The Science of Life

This post will be predominately geared towards two groups of people; those who are presently in college or those who are looking to go to college. I have the people that have been in my study groups in chemistry, math, and physics in mind, but this applies to everyone going to college. With all degree programs, there are two important mentalities to have while going through with it: You have to have insatiable curiosity for the subject, and you have to love the subject. Without these two frames of thought, you will make your academic and professional careers a living nightmare. The vast majority of the students in all of my classes – this semester and in every semester for the past couple of years – have not had the curiosity required to be actually successful in these classes. Now let me stop here to explain what I mean by successful. In my mind, successful is more than merely the grade, though don't get me wrong; the grade is a part of it. A bigger part of success in ...

I have had insufficient time to write a full-blown blog this week-end, so I will leave you with a poem. It seems appropriate, since this is a science poem on a science blog, and it ties in with next weeks blog topic, which is the interconnectivity of two particular branches of sciences. I hope you enjoy this. Two Two years. Two groups. One constant. The only person in either group who isn’t going for the “American Dream”, whose primary goal does not involve retiring wealthy. The only one who never did understand this whole war between them, at any level much less this one, seeing as how this peace will save humanity time and time and time again. Two years. Two fields of science . The only constant is the only poet. The only one of either group that realizes that science, too, is a kind of art. After all, Mother Nature is the most intrinsic, the fullest, and best poet in the...

Hello, my name is K. "Alan" Eister (though you've probably gathered that by now). I have an AS in Chemistry from the College of Southern Nevada. I am also a Las Vegas slam poet of close to 8 years. I have never been on the national slam team, but I have come close. Here, I will attempt to combine the two and Help people see the beauty of chemistry. As far as I know (though, I cannot be too sure about this), there is no one that is taking on putting chemistry in the public eye. The most popular theme in putting science in the public eye is doing so through astronomy, which I understand. Astronomy is seen as the most beautiful (and most poetic) science. It is also the science that can be most easily done at home; the materials obtained for amateur astronomy very easily obtained, while the materials for amateur chemistry and biology are not. Chemistry is also beautiful. I will take aspects of the reality around you to help show this. I will start off very general, and will...

Starting this blog with a poem seems appropriate, since I am a poet.  The second post will be my introduction post. :) These Magic Little Things Who am I? This is what she wants to know. Because I have shielded myself from her that thoroughly that well. So I look at her, deep in her eyes, and I tell her this: “When you were first told about these strange little things called atoms, you can't quite comprehend their existence. Something that small, with so much empty space. And when they come together, magical things can happen. And that you are made of these magical things. Everything that makes you... you. Made of these magical little things. “Well, ever since I was a small boy, before anyone ever told me of these strange little atoms and the magical things they do, I could feel them inside of me. Tiny little molecules in my veins, reacting at the lungs with other molecules, flowing through my veins until they get to the muscles and orga...