Experiment: Foreword

Curiosity killed the cat? Well of course, because it’s a human experiment and the cat was a test subject!  Here in this section, we are going to do experiments with things that can definitely kill many cats, but that’s not our aim. Every experiment has its aim(s), so let me clarify the rationale behind this section.

1. Make a crude scientific discovery.

2. Test a hypothesis.

3. Demonstrate a known fact or phenomenon.

 

Precisely, I will carry out few projects here, and they will go on every now and then until we get a result, which may or may not be what I expect. Besides, I wish to involve more people, and perhaps I can share some of the experimental plants or chemical compounds with you so that we will conduct experiments together. Of course this is for fun and we are not in anyways trying to do publications in academia. All results obtained will just be shared in this blog. I have yet to decide on what exactly we should do, but here’s my ideas. For now, since the COVID-19 pandemic is making logistics and meet ups difficult, I will start preparing the equipment or reagents required for some of the projects below. Meanwhile, I welcome your suggestions and we will decide what to do. 

 

1. Extraction and isolation of certain plant toxins to be used as natural pesticides.

2. Chemical methods to improve plant growth and/or seed germination.

3. Induction of new plant variants with chemical mutagenesis.

Finally a word on safety. Some of the experiments here are dangerous, and when I caution against something, please DO NOT try to replicate it! I have worked in a real chemistry lab for quite some time, so I am experienced in what I do. When it comes to dangerous risky activity, you either avoid it all together, or rely on knowledge and experience. Here, I try to adapt real chemistry experiments into a kitchen chemistry set-up, but they only apply to experiments I deem safe. For example,  I sometimes use highly hazardous chemical reagents are prohibited to the public, and I only use them because there are no alternatives available. Take those as a demonstration, and don’t even think of trying to obtain them. It will get you into trouble with your health and the law. Last but not least, I emphasise that ‘safe’ is a relative term, and I will NOT be responsible if anything bad happens to you or anyone who replicate the experiments you see in this blog. 

 

Whenever hazardous materials are used, I will caution against the risks and hazards, and outline the precautions required. However, please do not replicate experiments that I warn against!