Brian Kaiser, age 10, of Rochester, Now York, for his question:

What is borax?

In this modern age, we never can tell when an ugly duckling will become a swan. We all know that the box of white borax in the kitchen is a reliable cleanser. It can be depended upon to eat up grime and devour grease. Borax also plays a dependable role in industry. It is used in soldering metals, in making porcelains and enamels.

Until recently, there was nothing glamorous about clean, white borax crystals. Then it was suggested as a possible ingredient for making a new low cost fuel. If this idea works out, kitchen borax may play a role when that rocket goes to the moon. Our plain Jane would really become a swan.

Pure borax is a crystalline salt known chemically as sodium tetraborate. It can be manufactured from soda and boric acid, both of which are cheap and plentiful. It may also be found ready made in nature. America has a supply of natural borax in Death Valley. Who would ever dream that this old grime‑chaser might some day take off for the moon!