Reactions

Virginia Tech researchers helped prove that lead levels were dangerously high in Flint’s tap water, even when government officials denied the problem. We visited the researchers to see how they're using standard analytical chemistry to try and make water safer.

Synthetic drugs such as “bath salts,” “K2” or “Spice” have made unsettling headlines lately, with reports of violent, erratic behavior and deaths after people have used the substances. Why are these synthesized drugs so dangerous, and why aren’t there more regulations? In this week’s Reactions, we answer these questions by examining the chemistry of two kinds of synthetic drugs: bath salts and synthetic marijuana. Correction in video - While Kratom is a plant, and not synthetic, it is listed as a Drug and Chemical of Concern by the DEA, and is marketed as a synthetic drug at gas stations and other vendors.

Peanut allergies or of some of the most dangerous food allergies out there due to how commonly they are found in the food industry. For the past couple decades, peanut allergies have been on the rise in the United States, and scientists recently may have found out the reason why.

You’re sitting in your favorite restaurant when a waiter walks by with a hot plate of your favorite food, and your mouth starts to water. But why? What causes drooling in the first place, and why do we only sometimes salivate? This week, 2015 ACS Chemistry Champions contest winner Hadi Fares explains the chemical mechanisms behind dinnertime drooling.

Thanks to chemistry, the products we use to clean and style our hair have evolved over decades — even centuries. How do hairsprays protect your hair while keeping it flexible and light? How do shampoos work, and why are some people choosing to dump the lather altogether? This week, “Ms. Beautyphile” Trina Espinoza and Lex Fleming from “Made U Look” join us in the New York City YouTube Space to explain the science behind hair care.

Thanks to chemistry, the products we use to clean and style our hair have evolved over decades — even centuries. How do hairsprays protect your hair while keeping it flexible and light? How do shampoos work, and why are some people choosing to dump the lather altogether? This week, “Ms. Beautyphile” Trina Espinoza and Lex Fleming from “Made U Look” join us in the New York City YouTube Space to explain the science behind hair care.

Thanks to chemistry, the products we use to clean and style our hair have evolved over decades — even centuries. How do hairsprays protect your hair while keeping it flexible and light? How do shampoos work, and why are some people choosing to dump the lather altogether? This week, “Ms. Beautyphile” Trina Espinoza and Lex Fleming from “Made U Look” join us in the New York City YouTube Space to explain the science behind hair care.

There are some things you wouldn't wish upon even your worst enemy. Stepping on Legos being no such exception. The mind bending pain of a bare foot pressing down on a Lego is one of the worst known to humanity, but how does something so innocent looking create such an intense feeling? We're talking nociception today folks, and the chemistry of how these little two gram blocks pack enough punch to send you into orbit.

To fire up the grill or the gas stove, we often reach for a match. The best way to find out about the chemistry of burning matches is to watch it in ultra-slow motion.

Ninety-nine percent of adults who wear contacts admit to breaking some cardinal lens rules: sleeping in them, washing them in water and so on. Many contact-wearers may brush off these accidents, but improper lens care can have gross — and sometimes serious —consequences. This week, Reactions collaborates with Anna Rothschild from Gross Science to explain why contacts can cause problems and how to prevent them.