chemistry

Vivian Abagiu, University of Texas at Austin

This LEGO Box Could Be Key to Detecting Deadly Nerve Gas

Scientists at UT Austin have developed an inexpensive, portable way to detect nerve agents in the field, and it starts with toy bricks.

The Simple Way to Reheat Your French Fries and Not Have Them Turn Into a Soggy Mess

Enjoying crispy leftover fries at home is possible.

How Long to Steep Your Tea, According to Science

You're a quick chemistry lesson away from a better brew.

Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano Is Causing Another Explosive Problem: Laze

You don't want to come into contact with even the slightest wisp of it.

Narayan Khandekar, director of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies

To Dye For: Inside the Vast Library That Stores the World’s Rarest Pigments

The rainbow of jars at the Straus Center can tell us a lot about how art comes into being—and how to save it.

New Clear Coating for Everyday Objects Repels Practically All Liquids

Bid farewell to fingerprints on your phone.

Why You Never See Fresh Olives at the Grocery Store

This is one case where fresh isn't best.

For the First Time, Researchers Join Two Specific Atoms Using Laser Tweezers

Creating compounds in the lab just got a lot more precise.

The Chemistry Behind the Smell of Rain

It's called petrichor, and a surprising amount of research has been done into the origins of the scent since it was first identified more than five decades ago.

10 Facts About Lithium

Lithium is used in everything from smartphone batteries to medication for bipolar disorder.

David Monniaux, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

The Thermodynamic Genius of the Classic Drinking Bird Toy

The kitschy desk ornament's mechanism confounded Albert Einstein.

What Makes Pop Rocks Pop?

Those tiny candies pack a lot of pressure.

Why We Get Sweat Stains—And What You Can Do About Them

The culprit isn't perspiration—it's your deodorant.

10 Quick Facts About Cobalt

It was named after subterranean German goblins.

Scientists Are Using an Ancient Egyptian Pigment to Create New Technologies

Egyptian blue, the world's earliest-known artificial pigment, could help pave the way for advances in medical imaging and forensics.

Sit Down at a Periodic Table That Holds Samples of Every Element

This isn't your average kitchen table.

Exploding Pants Were a Problem in 1930s New Zealand

In the 1930s, farmers weren't sure why their clothes kept bursting into flames.

9 Essential Facts About Carbon

Diamonds aren't called "ice" because of their appearance.

8 Essential Facts About Uranium

Uranium made Fiesta Ware colorful … and radioactive.

Researchers Pinpoint the Genes Behind the Durian's Foul Stench

That odor is extra powerful for a reason.

Eye-Catching Videos Show the Beauty of Chemical Reactions

It's gorgeous when elements react in high resolution.

Meteorites Splashing Into 'Warm Little Ponds' May Have Sparked Life on Earth

A new study supports a theory first proposed by Charles Darwin.

2017 Ig Nobel Prizes Celebrate Research on How Crocodiles Affect Gambling and Other Odd Studies

It's hard to pick a favorite from these off-the-wall studies exploring topics like whether cats can be both solid and liquid, the physics of walking backwards with coffee, and the brain activity of people who are grossed out by cheese.

How Japan's 'Dancing' Cats Predicted a Deadly Environmental Disaster

Something was wrong with the local felines … and soon humans would get sick too.