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History: Wired’s Don’t Try This At Home Article

This is an old article, but it’s still very relevant. The June 2006 edition of Wired Magazine has this article detailing the rise and fall of the garage chemist: Don’t try This At Home (here it is all on one page, but without all the pretty pictures).

The reason you should read this:

Taking chemicals and lab equipment away from kids who love science is like taking crayons and paints away from a kid who may grow up to be an artist.

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The Periodic Table of Periodic Tables

It’s an old poster gag – the periodic table of ____ (beer, chocolate, Chuck Norris, game controllers, etc). Well, via information is beautiful comes my new favorite periodic table of ____ : the Periodic Table of Periodic Tables. I can’t imagine how much research time this took, but it looks great, and I can’t wait for the flash implementation the author promises.

(update: changed the links to point to the new version)

I’m not even a quarter of the way through, but each link is completely delightful!

10 Cheap Supplies from the Drug Store

A followup on the post on 12 cheap chemicals from the Hardware Store:

The drug store isn’t just a place to grab a prescription or hang out with a soda jerk (are there any soda jerks left?), you can get a lot of decent chemicals and supplies there too! Heck, there’s a reason why the old term for “pharmacist” is “chemist.”

The list after the jump:

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12 Cheap Chemicals From Your Local Hardware Store

Ahh, the friendly neighborhood hardware store, purveyor of bits and bobs, nuts and bolts, rat traps and… high quality chemicals for next to nothing?

While we certainly recommend online stores like United Nuclear or Make’s Science Room for obscure, specialty, or high-purity chemicals, your local hardware store is brimming with loads of industrial-grade chemicals for surprisingly low prices.

First, a few quick pro tips:

We have noticed that the big box stores (Home Depot and Lowes) often don’t have many or all of these chemicals, while the smaller mom-and-pop (or Ace) stores generally do. So don’t be shy, go introduce yourself to your local hardware store.
In general, we have found that the more expensive, mainstream, or consumer-oriented an item’s packaging is, the more likely that there are dyes and fragrances added. Look for store brands, plain packaging, or items intended for commercial or professional use.

12 Cheap Chemicals From Your Local Hardware Store:

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