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Are you breathing air molecules that were once exhaled by Caesar, Joan of Arc, or Madame Curie? Why did Albert Einstein try to break into the refrigerator business? In this video, writer Sam Kean, author of science books "Caesar’s Last…

This animation shows how a barometer measures atmospheric pressure.

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…

Some ice burns because it’s actually methane trapped in water. This video discusses the chemistry of methane hydrates as a source of energy and a climate change threat. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

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 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.…

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.…

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

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…

April 22, 2015 was the 100th anniversary of the first large-scale use of chemical weapons in modern warfare. Some of the best minds in chemistry at that time, including a Nobel Prize winner, used their knowledge of science to build humanity’s…

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

This animation shows how currents of molten iron in the Earth's outer core generate the planet's magnetic field.

This animation shows how earthquakes radiate from focus points on fault lines.

This animation shows how the El Niño weather pattern arises from changes in atmospheric and oceanic flows.

This animation shows how volcanic islands form over hot spots arising from deep within Earth's mantle.

Nerve agents have a surprising history, and it’s just as morbid as you might expect. Although they were not invented as chemical weapons, nerve agents such as sarin have been in use since World War I, and unfortunately are still in use…

Did you know that the ocean launches bacteria into the atmosphere? And that those bacteria can seed clouds and help make rain? Atmospheric chemist Kimberly Prather of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography drops some serious atmospheric…

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…

This video explains the chemistry and science behind how we know how old the Earth is. Geologists have deduced the age of the Earth thanks to a handful of radioactive elements. With radiometric dating, scientists can put an age on really old…

Winter weather often brings treacherous driving conditions. Road crews may spread rock salt all over the highways and byways, but why? This video breaks down the chemistry that keeps the roads safe when severe winter weather hits. [Credit:…

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

This video explains much of what you need to know about snow and ice chemistry, such as how to get your car unstuck from ice and how artificial snow is made. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

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…

Many people have done it, but few admit to it. This video explains why, from an environmental perspective, it is absolutely acceptable to urinate in the ocean. (Correction: At 1:50, the narration and text should read "250 gallons," not…

If there’s one man in Hollywood who knows the value of chemistry, it’s Michael Bay. He’s taught society that, in the face of a half-baked plot and thin script, big-budget explosions can cause box office success. This video explains the…

This animation explains how periods of glaciation and deglaciation alter the balance of oxygen isotopes found in seawater.

This animation explains how heat and pressure from Earth's interior cause tectonic plates to move.

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

This video explains how artificial snow is made to sustain the Winter Olympics. [Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society (www.youtube.com/acsreactions)]

The ocean is a gigantic reservoir of water, but that water is not drinkable. As this video demonstrates, attaining freshwater from salty ocean water is more difficult than it might seem at first. The video also reviews potential negative…

The Statue of Liberty is an iconic blue-green symbol of freedom. But did you know she wasn’t always that color? When France gave Lady Liberty to the United States, she was a 305-foot statue with reddish-brown copper skin. Her color change is…

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

This animation shows how undersea earthquakes cause tsunamis.

This animation shows how a volcano forms as pressure builds up from within Earth's interior.

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

Relative humidity, dew point, heat index. Trying to figure out what to wear from all those technical weather words is enough to make you sweat. Fear not, this video describes how to use the local weather report to your advantage. Credit:…

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

Intuitively, it would seem like fish living in the icy oceans around Antarctica should freeze to death. This video explains that these fish, called notothenioids, are highly adapted to their environment, thanks to antifreeze proteins in their…

In 1962, an underground fire started in the coal-mining town of Centralia, Pennsylvania. Fifty-three years later, that fire still burns. This video explains the history and science behind the Centralia mine fire. Does anyone still live there?…

This video shares the story of two of chemistry’s most brilliant and bold women and their paths of elemental discovery. What these women brought to the table changed the world as we know it. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

Yellowstone National Park’s hot springs have incredible geochemistry, thanks to being part of an actual volcano. What makes these hot springs so different from others? Are they really steaming acid pools of death? Find out here. Credit:…