"Alas!" answered the girl. "I have to spin straw into gold, and I do not know how to do it." from Rumpelstiltskin
adapted by Paul Galdone
I might be the only person in the world who did not take Basic Chemistry in High School or college. My understanding of chemistry involves clouds releasing water, yeast working to raise bread dough, and dissolving food color in Cream of Wheat. I’m not sure how those things work or even if they involve chemistry, but I think the yeast in the bread dough does.
Four new chemical elements were added to the periodic table this past week. As reported on CNN, elements 113, 115, 117 and 118 have formally been recognized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the U.S.-based world authority on chemistry. The organization's announcement means the seventh row of the periodic table is finally complete. Woo-Hoo!
Imagine, scientists are still making important discoveries. So maybe it really is possible to spin straw into gold. Or at least make something beautiful from raw, ugly matter. Like how coal turns into diamonds with enough heat and pressure, and lots of time. Or how my children and grandchildren are always the most beautiful and the smartest of all my friends. Or how the world is noticeably brighter when I smile, even when it's raining..
Maybe it’s an attitude thing. --stay curious!