Reactions

Anti-wrinkle creams claim they keep the skin surface fresh, making a younger more perfect-looking you, but do they REALLY work?

Reactions is back with Chemistry Life Hacks, vol. 8. with food tips on how to cook rice with fewer calories and make chicken tastier.

Reflecting on the 100th anniversary of the WWI, Jonathan Tucker’s book “War on Nerves” explains the surprising history on chemical weapons.

You’ve probably heard rumors that peeing on a jellyfish sting can make the pain go away, but does this old wives tale stand up to science?

In this episode, Ryan Cross examines the implications for GMO foods and what it means to market in the era of CRISPR?

Have you ever seen a drop of water navigate a maze? It’s possible thanks to the same phenomenon that lets you know if a griddle is hot enough for pancake batter. Water droplets that dance and skitter across a hot surface instead of boil away on the spot are experiencing the Leidenfrost effect. Understanding Leidenfrost — first described more than 200 years ago — helped engineers make more efficient steam engines. Today, scientists are using high-speed cameras to better characterize how superhot water behaves on metal surfaces. The investigation might lead to improvements in power generation.

Derby Day is around the corner, and with it comes big hats, horses with funny names, and bourbon. The latest episode of Reactions celebrates the chemical process of distillation that makes bourbon and other whiskey varieties possible. Since water and ethanol, along with tasty flavors, have different boiling points, they can be separated by carefully heating the mash that starts off every whiskey. Each distillery carefully protects their still design, engineered to create their signature liquor. The strongest flavors take aging, but might some innovative whiskey makers find a way to hack maturation time? Special thanks to District Distilling in DC! You can find more about them here: http://www.district-distilling.com/.

Tens of thousands joined the March for Science in Washington, D.C. We followed two groups of chemists to learn about what brought them here and the hopes that they’re leaving with. The views and/or opinions expressed in this video are those of the student participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of their respective institutions or academic departments. More than 600 cities hosted satellite marches. Beyond our coverage in D.C., we’ve shared some footage from Berlin, Chicago, and San Francisco. Did you march? We want to see your footage. Share it with us on Twitter with @ACSReactions or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SpeakingOfChem/ .

Sports drink commercials love talking about them, but what are electrolytes, why do we need them, and what happens if we don’t have enough? Electrolytes are salts that, once in our bodies, help our cells move water around. They also enable the nerve impulses that keep our hearts beating, our lungs breathing and our brains learning. But we can also lose them — for example, by sweating. Given all the ins and outs of electrolytes, should you reach for that bright orange sports drink after running around the block?

Did you know that thousands of precious paintings around the world are generating soap beneath their surfaces? Art conservators struggle with microscopic eruptions in masterpieces. A huge thanks to Rijks Museum conservator Petria Noble and independent conservation scientist Jaap Boon.