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Since the 17th century, the color green has been used to represent:

• A tribute to Ireland's nickname 'The Emerald Isle'
• One of the 3 colors of the Irish flag
• Green shamrocks, which were used by St. Patrick during his religious teachings to symbolize the Holy Trinity

Another reason to wear green? Leprechauns!
Legend has it they will pinch anyone not wearing their favorite color. That's reason enough for us!

Are Your Thermometers 'Green'?

H-B Enviro Safe® Thermometers are
(not just for St. Patrick's Day)!

• Earth friendly, EnviroKleen™ certified
• Non-toxic, biodegradable Enviro-Safe liquid

Search 'Enviro-Safe' on belart.com

Did You Celebrate
National Inventors' Day?

National Inventors' Day is celebrated every year on February 11. While famous inventors like Thomas Edison or Benjamin Franklin may be first to come to mind, there are many regular people who invent life-changing products everyday! Don't believe us? Keep reading to find out the surprising story behind how the Break-Safe Ampule Opener was invented!

A retired army veteran needed to take medication which was contained in ampules.

Due to the extent of his injuries including limited use of one arm, he had a difficult time opening the ampules when it was time for his injections.

After trial and error he came up with the Ampule Opener- a safer way for everyone to open ampules! Not only can it be operated with one hand and without direct contact with the ampules, but ampules break cleanly and glass pieces remain contained within the device.

Have Your Own Product Ideas?
SP Scienceware regularly reviews product ideas from the scientific community.
We can help you bring your ideas to life!  

• Visit "Submit an Invention" in the bottom menu
• Submit a quick statement about your idea
• No promises, but someone will contact you to see if your idea and SP Scienceware are a good fit.

Is It Dry in Here or Is It Just Us?

If you live in an area with cold winter temperatures, you know the joy of freezing cold air outside, dry warm air inside... emphasis on the DRY. The heated air pumped through offices and homes can cause a drastic reduction in humidity, leading to dry, chapped skin and even frequent nosebleeds. Whether your nose drips a little blood or it seems to run like a faucet, we have some quick tips to ease or eliminate your winter nosebleeds.

• If your nose is running, dab it with a tissue instead of blowing, which can irritate nasal membranes.

• Use a humidifier to put moisture back into the air, especially in the bedroom at night.

• Try a saline nasal spray or water-soluble gel to moisturize the inside of your nose.

Sometimes in the laboratory, a dry environment is optimal!
Techni-Dome Desiccators provide a roomy interior for moisture sensitive materials!

• Spacious 65 liter (4000 cu. in.) internal volume can hold items up to 45cm (18") tall or wide, including racks, trays, and instruments
• Offers a clear, unobstructed view of contents
• Made from chemical resistant polycarbonate

Is Thanksgiving Thursday or Fry-Day?

Next Thursday many Americans will spend the day preparing a lavish feast to celebrate Thanksgiving, the centerpiece being the traditional turkey. The US Fire Administration reports that approximately 5000 fires occur on Thanksgiving Day, which can cause millions of dollars of property damage, numerous injuries, and in some cases, even death.

Some of these fires are caused by improper turkey frying procedures. Watch out TEXAS! Your state has the largest number of turkey frying fires in the nation!

Thinking of plunging your turkey in hot oil? Here are our top fried turkey safety tips!

• Make sure the turkey is completed thawed out - even a partially frozen turkey can cause the hot oil to erupt into a fireball!

• Don't overfill the fryer - that turkey takes up a lot of room

• Never leave the fryer unattended - someone needs to keep an eye on the little guy

• Keep kids and pets away from the fryer - we know it smells good, but stay back!

• Do not fry inside your house or garage, or even on your deck or porch! Stay away from trees, walls, fences, or anything flammable!

In the event of a fire, at home or in the lab, it's important to have the proper safety precautions in place, which should include a Fire Blanket!

• Smothers small class "A" oil and grease fires

• Made of woven fiberglass with a textured surface; all edges are serged with fireproof Kevlar® thread

• Can also be wrapped around the head and body for protection against flames and embers

Cold Feet? (Or Hands?)

It won't be long until the frigid days of winter are upon us here in the Northeast. While opinions on cold weather differ from person to person (love it or hate it), we all agree there comes a point where it is just TOO COLD. Plus, it only takes about a 3 degree drop in body temperature to begin experiencing the effects of hypothermia. Keep reading to find out when being cold goes from being annoying to deadly.

As your body temperature drops to these levels, here's what you might experience:

• 32-35°C (89.6-95°F) - Mild hypothermia: shivering, fast heart rate and breathing, some confusion
• 28-32°C (82.4-89.6°F) - Moderate hypothermia: violent shivering, slow movements, stumbling, mild confusion, pale skin, lips/ears/fingers may appear blue
• <28°C (<82.4°F) - Severe hypothermia: extreme difficultly thinking, speaking, or walking, puffy skin, vital signs are reduced or absent

Don't leave your cells out in the cold! Maintain the perfect cell temperature outside the incubator with the CultureTemp Warming Plate!

• Keeps cells near an optimal 37°C (±1°C) outside of the incubator
• Protects cell viability - no need to return to the incubator repeatedly
• Reduces cell stress and allows enzymes like trypsin to work efficiently