Happy Mole Day!

Moles and Science Unite!

For science students at my high school, October 23rd was a date both dreaded and revered. My Chemistry teacher seemed to spend the majority of her time from August to October preparing for this special, sacred day. She worked tirelessly on such academically intensive projects as designing stuffed moles, writing mole-jokes and making mole costumes.

Wait. Moles?!? What do Moles have to do with science?

Mole Day commemorates Avogadro’s Number, a basic unit of measurement in chemistry, also called a “mole” and numerically described as 6.02 x 10^23. Thus, on October 23rd, between the hours of 6:02am and 6:02 pm, chemists, students and mole-lovers the world over rejoice! Mole Day at my high school included a party at 6:02am, which despite the ungodly earliness of its hour was always a fun (and nerdy) experience. This year’s “theme” announced by the National Mole Day Foundation is “Mole of Fortune.” For some reason I see a giant spinning wheel containing only the numbers 6.02 and 10^23, but you might have some more creative ideas up your sleeve.

Celebrate by creating your own Mole Day t-shirt, writing your own corny Mole jokes or grabbing a couple of Avagadros to make some Guacamole. Okay, that was bad. I wonder if poor Avogadro himself is moleing over in his grave?