Called IYC-365: Chemistry for Life, the calendar links almost 250 days of the year to notable events highlighting chemistry's important role in health, medicine, energy, the environment and related fields. They range from Jan. 1 - which in 1907 saw debut of the Chemical Abstracts Service, a chemical database that has fostered unprecedented scientific discovery - to Dec. 31 and a scientific law about those New Year's toasts with champagne. A mouse-click on the days in-between revisits Joseph Priestley's discovery of oxygen; the first successful treatment of diabetes with insulin; George Washington Carver's discovery of hundreds of new uses for crops like peanuts; Marie Curie's landmark research on radioactivity; and much more. IYC-365:Chemistry for Life certainly doesn't neglect the fun and fanciful side of chemistry. The calendar highlights the debut Silly Putty, for instance, the invention of instant mashed potatoes, and the chemistry of hand warmers.

ACS purposely left the remaining days without content, and launched the "365: Chemistry for Life Contest" as an invitation to the public to complete the calendar, and participate in the IYC. Entries should consist of the name of a chemistry-related person, place, innovation or everyday item with a 300-400 word description of the entry. The description should be written in non-technical language and include a discussion of how the entry improves and impacts everyday life.

Entries accepted for use in the calendar will be eligible for a monthly drawing for a $50 Visa card, and a December drawing for an iPad, iPod Touch, and iPod Nano. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Dec. 1. There is a limit of three entries per person.

ACS encourages educators, schools, museums, science centers, news organizations, and others to embed links to the IYC Virtual Journal, IYC-365, and the 365:Chemistry for Life Contest on their websites and to spread word about them via Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites.

The IYC Virtual Journal and IYC: 365 are part of ACS' celebration of the International Year of Chemistry. The 63rd General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed 2011 as envisioning a worldwide celebration of the achievements of chemistry and its contributions to the well-being of humankind. Also being celebrated in 2011 is the centennial of the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Marie Curie for her work on radioactivity, and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Association of Chemical Societies.

Source: American Chemical Society