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To kick off our new series of Bytesize demo videos, we went to the guy who literally wrote the book on chemistry demos: University of Wisconsin-Madison Chemistry Professor and 2012 ACS President Bassam Shakhashiri, author of the popular “Chemical Demonstrations” textbooks. Check out the first Bytesize Demo to see a stunning “chemical oscillating reaction” that changes from a beautiful amber color to a very dark blue and back again (and again and again).

Just in time for Halloween, we’ve scared up two new episodes that highlight the chemistry behind candy. Featuring Richard Hartel, Ph.D., professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the video demonstrates how the molten liquid candy cools to form a glass and how the sugar crystal structure of candy corn gives this Halloween favorite its’ characteristic creamy texture. Check both of the videos out, but be warned — you’re probably going to get a sweet tooth.

Just in time for Halloween, we’ve scared up two new episodes that highlight the chemistry behind candy. Featuring Richard Hartel, Ph.D., professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the video demonstrates how the molten liquid candy cools to form a glass and how the sugar crystal structure of candy corn gives this Halloween favorite its’ characteristic creamy texture. Check both of the videos out, but be warned — you’re probably going to get a sweet tooth.

Here is some good news for you: you can blame the sounds and odors that come from your body on bacteria. Yup those little critters are the ones responsible for a lot of what goes on inside our bodies. People can be uptight about all these bodily sights and smells, but understanding the science behind what may appear gross may make these things a little less gross. So without further ado, check out the latest episodes of ChemMatters on the chemistry behind bad breath and acne.

Here is some good news for you: you can blame the sounds and odors that come from your body on bacteria. Yup those little critters are the ones responsible for a lot of what goes on inside our bodies. People can be uptight about all these bodily sights and smells, but understanding the science behind what may appear gross may make these things a little less gross. So without further ado, check out the latest episodes of ChemMatters on the chemistry behind bad breath and acne.

The onion — how could something that tastes so good cause so many tears? Common in cuisine from all around the globe, onions are world renowned for their ability to make us all look like cry babies. We’ve taken it upon ourselves at Bytesize Science to get to the bottom of this teary phenomenon. In our latest video, we dug up the roots of this culinary annoyance to figure out exactly what chemical mechanisms trigger this reaction in our eyes, and we even threw in a couple techniques you can try at home to stop the tears before they start.

Did you know that malaria has caused more than half of all human deaths since the stone age? Get the scoop on the severity of this global threat with Nobel Prize winning chemist Dr. Peter Agre and his colleague Marcello Lorena-Jacobs of Johns Hopkins University. Watch our latest episode to find out the interesting direction their research has lead them on in their quest for a cure.

Find out why smaller ice crystals make smoother, richer ice cream in this video hosted by Wisconsin-Madison Professor of Food Engineering, Richard Hartel.

Learn how insect repellent ingredients like DEET work to scare away those nasty mosquitoes.

Watch as University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor of Food Engineering Richard Hartel explains how to spin piping-hot melted sugar into tasty threads, eventually cooling off and forming cotton candy.