Hydrocarbons weren’t the only combustion reaction during my Gen-Chem final.

Robert Lefkowitz, CC’62 and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons ’66, won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry yesterday with Brian K. Kobilka for their hard work studying G-protein coupled receptors. According to the Associated Press, “about half of all medications act on these receptors, including beta blockers and antihistamines, so learning about them will […]

A tipster has forwarded us a notice that “as a cost-saving measure,” Columbia will be closing the physics, chemistry, biology, and psychology libraries a full year early. According to Physics Department Chair Andrew Mills, who sent the email, “I have received two conflicting reports of the closing date: July 1, 2009 and July 31, 2009.” […]

Uh oh: Dodge’s pool is filled with chemicals today, and not just the chemicals it’s filled with every day (a combination of hair gel, chlorine, and school spirit, according to Bwog’s Underwater Scientific Inquiry Bureau). The contamination, though, is a one-day thing, and the pool will reopen tomorrow. 

It’s not Prangstgrup, but it’ll do. Watch those chem grad students run!

Oh those chemists! Oh those grad students who aspire to be chemists! Stephanie Quan writes in with an account of the chem department’s winter show, a Varsity Show-type extravaganza featuring off-key musical tributes to favorite professors sung by second-year grad students with department secretaries on keyboard. But in the esteemed words of R. Kelly, “after […]

Apparently some students have a little too much spring fever to study in the library. But will chalk on the Van Am quad = success on next week’s orgo test? Bwog sure hopes so.

Exploding syringes of nitric acid. Animal testing. And a band called ‘Vector Sum.’ B&W staffer Anna Corke talked with chem grad student Paul Vadola to discover the secret life of chem students. Why did you decide to go into chemistry? I was a premed bio major. Organic chemistry is part of the premed package and […]