BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:icalendar-ruby CALSCALE:GREGORIAN X-WR-CALNAME:Spice is Nice: Exploring the Chemistry of Nature’s Culinary Marvels X-WR-TIMEZONE:Pacific Time (US & Canada) BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260809T221606Z UID:tag:localist.com\,2008:EventInstance_50710824727417 DTSTART:20251016T220000Z DTEND:20251016T230000Z DESCRIPTION:The title of this talk is a word play on what the American poet \, Ogden Nash\, wrote: “Candy is Dandy\, but Liquor is Quicker. “ This presentation explores one of nature’s most fascinating paradoxes: molec ules that plants evolved as weapons of chemical warfare have become\, for humans\, a source of irresistible pleasure. Because plants cannot escape t heir predators\, they developed sophisticated chemical defenses millions o f years ago. These include compounds that repel\, sicken\, or kill would-b e attackers\, whether insects\, fungi\, or mammals. Capsaicin\, the fiery molecule in chili peppers\, binds to pain receptors and produces a burning sensation strong enough to discourage most animals. Yet birds\, unaffecte d by this signal\, spread the seeds of plants over long distances. Black p epper’s sharpness comes from the alkaloid piperine\, a natural antifunga l and insect deterrent. Herbs such as basil\, oregano\, and thyme are rich in volatile terpenes and phenolic compounds that act as antimicrobials an d pesticides. Even cinnamon owes its warm\, distinctive character to cinna maldehyde\, a powerful antifungal compound concentrated in the tree’s ba rk.\n\nThe human story is even more remarkable. Rather than rejecting thes e painful and pungent defenses\, our species learned to enjoy them. The mi ld burning of chili\, the sharpness of pepper\, or the aromatic lift of he rbs became pleasurable sensations\, in part because many of these compound s benefit health as antioxidants\, anti-inflammatories\, or antimicrobials . What began as a deterrent thus became an attraction\, woven into cuisine \, medicine\, and culture across the globe.\n\nThis transformation from pl ant survival strategy to human culinary tradition reveals the profound int erplay between chemistry\, evolution\, and culture. I hope to explain how defensive molecules\, once meant to harm\, became agents of delight\, bind ing together science\, flavor\, and human connection in every meal we shar e. I will also describe how to use spices to achieve the most pleasure whe n we cook with them.\n\nAbout the Speaker\n\nA pioneer in the use of laser s to study chemical reactions at the molecular level\, Marguerite Blake Wi lbur Professor Richard N. Zare pursues diverse theoretical and experimenta l interests in physical chemistry and nanoscale chemical analysis. The Zar elab has made a broad impact in analytic chemistry with development of las er-induced fluorescence to study reaction dynamics\, and seminal contribut ions to understanding of molecular collision processes. The group continue s to invent tools and measurement techniques to study phenomena from react ion in microdroplets to drug delivery.\n\nBorn in 1939 in Cleveland\, Ohio \, Professor Zare trained in physical and analytical chemistry at Harvard University (B.A. 1961\, Ph.D. 1964). His doctoral study under Professor Du dley Herschbach explored photodissociation dynamics. After faculty positio ns spanning chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology\, chemi stry\, physics and astrophysics at the University of Colorado\, and chemis try at Columbia University\, he joined the Stanford chemistry faculty in 1 977. He has taught an introductory chemistry class every year since. As a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor since 2006\, Professor Zare has also developed a course introducing undergraduates to hands-on interdiscip linary research\, combining physics\, and biology to explore how living sy stems use molecular interactions with light for vision\, photosynthesis an d more. Professor Zare served as chair of the Department of Chemistry from 2005 to 2011\, and has helped to guide scientific policy as chairman of s everal national and international science boards. His dedication to resear ch and teaching has been recognized in many awards\, including the Nationa l Medal of Science\, the Wolf Prize in Chemistry\, and the Presidential Aw ard for Excellence in Science\, Mathematics\, and Engineering Mentoring. A mong other honors\, Professor Zare is a member of the National Academy of Sciences\, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences\, and the American Ph ilosophical Society. He has also received 11 honorary doctorates.\n\nCurre nt research in the Zarelab explores wide-ranging questions in physical and analytical chemistry\, from the study of elementary chemical reactions to chemical analysis of extraterrestrial materials. The major focus of these efforts is chemical analysis on the nanoscale. The team has devised tools and techniques to examine molecules in extremely tiny volumes – the vol umes characteristic of what is found in heterogeneous structures in minera l samples or in the contents of cells and subcellular compartments. Group members have also made contributions to the chemical analysis of liquid sa mples separated using a capillary format by electrophoresis or electrochro matography. Some “firsts” include the use of cavity ring-down spectros copy to analyze trace species in solution\, development of detectors for c apillary electrophoresis based on the techniques of laser-induced fluoresc ence\, and CCD imaging\, and the use of mass spectrometric imaging of tiss ue samples by means of desorption electrospray ionization.\n\nPlease visit the Zarelab website to learn more: http://web.stanford.edu/group/Zarelab / GEO:37.430651;-122.171413 LOCATION:Sapp Center for Science Teaching and Learning\, Lecture Hall (STLC 114) SUMMARY:Spice is Nice: Exploring the Chemistry of Nature’s Culinary Marve ls URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.stanford.edu/event/spice-is-nice CATEGORIES:Lecture/Presentation/Talk END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR