chemistry

U.S. Air Force via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

The Chemical Difference Between Red, Yellow, and Green Bell Peppers

Ripening peppers are the butterflies of the vegetable world, undergoing extraordinary chemical transformations.

Researchers Study Using Magnets to Clean Up Oil Spills

This could make cleanup methods faster and safer.

Here Are the Names of the Periodic Table's Four Newest Elements

In five months, they'll be official.

A San Francisco Company Is Making Wine ... Without Grapes

Ava Winery is trying to recreate the world's most sought-after wines in the lab and on the cheap.

Scientists Read Moviegoers’ Emotions Through Their Breath

Their equipment captured and analyzed air from hundreds of viewers during screenings of 'Dinosaurs 3D,' 'Buddy,' and 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.'

Introducing Garlic That Doesn't Make Your Breath Stink

"Kissin' garlic" is date night-friendly.

BPA Substitute May Be as Bad as BPA

BPA-free plastic products may not be safe as you think.

Why Does Seeing Food Make Your Mouth Water?

The phrase “mouth-watering” is actually pretty accurate. Prepare to become acutely aware of how much spit is in your mouth right now.

jeffreyw via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 2.0

Scientists Devise Technique to Measure THC in Pot Brownies and Other Edibles

Quantifying drug levels in edible products is difficult but essential, especially for people who use marijuana medicinally.

Scientists Develop a Spray That Helps Ice Slide Off Surfaces

Having to scrape ice off your windshield could become a thing of the past.

Neanderthals Used a Chemistry Trick to Start Fires 50,000 Years Ago

Neanderthals may have been craftier than we give them credit for.

The Science Behind Why It Hurts So Much to Step on a LEGO

This video breaks down the physiology, chemistry, and physics behind the pain of stepping on a LEGO.

8 Questionable Substances People Once Used as Body Lotion

People will slather on almost anything in the quest for smoothness.

How Do Transition Lenses Work?

We look at the chemical reaction happening right in front of your eyes.

The Scientific Secret to Perfect Nachos

The folks at the American Chemical Society have got you covered for game day.

Does Chicken Soup Help a Cold?

It looks like your parents were on to something.

The Meanings Behind 20 Chemical Element Names

Lithium takes its name from the Greek word for “stone.”

What Keeps Honey From Spoiling?

A new infographic from Compound Interest explains how this astonishing substance is made.

Mimosa pudica. Image Credit: Werner1122, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY SA-3.0

Plants Fart in the Face of Danger

When threatened, the roots of Mimosa pudica plants deploy fart-like stink bombs.

This French Power Plant Runs on Cheese

Leave it to the French.

The Periodic Table Is Getting Four New Elements

The table's seventh row is finally complete.

The Chemistry of Truffle Stank

The truffle’s signature stench is the result of hundreds of chemical compounds.

Roads With Built-In Salt Could De-Ice Themselves

This seems like a no-brainer.

Newly Discovered Form of Carbon Is Harder Than Diamond

A team of researchers at North Carolina State University is manipulating carbon in intriguing ways.