Between heaven & earth

On the goodness of chemistry and the evil in people

What a baby eats should be controlled. And it is - fortunately. After all, hundreds of children have been harmed by adulteration.(Bild: ManEtli )

Today we are talking about a substance that illustrates the two faces of chemistry, one good - and one not so good. Chemistry can't help it ...

This substance has the ingratiating name melamine - the word itself melts in the mouth, as it were, making you think of particularly fine confectionery. This is deceptive. Melamine is a solid, one molecule contains 15 atoms, six of which are nitrogen, the others are carbon and hydrogen. Six times nitrogen - unusual, as two thirds of the weight of the thing is nitrogen. This fact has made melamine extremely famous. More on this later.