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This animation shows how an action potential in a neuron stimulates the release of neurotransmitters into synapses and allows the neural signal to propagate into other neurons.

Researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech, helped prove that lead levels were dangerously high in Flint, Michigan tap water, even when government officials denied the problem. This…

This video explores the chemistry of hair and the hairstyle known as the permanent wave, which is commonly called a perm or permanent. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

This video has easy, chemistry-fueled solutions for several everyday dilemmas, such as making bitter coffee taste better, plus other useful tips to improve your life. [Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society…

This video contains chemistry-fueled solutions for everyday problems, such as spotting rotten eggs, reviving soggy green vegetables, and fixing busted buttons. [Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society (www.youtube.com/acsreactions)]

When temperatures fall along with snow, you know you're in the middle of winter. This video has seasonal advice on keeping your windshield fog-free, getting unstuck from the snow, and even how to make your own hand warmer. [Credit:…

This video brings chemistry to the kitchen, featuring science-backed tips to cook rice with fewer calories, get extra-juicy chicken when you don't have time to marinate, and keep sliced fruit from browning too quickly. Watch and learn how…

It’s a sinister condition that affects millions of people: addiction. Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, food, or gambling, addiction can ruin lives. This video takes a look at the chemistry behind addiction. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical…

People who shave share one concern—the threat of razor-sharp metal. Luckily, aerosol-based shaving cream packs the right chemistry to protect sensitive skin, thanks in part to surfactants. Watch this video to learn more about this fantastic…

This video examines the science behind the most misunderstood spice in the world: allspice. [Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society (www.youtube.com/acsreactions)]

Cats: they are the subject of millions of videos and hundreds of memes. This video has answers to some of the biggest cat-related questions out there: Why does catnip make most cats go crazy? How does kitty litter clump? And what does it mean…

This video uncovers the chemistry behind the spine-tingling sense of fear. Watch as Abigail Marsh, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology at Georgetown University, highlights key brain chemicals and hormones involved in fear and the…

From the sizzle of the fuse to the boom and burst of colors, this video brings you all of the exciting sights and sounds of fireworks. The video features John A. Conkling, Ph.D., author of "The Chemistry of Pyrotechnics, Basic Principles and…

If you have ever tapped a phone screen to send a tweet, opted for bottled soda because it tastes better than plastic, or drooled over art glass in a gallery, then your life has been changed for the better by the transparent yet durable…

If you enjoy barbecues, you'll enjoy this video. It contains chemistry knowledge that will impress your guests, such as why red meat is red. You’ll also learn about the chemical reaction that changes raw meat into grilled brown deliciousness.…

This video explains how certain neurotransmitters fuel lifelong pair bonds in prairie voles, which—along with humans—are the mammalian kingdom's leading monogamists. In the video, Abigail Marsh, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology at…

To fire up the grill or a gas stove, we often reach for a match. It turns out there’s a lot of chemistry going on to make those little wooden wonders work. The best way to find out about the chemistry of a burning match is to watch this…

Pepper is one of the most common condiments in the world today, but it used to be more valuable than gold. This video examines how pepper's delectable chemistry made it a key player in the global spice trade. [Credit: Reactions/American…

This video explores the chemistry of, and pain response to, pepper spray. Watch for some important tips on what to do if you accidentally spray yourself with this debilitating substance. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Whether it’s plain cheese, deep-dish stacked with meats, or thin-crust veggie delight, there’s just something about pizza that makes it delicious. This video shows the chemistry that goes into every ingredient in pizza. It also describes a…

What happens when you get covered in poison ivy and you cannot stop scratching? Jennifer Novotney, winner of the 2014 Chemistry Champions science communications competition, breaks down what it is about that dreaded vine that makes us so…

Poisonous snakes are dangerous, but what exactly makes their venom so powerful? The answer is chemistry. This video sheds some light on the proteins in snake venom, as well as its potential medical uses. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical…

This video tracks the formation of snowflakes from their origins in bits of dust in clouds that become droplets of water falling to Earth. As each snowflake rises and falls through warmer and cooler air, it develops its own distinctive shape.…

Forget ketchup and mustard—sriracha might be the world's new favorite condiment. Beloved by millions for its unique spicy, garlicky, slightly sweet flavor, the chemistry of "rooster sauce" is the focus of this video. [Credit:…

White, green, oolong, and black teas all come from the same plant, but they are vastly different in flavor and color. This video explores the chemistry that happens in the tea leaves during production. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical…

What’s that stuff that collects in the corners of your eyes when you sleep? This video explains the chemistry of the film that protects your eyes. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

This video explores how experts use fertilizer and other materials—including water—to fight forest fires. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

This video takes science to the skies and checks out the chemistry behind chemtrails, or—more accurately—contrails. It’s easy to look at the white trail behind a jet aircraft and imagine all manner of chemicals raining down from above.…

Have you ever needed to get rid of your chewing gum quickly, but spitting the gum out would cause a scene? Not sure you want to swallow the whole wad? Chemistry’s got your back. Find out why chocolate makes gum disappear. Credit:…

This animation shows how the long double-helical DNA strands in cells are packaged compactly as bundles of chromatin by its associated proteins and discusses how the condensation of DNA into chromatin affects its function.

It’s one of the most popular beverages in the world, and many of us rely on it to stay awake every day. But not every cup of coffee is created equal. From the bean to the brew, science can help you get the perfect cup. This video goes on a…

When winter holidays come around, feasts and festivities cause many people to gain weight. But did you know that freezing-cold weather during those winter months can actually help people lose weight? This video talks about fat, and whether or…

This animation explains the phenomenon of collision and shows the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions.

This animation explains what a comet is and shows the different graphical distinctions of a comet with respect to its distance from the Sun

This animation explains how a compact disk stores recorded information.

Joe DeSimone cofounded a company called Carbon (formerly Carbon3D) to bring chemistry to bear on 3D printing. This video shows how Joe enabled the company to print at unprecedented speeds, and churn out materials that have never been printed…

This animation explains the difference between two types of cell division: meiosis and mitosis.

This animation demonstrates the complement fixation test for specific antibodies in a patient's serum.

This animation shows how electrical signals moving through the heart muscle allow it to contract.

This animation describes conjugation, the process by which bacteria naturally exchange genetic information on plasmids.

This animation explains conservation of energy and shows how the total amount of kinetic and potential energy in an isolated system is constant.

This animation explains the phenomenon of conservation of momentum and shows how momentum is the product of mass and velocity and is conserved in collisions.

This animation describes several ways to make vaccines: with killed or inactivated pathogens, with live attentuated pathogens, with subunits of pathogens, and with recombinant DNA technology.

This animation explains continental drift and shows how continents on moving tectonic plates drift slowly across the Earth's surface.

This animation explains how the cornea and the lens in the eyeball work together to focus light.

This animation explains how small ions can be transported against a chemical gradient in cells through the phenomenon of cotransport.

On December 16, 1773, American colonists, frustrated and angry at Britain for imposing "taxation without representation," dumped more than 340 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor in Massachusettes. Dubbed "the Boston Tea Party," this…

This video explores the chemistry behind whether using cannabidiol (CBD)—a non-psychoactive compound produced by the marijuana plant—could make you fail a drug test. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Cows belch up plenty of methane, thanks to the chemistry of their digestion. Because methane is a greenhouse gas, our beef and dairy cattle have huge consequences on climate change. This video covers the gassy science of cow guts. Credit:…

Some science-fiction fans have already caught a glimpse of a world with super-powered humans secretly living among us, capable of physical feats far beyond the norm. Now, with the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system, are we looking at a future…