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This animation explains how a material's chemical composition affects the wavelengths of light it absorbs and the color it displays.

Unlike its name, Bicycle Day is not a holiday honoring your favorite two-wheeled, environmentally friendly vehicle. This holiday celebrates the day chemist Albert Hofmann first discovered the psychedelic effects of lysergic acid diethylamide,…

When you hear the name "Hubble," you might think of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. But, decades before this telescope was built, Dr. Edwin Powell Hubble revolutionized the field of astronomy. This video looks at the life and work of…

This animation explains the difference between the alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays emitted by various radioactive materials.

Have you ever wished you could hide under an invisibility cloak, like Harry Potter did? This video explores the science behind light, sight, and invisibility. Though we can’t make ourselves invisible yet, some promising research may light the…

Helium has helped create revolutionary scientific innovations, and has industrial uses that simply cannot be replicated. Yet helium—a gas that defies gravity—is constantly being lost as it escapes Earth’s atmosphere into space. This video…

Neuroengineer Nima Mesgarani is using a form of artificial intelligence called neural network modeling to develop improved hearing aids. If successful, hearing-impaired individuals will be better able to identify and focus on a speaker of…

A figure skating performance often begins with a moment of quiet focus to mentally "upload" a routine, consisting of a linked series of complex movements—such as jumps and spins—that must be executed expertly and automatically. This video…

When it’s time to vote on Election Day, how do you decide on a candidate? In this video, neuroscientist Michael Shadlen explains how our brains secretly do math in order to make decisions. Credit: Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute

Thanksgiving is a holiday when many people look forward to a tasty home-cooked meal. According to neuroscientist Charles Zuker, not only is that sense of taste in the brain, but it is a matter of life and death. This video takes you on a…

Is there such a thing as love at first scent? Hundreds of spray-on pheromone products claim to put you on the fast track to romance, but can they really help humans land a mate? This video has the answers. [Credit: Reactions/American Chemical…

Cryogenic freezing of a dead body is possible, but reanimating that body in the future is a different story. As you will see in this video, cells themselves can be reanimated after freezing, but bringing a human back to life is not so…

This animation shows how a nuclear chain reaction works and explains how it is used in nuclear fission devices.

This animation shows how chaotic systems are unpredictable because of their extreme sensitivity to their initial conditions.

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 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…

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…

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.…

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 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 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.

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…

This animation explains what a cylcoid is and shows how the size of a cycloid relates to the size of the rolling circle that generates it.

This animation describes how a shock absorber minimizes the effect of shock on a mechanical system.

Yes, you read that correctly. Comets may have helped seed life on Earth. Far out, right? Sarah Everts of C&EN has the chemical clues that back up this out-of-this-world hypothesis. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Much can be learned when a planet crosses between its host star and Earth. This video describes how astronomers get information about planets beyond our solar system using such transits. The video also introduces sophisticated technologies…

How do astronauts survive the deadly radiation of deep space? NASA is still figuring out how to protect astronauts from cosmic radiation using plastic shielding and magnetic deflectors. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Online entrepreneurs may try to sell bottled human pheromones, but do these even exist? It's doubtful, according to this video. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

This animation explains the Doppler shift and shows how the movement of a sound source relative to a listener raises or lowers the pitch.

This animation explains how seasons depend on the Earth's orbit and explains how the Earth's orbital distance and axial tilt give rise to seasons.

This animation explains echoes and shows how echoes occur when soundwaves bounce off objects.

This animation shows how eclipses occur when the Sun's rays are blocked.

From the dinner table to the human body, crystals are everywhere. This video highlights five scientific facts about this ubiquitous solid. [Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society (www.youtube.com/acsreactions)]

We all want to be healthy, but some food myths can actually get in the way of good nutritional decisions. This video shatters one food myth that you may have heard: microwaving your food zaps its nutritional value. Watch to find out why that…

This animation depicts how the solar system formed from a spinning disk of interstellar gas.

This animation explains that fractals are self-similar geometrical objects at different scales and magnifications and shows how fractals can be generated by applying simple mathematical rules repetitively.

Battered and deep-fried chicken might be one of the world's most delicious foods. But what makes fried chicken so tasty? It all comes down to the chemistry of frying. In the video, learn how the delicate dance of fat at high temperatures…

This video explains how graphene's remarkable properties come from the unique arrangement of its atoms. (Correction: The video's narration incorrectly states that Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov are chemists. Both Geim and Novoselov are…

This animation shows how all objects fall at the same rate of accelleration due to the force of gravity.

This animation explains harmonic motion damping and shows how an applied force can decrease a simple harmonic motion.

Four elements were added to the periodic table in 2016, completing the seventh row. However, these new elements are not naturally occurring. Scientists had to create them and overcome a number of challenges to do so. This video explains some…

Born in 1868, Henrietta Leavitt was an astronomer ahead of her time, whose work helped to revolutionize our understanding of the universe. While working at Harvard Observatory, Leavitt began to study stars of fluctuating brightness. This…

To beat the heat, many people turn to air conditioning. That sweet, cool relief isn’t magic, it’s the science of heat transfer and the chemistry of refrigerants. This video explains the science and chemistry of air conditioning. Credit:…

Since ancient Greek times, philosophers and scientists have tried to figure out what an atom looks like. It wasn't until the 1980s that chemists could see individual atoms. In this video, bestselling author Sam Kean discusses the nearly…

If you’re in an automobile accident, you want to be sure the vehicle's airbags protect you. Airbags work because of chemistry, with some physics thrown in. This video explores the science of airbags. And remember, airbags are meant to work in…

A large snowstorm could produce trillions of tiny snowflakes. Through advances in crystallography, scientists have learned much about the structure of this form of precipitation. Although snowflakes all start out similarly, once they begin…

What's the difference between fluorescence and bioluminescence? This video illuminates the biochemical distinctions. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

More than 25 million people rely on Adderall™ and other similar drugs to help treat narcolepsy, depression and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But how does amphetamine, the active ingredient in Adderall™, work? This video…

Whether or not you have anxiety, you've probably heard of Xanax®. This video uncovers the chemistry behind this popular and widely prescribed drug, and answers the question of how Xanax works in the body. Credit: Reactions/American…

Have you ever wondered what makes a fluorescent color stand out so brightly from other colors? This video digs into what makes those colors pop, and highlights some of the brilliant applications of fluorescence coming out of nanotechnology.…

This video explores the chemistry behind how clouds develop and how they stay aloft in the sky, despite their tremendous weight. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Your smartphone addiction isn't helping you sleep. In fact, an obscure chemical reaction may be keeping you awake. This video looks at the process that connects your late-night texts to your lack of sleep. [Credit: Reactions/American Chemical…

Immediately after the universe started with the big bang, the cosmos was dark. Only the first stars appearing millions of years later brought light. These first stars and their radiation drastically changed the universe during what is known…

Chocolate-chip cookies are nearly universally adored. People enjoy them in all sorts of textures, sizes, and tastes. So, how can you make a perfect cookie? By using science, of course. This video features Science News magazine's Bethany…

When Thanksgiving comes around, many people think about taking their turkey preparation to the next level. But before you whip out that deep fryer, you're going to want to watch this video. This video brings you the do's and don'ts of turkey…

New smartphones are slimmer and faster than ever. But like most new generations of smartphones, their battery has pretty much stayed the same over the years. Short of carrying an external battery all the time, is there any way to extend the…

Do you have a special someone you want to impress? This video might help. Learn how to turn white flowers into fluorescent masterpieces. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

The scientific definition of slime is a liquid slurry of very fine solids with a mud-like appearance. Using only a few ingredients—including PVA glue, iron filings, water, borax, and food coloring—you can make colored magnetic slime and, in…

This video tells the story of what happens to the Hubble Space Telescope in the mysterious region known as the South Atlantic Anomaly. When satellites pass through this area, they are bombarded with swarms of intensely high energy particles.…

This video examines some novel proposals for combating climate change—including space mirrors, seeding the ocean with iron, and feeding cows seaweed. In reality, these ideas may or may not be feasible, but they are all supported by valid…

This animation explains Kepler's first law of planetary motion and demonstrates a planet's elliptical orbit around the Sun.

This animation demonstrates Kepler's second law of planetary motion using 12 triangles of equal area.

This animation shows Kepler's third law of planetary motion by comparing the revolutions of two planets around the Sun.

This animation explains the phenomenon of laminar flow and shows how the movement of air past a moving vehicle creates laminar flow and boundary flow.

This animation shows how lasers result from the light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation and explains why laser beams are sharply focused.

Neuroscientist Daphna Shohamy has found that teen brains are wired to learn. She thinks that studying teenagers can help us discover how everyone makes decisions based on experiences and memories. Shohamy’s research is showing that learning…

Songbirds have a finite time period in which they must learn to sing. Humans, too, have a limited period to learn to communicate. Neuroscientist Sara Woolley studies the brain science and learning pathways of finches—songbirds who mate for…

Have you ever seen a drop of water navigate a maze? It’s possible, thanks to an unusual phenomenon called the Leidenfrost Effect. Understanding this effect—first described more than 200 years ago—helped engineers make more efficient steam…

This animation explains the concept of a lever and shows how the amount of force a lever exerts depends on the distance between the fulcrum and the end of a lever.

This animation shows how the phases of the Moon depend on the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.

This animation shows how a pulley applies the concept of mechanical advantage to make it easier to lift heavy objects.

This animation shows how the behavior of quantum mechanical systems differs from that of classical systems and allows phenomena that would be impossible in classical mechanics.

This animation shows how light moving into a denser medium is both reflected and refracted.

This animation explains how the reverberation of sound results from the echo bouncing off the walls of a room.

This video explores the chemistry and physics behind the disastrous explosion of the former Soviet Union’s Chernobyl Power Complex nuclear reactor 4 on April 26, 1986. The Chernobyl disaster was the only accident in the history of commercial…

When days get shorter, darker, and colder, some people become gloomier. For people with seasonal affective disorder, the changing seasons can make them sadder than most, to the point of depression. Why does this happen? What can someone with…

Durian is known as the king of fruits in southeast Asia, but it’s also banned from many public spaces due to its powerful odor. This video explains the unique chemistry behind durian, and catches some participants at PBS Digital Studios…

This animation shows how the sound of a complex tone depends on the sum of the waveforms of the simple tones contributing to it.

This animation explains how stereophonic sound results from recording and playing back multiple microphone tracks simultaneously.

This animation explains what telescope aberration is and shows how Earth's rotation affects the shape of viewed objects

Andy Klesh of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab welcomes you to the cleanroom to talk about how satellites smaller than a briefcase could one day explore the chemistry of alien moons and planets. But first, Andy and his team have to show that…

This video does a deep dive on the surprisingly complex chemistry behind many people's favorite morning beverage: coffee. The chemistry of the universe is, in a way, in your morning cup of coffee—from the evolution of caffeine as a defensive…

This video focuses on one of the Hubble Space Telescope’s most important, but least known, functions. For much of their research, astronomers use Hubble’s spectrometers—devices that split up light into a rainbow of component colors—to reveal…

There’s a new trend in agriculture called vertical farming. When humans first learned to farm, we arranged plants outside in horizontal fields, and then invented irrigation and fertilizers to grow crops. But with modern technology and…

This video explores the basics of isotopes, including what they are and why they are important. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

There are many misconceptions about what causes auroras as well as when, where, and how they occur. Watch this video to learn the true answers. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

We place a lot of trust in modern thermometers, but do you know how those instruments actually work? The answer involves thermodynamic principles. Physical chemists and engineers have taken temperature-measuring tools from the simple—but…

This video takes a close look at what happens chemically in the brain and body just before a person dies. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Go to any paint store, and you’ll see a dozen or so variations of the color black. But what is the darkest one available? This video looks for—and finds—the blackest black material. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

There’s a sweet smell in the air after it rains, whether it’s been a spring shower or a summer storm. This video explains the chemistry of petrichor, the smell of rain. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Carbon is the backbone of all forms of life on Earth, and perhaps in the surrounding universe. This video explores the chemistry of carbon to explain why. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Whether it's rock, hip-hop, classical, or deep house, everyone has a favorite kind of music. But why do we love to throw on the headphones and get lost in the beat? It turns out that chemistry plays a big role in our favorite tunes. Watch…

Dogs—they can be our best four-legged friends, and they’re the stars of many Internet videos. This video investigates the chemistry behind a dog’s amazing sense of smell, and why wet dogs stink. And have you ever noticed that dog food smells…

You’re sitting in your favorite restaurant when a waiter walks by with a hot plate of your favorite food, and your mouth starts to water. Why? What causes drooling in the first place, and why do we only sometimes salivate? This video explains…

The mind-bending pain of a bare foot pressing down on a LEGO® brick is one of the worst known to humanity. How does something so innocent-looking create such an intense feeling? This video discusses nociception, and the chemistry of how these…

This video explores the curious question of why dust from the surface of the Moon smelled like spent gunpowder to Apollo astronauts. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

It’s supposed to help keep our bodies healthy in stressful situations, but the constant stress of our everyday lives means we’re getting overexposed to cortisol. In this video, Raychelle Burks, Ph.D. explains why too much cortisol is bad for…