Ames National Laboratory Poetry in Science Challenge Winners
Chemistry in Everyday Life
My love for Chemistry is like forever old.
The mysteries it carries make it as precious as Gold.
Dry foliage and rubbing stones may have produced the first fiery reaction.
Did you know that light scattering through clouds can be called diffraction?
Oxygen is the menace that makes apples turn brown.
Did you know that there are chemicals that can stop you from frown?
Petrichor is what brings vivid memories as it rains.
Did you know why detergents can remove the toughest of stains?
The spores that help ferns grow are produced in a sporange.
Did you know that it is carotenoids that make carrots look like orange?
Mental stress is a no-no since cortisol can cause hallucination.
Did you know that chirality makes Ethambutol a medicine as well as a poison?
Luciferin is the pride that makes a firefly’s lantern glow.
Did you know it’s a chemical reaction that turns flour into dough?
At the end of a tiring day, nitrous oxide can force you to giggle and smile.
Did you know that lachrymators in onions make you cry all the while?
Chameleons can adjust lattice spacings to change their colour.
Did you know Eugenol can make your wine spicy when put inside a muller?
Low sodium can cause problems with the functioning of your brain.
Did you know that a soap wash can relieve you from insect bite pain?
After much hard work, lactic acid causes your muscles to tire.
Did you know that you should never add water to an electric fire?
Carbon nanotubes were used surprisingly as early as in 17th century Damascus steel.
Did you know that silver bromide was used to develop the reel?
I can go on and on like this all day.
And yet there will be chemistry all along the way.
Next time you see something and wonder why it is such.
Remember, it may be Chemistry just waiting for you to Re-Search.
Anirudha Karati
Ames National Lab
Researchers and scientists, oh my!
With projects piled up to the sky.
They run lots of tests
To see which is best
And the rest of us just watch it go by.
473
Form 473 is our friend
It keeps us in sync til the end
Some visas we check
Are a pain in the neck
But this rule we shall never bend.
Geri Gerner
Connection
I have always had the urge to ask the big questions,
About the universe and our place in it.
While I research the materials here on Earth, I wonder.
Is there a connection?
When elements are mixed, exotic phenomena can arise.
While I discover them at cool temperatures,
A warming question inside me never fades,
Is there a connection?
I am not alone, you must have had the urge,
And have questions you ask for a living.
While we ponder in isolation, I wonder.
Is there a connection?
Reality is like a sphere, with truth at its core.
While we embark radially at the surface,
We all converge to the same point.
Yes, let us connect there.
Khusboo Rana
Tantalum Reborn
Tantalum, an enigmatic metal bond,
Strength and mysteries, none can erase,
Defying reason, resilient in corrosive might,
A guide to BCC metals, a brilliant light.
In Greek, "unquenchable thirst", they named,
Desires claimed accursed, yet lovely unbendable fiery will,
Blessed to defy hell, where others disband,
A thousand degrees only massages your structures.
Metals Development, a stress-relieving spa,
Your majestic crystals grow its fiery growth furnaces,
Matching their limits, yet a soul filled with solitude.
A passion for growth and innovation that quivers many.
Traditional tests fail to ignite your flame,
Their limits unable to unleash your full acclaim.
Then emerged Nanoindentation, fair and tender,
A touch that delves deep, an epic quest to render.
No harm incurred, yet it penetrates with grace,
Unraveling the secrets of structures in every place.
Their encounter an adventure bathed in glamour.
A rendezvous shrouded in mysteries to enamor.
In the realm of Sensitive Instrument Facilities' embrace,
Unveiling characterizations, a splendid chase by Teneo.
They pondered marvels and discoveries anew,
A sigh of liberation, the adventure craved matched.
As the final act unfolds, a complete tango,
The reborn model smiles, a radiant star.
A path forged for heroes, triumphantly he'll roam,
A timeless anthem, passed through generations unborn.
Olajesu Olanrewaju