December 2019

Features

black vape and broken cigarettes
GettyImages

Vaping: What You Need to Know

By Doris Kimbrough

Serious illnesses and even deaths related to vaping have sparked a debate over the use of e-cigarette devices. The cases have also brought attention to what scientists and health officials do and don’t know about vaping.

Teacher's Guide

* Article in Spanish Translation


boy smelling his under arm
Getty Images

The Battle of Body Odor

By Julianna Poole-Sawyer

To prevent embarrassing body odor, you can invest in clothing infused with odor-busting silver nanoparticles. Before you buy, however, consider important factors to help you decide whether it’s worth it.

Teacher's Guide
Super Silver: Search Puzzle

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Featured Video

Youtube ID: 3UcnYMFTzFQ


girl blowing handful of snow
Getty Images

When Winter is Too Cold

By Michael Tinnesand

Does it seem colder or warmer than usual where you are this winter? Find out what’s contributing to weird winter weather—and whether it’s actually weird at all.

Teacher's Guide

*Available by subscription only

molasses flood in boston 1919
The Boston Globe via Getty Images

The Great Molasses Flood

By Brian Rohrig

One century ago, a huge tank of molasses burst in Boston, creating a syrupy avalanche that mangled steel beams and, tragically, killed 21 people. A recent study identified a critical factor that led to the fatal flood.

Teacher's Guide

*Available by subscription only

 

Departments


Open for Discussion: When to Ban a Product

By Michael Tinnesand

Sometimes the need to ban a product for a particular use is clear. In other cases, the question of how best to regulate a product is not as easily addressed.

By Michael Tinnesand  December 2019

Chemistry in Person: Setting Standards, Keeping Jets in the Air and Athletes Honest

By XiaoZhi Lim

Meet metrologists Robert Vocke and Savelas Rabb, chemists at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) who study the science of measurement.