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Have you heard of or tried adding salt to your coffee to improve its flavor? I was introduced to the notion of adding salt to reduce bitterness in reference to dark chocolate. A certain level of bitterness is desirable in dark chocolate, as in coffee, but too much can be overwhelming. The solution? Add a little salt! The sodium ion reduces bitterness by interfering with the mechanism by which you detect a bitter flavor. You do not need to add a large amount of salt, either. Try a taste-test at home, brewing a pot of coffee with a just a pinch of salt.

Apa macam? Mesti ragu2kan? Selamat mencuba!

Why Do Rings Turn Your Finger Green?

Question: Why Do Rings Turn Your Finger Green?

Have you ever had a ring turn your finger green or wondered why some people say rings turn their fingers green? The reason this happens is because of the metal content of the ring. Here's a look at what's happening.

Answer: When a ring turns your finger green it's either because of a chemical reaction between acids in your skin and the metal of the ring or a reaction between another substance on your hand, such as a lotion, and the metal of the ring.

There are several metals that oxidize or react with your skin to produce a discoloration. You can get a noticeable green ring around your finger from wearing a ring made using copper. Some rings are pure copper, while others have a plating of another metal over copper or the copper may be part of the alloy (e.g., Sterling silver). The common green color is not harmful of itself, though some people experience an itchy rash or other sensitivity reaction to the metal and may wish to avoid exposure to the metal.

A common culprit is silver, which is found in sterling silver jewelry, plating for inexpensive jewelry, and as an alloying metal in most gold jewelry. Acids cause the silver to oxidize, which produces tarnish. The tarnish can leave a dark ring on your finger.

If you are sensitive to metals, you may see a discoloration from wearing a ring containing nickel, though most likely this will be a red ring and may be associated with inflammation.

 

How to Avoid Getting a Green Finger from a Ring

Even silver and gold jewelry can produce a discoloration, so advice for avoiding a green finger isn't as simple as just avoiding cheap jewelry. However, certain metals are less likely to turn green than others. You should have good luck with stainless steel jewelry, platinum jewelry and rhodium plated jewelry, which includes nearly all white gold.

Also, you'll greatly reduce the chance of any ring turning your finger green if you take care to keep soap, lotions and other chemicals away from your ring. Remove your rings before bathing or swimming, especially in saltwater.

Some people apply a polymer coating to their rings to act as a barrier between their skin and the metal of the ring. Nail polish is one option. Be aware you'll need to reapply the coating from time to time, since it will wear away.

By Anne Helmenstine Ph.D

Science and Islam

"...I'll end by telling a story. There was once a civilization that was the greatest in the world.

It was able to create a continental super-state that stretched from ocean to ocean, and from northern climes to tropics and deserts. Within its dominion lived hundreds of millions of people, of different creeds and ethnic origins.

One of its languages became the universal language of much of the world, the bridge between the peoples of a hundred lands. Its armies were made up of people of many nationalities, and its military protection allowed a degree of peace and prosperity that had never been known. The reach of this civilization's commerce extended from Latin America to China, and everywhere in between. 

And this civilization was driven more than anything, by invention. Its architects designed buildings that defied gravity. Its mathematicians created the algebra and algorithms that would enable the building of computers, and the creation of encryption. Its doctors examined the human body, and found new cures for disease. Its astronomers looked into the heavens, named the stars, and paved the way for space travel and exploration.

Its writers created thousands of stories. Stories of courage, romance and magic. Its poets wrote of love, when others before them were too steeped in fear to think of such things.

When other nations were afraid of ideas, this civilization thrived on them, and kept them alive. When censors threatened to wipe out knowledge from past civilizations, this civilization kept the knowledge alive, and passed it on to others.

While modern Western civilization shares many of these traits, the civilization I'm talking about was the Islamic world from the year 800 to 1600, which included the Ottoman Empire and the courts of Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo, and enlightened rulers like Suleiman the Magnificent.

Although we are often unaware of our indebtedness to this other civilization, its gifts are very much a part of our heritage. The technology industry would not exist without the contributions of Arab mathematicians. Sufi poet-philosophers like Rumi challenged our notions of self and truth. Leaders like Suleiman contributed to our notions of tolerance and civic leadership.

And perhaps we can learn a lesson from his example: It was leadership based on meritocracy, not inheritance. It was leadership that harnessed the full capabilities of a very diverse population-that included Christianity, Islamic, and Jewish traditions.
 

This kind of enlightened leadership - leadership that nurtured culture, sustainability, diversity and courage - led to 800 years of invention and prosperity..."

Carly Fiorina, the CEO of Hewlett-Packard, 26 September 2001.