US NSF - News - Chemistry Now

National Science Foundation

		The National Science Foundation (NSF) has joined forces with NBC Learn and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) to celebrate the International Year of Chemistry by creating "Chemistry Now"--a weekly, online video series that uncovers and explains the science of common, physical objects in our world and the changes they undergo every day. The series also looks at the lives and work of scientists on the frontiers of the 21st century... More. Episodes The Chemistry of Salt (NaCl) This video explains and illustrates the molecular structure of sodium chloride (NaCl) crystals; the structure and symmetry of crystal lattices; and why one crystalline solid, salt, melts another, ice. View video (6:23) The Chemistry of Ice This video explains how the molecular structure of H₂O changes as it reaches its freezing point, and turns from a liquid to a less dense, solid, crystal lattice. View video (5:22) Chance Discoveries: Cellophane A Swiss chemist tries to stain-proof tablecloths by coating them with a viscous cellulose-based liquid, but it peels off in clear sheets when it dries. That new material, when refined, revolutionizes the way food is packaged and sold. View video (4:11) The Chemistry of CO2: Carbon Dioxide This video explains and illustrates the molecular structure of CO₂; how the bonding of the carbon and oxygen molecules illustrates the Octet Rule, or Rule of 8; carbon dioxide and carbonation; the role of CO₂ in the Earth's atmosphere; and how changing levels of CO₂ can affect the temperature on the Earth's surface, including the oceans. View video (4:07) Chance Discoveries: Kevlar Part of a series on "Chance Discoveries" in chemistry, this video tells the story of lab work done in 1965 by DuPont chemist Stephanie Kwolek that unexpectedly produced Kevlar, a lightweight fiber five times stronger than steel. Kevlar fibers can be spun into anti-ballistic, shrapnel-resistant material for protective body armor worn by police forces, military troops and those in combat zones. View video (4:07) Chemistry of Fear and Fright Are you arachnophobic? Acrophobic? Ophidiophobic? This video explains how two hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, work to trigger a cascade of "fight or flight" fear responses when you're confronted by a spider, a great height or a snake. View video (4:58) Chance Discoveries: Polyethylene This video, part of a series on "Chance Discoveries" in chemistry, tells how three different chemists in two countries over more than 30 years happened to make a white, waxy substance during lab experiments that, once recognized as potentially useful and developed, became polyethylene -- the most common plastic in the world. View video (4:38) Chemistry of Changing Leaves Why do tree leaves turn gold, orange and scarlet in the fall? This video explains the role of pigment molecules, including chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanin, in the changing leaves of autumn. View video (4:22) Diamonds, Pencils and Buckyballs: A Look at Buckminsterfullerene Buckminsterfullerene molecules--carbon allotropes along with diamonds and graphite--have a hollow spherical shape, like the geodesic spheres designed by American inventor and architect R. Buckminster Fuller. View video (5:59) Chance Discoveries: Graphene A breakthrough small in size but potentially large in impact. View video (4:35) Chance Discoveries: Safety Glass A lab accident in 1903 led to the development of the first safety glass--just as the first automobiles were being produced. View video (3:52) 21st Century Scientist: "Green" NC State Chemist Looks for Cleaner, Safer Fuel Process In this 21st Century Chemist profile, North Carolina State University chemist Dr. Elon Ison explains his research on catalysts that could be used to make alternative fuels--for example, efficiently converting methane gas into methanol as an alternative to gasoline. View video (4:40) 21st Century Scientist: Origami Chemistry: NYU Chemist Folds Molecules 21st Century chemist Kent Kirshenbaum of New York University engineers and folds synthetic peptoids in hopes of creating "hunter-killer" molecules that can target and destroy deadly bacteria like staph (MRSA). View video (5:32) 21st Centry Scientists: Facundo Fernandez In this 21st Century Chemist profile, Georgia Tech University chemist Facundo Fernandez explains his efforts to detect worthless or harmful counterfeit medications--eventually using a hand-held device, he hopes. Worldwide, an estimated 700,000 people a year die from counterfeit malaria and TB drugs. View video (4:23) 21st Century Scientist: Seeing Tiny Cancer "Markers" Sooner: Purdue Chemist Works on 'Nano' Scale In this 21st Century Chemist profile, Purdue University analytical chemist Mary Wirth works with "nanomaterials" to improve the clarity and accuracy of tests for tiny "biomarker" proteins that indicate disease--specifically, levels of PSAs, or Prostate Specific Antigens, that signal prostate cancer. View video (6:31) It's a Wash: The Chemistry of Soap "The Chemistry of Soap" explains how soaps and detergents--surfactants--work to break up grease and dirt on soiled surfaces, by breaking water's surface tension and suspending dirt and oil particles in water so everything can be wiped away. View video (5:47) How to Wash an Ocean: Testing Chemical Dispersants on Oil Spill Cleanup Responding to the months-long oil spill from a BP well in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, a team of polymer chemists in Mississippi set to inventing a non-toxic chemical dispersant that could break up oily deposits without harming marine or wetlands wildlife. View video (5:54) Chemistry of Water: H₂0 It might just be the most universally known fact in chemistry: the chemical formula for water--H₂O. View video (4:46) Chemistry of Chocolate The chemical reactions that make chocolate: heat, temperature, melting point. View video (5:02) Cheeseburger Chemistry: The Bun The chemistry of bread: gas and sugar reactions. View video (4:53) Cheeseburger Chemistry: Cooking Burgers The chemistry in cooking meat: protein reactions, Maillard reaction. View video (6:00) Cheeseburger Chemistry: Cheese How chemistry transforms liquid milk into solid cheese: coagulation. View video (5:32) Cheeseburger Chemistry: Tomatoes How chemistry ripens and reddens tomatoes: ethylene, lycopene, gases, diffusion. View video (5:46) Cheeseburger Chemistry: Pickles The chemistry of preservatives: fermentation, acid and pH. View video (6:12) Cheeseburger Chemistry: Condiments The chemistry of ketchup, mustard and mayo: suspensions, emulsions. View video (8:02) Chemical Bonds: Single, Double, Bond Placement Molecules profiled: eugenol, isoeugenol. View video (4:07) Chiral Molecules: Molecule Structure, Properties Links between molecule structure and physical properties. Molecule profiled: carvone View video (4:14) Chemistry of Green: Chlorophyll The chemistry of photosynthesis, pigments, visible light spectrum. View video (5:35) Chemistry of Color: Flowers The chemistry of petal pigments: chromoplasts, conjugated bonds. View video (5:57) Chemistry of Smell Smell that? Our sense of smell is a complex set of chemical reactions. In this 21st Century Chemist profile, California Institute of Technology chemist Nate Lewis explains his work developing an artificial, electronic "nose" that can read odor patterns to detect and distinguish odors. View video (6:15) Chemistry of Nylon: Polymers, Polyamides The 1930s invention of nylon revolutionized the global textile and materials industry. View video (6:48) Chemistry of Synthetic Dyes The unexpected discovery of mauveine, the first synthetic dye. View video (4:05) Chemistry of Household Cleaners: Ammonia The dirt on ammonia as a cleaning agent. View video (6:15) Chemistry of Biotoxins In this 21st Century Chemist profile, City University of New York chemist Mandë Holford explains her research on the toxins produced by venomous sea snails, and her work to synthesize these long-peptide toxins for eventual use in treating chronic pain in humans. View video (4:41) Chance Discoveries: Artificial Sweeteners This video, part of a series on "Chance Discoveries" in chemistry, tells the story of three artificial sweeteners--saccharin, cyclamate and aspartame--all discovered by lab researchers who failed to completely wash their hands. View video (5:09) Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations presented in this material are only those of the presenter grantee/researcher, author, or agency employee; and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.