One of the advantages of doing science marketing work and running forensic science/chemistry workshops is that it allows me to explore my creative side. When it comes to setting up a mock crime scene, one thing that is essential is a good fake blood.
I've had mixed success with the recipes I've found on the internet. Store-bought fake blood that is found on the shelves of dollar stores around Halloween is rather good, but I'm rather fond of my own recipe. Not only does it have a pleasant strawberry smell, it is also edible (I wouldn't go eating copious amounts of it though, as glycerine has a higher energy density than sucrose).
Materials
- 250 mL Glycerine/glycerol (available from supermarkets)
- Strawberry jelly powder (one sachet)
- Water
- Red food colouring
- Blue food colouring
Directions
1) Pour glycerine into microwave-safe bowl
2) Heat glycerine in microwave until hot (try not to set anything on fire). Shouldn't need more than about 30 to 45 seconds, but use your judgement.
3) Add jelly powder to hot glycerine, and mix with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed
4) Dropwise, add about 10 drops of red food colouring to mixture. Stir thoroughly.
5) Add a drop of blue food colouring and stir thoroughly. Add more until desired colour is achieved.
6) If the mixture is too thick, add small amounts of water until mixture has desired consistency.
Storage
If stored in an air-tight container, this mixture should be safe for use for weeks, if not months.
Preparation Time
This recipe should take about 10 minutes to make, from start to finish.
Comment
Be aware that fake blood can stain, so take appropriate steps to ensure that you don't spray/spread this anywhere that will be difficult to clean. This fake blood can also be rather sticky, especially if left on a surface for a while. Also, as it contains glycerine, if you don't clean it up right away you may get ants and other insects taking advantage of a free meal.
Showing posts with label workshop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workshop. Show all posts
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Monday, 6 February 2012
On Chemophobia - Dihydrogen Monoxide
Perhaps one of the more interesting issues I encounter as a chemist is that of chemophobia, an irrational fear of chemicals.
In my experience it emerges as a lack of understanding of what chemicals are, the fact that everything in our world is composed of chemicals, and most important of all, a lack of understanding of the relationship between dose and effect.
In relation to dose, the German/Swiss alchemist Phillipus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, better known as Paracelsus, said it best:
Or as it is more simply put:
One of the advantages of working with high school students in forensic/chemistry workshops is that it allows me to gauge their understanding of the chemical world. Whether it be a discussion on what the term "organic" means, the painful debate over the safety of vaccinations, or what everyday objects contain, the questions and feedback I receive are truly fascinating.
Perhaps one of my favourite demonstrations draws on the rather popular Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) hoax of years gone by. In my demonstrations, it begins by politely asking for volunteers from the audience, and if none are forthcoming, a bribe of crime scene tape works a charm. After the volunteers are assembled, I don my labcoat, goggles, and some nitrile gloves before continuing.
I then ask my volunteers to produce one of their hands, preferably their non-writing hand, before nervously producing a vial containing that dastardly compound, DHMO. After gingerly placing a drop on each of the volunteers' preferred and proferred hands, a short statement regarding the dangers of DHMO is read out. Ususally DHMO is switched out for the IUPAC name "oxidane", in order to throw off any students aware of the DHMO hoax.
The students are then questioned on any ill effects that they are experiencing following exposure. The effects I've had rattled off to me are curious, and have included anything from tremors, sweating and increased heart rate, to headaches, stomach cramps and dizziness. To quell any further worries, the ruse is revealed, and the students calm down significantly.
The goal of all this is to demonstrate that an awareness of chemistry, if not an active interest in it, combined with a healthy dose of skepticism, can prove invaluable.After all, it pays to be aware of the world around you, and to have at the very least a basic knowledge of how things work. This brings to mind a very salient quote by Neil Degrasse Tyson:
In future posts, I will further discuss chemophobia and how people perceive chemicals, more broadly, chemistry.
Well, that wraps up this post. Thanks for reading!
In my experience it emerges as a lack of understanding of what chemicals are, the fact that everything in our world is composed of chemicals, and most important of all, a lack of understanding of the relationship between dose and effect.
In relation to dose, the German/Swiss alchemist Phillipus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, better known as Paracelsus, said it best:
"All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; only the dose permits something not to be poisonous"
Or as it is more simply put:
"The dose makes the poison"
One of the advantages of working with high school students in forensic/chemistry workshops is that it allows me to gauge their understanding of the chemical world. Whether it be a discussion on what the term "organic" means, the painful debate over the safety of vaccinations, or what everyday objects contain, the questions and feedback I receive are truly fascinating.
Perhaps one of my favourite demonstrations draws on the rather popular Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) hoax of years gone by. In my demonstrations, it begins by politely asking for volunteers from the audience, and if none are forthcoming, a bribe of crime scene tape works a charm. After the volunteers are assembled, I don my labcoat, goggles, and some nitrile gloves before continuing.
I then ask my volunteers to produce one of their hands, preferably their non-writing hand, before nervously producing a vial containing that dastardly compound, DHMO. After gingerly placing a drop on each of the volunteers' preferred and proferred hands, a short statement regarding the dangers of DHMO is read out. Ususally DHMO is switched out for the IUPAC name "oxidane", in order to throw off any students aware of the DHMO hoax.
 |
| Hide the children! It's oxidane! |
The goal of all this is to demonstrate that an awareness of chemistry, if not an active interest in it, combined with a healthy dose of skepticism, can prove invaluable.After all, it pays to be aware of the world around you, and to have at the very least a basic knowledge of how things work. This brings to mind a very salient quote by Neil Degrasse Tyson:
"If you're scientifically literate, the world looks very different to you"
In future posts, I will further discuss chemophobia and how people perceive chemicals, more broadly, chemistry.
Well, that wraps up this post. Thanks for reading!
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