How Chemistry Helps You Enjoy Holiday Festivities
A More Flavorful Holiday Meal through Chemistry Brining1 can give you a tastier chicken or turkey. All you need to do is place the poultry into salt water for several hours. Osmosis allows the poultry...
View ArticleCelebrating Black History Month: Three Notable Black Chemists
Percy Julian: The Synthetic Cortisone Alchemist1 Born in Alabama during segregation, Percy Julian became one of the first Black Americans to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry. He rose to prominence for his...
View ArticleThe Science of Candy: Sugar Chemistry
The first step in making most candy is to dissolve sugar2 (candy’s primary ingredient) into boiling water to form a syrup. The way the syrup is cooled determines whether the candy will be crystalline...
View ArticleThe Crucial Role of Disinfectant Use in Public Spaces
The Importance of Disinfectants in Public Spaces Breaking the Chain of Transmission: Public spaces can be breeding grounds for various pathogens due to the constant flow of people. Disinfectants help...
View ArticleCelebrating Science and Chemistry During Women’s History Month
Marie Curie: Discovering New Elements1 Marie Curie’s groundbreaking discoveries in radioactivity helped change the landscape in the field of radioactivity. Along with her husband Pierre Curie, she was...
View ArticleIs It Safe to Microwave Plastic? Answering Common Safety Questions About...
Heating up last night’s leftovers in a plastic container? It’s easy to check to see whether a plastic container or wrap is safe to use in the microwave. In fact, many plastic containers are designed...
View ArticleDig Into the Chemistry Behind Gardening
Fertilizer Gardeners often use fertilizers to help plants grow. Whether for a small garden of flowers and plants, or a large farm with thousands of acres of crops, fertilizers play an important role...
View ArticleTypes of Plastic Food Packaging and Safety: A Close-Up Look
Did you know? Plastic is a surprisingly versatile material with elemental origins. Elements from the periodic table, such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur, are the building blocks for...
View ArticleLearning about Microplastics: Frequently Asked Questions
Microplastics are small plastic particles that result from both commercial product development and the breakdown of larger plastics. Learn about what they are, how they affect the environment, and the...
View ArticleHow Advanced Recycling Can Recover More Plastic for Recycling
What is advanced recycling? Advanced recycling includes a variety of technologies that create new, high-quality plastics out of used plastic products. Advanced recycling enables us to recycle more...
View ArticleFired Up for Summer: The Chemistry of a Barbecue
The weather is warming up and people are heading outside to cook. While cooking on a grill might seem simple, there is a lot of chemistry involved. From charbroiled burgers and hot dogs to a sizzling...
View ArticleChlorine in Pools: How Chlorine Keeps Pools Safe
Answers to common questions about chlorine and pool safety. Most people probably wouldn’t want to go swimming in a giant, germ-filled petri dish. But without modern chemistry, that’s what swimming in...
View ArticleChloramines: Understanding “Pool Smell”
Chloramines result from the combination of chlorine disinfectants and the perspiration, cosmetics, and urine that enter pools on the bodies of swimmers. Chlorine disinfectants are added to pool water...
View ArticleThe Chemistry Behind a Healthy Smile
Toothpaste The unassuming tube of toothpaste in your bathroom has many chemicals working together to keep your teeth clean and healthy. Here are just some of the chemicals used in toothpaste:...
View ArticleChemistry in Everyday Life: Ways to Introduce Chemistry to Kids
Showering and getting ready for the day: We experience the chemistry of cosmetics and skincare every time we get ready in the morning, from our shampoos and soaps in our showers to the personal care...
View ArticleRole of Chemistry in Vaccine Ingredients and Safety
Hailed as one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th Century by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccines can help save 2 to 3 million lives every year. As a...
View ArticleUnmasking Chemistry’s Contributions to Halloween Safety and Fun
Choose Flame-Resistant Halloween Costumes Organizations like the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)...
View ArticleHow Chemistry Helps Make your Photos Picture Perfect
Photography in Medical Uses Through medical imaging, we gain the ability to peer inside the human body. Techniques such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs provide doctors with unprecedented views of our...
View Article