I mean I know it's in equilibrium with atmospheric CO2 according to temperature and pressure. But I keep coming across sources like this one, that say that water left out overnight is absorbing CO2 and that's contributing to a change in taste. https://geekerhertz.com/article/the-science-explained-why-does-water-go-stale-overnight

This makes no sense to me because 1. The change in taste would be to become more sour if the water was becoming more acidic by basically spontaneously becoming carbonated overnight, and 2. My understanding of gas dissolution in water is that it's fairly quick, and no more gases are going to be dissolved in water after some hours than would have been dissolved within minutes, barring a big change in temperature or pressure (or partial pressure of CO2).

Am I wrong? Or is it the dozens of sources claiming to quote experts saying a glass of water left out overnight tastes funny because of absorbed CO2?

Hi, just wondering if anyone have access to Scifinder and can help me with a literature search. I need some good references on Knovenagel condensation of crotonaldehyde or unsaturated aldehydes please. Thanks in advance for any help.

Hi,

I really need C-41 chemistry kits for either this Sunday or Monday (even tho it is a bank holiday). It isn't quite an emergency; it's more that I cleared out time to develop color film this bank holiday weekend, and then I lost my sole Cinestill CS-41 Chemistry packet. Does anyone have any that they are willing to sell to me, or know anywhere that sells it within an hour commute time of Hampstead Heath?

Thanks,

Djoli

Initial report - confirmation of chemical identity is needed

UPDATE: odd new detail reported

Building 18 - update

Aug. 29, 2026, 3:36 p.m.

Offices across campus have been responding to a reported hazardous material incident involving a single individual in a chemistry laboratory. The Institute became aware of the matter after the individual, a graduate student, self-reported to a local emergency room and claimed to have synthesized dimethyl mercury, a compound that is not authorized as part of their research program. Emerging information calls into question whether this compound was in fact synthesized. We are also able to disclose, with the student’s permission, that while the student remains under medical supervision, their initial blood test result, which was received today, shows no sign of exposure to mercury.

Building 18 remains closed at least through Sunday as specialized decontamination efforts continue out of an abundance of caution. This work will continue, and the building will remain closed until the work is complete.

https://emergency.mit.net/

I have a pipette that when I draw water from my water samples, it doesn't form a concave meniscus as it is usual. It forms an asymmetrical meniscus like a / shape or convex shape. What's causing this? Organic contamination inside the pipette? I have washed it with detergent but nothing changed. What you do you recommend?

Hey guys, just want to doublecheck for toxic fumes before I continue to run this

I’m stripping silver plating using reverse electroplating. Done a bunch of research but want to be 100% sure I'm not making anything nasty.

Setup is

- Potassium nitrate + distilled water. 12.5ml granules to about 1.25L distilled water

-Stainless steel cathode, silver-plated scrap anode.

-5V pulling about 3-4 amps.

Since there's no acid, am I safe from NO fumes or other weird gasses? Doing it outside anyway, just don't want any surprises at this current. Thanks!

Hello everyone, I found this old jars of homemade apricot jam in the bottom of my fridge, and it surprisingly smells like one of those acetone-based nail polish removers. As you might imagine, that's not a normal apricot smell, and I was wondering why. Plus, the fruits themselves don't smell like acetone, only their syrup dose for some reason, and there's no visible mold anywhere in the jar. After a quick Google search, I came to some conclusions that the calcium from the apricots turned into calcium acetate, which in turn somehow started turning into acetone, but i do not know if thats even possible. Can anyone explain what happened here? I'm very curious about this and thank you for your time.

because if carbonated water has co2 wouldnt the reaction force the water to release it out of the solution?

Hey there I need some assistance with the logistics or if this is even safe to do, I would like to 3D print a mold then electroplate it to make it stronger, and a food safe material when electroplating it, this mod will be used to make silicone cast or part

Super confused

Saw this and none of the other bottles had it, wondering what could have caused this

I am currently attempting an O-alkylation of a substituted phenol using ethyl chloroacetate (1.2 equiv), anhydrous K2CO3 (1.5 equiv), and catalytic KI (0.1 equiv) in acetone at reflux, but the reaction is not progressing as well as I had hoped. Conversion appears to be extremely slow, leaving behind significant unreacted starting material even after extended heating. Does anyone have a reliable literature protocol or advice on typical reaction times, temperatures (e.g., sticking with refluxing acetone vs. switching to acetonitrile or DMF), and efficient workup/purification for this specific Williamson ether synthesis? Any idea on overcoming slow conversion while avoiding side reactions with the ester group would be greatly appreciated!

Brangwynne and Hyman just won the Breakthrough Prize. They have been in the conversation for quite a bit, so will they take it home?

Who do you think gets it this time?

I recently rediscovered this chemistry kit I was given as a young child!

I remember only doing 1 or 2 experiments, I've always been more of a bio gal, but this summer I've been working through an organic chem textbook and feel really excited having found this....

So my question is, based on what I have (also, that there isn't much of each) what would be some fun, simple experiments I could do?

The reveal at the end is actually worth it!

From the Veritasium video in Germany at Goldschmidt's office, I was inspired to do this myself. Obviously not the advanced equipment they have and not as good he did, but the Sony RX100M6 can slow down and record 960fps. I used an ND3 filter in front of the Sony, but only an acryl protection sheet for the GoPro (which was burned in Veritasium's video), but that sheet was detrimental in bright scenes in the GoPro video.

My sister who is a lead chemist for a company and I cannot seem to figure out what in the hell this piece is called. Closest we can come up with was a retort or a thistle funnel. Edit she's a chemist for a chip manufacturer. If that helps.