Tuesday – 1st November
Welcome to the 4th #RealTimeChem Week awards!
Just like previous years, I will be offering awards for the best tweets during #RealTimeChem Week. The format has, again, changed a little due to circumstances and budget. This year, after noting that tweets are often quite slim on the weekend portion of #RealTimeChem week, I’ve decided to focus the awards on the 5 days of the working week, with The Great #RealTimeChem Cook off taking up the weekend slot.
There are still three different awards available: Ag, Au and Pt. 10 awards will be given each of the five days (6 Ag, 3 Au, 1 Pt). Those winning the coveted Platinum award (5 total) will each win a prize, which is, as usual, a #RealTimeChem mug with this year’s snazzy logo emblazoned on it.
So without further ado, onto the 2016 awards.
Tuesday. Pinch-punch first of the month. Day 2 of #RealTimeChem week moves into November with a much less spooky day of chemistry (unless you are afraid of rubber ducks – in which case, you have been warned). Favourite tweets of the day below!
Thats not yellow fur. Thats yellow crystals of my compound! Thanks @WesternXray for the informative website… twitter.com/i/web/status/7…
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Praveen Gunawardene (@pngunawar) November 01, 2016
Crystals are always a winner and Praveen seems to have cut his off a passing yeti. Or he found them at Donald Trump’s barber. See, I do topical analysis.
Today I am making purple. @StrathChem #RealTimeChem https://t.co/qjUw5bRLuK
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David Nelson (@TheNelsonGroup) November 01, 2016
David’s stylish shot of “purple” looks great. He also made “green” later. Sequels are never as good as the original. Unless it’s the Empire Strikes Back. Obviously.
Over the last 2 yrs, I've been working with bright yellow cmpds. Best part = knowing exactly when they're eluding o… twitter.com/i/web/status/7…
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Christine Le (@christine_m_le) November 01, 2016
Chistine shares the best thing about yellow compounds: easy columns. It’s the little things that matter in chemistry sometimes and this visually pleasing column makes us organic chemists all feel so content with the happy-happy.
Freshman Tommy L (@tommylau321), Kyle S., Nishi M. & Rashna S. setting up their first esterification rxn (CHEM 211)… twitter.com/i/web/status/7…
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Anne McNeil (@AnneJMcNeil) November 01, 2016
Loving the enthusiasm shown in this tweet from Anne, new chemists starting out on their #RealTimeChem journey. *sniff* I’ve got something in my eye.
So let's see what chemistry is on the agenda for #chemquackers. Can only be a re-DUCK-tion #RealTimeChem… twitter.com/i/web/status/7…
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Chemistry (@ChemEurJ) November 01, 2016
The folks at “Chemistry: A European Journal” sure do love a good pun. Who can blame them when #chemquackers is about. This isn’t the last time our favourite rubber duck (sorry @chemjobber) will appear today.
Had to share this photo of my most hungover student today - he's pulling off the pain in style though! #GoAaron… twitter.com/i/web/status/7…
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Dr Suze Kundu (@FunSizeSuze) November 01, 2016
I bet Aaron didn’t think his hangover would lead to #RealTimeChem fame did he? Well thanks to Suze, Aaron, your stylish hangover will be immortalised forevermore! Of course you only get a silver for being late though…
@EdwardEwen has found out there is an impurity in his methanol bottle. No wonder the same peak is showing up his ma… twitter.com/i/web/status/7…
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UoN Nortcliffe Group (@NortcliffeGpUoN) November 01, 2016
The Nortcliffe Group shared a lot of great tweets on Tuesday. This one has to take the award though for encapsulating part of chemistry that we all know so well: the pain. Oh god, the pain. Let’s all give Edward a hug.
#chemquackers being nano-dropped #RealTimeChem https://t.co/4S9Z7yZEFU
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Dr Fraser MacMillan (@Dr_F_MacMillan) November 01, 2016
Nano dropping with a duck, that’s totally normal right? Fraser had a lot of fun with #chemquackers all day. Many, many tweets, but this is my favourite one.
This is what recycling broken stir plates that can still heat looks like #RealTimeChem #RealTimeCoffee https://t.co/AqAKsuOaI2
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Nadine (@nadineborduas) November 01, 2016
Nadine shows us a little insight into the mind of most chemists I’ve ever known. First comes Chemistry. Second? Coffee. Sometimes these switch over. 2nd most popular tweet of the day for an inventive use of an old hot plate.
Tuesday’s overall, most popular tweet, and winner was:
It's #RealTimeChem week AND #PolarBearWeek.
Why did the bear dissolve in water?
It was a polar bear. https://t.co/sh15ZTvjRx
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Susan Vickers (@susanmvickers) November 01, 2016
Susan! If the previous tweet by Nadine said something about chemist’s priorities (at least in choice of beverage), I think this tells us something about chemist’s personalities. The most popular tweet of the day was a pun combining two coinciding themed weeks. Good old “Polar” bears. Of course, only chemists could find this hilarious. I love you chemists.
Susan, you win a much coveted #RealTimeChem week mug:

Super shiny.
Congratulations to all winners and thanks to everyone for taking part in #RealTimeChem week so far! Wednesday’s award winners will be announced tomorrow.
-Doctor Galactic-