The 2014 World Cup final is almost here, and no matter which two teams meet for the title match, there's one thing they'll both need to win: the ball. The "brazuca" is different from most other soccer balls out there, and our pals over at the Compound Interest blog dug in to find out why!

From the sizzle of the fuse to the boom and burst of colors, this video brings you all of the exciting sights and sounds of Fourth of July fireworks, plus a little chemical knowhow. John A. Conkling, Ph.D., shows how the familiar rockets and other neat products that light up the night sky all represent chemistry in action.

A poem by Dr. Carl Djerassi.

This video highlights the ways chemistry has made sex safer and (in one surprising case) spicier. From latex condoms to warming lubricants, birth control to emergency contraception, chemistry plays a big role in the bedroom, and not just the chemistry between you and your partner.

You're probably craving ice cream to cool you down this summer. Reactions looks at the chemistry involved in making the treat creamy and sweet.

Turns out the creaminess of ice cream has little to do with cream. It's all about the ice crystals. The smaller the crystals, the creamier the treat. We make ice cream three different ways with American University Assistant Professor Matt Hartings, and taste the difference.

Garlic is good for your body, great for your taste buds, but terrible for your breath. This episode looks at the plant beloved by chefs and feared by vampires. Once again we teamed up with the Compound Interest blog to break down the chemistry of garlic, and how to beat the bad breath it causes. There are four main volatile organic compounds that contribute to garlic breath. None of them are actually present until garlic is crushed or chopped. These compounds also contain sulfur, which can penetrate bacteria cell membranes, making garlic an antibacterial assassin.

Thomas Edison is hands-down one of the greatest inventors in history. He also had a love of chemistry that banished him to the basement as a kid. In this episode, we go behind the scenes at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park to see how Edison's love of chemistry fueled his world-changing inventions.

Edison Park is an amazing complex home to more than 400,000 artifacts (which we definitely weren't allowed to touch) and is considered the template for modern labs everywhere.

What is it about cooking bacon that makes it smell so good? The Reactions team puts its nose into everyone's favorite breakfast food. We teamed up with the Compound Interest blog to break down the science of that sweet smell.

Turns out there are about 150 volatile organic compounds that contribute to bacon's meaty aroma, many of them hydrocarbons and aldehydes, with some nitrogen-containing compounds thrown in for good measure.

This volume is packed full of new chemistry-fueled solutions for everyday problems, like spotting rotten eggs, reviving soggy green vegetables and fixing busted buttons.

In this Reactions bonus video, find out what scientists believe causes morning sickness in pregnant women.