Topic: Molecules

Take a ride through the rainbow as we explain all the different ways color is made.

This video shows how life started on Earth and how to find it on other planets with chemistry.

The 2014 World Cup "brazuca" is different from most other soccer balls out there, and our pals over at the Compound Interest blog dug in to find out why.

This Untold episode talks about meteors and why they matter to us living here on earth.

For the winter holiday season, here is our chilly compilation of snow and ice chemistry!

In this first episode of Chemistry Basics we're talking about the importance of isotopes.

Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson are the 2017 Nobel Prize winners for their development of cryo-electron microscopy.

The space probe has uncovered chemical mysteries on the moon Titan that will keep scientists busy for years to come.

The products we use every day leave behind chemical footprints. Learn how and why researchers are now studying those trails.

Scientists had to overcome a number of challenges to create four elements added to the periodic table this year, completing the seventh row.

In this episode of Speaking of Chemistry, we look at how three molecular machinists earned this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Speaking of Chemistry caught up with UCLA’s Hosea Nelson to learn about how chemists are trying to copy nature for a brighter future.

We investigate the chemistry behind Fido’s amazing sense of smell and why wet dogs stink.

We're rounding out this miniseries with another reason to drink (responsibly, people!).

This week, Reactions explains how amphetamine (Adderall) helps you focus.

This week, Reactions has mashed up some fantastic avocado facts, as well as some cooking tips from the pros.

This week, we take a sobering look at the chemistry behind the modern world’s first chemical weapons.

Our latest Chemistry Life Hacks video explains how to make your own glass cleaner, keep red wine from staining your carpet and why spit can also be a great cleaning product.

We all hate the sniffling, sneezing and watery eyes of allergy season. Why do we get allergies and what can we do about it?

Bestselling author Sam Kean takes us through the nearly 2,400-year quest to see the atom in a new episode of our "Legends of Chemistry" series.

The constant stress of our everyday lives means we’re getting overexposed to cortisol. Raychelle Burks, Ph.D. explains why too much is bad for you.

What is high fructose corn syrup and how is it different from regular old sugar?

This week, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Reactions takes on craft beer chemistry.

Jennifer Novotney, winner of the 2014 Chemistry Champions competition, breaks down what it is about poison ivy that makes us so itchy.

People have turned to “vaping” with electronic cigarettes. But is that vapor you’re inhaling any safer than taking a drag on a cigarette?

Blue jeans are among the most popular clothing items in the entire world. But how did Levi Strauss get his “workwear” so blue?

Carbon monoxide is no joke, especially in the winter. Raychelle Burks, Ph.D., explains why carbon monoxide is so dangerous.

Did you know that one minor chemical change would make that rose not smell as sweet? Chemist Raychelle Burks, Ph.D., explains why.

Chemist George de Hevesy’s work transformed medicine. He also foiled the Nazis along the way.

This week, we break down the chemistry that keeps the roads safe when bad weather hits.

This week we take a look at what chemically separates a Champagne from just another white wine.

We teamed up with chemist Chad Jones, host of the Collapsed Wavefunction podcast, to crack the carrot case wide open.

There’s probably a box of it in your fridge or cupboard, and it has a million uses: baking soda.

A look at some of the key "meow-locules" that make up the chemistry of cats.

As Carl Sagan famously said, “We are made of star stuff.” Whoa. It’s a mind-boggling thought, but what exactly did he mean?

It's a spooky question, but it doesn't have to be: what happens to your body when you die?

Ever wonder why your favorite sweets taste sweet? Whether they’re made with sugar or artificial sweeteners, it all comes down to chemistry.

There’s a lot of chemistry that goes into making pizza delicious.

This week, Reactions explains why toothpaste and orange juice don’t mix.

Ever wonder why some leaves turn red, others yellow and some just turn brown? It's all down to chemistry.

In this video, we debunk MSG myths and explain why the scientific consensus is that this flavor enhancer is perfectly safe for the vast majority of people.

Fortunately for beachgoers everywhere, our latest episode of Reactions explains why it is absolutely OK to pee in the ocean.

Crystals are everywhere, from the dinner table to the human body. Here are five surprising facts about crystals.

We are getting to the bottom of one of the biggest quandaries in science: Why dogs sniff each other’s butts.

It can reduce fevers, eliminate aches and pains and relieve cough and cold symptoms. But how does it work?

Four fascinating facts about money to make you scientifically richer.

This video brings you all of the exciting sights and sounds of Fourth of July fireworks, plus a little chemical knowhow.

This video highlights the ways chemistry has made sex safer and (in one surprising case) spicier.

Garlic is good for your body, great for your taste buds but terrible for your breath.

Bacon is certainly delicious, but what is it about the smell of cooking bacon that is so intoxicating?

We explain the chemistry behind marijuana's high, and investigate what scientists are doing to ensure that newly-legalized weed won't send users on a bad trip.

From coffee to gum to energy drinks, we get caffeine from a lot of different places. Come along as we explore the science of the world's most popular drug.

You put it on just about everything but it used to be one of the most sought-after spices in the world. Tune in for the strange history of pepper.

What exactly is allspice? The answer might surprise you.

It's one of the world's most popular hot sauces. In this video, we explore the chemistry behind Sriracha's spicy sweetness.

This Untold episode, shows how a tiny molecule holds up so much of our modern world.

The periodic table just got four new elements, but this isn't as groundbreaking as recent headlines would have you believe. Join Speaking of Chemistry's resident killjoy to find out why.