Reactions

The fantasy epic Game of Thrones is back this Sunday night, and it is sure to be chock full of intrigue, indiscretions and, of course, swords. The most sought-after blades in Westeros are made from Valyrian steel, forged using ancient magic. But could you make your own Valyrian steel sword using real-life chemistry? Reactions collaborated with cosplaying chemistry fanatic and material scientist Ryan Consell to see if we could blend metallurgy with Westerosi magic.

It’s supposed to help keep your body healthy in stressful situations. But the constant stress of our everyday lives means we’re getting overexposed to cortisol. Raychelle Burks, Ph.D. explains why too much cortisol is bad for you in the latest episode of the Reactions series "Get To Know A Molecule". Special thanks to CAS for supporting this episode. For more information visit http://www.cas.org. For more information on the SciFinder Future Leaders program, visit http://cas.org/futureleaders.

Last year, Reactions shook up the comedy world with a video featuring nothing but chemistry jokes. After overwhelming public acclaim, we’re back for this April Fools’ Day with round two, featuring a number of fan submissions. Be sure to leave your chemistry jokes in the comments, and you might be featured in our next compilation!

It seems like it's in just about every product on store shelves: High fructose corn syrup. What is it and how is it different from regular old sugar? Reactions is here to answer those sweet questions.

It’s been around for centuries but it seems like beer has never been more popular. Microbreweries are cranking out special stouts, IPAs, lagers and pilsners. And the flavors and aromas of each of those brews all come down to chemistry. This week, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Reactions takes on craft beer chemistry. Big thanks to Matt Hartings, Ph.D., professor of chemistry and home brewer extraordinaire. For more beer chemistry, check out this fantastic graphic from Compound Interest.

Leaves of three, let them be, right? But what happens when you get covered in poison ivy and can’t stop scratching? Jennifer Novotney, winner of the 2014 Chemistry Champions science communications competition, breaks down what it is about that dreaded vine that makes us so itchy and cooks up a remedy for the poison ivy’s itch using the power of chemistry. ALSO! The American Chemical Society (ACS) is looking for the next great science communicator. We’re bringing back the Chemistry Champions contest for 2015! If you think you’re the Carl Sagan of chemistry, check out http://www.acs.org/chemchamps for more details.

People have turned to “vaping” with electronic cigarettes as an alternative to puffing on the real thing. But Is that vapor you’re inhaling any safer than taking a drag on a cigarette? This week, Reactions examines what we know, and what we don’t, about e-cigarettes. Big thanks to Andy over at Compound Interest. There's also a cover story from Chemical and Engineering News on the topic: http://cenm.ag/ecigarette.

It’s colorless, odorless and can be deadly. Carbon monoxide is no joke, especially in the winter when people will do just about anything to warm up. Raychelle Burks, Ph.D., explains why carbon monoxide is so dangerous, and how you can stay safe, in the latest episode of the Reactions series Get To Know A Molecule. Want a free trip to CAS and an upcoming ACS National Meeting? Find out more about the SciFinder Future Leaders program here: http://www.cas.org/FutureLeaders.

Blue jeans are among the most popular clothing items in the entire world. But how did Levi Strauss get his “workwear,” as he called it, so blue? Through chemistry, of course. This week, we look at the chemistry of everyone’s favorite pair of pants. Check out Lauren Wolf's original article on jeans: https://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/89/8... Also check out our sister series "Speaking of Chemistry" starring Lauren and other awesome folks: http://bit.ly/SOChem.

If there’s one man in Hollywood that knows the value of chemistry, it’s Michael Bay. He’s taught society that in the face of a half-baked plot and thin script, big budget explosions can save your box office bacon. In our latest episode, we're going Hollywood and explaining the chemistry behind those spectacular big budget explosions.

Valentine’s Day is Saturday, and people will be spending billions on their sweethearts. Much of that cash will be dropped on sweet-smelling roses. But did you know that one minor chemical change would make that rose not smell as sweet? Chemist Raychelle Burks, Ph.D., explains why in the debut episode of our new sub-series Get to Know a Molecule (GTKAM). Check out future GTKAM episodes every 2 weeks, where we'll highlight more everyday compounds from the 91 million molecules scientists have uncovered. Want a free trip to CAS and an upcoming ACS National Meeting? Find out more about the SciFinder Future Leaders program here: http://www.cas.org/FutureLeaders.

Is there such a thing as love at first smell? There are hundreds of spray-on pheromone products that claim to put you on the fast track to romance. But can they really help humans land a mate? Reactions has the answers in this week’s episode.

One saved the U.S. space program, another invented a better treatment for leprosy, and a third spawned an industry in the American Midwest. Mary Sherman Morgan, Alice Ball and Rachel Lloyd all had amazing accomplishments in chemistry, but their work was nearly lost to history. Celebrate their work with us in the latest episode of our sub-series, "Legends of Chemistry". Huge thanks to Raychelle Burks, Ph.D. for her work on this project.

The cold weather of winter can also mean dry, cracked skin. Many reach for the moisturizer to keep their skin soft, but how do these products actually work? Before you head to the beauty aisle, Reactions has the answers in this week’s episode.

With temperatures falling along with snow, we’re smack in the middle of winter. While you wait out the winter months, we’ve got advice on keeping your windshield fog-free, getting unstuck from the snow and even how to make your own hand warmer. It’s all in the latest installment of our Chemistry Life Hacks series.