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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,…

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…

Vanilla is a flavor so common that some people use it as an adjective to describe something plain or ordinary. But watch out! This beloved, flavorful bean may soon become a rarity. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

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

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.

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)]

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)]

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…

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…

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.…

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…

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

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

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

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 echoes and shows how echoes occur when soundwaves bounce off objects.

This video explores what ringworm is, how to avoid contracting the infection, and—if you do—how to get rid of it. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

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…

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…

Most scientists say genetically modified foods are safe to consume, but critics are fiercely opposed to GMOs. The U.S. has several federal agencies that regulate GMOs. Where do those agencies stand? In the era of CRISPR gene-editing…

Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxins, are a major agricultural problem because their presence in grains can be lethal to humans and other animals. This video explores methods for testing grains to ensure their safe consumption. Credit: U.S.…

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…

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

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

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…

Some special occasions call for flowers. After a few days, though, that beautiful bouquet may start wilting. This video has picked out the best science-backed tips to maximize the freshness of cut flowers. Credit: Reactions/American…

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…

Supermarket tomatoes account for nearly 10 percent of produce sales in the U.S. So why do most store-bought tomatoes taste terrible? Is there a way to make tomatoes taste great again? This video may have the answer. Credit:…

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 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.