Environmental chemistry

Have you ever wondered how ozone affects a condom’s effectiveness? Mark Abrahams, editor of the magazine Annals of Improbable Research has, and comments on some recent research on the subject.

This year’s Nobel prize co-winner in chemistry is Professor Sherwood Rowland. After years of standing up to critics’ ridicule for his research into ozone depletion and CFC’s, his work is now widely recognized for its authenticity and has earned him and two colleagues the coveted Nobel prize. Virginia Biggar has this profile.

David Baron of member station WBUR in Boston reports on an ongoing atmospheric ozone research project run out of a Maine airport. The project produced the data which led President Bush to recently speed up the country’s phaseout of ozone-depleting chemicals.

Steve Inskeep of member station WBGO in Newark, New Jersey, reports on new evidence strengthening the link between ozone smog and asthma.