You've manage to get your hands on some ruthenium, and now you want to destroy the hard silvery-white metal of the transition series. Well, you're going to try all kinds of ways to dissolve this odd metal, but the only successful way to dissolve ruthenium is with a common hous ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make iodine from sulfuric acid and alkali metal iodide. This is the best way to make elemental iodine from sulfuric acid and sodium or potassium iodide. Warning: Reaction must be done outside or in a fumehood due to p ...more
Check out this video tutorial to learn how to do this crackle nail polish based - grunge metal acid nails ! Video: . For Nail art tutorials - http://www.youtube.com/user/SuperWowstyle?feature=mhee Thanks for watching! Do share your opinions on this polish design if you wish t ...more
Aqua regia (königswasser in German) is a very corrosive liquid made from a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid (1:2 - 1:3). This chemical mixture is so corrosive that it can even dissolve gold, and that's what you'll learn about in this video. The aqua regia will nee ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to test if a fertilizer has nitrates rather than urea or ammonia as its nitrogen source. The idea is quit simple, in a strongly acidic solution the nitrates will behave like nitric acid and dissolve copper metal releasin ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make iodine from an alkali metal iodide, hydrochloric acid (HCI), and hydroxide peroxide (H2O2). Warning: This reaction makes small amounts of chlorine gas and should be performed outside or in a fumehood. This metho ...more
Got an upset stomach or a little heartburn? America's favorite pink pill will cure it right up. But did you know that there's actually metal hiding in those chewable Pepto-Bismol tablets? Yes, metal. Technically, it's a poor metal, but metal's metal, right? Well, we do tend to ...more
Volume markings on large pots and mixing bowls make life so much easier. They cut out the step of measuring and save you the trouble of washing measuring cups. However, there aren't many containers out there that actually have volume markers in them. Good news is that you can ...more
One of the most famous and repeated chemistry experiments involves money. Some would say this is more of a trick than an experiment, but you can be the judge of that. No one can just turn pennies into silver or gold coins, but someone with a few chemicals can. So, if you want ...more
Most of you probably spread ketchup all over hamburgers and fries. Some of you may even drink it straight. But did you know that tame (and slightly addictive) condiment in your fridge is also a powerful cleaning agent? Melissa Ibbitson, 19, consumes 3 bottles of ketchup every ...more
Certain ingredients that a professional chef might work with in a restaurant-style setting may seem bizarre, dangerous, and even downright scary to a home cook, and for good reason. One of these examples is lye. Yes, that's lye, the alkaline base used to make soap, dissolve h ...more
Etching your own circuit boards is tons of fun, but etching requires strong chemicals to dissolve the copper plating on blank circuit boards. The normal ferric chloride solution works well, but can be expensive and leaves permanent stains. Luckily, we can whip up our own etcha ...more
This is chemistry at its best! Europium is the chemical element (Eu) which was named after Europe. Dysprosium (Dy) is a rare earth element of a metallic silver luster. Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make europium and dysprosium nitrate salts with Dr ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make a desiccator bag for drying chemicals with Dr. Lithium. The complete guide to making a desiccator bag for thoroughly drying hygroscopic chemicals. Some chemicals are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb water from th ...more
Find out how everything in a chemistry lab works, from pipettes to burners to recrystallization to storage. You'll get precise instructions on how to work and perform certain scientific duties in the chem lab, whether it's chemical or just ordinary high school science. Watch ...more
Notorious hacker Chris Tarnovsky opens his underground laboratory to WIRED, providing a peek into the world of satellite television smart-card hacking. This complicated process involves nail polish, a pin head and various acids -- so don't try this at home (unless you're Chris ...more
Rust protection doesn't have to cost a fortune. With a little zinc and some electricity, you can protect your precious metals from rust by galvanization. When you galvanize something, you're giving it a protective coating, and in this case, it's a zinc coating. Watch this sci ...more
Want to learn how to make thermite? Just watch this science experiment video to see how to make thermite from iron-oxide and aluminum. A metal crucible is filled with iron-oxide and aluminum. A small amount of potassium, sugar and chloride is placed on top of iron-oxide alumi ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make potassium permanganate with Dr. Lithium with potassium nitrate and manganese dioxide. WARNING: This experiment deals with very high temperatures in glass equipment. Face shields and protection against shattering ...more
In this video tutorial the instructor talks about Hydrochloric acid (HCL) and how it reacts to a few metals. To try this out take 30 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid in a beaker. You need to employ caution while handling acids, especially if you use strong ones. Now you ca ...more
This is a video tutorial in the Education category where you are going to learn how to make boric acid from borax. For this experiment you will need borax (disodium tetra borate) and conc. hydrochloric acid. Take 25 ml of hydrochloric acid and dilute it with 75 ml of water. Ne ...more
Pressure canners are perfect for processing low-acid foods using heat. These are usually metal like kettles that contain a lockable lid. In this tutorial, you'll find out how to buy a pressure canner and properly use it to preserve veggies and other foods. So good luck and enjoy!
Glass is one of the least reactive substances known to chemistry. It is the standard container material for almost all lab chemicals because it's so inert. But there are a couple of substances that have strong reactions with glass. Sodium hydroxide, aka solid drain cleaner or ...more
This video tutorial is in the Education category which will show you how to make elemental sulfur (sulphur). The chemicals you need are nitric acid and sodium thiosulphate. The reaction produces toxic SO2 gas so keep it coved with a watch glass. Put 12.9 grams of sodium thiosu ...more
Kimchi can be spelled in a variety of ways (gimchi, kimchee, kim tee), but what is it exactly? It's a Korean pickled dish made with vegetables and varied seasonings, and it's the most common side dish in South Korea. In this video tutorial, you'll gain the recipe for making ki ...more
This free video science lesson from the Home Scientist demonstrates a simple technique for creating ammonium chloride from hydrochloric acid and ammonia. For all of the relevant details and detailed, step-by-step instructions, as well as to get started trying this experiment y ...more
Chef Hubert Keller is known for his ingenuity in cooking, like when Frank Sinatra came into his restaurant and ordered something not on the menu — a pizza. Quickly, he had to come up with a great pizza recipe and this is what's come of it. Check out the recipe for this mouthwa ...more
If you're lucky enough to have a dishwasher, you probably use that sucker to clean everything (minus your good cooking knives), and maybe even to cook your food, too. However, dishwashers are not without their faults. Dishes can still come out spotty and even with chunks of fo ...more
Most of us have conducted an investigatory science project without even knowing it, or at least without knowing that's what it was called. Most science experiments performed, from elementary to high school students and all the way up to professional scientists, are investigato ...more
RFID cards are becoming a fairly common way to purchase goods, but they're already widely used to pay fares on buses, trains, subways, and trolleys across various cities. TAP cards are quick and reliable, but it can be a real pain to remember to bring them with you, especially ...more
Ever see those cars so covered in dirt, dust, and grime that someone writes "Wash me" on it using their finger? Well, for those cars' sakes, as well as cases less extreme, a word of advice: procrastination is not a solution — it can only compound the problem. Self-cleaning car ...more
The balanced and refreshing taste of a cocktail should always entice you into another sip. You'll know you're drinking something of quality when no specific ingredient, including booze, dominates its taste. A great cocktail can even mirror a great meal by exhibiting flavors li ...more
Lemons and limes might be among the most useful fruits in the kitchen and even beyond. Their bright, tart flavor livens up just about any dish, while their mildly acidic nature makes them incredibly useful when you want to clean your house safely. We already knew lemons were g ...more
Need a way to prove your strength? Only superheroes have the power to tear metal, right? Wrong! Even the weakest nerds can shred metal with science on their side. Ripping through metal is easier than it sounds. We have yet to discover a HowTo on getting your muscles into su ...more
It's a stormy winter night, and you're electricity goes out. You could grab some candles to add a little light to your life, or you could use glow-in-the-dark chemicals for a cool luminescent. Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make a luminescent, phos ...more
You already know how to make sulfuric acid with the metabisulfite and oxidizer method and you saw how to make copper sulfate from copper and sulfuric acid, so now try making sulfuric acid with these two in mind… with sulfuric acid by electrolysis of copper using an inert anode ...more
Yogurt has a variety of uses, some of which you may be unfamiliar with. For just $60 a cup you can whip up a (rather tasty) yogurt mask that combats acne as well as acne scarring. Yogurt contains lactic acid, which dissolves the top layer of skin to remove dead debris. There ...more
Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate is a crystalline hydrate - a salt of aluminum and nitric acid - Al(NO3)3·9H2O. It's used for a variety of things such as antiperspirants, corrosion inhibitors, and petroleum refining, or… glow-in-the-dark powder. Watch this science video tutorial f ...more
Gwen Schoen, Food Writer at the Sacramento Bee, shows us how to make Dark Caramel Fleur de sel Truffles. Melt some bittersweet chocolate in a metal bowl over simmering water. To make the caramel filling, mix sugar and water together and boil for several minutes until the suga ...more
This video shows you an alternative procedure to bismuth subnitrate, using Pepto-Bismol tablets. You'll learn how to test for alkaloids, similar to a toxicology report. Put on your goggles, for this great home science experiment. Ingredients: *1. Transfer two Pepto-Bismol tabl ...more
This video shows us ho to make an acne fighting toner out of aspirin. If you have an acne prone or oily skin, try a toner with Salicylic Acid or BHA in it. If you want to have an acne fighting toner that is cheaper than the commercial products then you must know how to make an ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make a mirror silvering solution from silver nitrate, ammonia, sugar, and sodium hydroxide. Glass surfaces can be given coatings of silver that make them into mirrors. WARNING: Perform the whole science experiment in ...more
In order to make manganese dioxide electrodes, you're going to need cobalt nitrate and manganese nitrate to do it. Making cobalt nitrate is fairly easy, but making the manganese nitrate is a little more complicated. But not impossible. Watch this science video tutorial from N ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make silver nitrate from silver and nitric acid. They show the chemistry of making this cool chemistry, colorless solid. WARNING: This reaction produces toxic nitrogen dioxide gas. Do not perform this reaction indoors ...more
Watch Chef Hubert Keller whip up a coffee cake that will fill your house and taste buds with the comforting aromas and flavors of cinnamon and sugar. Ingredients 1 package dry yeast 3 tablespoons sugar 1/3 cup warm water 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup cold milk 1 large egg 1-1/2 ...more
Find out how everything in a chemistry lab works, from pipettes to burners to recrystallization to storage. You'll get precise instructions on how to work and perform certain scientific duties in the chem lab, whether it's chemical or just ordinary high school science. Watch ...more
OK, so you don't necessarily have to make ammonium nitrate to have ammonium nitrate — ammonium nitrate can simply be obtained from fertilizers and instant cold packs. Making homemade NH4NO3 can be much more expensive then buying it, but this method is not meant to be a viable ...more
First off, don't be frustrated. YOU CAN DO IT! Contrary to the message in the image above, it's NOT over. It's just beginning. And when it comes to solving the New York Times crossword puzzle, the old cliche does apply: practice makes perfect. I've read quite a few books and ...more
There are three main types of exfoliates : the mechanical ones with the little scrubby beads; enzymatic ones made from the acids of fruits such as pineapple or papaya; and AHA’s (Alpha-hydroxy Acids). Mechanical exfoliates have little spherical granules (avoid anything not rou ...more
Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make your own all-natural face masks. Tired of spending a lot of money on facial products that don’t even work? Try on some masks made from items you already own—they’re all natural and good enough to eat! You Will Need * Canned pump ...more
Would it have been possible to build a rudimentary telegraph network in the stone age? Not too long ago, Jamie O'Sheathe of the Office for the Development of Substitute Materials set out to discover just that, venturing into the wilderness to determine whether a working telegr ...more
A clogged drain is not only an unpleasant but seems to happen at the most inconvenient time. Good thing there is a simple way to unclog most minor stoppages with a few household products. Be your own plumber and keep those drains free and flowing. Keep your sink drain flowing ...more
Join the A-TV science superstars and find out how to make a cabbage indicator to determine whether a substance is an acid or alkali. To make your own cabbage test, you'll need the following materials: red cabbage boiling pot of water strainer small clear cups medicine droppe ...more
It's easy to make a peck of pickled peppers – or any other vegetable – with this basic recipe. You Will Need * 3-4 lbs. beets, cucumbers, carrots, asparagus, bell peppers, or green bean * A large, oven-safe, lidded pot * Four one-pint canning jars * A boiling-water canner * A ...more
The World's Easiest Lava Lamp! This is an easy, fun science activity that is great for any age. In fact, our video crew ended up taking the extra bottles home to show their friends. It is also a great demonstration of liquid density, the release of gases in a chemical reaction ...more
We've all heard of the power that red wine holds. It can help lower risks of heart disease, boost your brain power, and can even recharge your car battery. But last year, a group of Japanese physicists made headlines when they announced that they could induce superconductivity ...more
We're officially seeking Null Byters on a weekly basis who are willing to take the time to educate the community. Contributors will write tutorials, which will be featured on the Null Byte blog, as well as the front page of WonderHowTo (IF up to par, of course). There is no ne ...more
Ingredients 3 quarts water 1 cup kosher salt 1 cup granulated sugar 1 3 to 4 pound pork roast 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon fresh sage 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons extra v ...more
Making a Martini Zing with Cilantro. There are many herbs that can make interesting martinis. Cilantro is one of the best to create a really unique drink. The ingredients you need are: vodka (the video uses Gray Goose), gin, simple syrup made from equal parts sugar and water b ...more
Look what came in the mail today! The File Cabinet from hell. Die hard Jackass fan and file cabinet mod-junkie Jeff Dahlin tracked us down to drop off this gem at WonderHowTo HQ today. It is his official entry for the Jackass Prank Contest. It has three wheels.... so it's a tr ...more