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This animation shows how the hormone epinephrine causes liver cells to secrete glucose without crossing their cell membrane.

This animation explains how glucocorticoid hormones influence nutrient metabolism by altering gene expression in cells.

This animation explains how an electrical signal (action potential) stimulating skeletal muscle triggers changes that enable muscle contraction.

This animation explains the difference between addition mutations, in which nucleotides are added to DNA sequences, and deletion mutations, in which nucleotides are lost.

This animation shows how the contraction and relaxation of the diaphragm leads to pressure changes in the alveoli of the lungs during inhalation (inspiration) and exhalation (expiration).

This animation summarizes the molecular structure of amino acids, peptides, and proteins.

This animation shows the different ways in which proteins are broken down and presented as antigens to the immune system.

People have turned to “vaping” with electronic cigarettes as an alternative to puffing on the real thing. But is the vapor they’re inhaling any safer than smoking a cigarette? This video examines what we know, and what we don’t know, about…

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 explains the phenomenon of attenuation, which turns off unneeded gene expression, using the example of the trp operon and tryptophan biosynthesis.

This animation demonstrates how B vitamin coenzymes must be present to enable some enzymes to function.

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…

Do you know someone with red hair? Perhaps you have those fiery locks yourself. This video takes a close biochemical look into what makes redheads stand out from the crowd. It's not just the color of their hair. Credit: Reactions/American…

This animation shows how thin communities of microorganisms (biofilms) can organize themselves and grow on surfaces.

This animation covers the three different types of RNA and how they relate to protein synthesis.

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…

This animation shows the steps involved in the breakdown of ATP molecules that provides energy for the contraction of muscle fibers.

An estimated 133 billion pounds of food gets thrown away every year in the United States. Understanding when your food goes bad is important to help reduce waste. Unfortunately, consumers can’t just check the expiration date on the packaging,…

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…

Some clothing makers try to harness the antibacterial power of silver to combat the smell of sweat from people's workouts. Now, some manufacturers are adding nanotechnology to the mix. This video asks: does it work? Credit:…

Chemistry can let you taste food in an entirely new way. This video shows how you can actually taste raw garlic with your feet. No, your feet don't have any secret taste buds. It's all about the ability of chemicals to penetrate your skin.…

This animation shows how different parts of the heart are involved in a full cardiac cycle, which represents a single heartbeat.

This animation describes binary fission in prokaryotes and mitosis in eukaryotes, two different forms of cell division.

This animation describes how living cells use growth factors to regulate their growth and division.

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…

This animation shows how an action potential in a neuron stimulates the release of neurotransmitters into synapses and allows the neural signal to propagate into other neurons.

This video explores the chemistry of hair and the hairstyle known as the permanent wave, which is commonly called a perm or permanent. 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 brings chemistry to the kitchen, featuring science-backed tips to cook rice with fewer calories, get extra-juicy chicken when you don't have time to marinate, and keep sliced fruit from browning too quickly. Watch and learn how…

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…

If you enjoy barbecues, you'll enjoy this video. It contains chemistry knowledge that will impress your guests, such as why red meat is red. You’ll also learn about the chemical reaction that changes raw meat into grilled brown deliciousness.…

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 explores the chemistry of, and pain response to, pepper spray. Watch for some important tips on what to do if you accidentally spray yourself with this debilitating substance. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society

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…

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…

White, green, oolong, and black teas all come from the same plant, but they are vastly different in flavor and color. This video explores the chemistry that happens in the tea leaves during production. Credit: Reactions/American Chemical…

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 shows how the long double-helical DNA strands in cells are packaged compactly as bundles of chromatin by its associated proteins and discusses how the condensation of DNA into chromatin affects its function.

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…

When winter holidays come around, feasts and festivities cause many people to gain weight. But did you know that freezing-cold weather during those winter months can actually help people lose weight? This video talks about fat, and whether or…

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 the difference between two types of cell division: meiosis and mitosis.

This animation demonstrates the complement fixation test for specific antibodies in a patient's serum.

This animation shows how electrical signals moving through the heart muscle allow it to contract.

This animation describes conjugation, the process by which bacteria naturally exchange genetic information on plasmids.

This animation explains how the cornea and the lens in the eyeball work together to focus light.

This animation explains how small ions can be transported against a chemical gradient in cells through the phenomenon of cotransport.

Cows belch up plenty of methane, thanks to the chemistry of their digestion. Because methane is a greenhouse gas, our beef and dairy cattle have huge consequences on climate change. This video covers the gassy science of cow guts. Credit:…

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 the difference between the cyclic and noncyclic photophosphorylation systems used by living cells to make ATP.

This animation shows cytokinesis, the phase of cell division in which the cytoplasm divides to form two daughter cells.

This animation explains how cytotoxic T cells of the immune system recognize foreign antigens from viruses on the surface of infected cells.

This animation explains the structure of the DNA molecule and shows how the molecule replicates.

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 video explains how to make your own glass cleaner, keep red wine from staining your carpet, and why saliva can also be a great cleaning product. [Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society (www.youtube.com/acsreactions)]

This animation describes DNA microarrays and how microarrays can be used to make genetic discoveries.

This animation shows how the double helical structure of DNA allows enzymes to assemble duplicate copies of the nucleotide sequences in each strand so that the genetic information can be replicated.

Would you like a younger, more perfect-looking you? Young skin is firm and stretchy because of protein fibers, called collagen and elastin, in the tissue beneath the surface. As we age, environmental factors, such as smoking or ultraviolet…

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

You may have heard it from your mom over and over again: "Eat your carrots, they'll help you see better!" Is it true? In this video, chemist Chad Jones, host of the Collapsed Wavefunction podcast, cracks the carrot case wide open. [Credit:…

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 video tackles the fad that never dies—low-carbohydrate diets. There's a lot of science that goes with the keto diet and cutting out carbs. Low-carb diets were a thing in the late 1990s and they are still a thing now. But why does this…

Many of us have used some type of odor eliminator, such as Febreze, to get rid of offensive odors. These sprays can be effective, but how do they actually work? This video tells whether they really remove the smell or just mask it. Credit:…

It’s a legendary piece of playground lore: If you swallow a piece of gum, it stays stuck in your stomach for years and years. So was your elementary-school buddy right? This video looks at the mechanics and chemistry of digestion in order to…

Melatonin is a supplement that’s supposed to help you sleep. But does melatonin really work? What’s the chemistry of this sleep aid? This video explores the chemistry of melatonin and the realities of other supplements. Credit:…

A common belief is that a compound in turkey known as tryptophan makes people especially drowsy after they've eaten it. This video debunks this myth. [Credit: Reactions/American Chemical Society (www.youtube.com/acsreactions)]

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 the ear allows the sense of hearing and shows how the anatomy of the ear converts sound waves into nerve signals that are perceived as sounds.

This animation describes Cohen and Boyer's pioneering 1973 experiment showing that frog gene DNA could be expressed in bacteria.

This animation shows how sound waves interacting with anatomical structures in the ear set up vibrations in the cochlea that are detected and perceived as sounds.

Sports-drink commercials often mention electrolytes, but why do we need these chemicals, and what happens if we don’t have enough of them? Electrolytes are salts that help our cells move water around, and enable nerve impulses that keep our…

This animation explains how the mitochondria of cells use the energy in a proton gradient across a membrane to synthesize ATP.

Centuries after the discovery of the simple microscope, biomedical engineer Elizabeth Hillman has developed a cutting-edge microscope that can “see” inside the brains of living organisms and create 3D movies that answer fundamental questions…

This animation shows how cells use endocytosis to ingest materials and exocytosis to release materials inside membrane vesicles.

This animation shows how enzymes act as protein catalysts for biological reactions.

This animation explains how enzyme active sites use the specific binding properties of the enzyme to catalyze a reaction.

This animation shows the six different categories of enzymes and they type of reaction carried out by each.

This animation explains how the protein coding portions of genes in eukaryotes are fragmented into units called exons and how the RNA transcripts from exons are spliced together to generate various protein products.

This animation describes how the anatomy of the eye allows it to capture and focus visual images and convert them into signals transmitted to the brain for the sense of vision.

This animation shows how cells shut down unneeded biochemical pathways by using end products to turn off the enzymes at the beginning of the pathway chain.

This animation describes the technique called fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for locating genes on intact chromosomes.

With all the hard hits and tough tackles in the sport of football come concerns about safety. In the U.S., every professional player is required to wear a helmet, but the helmets of today are a far cry from the leather creations from decades…

Pregnant women go through a lot to bring a baby into this world: 2 AM food cravings, hypersensitivity to certain smells, and morning sickness, not to mention labor and delivery. This video highlights the chemistry behind pregnant women's…

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 animation explains how nerves signal muscles to contract and shows how action potentials trigger the release of neurotransmitters at the neuromuscular junction that propagate the electrical signal into muscle cells.

This animation explains the unique functions of a wide variety of RNA molecules in living organisms.

This animation explains how the lungs and circulatory system exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide in the tissues during respiration.

This animation explains the genetic code written in messenger RNA that determines which proteins a cell will create.

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…

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…

This animation shows the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and describes how HIV replicates in host cells.

These days, more attention is being paid to the transgender community. A big part of gender transition is hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. This video talks about the chemistry of HRT, and what happens when the body undergoes major shifts…

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…

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:…

One thing everyone on Earth has in common is that we all stink sometimes. Fortunately, we have deodorants and antiperspirants to help us deal with that fact, but chemically speaking, how do these products actually work? This video looks at…

Hand-sanitizer labels may claim they kill 99.99 percent of germs, but does the science back this up? This video takes a closer look at the chemistry of what this goo is made of, and just how effective it really is against viruses and…

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