Category:

History

The discovery of artemisinin, an antimalarial, of Youyou Tu , a Chinese chemist

by Roberto Poeti 22 June 2018

A compelling story: the discovery of artemisinina , natural principle antimalarial ,of YouYouTu a Chinese chemist , Nobel Laureate in medicine 2015

What happened in China in the years ‘ 60 of the last century

in the years ‘ 60 of the last century China was shaken by a tragic political movement led by Mao Zedong , leader of the country. It was called “cultural revolution” and had protagonist students and lower Communist Party cadres , that were inspired by the contained in “Red Book”, drafted by the same Mao. The victims of the movement were intellectuals and teachers who were subjected to a process of re-education “and suffered abuse of all kinds. Universities and schools stopped their activity for a few years.

22 June 2018 0 commento

History

The D.I.Mendeleev Home Museum in St. Petersburg

by Roberto Poeti 15 November 2017

The Mendeleev Home Museum at the University of St. Petersburg

The article contains a collection of photos and documents translated from Russian, kept preserved in Mendeleev Home Museum at the University of St. Petersburg. Many thanks to Marina Bekreneva for translation of original documents.

15 November 2017 0 commento

History

Carl Scheele : the discoverer of oxygen

by Roberto Poeti 1 November 2017

Carl Wilhelm Scheele

I rediscovered the great scientist Carl Scheele, a contemporary of Lavoisier, during a trip that I made in Sweden, and in particular in Stockholm. It is first necessary to say a few words about the village of Skansen. Stockholm is a beautiful city built on many islands, one of which, known as Kungliga Djurgarden (Royal Garden), the early nineteenth there were only hills and plants .

The initiative of Artur Hazelius

During the first decade of the nineteenth century a wealthy merchant John Burgman built to Kungliga Djurgarden a belvedere with a magnificent garden. The properties of this Tycoon was called Skansen, as it was near a small fort (skans = small Fortress). The property included more than four acres of land ; in 1891 they passed into the hands of Artur Hazelius. It is due to this extraordinary personage the birth in 1891 the first open-air museum in the world. For nearly twenty years had turned the length and breadth of the Swedish countryside collecting folk costumes, furnishings, furniture and equipment of the old peasant culture and the various trades .

1 November 2017 0 commento

History Teaching Activity

The Stereochemistry in the crystals contained in a wine barrel

by Roberto Poeti 25 July 2017

Red crystal formations : thus was born the stereochemistry

I have kept for many years an old cask in the cellar of my house before deciding to make firewood. Its interior walls, in the dimly lit cellar, seemed covered with blackish storage and amorphous. But when I took her out and was illuminated by sunlight I felt the thrill of discovery. The amorphous layer now appeared made of red crystal formations shaped like shells, which were arranged groups of transparent, colorless prismatic crystals that sparkled like diamonds. It was a unique show.

25 July 2017 0 commento