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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…

For decades, the U.S. government issued a chemical shark repellent to pilots, sailors, and even astronauts to fend off potential shark attacks. The problem was, that substance did not actually work. This video explains why developing an…

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…

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…

What do chameleons have to do with nanotechnology? You'll find out when you watch this video. These color-changing lizards are some of nature’s most interesting animals, all because they are masters of pigment and light. Explore the chemistry…

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 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…

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 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…

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

Best-selling author Sam Kean debunks the myth of the Megalodon, the 50-foot super shark that, despite what you may have read, is long extinct. In this video, Kean unravels the myth by explaining how the element manganese holds the key.…

Chemists have found potential drugs and other useful compounds in some truly bizarre places in nature. Who would have thought that blood from the Komodo dragon could have a secret inside of it that could possibly save your life? This video…

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

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

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…

Honey is great for drizzling over toast, stirring into tea, and many other uses. What most people don’t know is that during the trip from the flower in the field to the jar on your table, honey spends a lot of time in a bee’s gut. This video…

As the saying goes, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. But can you? This video explains the chemistry behind why fruit flies love vinegar so much that some entomologists call them “vinegar flies.” Credit:…

Jellyfish seem serene, but the pain that comes from a run-in with their tentacles is anything but tranquil. You may have heard a certain rumor about how to treat a jellyfish sting to make the pain go away, but does that icky old-wives' tale…

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…

This video reveals the chemical compounds that give skunk spray its horrendous odor and offers tips for what to do if you or your pet accidentally get sprayed. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Freshly caught fish is delicious. But after a day or two, that filet in your fridge smells a little fishier, thanks to a stinky molecule known as trimethylamine. Find out how to make fish taste and smell less fishy with this video. Learn…

If you’ve eaten food today that has at least one ingredient that was farmed, you probably owe some thanks to earthworms. How do these lowly invertebrates turn what humans find inedible into beloved compost? Earthworms have an extra enzyme…

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.…

You may have heard that tossing rice at weddings will harm wild birds. This video explains why that myth is not backed up by science, and proves it with chemistry. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

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.

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…

Deep in the Amazon rainforest, scientists have uncovered a family of chemicals that the poison dart frog uses to defend itself. This video explains how this tiny amphibian uses chemistry to create some of the most powerful toxins in the…

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

This animation shows how radar (radio detection and ranging) works.

Most cats love catnip, but that’s not why this flowering plant produces its volatile oils. The scent of catnip is actually an application of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" strategy. Find out exactly what that means in this video.…

Did you know that seashells are made of basically the same stuff as chalk? So why is chalk crumbly but seashells are durable? This video explains that the secret is in the shells' biochemistry. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Surströmming—Swedish for sour herring—is legendary for its powerful odor. That malodorous scent is a result of the chemistry of preserving food. This video explores what might just be the world's smelliest food, with help from the people who…

The humble tardigrade can be found practically anywhere there is enough water for it to live, and quite a few places there isn’t. It can survive drying out, extreme heat and cold, and even exposure to a vacuum. This odd, ugly-cute organism's…

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 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 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

There are many different types of dog-food formulas on the market. Some are designed for weight loss, long shelf life, or making sure that your dog eats a balanced diet. This video explains the chemistry behind what’s being used to make the…

This video explores the wide range of chemical and physical behaviors different bird species use to make their plumage stand out or disappear. 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

Why do wasps become more aggressive after you kill a hive member? The answer is the same reason as why you should be wary of bees that smell like bananas. This short video uses chemistry to explain that statement. Credit:…

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…

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