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About me - Glen Brizius

My name is Glen Brizius, and I'm a 34 year old resident of Atlanta. During my life I've dedicated my life to science - particularly, the study of chemistry and pharmaceuticals. I quickly gained a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of South Carolina,

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Relationships & Family > Romance & Sexuality Views on premarital sex: 5 of 34

Premarital sex is a good idea in most cases. Many in our society consider themselves faithful to a certain moral code passed down from their ancestors, and sometimes wrestle with what they do and what they have been taught to be correct. Sex is a very powerful emotional act, for good or for bad. This article will point out h...
Sciences > Chemistry How understanding chemistry can help you in daily life: 1 of 6

Every day, we're faced with decisions. Some decisions - buying a car, choosing a mate - we take more seriously than other decisions. Sometimes we have only a few seconds to spend on making a gut instinct call. Having a solid knowledge of chemistry will vastly improve your quality of life when it comes to these "quick and dir...
Sciences > Chemistry Green chemistry: Plastics: 1 of 3

Green Chemistry is making great leaps and bounds in the area of plastics. Plastics are ubiquitous in our everyday life - we can scarcely imagine life without them. However, the preparation and processing of plastics is a nasty, environmentally-messy process that generates vast amounts of toxic chemical waste. &nb...
Relationships & Family > Love & Relationships Soul mates: Do they really exist?: 46 of 136

I know beyond any doubt that soul mates exist. I've had my share of relationships, some good, some bad, and all but one followed the same pattern: meeting someone for the first time / perhaps being introduced to them, followed by (most likely) a friendship developing, followed by a courting period of escalating feelings of c...
Health & Fitness > Health & Fitness (Other) Is donating blood good for you?: 8 of 17

Donating blood is one of the most important, selfless, and humanitarian acts that a human can perform and it doesn't cost a penny. How much blood is needed? Close to forty thousand units is needed every day in America alone. That calculates to someone in this country - a cancer patient, a trauma patient - needing blood every...
Food & Drink > Drinks (Other) Does drinking mineral water have health benefits?: 3 of 6

Speaking as a doctoral-level chemist with over a decade of experience spent trying to debunk science myths and demystify science topics, I can say unequivocally that drinking mineral water offers no health benefits over: * Drinking tap water (technically a form of mineral water); * Drinking bottled water (which varies greatl...
Food & Drink > Food & Drink (Other) Is it possible to trick the taste buds?: 2 of 4

These two tricks are so much fun at parties. It's so, so easy to trick the taste buds. All you need is a little knowledge of chemistry, and the help of a plant named Synsepalum dulcificum. It's a medium to tall (10'-20' tall) evergreen shrub native to West Africa. Twice a year, it produces red berries. Wondering where this e...
Sciences > Chemistry The uses of helium: 2 of 4

Helium is a so-called "noble" gas, meaning that under almost any conditions, it does not chemically react with other elements. It contains a full outer shell of electrons, meaning that it is willing to neither donate nor share its electrons with neighboring atoms. This very characteristic, which at first would se...
Education > High School Math & Sciences How to prepare a successful high school chemistry lab: 1 of 2

Speaking as an academic-based Ph.D. chemist with a decade's experience, I can say that preparing a successful high school chemistry lab doesn't have to be difficult. It requires a lot of planning, a lot of hard work, and above all, the students have to be excited about the subject. Nothing kills the atmosphere fa...
Sciences > Chemistry How to make hydrochloric acid: 1 of 1

Hydrochloric acid, or HCl in chemists shorthand, is commonly known as muriatic acid, which lends clues to its most ready method of production for the practicing lab-scale chemist. Muriatic is an old term, meaning concerning brine (sodium chloride). Muriatic acid is, surprisingly, commercially available. You can find it at an...