Glowing substances have always held a powerful appeal to people, and making new ones can be a lucrative business. If you need some glow powder for a project of yours, watch this video to learn how to make DIY glow-in-the-dark powder out of normal household chemicals. Video: . ...more
Most people need their morning pick-me-up to get the day started right. There's a Starbucks on every corner and caffeine "shots" are sold in convenience stores everywhere. Even Mountain Dew is getting in on the action with its new KickStart "breakfast" drink (whatever that mea ...more
Try out this science experiment... a classy chemical demonstration. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a foamy elephant toothpaste chemical reaction. There's a reason why they call this elephants toothpaste. Hydrogen peroxide is decomposed to form oxygen gas and w ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make a chemiluminescent reaction with home chemicals. Make a chemiluminescent singlet oxygen red light pulse from two simple chemicals almost anyone can buy: pool chlorine and hydrogen peroxide. NOTE: This is not a tr ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make a glow stick reaction with real chemicals. The glowstick reaction is made using a diphenyl oxalate derivative known as bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate or TCPO. Additional ingredients include ethyl acetate as a ...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
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a chemical indicator from kitchen items. First, make an indicator by grabbing some red cabbage and some vodka. Now, heat up some water until it's boiling, then place a smaller beaker inside the water with vodka inside of it. Place the red ...more
Get a red cabbage from the grocery store, and tear up about two or three leaves and put them in a glass jar. Cover the leaves with water and microwave, then strain out the leaves. You can mix the extract with different household chemicals and watch the color change!
Check out this science experiment video on how to chemical stalagmites. Chemist Chris Schrempp (star high school teacher and author of the book Bangs, Flashes, and Explosions) walks host Chris Hardwick through the process of making chemical stalagmites and some cool exothermic ...more
A new study casts real suspicion on the possibility of life on Mars. Why? It seems the surface of the planet may be downright uninhabitable for microbial life as we know it. Over the years, and with research into life on other worlds, visions of extra-terrestrials and "little ...more
One of the only things I remember from watching Nickelodeon as a kid is the epic green slime. Looking back, I don't know what was so great about it, but every kid my age thought that being drenched in slime would be the coolest thing on earth. Of course, the first thing I did ...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
Oh, boy. A stopped-up drain. It'll inevitably happen with any home plumbing system and your kitchen sink is no exception. That clog won't go away on its own and will require immediate attention to keep any standing water from rising. But you don't have to resort to calling an ...more
If you have an oil stain on your asphalt driveway, wipe up the excess oil with an absorbent cloth or mop it up, then act quickly using the common household items below to make sure that it doesn't become a permanent eyesore or a headache to clean up later. Dawn dishwashing so ...more
Hard-boiled (also known as hard-cooked) eggs are notoriously easy to mess up. We've all ended up with tough, rubbery egg whites and overcooked yolks that have that unappetizing gray-green ring around the edge. An ideal hard-cooked egg has a firm yet tender white, while the yol ...more
The best chemistry experiments are those you can perform with items already laying around your house. With only some sugar, salt substitute and an instant cold pack, you can make your very own gunpowder! Being able to make homemade gunpowder without a trip to the store can be ...more
Glow sticks, a popular favor at parties and outdoor events, and a must-have on Halloween, can be traced back to the United States Navy in the mid-1960s. The military desired improved visibility during night operations, and glow sticks, with their small-size portability and lac ...more
The lingering smell of cigarette smoke can bother just about anyone, including smokers themselves. Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult to mask or completely get rid of the smell altogether. While you can go through extremes like washing and even repainting the walls in yo ...more
If you're a fan of Thai food, I'm sure you're familiar with sticky rice. There is something so special about its chewy texture and sweet flavor. If you have a desire to make it in your own kitchen but don't have the proper tools such as a traditional bamboo basket or stackable ...more
Navigating through row after row of plants, my tiny fingers would reach into the leaves to pluck all the vile little creatures from their homes and deposit them into a can of gasoline. Potato bug duty, my least favorite gardening chore. Growing up, my family had a small garden ...more
You're in the middle of cooking and a car alarm, cute kitten, or neighborhood brawl made you step away from the stove for a few minutes longer that you should have. It happens to almost every home cook. Most of the time, nothing dramatic happens, but every now and then, you en ...more
Getting hot and steamy can be awesome, as illustrated in the 1997 smash hit Titanic. But having the bathroom mirrors fog up during a nice hot shower can be very annoying. Getting ready in the morning can already be rushed, and wiping down your mirrors after your shower wastes ...more
If you want to start the party out right, you have to impress the crowd with your awesome bartending skills. While lighting cocktails on fire is a nice way to warm up the crowd, it's been done by thousands of bartenders across the globe. Plus, if you're not careful, you could ...more
Living in Los Angeles has given me the opportunity to attend a bunch of really cool events. I've been to Dodgers, Lakers, and Clippers games, a few concerts at the Staples Center, and a plethora of smaller joints. In all of these places, I've found a consistent annoyance—I wa ...more
The day has finally arrived — Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S9 and S9+. Apart from minor upgrades, the two might not appear to be much different from last year's S8 and S8+, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. One feature that hasn't changed is the Galaxy's IP68 water-re ...more
Protein powder is a fad in the same way that Justin Bieber's music is: you either love it, or you hate it. Everyone I know has a strong opinion about protein powder, ranging from "daily necessity" to "utterly useless." The funny thing about protein powder is that these opinio ...more
I don't deep fry food that often, mostly because it uses a ton of oil, which is expensive, and the cleanup is a son of a mother. (That oil really splatters everywhere.) Plus, no matter how careful you are, you will get hit by hot oil at some point and it will not be pleasant. ...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
This is evil and it destroys people. Let's just get that out of the way. Nonetheless, suppose you need to make someone distrust their own memory and perception of reality. Suppose you want someone to believe in you more than they believe in themselves. Regardless of your mali ...more
F for FAKE. This video has been labeled a "Faux-To". Commonly contested as bogus science, we believe this video to be a hoax. What's your opinion? Comment below. Make a tomato glow in the dark using three household chemicals and the step-by-step instructions in this how-to vi ...more
When you think of nail polish, it's probably almost always in the context of a manicure. I mean, that's what it's made for, right? But there are plenty of other things you can use clear or colored nail polish for besides painting your nails. Even if you're a guy living on his ...more
Like Costco's price codes or the tags on your bread, the numerical codes printed on those sticky little fruit and vegetable labels can reveal a lot of information to us consumers. Once you understand the codes, you can look at that little label (also known as PLU, or "price lo ...more
Though you may scrub every inch of your kitchen, there are plenty of trouble areas that are nearly impossible to get clean: gunked-up tile grout, rust in the sink, and caked-on burners and grates on the stove. As far as burners and grates go, you're in luck, because there's a ...more
You can blame your naggy mom, a crappy soap bar, and school or work stress for your acne. But ultimately, you should blame yourself. While it's true that your skin type (oily vs. dry vs. sensitive) and how your skin reacts to stress play a big part in blemishes, there is a nur ...more
Of all the places you'd think to check for bed bugs, I doubt that library books would be at the top of your list. As odd as it sounds, though, libraries and library books are some of the most common places for bed bug infestations. Libraries all over the country have reported ...more
A crick is a sudden, spasmodic pain and stiffness in the neck caused by tight muscles that can absolutely ruin your entire day. It can last for more than one day and can be triggered by the smallest movement of the neck, such as a simple pandiculation, aka a yawn-stretch. Alth ...more
What can you do when you're suffering from a pounding headache and you're in too much pain to drive to the nearest drugstore? Fill a large plastic bowl with hot water, add one tablespoon of dry mustard powder, and soak your feet for twenty minutes. No, really—it's true. Givin ...more
Want to make boring old colorless water brighten up on command? Well, you can control the color of water with this little magic trick. Actually, it's not really magic, but a classic science experiment known commonly as the iodine clock reaction, which uses the reactions betwee ...more
Not to be outdone by Apple and it's new line of flagship phones, Google has followed suit and finally announced the followup to their highly regarded Pixel line of handsets — the aptly named Pixel 2. Thankfully, the tech giant has also joined in on the trend towards more durab ...more
Welcome back, my greenhorn hackers! Continuing with my Wi-Fi hacking series, this article will focus on creating an invisible rogue access point, which is an access point that's not authorized by the information technology staff and may be a significant security vulnerability ...more
In case you didn't catch the big event in Cupertino, Apple just unveiled two of the most cutting-edge phones ever made — the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X. Out of the many glorious specs that were rattled off on stage, one stands out for being just a little confusing: Both models ...more
What is a burn? It's a form of injury to body tissues which is caused by heat, corrosive substances or friction. There is another form of burn, which is known as scald; it results from exposure to hot water or steam. There are three degrees of burns, explained below. First d ...more
This short video shows us how to reveal latent fingerprints on a glass surface by dusting. Anyone interested in forensic science would enjoy trying it as it shows simple steps in dusting and lifting fingerprints. It does not require any chemicals and we can do it with baby pow ...more
When it comes to resistance to the elements, Samsung seems to believe in the old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." They've carried over the IP68 rating under IEC 60529 that was first found on the S8 all the way to their tenth-anniversary flagship, the Galaxy S10. While ...more
Make Slime! This one is easy. Just mix equal parts of glue and water and then add an equal part of liquid starch. Just like that you have gooey slime. The more you play with it the more fun it becomes. This acclivity causes the polymer chains in the glue to cross link with che ...more
I used a plastic water filter for years. Who wouldn't? It cuts down on buying bottled water, which, as it turns out, is pretty much the same as unfiltered tap water. Plus, bottled water is terrible for the environment and your wallet, too. Water that costs only pennies a day a ...more
This science experiment will show you how to turn a penny into gold with common chemicals. This video tutorial will demonstrate turning the copper penny into a silver penny and into a gold cent. All you need to make gold pennies is sodium hydroxide (also known as lye), zinc po ...more
Is your favorite black T-shirt starting to look a little old? To restore a faded black fabric color to its former glory, add two cups of brewed coffee or black tea to your washer's rinse cycle. If you have the opposite problem and need to make your dirty white tees look super ...more
Spiders are common pests that typically prefer to live outdoors. However, insects and warmth will eventually attract them into our houses. They like to spin their webs in corners, crevices and unused areas of your house. Most species are harmless and even act as a natural repe ...more
In each day of our life, we see inflammation. We see it during sore throats and abscess formations in our bodies, and even slight tooth pain is a form of inflammation. Sometimes it's good when it fights to protect us from invading organisms, but sometimes it becomes bad when i ...more
Once again, Samsung has certified its flagship Note series with an IP68 rating. With this rating, the Galaxy Note 20 and 20 Ultra have some degree of dust and water resistance. The IEC standard 60529 lays out a series of tests created by the National Electrical Manufacturers ...more
For so many of us, bakeware is bakeware. As long as it's oven safe and able to tolerate the high heat, it's fine to bake in, right? Wrong! Don't Miss: 7 Must-Know Guidelines Bakers Swear By There's more to bakeware than we realize: the different casserole pans, baking sheet ...more
You've seen them at Disneyland's Fantasia. And in big budget movies like "Waterworld" and "Lord of the Rings." Spectacular, glowing fire effects that seem to ripple with the wind are a staple of action movies, and though it may seem like you need a super good video editing tea ...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
Samsung's not one to make drastic changes to what already works. They've continued on with the IP68 rating under IEC 60529 first given to the Galaxy S8 all the way to the the Galaxy Note 10. If you're a little confused as to what this rating means, don't worry, it's actually p ...more
This method works to prevent ants from crawling off and starting new colonies. Works everytime and requires no chemicals or harmful store bought sprays. Kill fire ant beds naturally. Click through to watch this video on metacafe.com
If you look at the label on your favorite processed snack, there's a good chance you have no idea what half the ingredients are. It's nothing new, but with natural and organic foods becoming huge trends, we're hyper-aware of all the "chemicals" we eat. But the word "chemical" ...more
Nitrogen Triiodide is a very powerful contact explosive, but like most fun chemicals is not readily available to the general public cheaply. If you want some and have some chemistry skills, watch this video to learn how to make Nitrogen Triiodide at home out of household ammon ...more
Skulls. What spooky Halloween décor or staging of Hamlet is complete without a skull or two popping up? For ghoulish special effect and/or setting a dramatic scene, skulls are absolutely integral. Well, with some artistry, hardware supplies, and a good dose of patience, you ca ...more
Don't panic the next time you pull an empty tub of butter from the fridge. If you have some heavy whipping cream, save yourself a trip to the grocery store and just make your own. When heavy cream is shaken violently for a long enough duration, it turns to butter—and if you're ...more