I'm sure you've heard that binging on turkey will make you sleepy, and there's a reason for that. Turkey contains tryptophan, which some believe is the go-to amino acid for increasing serotonin (a calming neurotransmitter) and/or melatonin (a sleep inducing hormone) in your br ...more
I became a big fan of polenta while studying Italian cooking. Previously, it never occurred to me that ground corn could create a dish that could rival the best pastas or potatoes. Those rich, golden bowls of cornmeal, cooked until tender and flavored with good olive oil, butt ...more
Onion scrubs, salt and olive oil blends, a baking soda slurry... despite the many methods already out there to clean your (old or brand-new) cast iron cookware, there's one you may not have considered: using a potato. Don't Miss: The Ultimate Potato Cheat Sheet According to ...more
This video is by Adrian McLaughlin, aka plasticraincoat1 on YouTube, who shows us one of the most magnificent examples of explosive polymerization ever. In the video, what appears to be about 1/2 tsp of p-nitroaniline (which is short for para-nitroaniline, which is also referr ...more
Have you ever wanted to ride a rollercoaster while listening to Lady Gaga? Or have the Star Wars theme auto-play when you enter your house? You can with Minecraft. Search Youtube for a popular song + Minecraft, and chances are there will be a video for it! Minecraft gives pla ...more
Want to show off using the fancy flames of magicians? This video will show you how to easily make flash paper. To normally make flash paper is a complicated process involving sulphuric acid and nitric acid.. here's an easy way using toilet paper, an old flare and a camping stove.
This science experiment will show you how to make a storm inside a test tube. This video tutorial will demonstrate the process of making the miniature thunderstorm inside a test tube with just a few common chemicals. All you need for your very own thunder storm is a glass test ...more
Tender is the name of the game when it comes to cooking damn delicious meat, but achieving that succulent texture isn't always easy. Thanks to the folks over at Cook's Illustrated, though, we now know there's a simple, foolproof trick to take when tackling meat tenderness... ...more
See how to bake without butter, sugar, eggs, dairy milk and more. If you think it’s impossible to bake without butter without losing flavor and texture, then keep on reading. Even if you already substitute butter in your cakes and cookies, there may be some things in this art ...more
In this video, we learn how to make green fire from household materials. You will need: antifreeze, boric acid, and a glass jar. First, pour the antifreeze into the jar until it's 1/3 of the way filled. After this, drop a spoonful of the boric acid into the mixture and mix it ...more
There are certain foods and beverages that can actually brighten your smile or improve your dental health when you chew or sip them. Once you understand their chemical properties or textures, you can look to items you already have in your cupboards or refrigerator to help keep ...more
There are several reasons why restaurant food tastes so good. One is that the cooks know how to make reductions, which involves cooking down large amounts of liquid until it becomes a pool of thick, glossy sauce. While this technique isn't hard to learn, it can be time-consumi ...more
Hear me out. No, really. Before you sharpen your pitchforks and give me anecdotal evidence of your Chinese restaurant syndrome, I think you need to know a few things about monosodium glutamate. First of all, it's a naturally-occurring chemical compound that can be found in any ...more
Generate electricity using only a nickel, a penny and a mild household acid like lemon juice or vinegar. Make a battery using an alternating stack of these coins and create enough electricity to power a desktop Christmas tree. Follow along in this instructional video and learn ...more
Originally discovered in dry lake beds in Tibet, borax is a mineral and a salt of boric acid, and is usually sold in white powder form in drugstores. Like baking soda, borax has many household cleaning uses, and can also be used to get rid of insects and pests from your living ...more
This video demonstrates how to do image transfers. For this project, you will need the following: acid free card stock, stencils, transparency film, a gel medium, and a PC. Image transfers will allow you to create depth and interest in your artwork. Find an image that you woul ...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
"The best season for food is the worst season for cooking." These words, spoken by food blogger Dave Klopfenstein of Dave's Kitchen, couldn't be more true. As spring turns into summer, farmer's markets and grocery stores are loaded with fresh, juicy fruits and vegetables—but ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make a test tube thunderstorm. They show you how to make the thunderstorm in a test tube using alcohol, sulfuric acid and potassium permanganate. WARNING: This experiment is extremely dangerous as it involves corrosiv ...more
I have an absolutely wonderful time making projects and writing articles for all of you mad scientists! Today, I will bring you behind the scenes for a look at the workbench, tools, and software that make the Mad Science World possible. Above is my beautiful workbench! My who ...more
Few summertime drinks are as sweet, tart, and refreshing as lemonade. It can cool off even the hottest day and help you relax poolside, on the beach, or just sitting around the house. Don't Miss: Add a Burst of Flavor to Your Drinks with Fruity Ice Cubes Although basic lemo ...more
Learn how to polish silver with the folks from Martha Stewart's REAL SIMPLE. Beautiful silver pieces shouldn't languish at the back of a shelf. Removing tarnish might seem like a time-consuming task, but some simple household products make for an easy clean? no backbreaking sc ...more
Aspirin masks are not something new, but many people are not aware of this amazing mask and the potential it has for clearing you skin! For this tutorial, you will need a bottle or a box of standard Aspirin. Detailed Instructions here: http://www.xanga.com/RiceBunny/56772818 ...more
The Spanish and Portuguese introduced many things (some desirable, some not, depending on your POV) to Mexico in the sixteenth century: Christianity, language, and lots of flora and fauna. Among the flora were radishes, a root vegetable which was briskly inducted into the loc ...more
As if the swollen, painful joints of rheumatoid arthritis weren't enough, the disease is the result of our immune system turning against cells of our own body. Ever since this realization, scientists have worked to find the trigger that sets the immune system off. Scientists b ...more
Attacks against databases have become one of the most popular and lucrative activities for hackers recently. New data breaches seem to be popping up every week, but even with all of that attention, databases continue to be a prime target. All of these attacks have to start som ...more
Gravy is a relatively simple dish, yet it's remarkably easy to mess up. We've all experienced the disappointment of excitedly pouring gravy onto our mashed potatoes, only to realize it's too runny, too lumpy, or too bland. And because gravy is so simple, even if you don't mess ...more
Salmon is full of protein and omega 3 fatty acid which helps you’re brain function and is a healthy fat. Add this delicious and healthy fish to your dinner with simple seasoning and cooking method that will really show off the flavor. Follow these simple steps to make an easy ...more
The Interactive Lab Primer (ILP) has been developed as part of the Royal Society of Chemistry Teacher Fellowship Scheme, one of the themes of the Chemistry for Our Future program, and initiative which aims to secure a strong and sustainable future for the chemical sciences in ...more
Don’t squeeze that blackhead! There’s a gentler way to get rid of it, and several steps you can take to prevent new ones from forming. You Will Need: * A medium-size pot of boiling water * Tea tree, eucalyptus, or lavender essential oil * A large towel * A mild soap or facia ...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
Taylor and Lily demonstrate making fizzy bath bombs. Ingredients needed are one cup of citric acid, one half cup of corn starch, one cup of baking soda, and one quarter cup of a light vegetable oil. Food coloring and flavored extracts or essential oils can be use to scent them ...more
If I were to write a snickerdoodle FAQ list, the top question would undoubtedly be "Do I really need to use cream of tartar in my snickerdoodle cookies?" Don't Miss: 5 Baking Substitutions Every Home Cook Should Know I dug deep into the baking science world to find out why ...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
Now you see it, now you don't! Team up with the science sleuths of A-TV to make your own invisible ink. To follow along, you'll need these materials: baking soda paper water light bulb and light cotton swabs paint brush measuring cup grape juice concentrate The steps for th ...more
Beer isn't just for drinking anymore. There are many useful and surprising things that an ice-cold brewski can help you accomplish, from household chores to better-tasting food. It can even help you look and feel healthier. And while it may seem sacrilegious to use a beer for ...more
Indian snacks are awesome, but when we look into the health factor, they go from 30 to 0 in 2 seconds flat. Poha chivda is a wonderful healthy snack alternative to the fried ones, you so yearn for at the stores. This poha chivda recipe has a great shelf life and is so easy to ...more
You can’t change the size of your pores, but you can make them look a lot smaller. You Will Need * A facial cleanser containing salicylic acid * An oil-free moisturizer with retinol * SPF 30 Sunscreen * A facial primer containing silicone * Matte makeup * A gentle exfoliant ...more
Dandruff -- the embarrassing white flakes that end up like snowfall on your shoulders and clothing. There are plenty of dandruff shampoos on the market to choose from, unfortunately, they are all very expensive. If you have ever wondered what ingredients make them so expensive ...more
How to do the Bus Stop, with early 90s house music, Fast Eddie Acid Thunder, Betty Boo background, The Sound Factory.
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
Add some fizzle and sizzle to bath time with a homemade bath bomb. Bath bombs make great holiday or birthday gifts. You will need: 1 c. baking soda 1/2 c. cornstarch 1/2 c. citric acid 2 1/2 tbsp. sweet almond oil 1/8 c. distilled water 6 drops of the essential oil of your ch ...more
What is MnSO4 and MNO2, anyway? They are they molecular formula for Manganese Sulfate and Manganese Dioxide. And you can make one from the other. But how? Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make MnSO4 from MNO2 with 2 separate ways with Dr. Lithium. T ...more
In this video, we learn how to hollow out a penny. First, you need pennies that are dated after 1982, muriatic acid, a plastic container, and sandpaper. First, rub the edge of the penny on sandpaper until the silver color is exposed. Do this on two pennies, then place them in ...more
This video speaks to everyone who has ever bought anything online, or in fact, anyone who has ever bought anything period. How do you know what you're getting is genuine? Is it a fake product? Is it stolen goods? Is it impure? Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage ...more
There was once a time when everyone scoffed at the turmeric tonic tea sold at the coffee shop I work at. Funny, because as of recently, we seem to be selling out. How can this be explained? Beyoncé must have been spotted buying turmeric beverages on the cover of some celebrity ...more
Heartburn can keep you up at night. Learn prevention tips and treatments for heartburn from Pharmacologist Joe Graedon and Dr. Terry Graedon in this how to video. Watch and see how stimulating saliva production with hard candy or gum can help the acid go back down into your st ...more
At WonderHowTo we've drowned and revived a fly, we've flown fly-powered aircrafts, and now we are inspired to make our own Dead-Fly-Art. Incredibly clever fly-comics from Acid Cow:
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
Was Napoleon's death really due to stomach cancer, or was it arsenic poisoning? Some scientist believe the latter. Arsenic poisoning was a deadly weapon in that era, because it was undetectable when administered over a long period of time, making murder seem like natural cause ...more
Unless you had a master of visual effects for a parent, you had to imagine the floor was actually lava when playing the classic furniture-hopping game. With a Microsoft HoloLens, however, you don't have to imagine anything. Video: . Don't Miss: The Red Pill Turns Any Space int ...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
What is gluten, why do some people think it is pure culinary evil, and why are there more and more products devoted to being free of this mysterious substance? Here's what one person thinks: What Is Gluten Really? Gluten is a protein found in wheat (including lesser-known spe ...more
Making yogurt at home doesn't sound like an easy task at first. We initially saw it as detailed, hands-on, and precise—a process that required special equipment, specialized (and expensive) live-culture bacteria, and loads of yogurt knowledge. But, lo and behold, we discovere ...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
As a kid, I remember hearing the myth that Twinkies could last forever. The rumor was that they were made from chemical ingredients that caused the Twinkies to stay fresh and edible for years and years. Right along with the cockroach, Twinkies were supposed to be the only surv ...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
In this video, we learn how to make iodine easily. You will need potassium iodine and sulfuric acid to make this. First, add the acid into the potassium iodine slowly. After you add in each part, swirl the beaker slowly so it gets mixed together. After you have added in all of ...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
You can find chili peppers in practically every cuisine. From the sweet Italian variety to the spicy Thai bird's chili and the smoky Mexican chipotle, peppers are ubiquitous and universally loved. But if you find the range and scope of these little fireballs overwhelming, you' ...more