate, the active ingredient in the famous weedkiller RoundUp. I find that the best thing to do when something worries me, is to find out more … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology, chemistry, environment, health | Tagged | 17 Comments

Mercury in Retrogade

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

Most vaccines are now manufactured with mercury-free preservatives due to public concern. Some flu shots still contain thimerosal. The removal of thimerosal was not based on evidence of harm, and even in retrospect, none has been found. Continue reading →

Posted in chemistry, health, vaccines | Tagged , | 7 Comments