ChemMatters podcast - Nanostructures

From the ByteSize Science blog of the American Chemical Society:

The award-winning high school chemistry magazine ChemMatters is making its YouTube debut with its first ever video podcast. The first episode highlights the very big promise of those very small machines known as nanotechnology. The episode explains how incredibly small nanostructures like buckyballs could lead to tiny devices that bring medicine exactly where it needs to go in your body, as well as powerful computers the size of a grain of sand or vital new sources of energy.

Theo Gray's new book, The Elements

Here's what I said about it on GeekDad's first holiday gift guide:

The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe
Even if this book weren’t absolutely gorgeous, it would still be a worthwhile investment because of how well it works as Coffee Table Education. This is when you leave a book lying around that is so tempting the kids pick it up and start learning stuff without even being asked! Based on author Theodore Gray’s amazing website, The Elements offers a double-page spread (or sometimes more than one) on each element, complete with lush photos of the raw material in its pure form, as well as in various incarnations, both common and rare. Delightful. Buy it on Amazon.

New Blog - Home Physics!

It'll be a few more weeks before it really gets up and going, but I'm starting to add helpful links and info about learning physics at home to this year's science blog, Home Physics. Come visit! And feel free to comment with your favorite resources or suggestions.

Make Magazine's New Science Room for Hobbyists

From the website of Make magazine comes the Make: Science Room, a fun and useful resource. Here's what they say about it:

We hope you'll use it as your DIY science classroom, virtual laboratory, and a place to share your projects, hacks, and laboratory tips with other amateur scientists. Your Make: Science Room host is Robert Bruce Thompson, author of Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture. (Make: Books, 2008) and Illustrated Guide to Forensics Investigations: Uncover Evidence in Your Home, Lab, or Basement (not yet published). We'll be drawing material from these titles first, but will soon branch out into biology, astrononmy, Earth sciences, and other disciplines. We'll be adding lots of material on a regular basis, so check back often. For more info on the site, see Introducing the Make: Science Room.

They also have a new science lab section in Maker Shed, their online catalog, for basic equipment. Looks neat!

Stocking up for Fall

If you're starting to buy supplies for homeschooling in the fall, Home Science Tools is offering free shipping on orders over $100 using code PAUG89. I've also seen, but haven't verified, that you can get $1 shipping on orders over $50 using code PCAT89 through Aug. 31, 2009.

The Chemistry of Colored Bubbles

Zubbles are colored bubbles. And to see what went into their making, there's an interesting PopSci article from a few years back.

A Science Comedian Talks About Helium

Here's a little five-minute slideshow presentation by Science Comedian Brian Malow on how market forces affect the world's second most prevalent element: