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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,…

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

This animation explains the concept of biomes (major communities of organisms distributed over wide areas) and describes some of the biomes found around the world.

Thanks to the demands of eco-conscious consumers, biodegradable and compostable plastics are cropping up everywhere. Are these green plastics the solution to our throwaway lifestyle? Well, it’s complicated, as this video explains. Credit:…

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)]

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…

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

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

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

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.…

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 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

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

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.…

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

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:…

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 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…

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.

For all you chocolate lovers out there, this video puts dark and milk chocolate together in a faceoff. Which of these deliciously and potentially healthful treats will come out as the greatest? Watch them fight it out in four rounds.…

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

This animation explains how carbohydratesare loaded into the vascular tissue called phloem for distribution throughout living plants.

This animation shows root nodule formation, a complex process in leguminous plants that supports symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

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.…

The scent of freshly cut grass may actually be a chemical cry for help. This video explains how plants communicate, their chemical response to being damaged, and how insects play a role. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

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…

Getting to Mars is on some people's minds here on Earth. When it comes to space travel, recycling is a space traveler's best friend, urine included. This video looks at a brilliant new potential use for urine in space. It flows a bit farther…

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…

Do you love a spicy wasabi kick to accompany your raw fish? Well, you’ve probably never tasted real wasabi. As Sarah Everts explains, unless you’ve had a sushi chef grate an expensive wasabi stem straight onto your plate, you’ve probably not…

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…

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…

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

The Sun shines a massive amount of energy onto the Earth’s surface every day. What if humans could take a cue from plants, and use sunlight to make their own food? From chloroplasts to carbon dioxide, this video creates a hypothetical…

Pond scum is usually just a nuisance, but under certain environmental conditions, blue-green algae (which are actually bacteria) can blossom into harmful algal blooms. These blooms can release all sorts of deadly poisons into the environment.…

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

The telltale signs of autumn include crisp weather, pumpkins, and the changing colors of leaves. Do you ever wonder why some leaves turn red, others turn yellow, and some just turn brown? This video explains how chlorophyll and the glucose…

Roses are among the world's most fragrant flowers, but did you know that one minor chemical change would make a rose smell less sweet? Chemist Raychelle Burks, Ph.D., explains why in this video. [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:…

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