h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: UPDATE: The Chemistry of Autumn Colours - A43449375
Author: BigAl. Patron Saint of Left Handers, Keeper of Mnemonics, Monobrows and the Glowing Pickle. - U723247

Thought it was timely to produce this Update on Autumn Foliage, A266726.

I have incorporated Uncormity (who hasn't posted since last year) as a co-researcher, as I pinched some stuff from his Unedited Entry on Leaves (A4136825)

I appreciate the Update, and the fact that the chemistry is there now, but I feel that the poetry of the original Entry has completely vanished.

In fact, it appears that all that remains of Stephen's work is part of the first sentence

Are you sure you want an update, and not a completely different Entry - the Chemistry of Autumn Colours?

Well, Stephen's work consisted only of 4 paras anyway, the last of which consisted only of 2 lines and compared autumn colours with fireworks.

Actrually, I was thinking of making mine more poetic by finding a poem about autumn colours to lead in with.

... and I meant to say that I incorporated the 1st and 2nd Para, whilst the content of the third was implicit in my Entry.

I still see it as two separate Entries.

The original and the new one.

One is a poetic little piece (and poetry is more than just being a poem you know ), the other is a comprehensive explanation of the chemistry involved in leaves going different colours.

I'd still like to see more of Stephen's words back in your Update to be honest, but that's just me.

Well, I think I'll wait to see what others say. IMO Stephen's Entry didn't actually have much content, not even the 'poetry'

BigAl, why don't you use Stephen P's already edited entry wording as a blockquote:

<>

and then write your update.


GB

gOOD IDEAR, gb. I hadn't thought of that. Done

I would put Stephens bit at the end - that way the entry is more nicely balanced.

Just stick in a "To bring this entry to a close, here is one researchers thoughts on Autumn colours:" type sentence.

I can't think of a better way to end an entry.

Oh, and the actual new info is great BTW .

This is a lovely Update you've done here. I think it reads well and is very informative. It makes me want to go out and photograph the foliage of Autumn

folks. I've done as VP suggested and put the h2g2 Researcher's thoughts at the end.

See this is now a pretty damn fine update indeed - good theory, proper DIY science (which I love, obviously, chromatography FTW), and the poetic charm which characterises much of the early EG. Well done Al, and well done GB for seeing the obvious wood solution from the trees.

vp

Yes, I echo vp's thoughts on GB's insight

I'm hoping that the Edited Update will now be worthy of a blob

Lovely entry. Would I be right in thinking that Footnote 3 should read 'conjugated' and not congugated?

Websailor

I really do hate to say this - but I think the piece of verse at the top is much too long for an introduction to an entry on the chemistry of colours changing. Sometimes less is more.

Footnote 6 says that propanone is "present in nail varnish remover". Is that just a by-the-by, or do you realy mean "you can use nail varnish remover"? If so, I would say that - all the other things which are present in nail varnish remover might affect the result of the experiment. Why not keep it simple?

cogugated about to be changed to conjugated

Webbie

'I think the piece of verse at the top is much too long for an introduction to an entry...'

Well, I'd already removed a few lines that weren't about leaf colour. However, that piece of verse was the most pertinent I could find for this Entry, and it seemed a shame not to to include all that she had to say about leaf colours

Footnote 6 says that propanone is "present in nail varnish remover". Is that just a by-the-by, or do you realy mean "you can use nail varnish remover"

Well, I did intend to intimate that you could use NVR - but I haven't tried it I agree that the other components could affect the results, although I'd anticipated that they'd only slow down the separation. I'll experiment with that this weekend.

'Why not keep it simple?' Well, that's what I was trying to do by suggesting NVR. I didn't think many homes would have a ready supply of propanone!

>>'Why not keep it simple?' Well, that's what I was trying to do by suggesting NVR. I didn't think many homes would have a ready supply of propanone!

Neither do I - that's why I think you should just say "use nail varnish remover". One couldn't be sure whether you wanted me to use NVR in the experiment or if you just wanted to tell me that NVR contains it.

I thought the verse at the beginning and the piece at the end made a nice rounded article with something of interest to everyone, but that is probably just from a female perspective. I would wait for other comments before changing it.

Websailor