Napolean's Button

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11 inventions that changed the world

Ved Daniel Sima

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Napoleon's Button: Morphine, Nicotine and Caffeine

Argument (it is not an influential molecule)

These three molecules may not be seen as influential molecules as they do not partake in the construction of other things, they are not necessary in life nor do they naturally occur for humans benefit. Many influential molecules help to shape other important things such as silk, nylon or isoprene. These three molecules do not advance in any other materials or molecules except their own. They are not necessary to human life like ascorbic acid is, they are simply on earth for the pleasure of humans. They also do not occur naturally for benefit like cellulose does, they were discovered and adapted to fit the pleasure of humans. These molecules do not serve any desperate need in the human life, they do not make other things and they are not naturally occurring for human use.

Molecules affect on history

The three molecules all share the same affect on history, as it was morphine, nicotine and caffeine that cause the Opium Wars in 1839-1842 and also caused the Chinese Revolution in 1911. In China, morphine and opium had been solely used as a medicinal herb for hundreds of years. In 1496, Columbus brought tobacco with to the Asian countries where its use spread rapidly. In the middle of the seventeenth century, China banned the use of tobacco which is where morphine stepped up as an herb for recreational use.  It became so addictive that in 1729 it too was banned but it was already too late and no one could stop the new culture and networks. When it became illegal, big trade companies and businesses had to shut down which is where caffeine began to join the revolution too. The Chinese never wanted to sell or trade their tea but they realized they could trade with Britain for opium, which is how caffeine entered the business as well. China kept confiscating the opium, destroying supplies and claiming the British sailors were killing people which was when Britain declared war on China. Britain eventually won which is how ports in China were opened for foreign trade, Europeans were allowed to move and travel to China and how opium and tobacco were eventually legalized again. These molecules had a major affect on history, especially surrounding the history of China.

Molecules connection to human sciences

Caffeine: Caffeine is greatly attached to human behavior. To people who are grumpy in the morning or looking particularly disheveled one day, people often say "doesn't look like you've had your coffee this morning." This is because caffeine is associated with alertness, focus and attentiveness. Caffeine rouses the majority of the adult population each morning and is used as a way to stay alert or to make up for a few hours of lost sleep. Human behaviors such as happiness in early hours, vigilancy and arousal are all associated with caffeine and it can be used to improve human behavior to a certain extent.

Nicotine: As nicotine is highly addictive and affects areas of the brain, it can be associated with psychology. Nicotine affects "pleasure pathways" in the brain and activates them, meaning people are being told as they consume the nicotine that it is good and fun which affects them psychologically because it changes their outlook on life. It also affects them psychologically because the majority of smokers know it is harmful and they attempt to quit, but the nicotine has affected their brains so much that they crave it greatly and continue to use it.

Morphine: Morphine has had a long standing relationship with law and continues to do so. Morphine was considered one of the greatest assets doctors had in the past for its effective pain relief and its sleep inducing properties, but the popularity of it put it in the hands of the law. Morphine has again and again been scrutinized by the law for it is too beneficial to completely ban but if there is even the slightest opening in the law, people will abuse it. The law continues to struggle with guidelines for morphine and uses of it which connects it to the human sciences.

Drawbacks of the molecule

Caffeine: The boost of economy that the caffeine industry had for Brazil and Colombia came alongside with a negative effect as well, the environmental side. Forests were being blazed to the group, kilometers of land was cleared and the soil became less and less fertile each time it was overturned for a new crop. As a "monoculture", the idea that the culture relies on only one crop, the southern countries became a lot more vulnerable. A pest infestation such as coffee leaf rust could wipe out entire plantations in a handful of days. The rainforests did not have the centuries they needed to regenerate and so the soil had no protection, eroding large areas of land. The environmental impact in the history of caffeine was detrimental to some countries, and they are still struggling to return from it.

Nicotine: Nicotine has many medical drawbacks. It increases blood clots, headaches, muscle aches, muscle tremors, sleep disturbances, nausea, dizziness and heartburn. It puts users at risk for cancer, ulcers and problems with heart rate and blood flow. When nicotine users are pregnant, the child is at risk of diabetes, hypertension and infertility. Nicotine kills or damages many peoples health each year which itself is a negative drawback in regards to history because nicotine and smoking used to be "doctor recommended" and it used to be believed to be healthy for you, which has been proven to be untrue.

Morphine: Morphine played a big part in history in the American Civil War, although not in a particularly good way. Researchers had not quite reached the point of understanding its addictiveness at this point yet, and the soldiers suffered greatly from this. They would get injured and be sent to the infirmary where they would get morphine so that they could get to the field as soon as they could but many became addicted without realizing. It is said that 400,000 suffered from "soldier's disease" or morphine addiction, who died from overdose or could never return to life without it and suffered from addiction their whole lives. Morphine's level of addictiveness was certainly a drawback in history but researchers do continue to work on solutions.

Benefits of the molecule

Caffeine: The sobriety of Southern and Western Europe can be directly related to the influence of caffeine. As coffee and tea began to attract more people and the boost from the caffeine was found to help people get through their days, less and less people were drinking wine and ale in the mornings. Cafes were being built up instead of bars and the draw to caffeine took over the draw to alcohol. Caffeine also served the purpose in fueling economic growth in Southern America in the 1800's. Plantations grew large in places like Brazil and Colombia, who are still famous for their coffee, and boosted their economy and world standing by a lot. Caffeine has had beneficial effects on the world's history, no matter how unnoticed.

Nicotine: In the 17th century, not only was nicotine widely used recreationally for smoking but it was found to be a miraculous insecticide. After World War II, over 2,500 tons of nicotine insecticides were being used worldwide for all the insects had ridden all over the world with the boats and planes and soldiers during the war. This insecticide was extremely helpful to agricultural countries to get back on their feet after the war. Nicotine has also been studied to prove that it helps Alzheimer's as well. The nicotine binds to nerve receptors and causes neurons to fire more frequently, which helps with Alzheimer's patients. It can even help to reverse some loss of cognitive function. Diabetes studies also has had success with nicotine as it boosts the growth of new blood vessels and can help control circulation. Nicotine's role in the aftermath of World War II and with medical research has proven it to have some beneficial qualities throughout history.

Morphine: Morphine reached Europe and the United States by the 18th and 19th century which was beneficial for them. Alcohol was expensive and not very long-lasting as a medium to reach a dreamlike state of mind but morphine helped artists, writers and poets all get their juices flowing for longer periods of times and get more intense visions. It has been extremely beneficial for the study of medicine, and specifically surgery. Morphine is able to relieve pain and induce sleep which is how ancient surgeons were able to perform for longer period of times as morphine can last for a while. This means that the surgeons could correct more issues, explore more and overall start the study earlier than would've been possible without morphine. The molecule of morphine has been beneficial to shaping medicine and the arts throughout history.

Knowledge question

To what extent does the study of morphine, nicotine and caffeine affect the lives of users? The study of morphine, nicotine and caffeine greatly affects the lives of users. In the past. morphine was commonly used and encouraged to get in touch with your imagination and creativity as that's the effects morphine gives you. Users were respected and encouraged to do it. Nowadays, users are thrown in jail, put in rehabilitation centers or are generally outcasted by their family and friends. It is similar with nicotine. When nicotine first became known, many prominent political figures and authority figures were well known for using or abusing it and that was widely accepted, it even encouraged others to do it. Health professionals used to make advertisements about smoking since there was nothing wrong with it, but as the studies built up, more and more people recognized the problems with it and now many people are disgusted if people smoke inside buildings or in their homes. Lastly, caffeine has done the opposite. Caffeine used to be sacred and users were considered higher class and important people. The study of caffeine devalued it and it has no become an everyday commodity that everyone has access to, making it more popular. Even though caffeine has taken a turn for the better throughout history whereas morphine and nicotine have taken bad turns, the study of all three molecules have in fact affected the lives of the users of each one.

Discovery and development of the molecule

Caffeine: Caffeine has been rumoured to come from China originally, although there is no evidence to prove this statement. It is said that an old Emperor used to make his court drink boiled water as a way to prevent illness and one day leaves from a bush blew into the pot and they drank it, the leaves rumoured to be tea leaves. Wherever it started, it reached Europe by the 17th century where it became a sign of royalty or a sign of the wealthy as tea was originally very expensive and rare. As it grew cheaper, it replaced ale as the national drink of Britain. The same happened with coffee . The origin was unknown but in the 17th century coffee was introduced to Europe where the caffeine won over the western countries and cafes began to be set up all along the streets of Italy, Paris and Switzerland. Caffeine spread fast all throughout the world and never slowed down, becoming the morning drinks of the majority of countries across the world.

Nicotine: Nicotine was discovered by habitants of South America, Mexico and the Caribbean who inhaled the smoke of the burning leaves through their noses, they inhaled powdered forms of the leaves through their noses and they also chewed the leaves. The use of the tobacco was ceremonial and would cause hallucinations as the active ingredients were more concentrated so they did not use it often. Christopher Columbus stumbled across this when he landed in the New World and spread it throughout Europe. Many 16th century figures were enthusiasts and spread the use but in the 1600's it was banned in many countries for the church did not agree with it. Eventually the ban was lifted and sailors began to take the nicotine alkaloid and tobacco with them to every port which spread it far. Tobacco cultivation is very labour intensive and could not meet the demands for the new spread of it so slavery was introduced to the mix. People began to notice the health risks of nicotine and smoking, and noticed the addictiveness which is why nowadays it is frowned upon and not a frequently used drug choice for young generations.

Morphine: Morphine was first extracted from opium in 1804 in Germany as opium was widely popular and people were toying with it in attempts to better it. It was first marketed as a pain reliever and a treatment for opium and alcohol addictions before they realized morphine itself was addictive. Morphine was the most commonly abused analgesic until manufacturers made heroin and that took over. In 1914 it became a control substance in the United States and people had to have a prescription to legally obtain it. Nowadays it is still used medically and recreationally (although illegally) and it used to substitute heroin for some hard drug users as well.

The uses of the molecule

Caffeine: Caffeine has pretty standards uses as it is a low-dosage stimulant. It is found mainly in coffee beans and tea leaves which is why coffee and tea are drank in order to wake oneself up, to get a kick start on the day. It is also used medically to treat asthma, to treat migraines and to increase blood pressure and heart rate. Caffeine can become addicting though which is why coffee and tea business are so successful for early morning customers who rely on it everyday for a jump on their day.

Nicotine: Nicotine is used as a recreational drug, as well as used for medical uses and performance enhancing. Recreational it was found by the Natives of South America, Mexico and the Caribbean as it grew there so they learned to inhale its smoke or chewing the leaves which would give them highs, as their plants had higher concentrations of the active ingredients. It spread all around the world and now nicotine is used in cigarettes and tobacco products because it is addictive and stimulating. It is used medically in controlled doses to help people quit smoking, and using techniques such as nicotine patches or nasal sprays increase their rate of quitting by 60%. Lastly, it is used by people to increase their cognition, alertness and focus for performance enhancing.

Morphine: As stated before, morphine is as a pain-reliever, a sleep inducer and it produces euphoria in the user. Morphine is used in medicine a lot for patients coming out of operations that are in great pain or terminally ill patients. Morphine is also a commonly used street drug. Patients become addicted even once their pains recedes and continues to use it for its intense euphoric effects. Some users were never even patients but crave the ability to be without pain and become highly addicted to the drug.

Chemical Structure

Caffeine: Caffeine's structure is not as critical as the other two, but it does have some things that are important. Removing a CH3 group from the top right OR the top left can turn it into theophylline and theobromine which are similar to caffeine but have less effect on the central nervous system if they are found in the same dosages.

Nicotine: Once again, the smallest change in structure changes many properties so the structure of nicotine is quite important. If the original ring only has an addition of COOH, that is nicotinic acid (niacin) which is an essential nutrient for your health and if you have a deficiency of this, a disease attacks you. The specific shape of nicotine is what allows it to form a bridge between neuron cells which gives the commonly known "nicotine rush".

Morphine: The structure of morphine is quite important in its abilities. Codeine, a similar molecule found in smaller quantities in opium is very similar except at the top instead of an HO, it has a CH3O which makes it less addictive but also less efficient. Chemists deduced that the HO was its cause of addiction and they attempted to switch it with other groups such as Ch3COO but this new compound made an even more addictive molecule that was more efficient in creating euphoria, creating the drug commonly known as Heroin. These small changes in the chemical structure prove that the shape of morphine is incredibly important in the abilities of the molecule.

Description of molecule

Caffeine: Caffeine is the third alkaloid in the trinity, although caffeine does not come from one single thing. It is a component in many plants such as cocoa plants, tea plants and coffee bean plants. It acts as stimulant and it one of the most common, and most studied drugs in the world.

Nicotine: Nicotine is another alkaloid, this time making up 2-8% of tobacco. In small doses, nicotine is a stimulant but with larger doses it acts as a depressant. Nicotine is used in cigarettes and in insecticides.

Morphine: Morphine is a narcotic that is known to numb senses and remove pain although it is highly addictive. Morphine is an alkaloid that makes up 10% of crude opium extract, which is the dried secretions from a poppy flower pod. It is used recreationally as a street drug and it has medical uses due to its ability to relieve pain.