Joan Merriam
Joan Merriam lives in Northern California with her Golden Retriever Frankie and Maine Coon cat Indy, both rescues. She’s lived with dogs for most of her life and has been writing a syndicated newspaper column on life with dogs since 2012. As a freelance writer, she’s authored three books and numerous articles on everything from animals and aging to politics and popular culture. She also teaches Communication Studies at a California community college.
Latest Blog
The “Magic” Skunk Formula is Science, Not Magic…
Decades ago, a chemist named Paul Krebaum (may his name be honored forever) cracked the chemical code of the stinky, sulfur-containing substances called “thiols” that are in the musk that skunks spray to defend themselves. Krebaum harnessed the power of oxidation, formulating a solution that changes the odorous thiols into odorless acids. He shared the recipe with a workplace friend who had been complaining about the smell of his cat, who had been skunked. Soon, other scientists heard about the formula and it went viral!