• 10-Year-Old Accidentally Creates New Molecule in Her Science Class
    96 replies, posted
[QUOTE]Clara Lazen is the discoverer of tetranitratoxycarbon, a molecule constructed of, obviously, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon. It's got some interesting possible properties, ranging from use as an explosive to energy storage. Lazen is listed as the co-author of a recent paper on the molecule. But that's not what's so interesting and inspiring about this story. What's so unusual here is that Clara Lazen is a ten-year-old fifth-grader in Kansas City, MO. Kenneth Boehr, Clara's science teacher, handed out the usual ball-and-stick models used to visualize simple molecules to his fifth-grade class. But Clara put the carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms together in a particular complex way and asked Boehr if she'd made a real molecule. Boehr, to his surprise, wasn't sure. So he photographed the model and sent it over to a chemist friend at Humboldt State University who identified it as a wholly new but also wholly viable chemical. The chemical has the same formula as one other in HSU's database, but the atoms are arranged differently, so it qualifies as a unique molecule. It doesn't exist in nature, so it'd have to be synthesized in a lab, which takes time and effort. So Boehr's friend, Robert Zoellner, wrote a paper on it instead, to be published in Computational and Theoretical Chemistry. Listed as a co-author: Clara Lazen. Boehr says the discovery and subsequent publication has incited a new interest in science and chemistry at his school--and Clara seems particularly pleased, saying she's now much more interested in biology and medicine. [img]http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/Screen%20shot%202012-02-03%20at%2012.19.22%20PM.png[/img][/QUOTE] Source: [url]http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-02/10-year-old-accidentally-creates-new-explosive-molecule-science-class[/url]
say what you want about america but they're pretty good at making accidents
I didn't make any scientific discoveries when I was in 5th grade :(
Hahah, that's pretty cool. Imagine if that new material turns out really useful.
Well, she made a cool looking model and a kind teacher helped her get it created. If anything, her teacher should be awarded for his teaching passion.
They're so lucky to learn about that stuff in grade [B]5[/B]
[QUOTE=Andokool12;34558881]They're so lucky to learn about that stuff in grade [B]5[/B][/QUOTE] Not all of America teaches creationism and nothing else through out their 12 years of public education.
The only discovery i made at primary school was melting the chocolate bourbons under the hand dryer.
Ahaha, gotta love accidents
[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;34558921]Ahaha, gotta love accidents[/QUOTE] i was an accident :dance: wait
[QUOTE]The chemical has the [B]same formula[/B] as one other in HSU's database, but [B]the atoms are arranged differently[/B], so it qualifies as a unique molecule[/QUOTE] Isn't this an isomere?
Who hasnt been handed a set of molecular modeling pieces and said "Fuck making H2O, I'll just join them together to make a jumbled mess" In related news, I've been credited with 2,2,4 dioxymethylethyloctane.
[QUOTE=A Noobcake;34558847]Hahah, that's pretty cool. Imagine if that new material turns out really useful.[/QUOTE] It said energy storage. Maybe a new material for some type of battery?
[QUOTE=Val67;34558971]Isn't this an isomere?[/QUOTE] Yep, but IIRC different isomeres can still have very different chemical properties, so it could be considered a new molecule - it uses the same materials as other known molecules, but is structured differently and has new effect. I wonder if it would actually be useful tho. Sounds like exploding battery material so far.
I'm not that knowledgeable on chemistry but isn't coming up with new chemical structures not that hard? I thought it was synthesizing and producing them/finding a use for them.
[img]http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/Screen%20shot%202012-02-03%20at%2012.19.22%20PM.png[/img] Both the 10 year old AND the molecule are GIGANTIC
[QUOTE=A Noobcake;34558847]Hahah, that's pretty cool. Imagine if that new material turns out really useful.[/QUOTE] Or starts WWIII.
[QUOTE=Hidole555;34559149]It said energy storage. Maybe a new material for some type of battery?[/QUOTE] It's got to be economically viable first anyway, no point using it if costs 10Bn to research and only offers say 5% increased storage per same area, or is high volatility etc. But if it is better it'll probably eventually be used. That's a lot of assumptions from someone who hasn't got much of a clue on this subject though (me not you).
Then the teacher proceeded to play the lolipop game during recess with this child as her reward. Also, [quote]ranging from use as an explosive[/quote] Guantanamo Bay is calling.
[QUOTE=Callius;34559179]I'm not that knowledgeable on chemistry but isn't coming up with new chemical structures not that hard? I thought it was synthesizing and producing them/finding a use for them.[/QUOTE] I don't have any statistics, but I bet the vast majority of simple molecules has already been discovered or found in nature (for obvious reasons) and more complex molecules have a lot of rules attached to them that make it different for the molecules to be "wholly new but also wholly viable chemical". The more complex the molecule, the more interaction between the different elements, the more rules to consider.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;34558902]Not all of America teaches creationism and nothing else through out their 12 years of public education.[/QUOTE] What the hell, when did I ever mention creationism? Oh man I don't live in the states so I must assume everybody is a hardcore bible thumper!!!!!!! Fuck off. When I was in grade 5 the extent of my science courses were human anatomy and pulleys and stuff. I would've been so stoked to learn how atoms are arranged in grade 5. For me that stuff was like a short term of crammed info in grade 9 and 10. [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Chill out" - Dragon))[/highlight]
I haven't made a thread that had 80+ views at once in a long time, kinda feeling proud here :v:
I would of possibly made something like this if they would of had an actual science class and molecule-forms here in 5th grade.
They get to do this in grade 5? Jeez.. I only started learning about molecular designs and those models in around grade 9-10.
[QUOTE=RichyZ;34559367]explosive energy storage eh? [img]http://images.wikia.com/left4dead/images/a/a7/Explosive_Barrel.png[/img] she just made gaming history[/QUOTE] Gotta put it in CoD: 268
[QUOTE=TurbisV2;34558835]say what you want about america but they're pretty good at making accidents[/QUOTE] well america itself WAS an accident
Lucky girl to make that discovery. Hopefully if we can properly synthesize it, we can test it for all those things.
[QUOTE=PassTheBong;34559430]well america itself WAS an accident[/QUOTE] can't the we abort it like a fetus? it's only 200~ years old, we don't want their silly laws effecting other countries.
[quote][img] http://db.tt/T6Mu0ZWl[/img][/quote] Recreated by yours truly.
[QUOTE=SatansSin;34559401]They get to do this in grade 5? Jeez.. I only started learning about molecular designs and those models in around grade 9-10.[/QUOTE] I started at 8.
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