How To : Make Glow Sticks
Wired Science teaches you the science behind glow sticks by showing you how you can make your own with chemicals that you can obtain. Video: .
Wired Science teaches you the science behind glow sticks by showing you how you can make your own with chemicals that you can obtain. Video: .
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to dissolve glass with drain cleaner. They show you how to dissolve that glass with sodium hydroxide (drain cleaner). Glass is nearly invulnerable to chemicals and thus why it's the preferred material for chemical contai ...more
Halyomorpha halys, squash bug, shield bug ... What's in a name? A pest is a pest and the brown marmorated stink bug is a pest par excellence. Though some home gardeners are content to use insecticides, you'll find that it's generally easier to work with nature than against it. ...more
Start a fire using water. It is a pretty cool trick. This guy takes a couple of goofy household chemicals and creates a powder that explodes when water touches it.
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
Unlike typical waxing, which strips your skin of vital moisture, causing inflamed, dry, and itchy skin as well as ingrown hairs, sugaring is a slightly gentler way of removing hair. Because it's all-natural, made generally of sugar, water, and lemon juice, it irritates the ski ...more
If you're on a tight budget for food, whether you're in college, or someone just starting out living on their own, you're probably low on money and sick of ramen noodles. Don't get me wrong, ramen can be tasty and filling, and there is almost nothing cheaper. Sadly, people ar ...more
Taking apart batteries is one of those things that every adult you've ever known has warned you against. Today, we break the taboo and dive into a lithium battery. Lithium has some pretty cool properties—it burns instantly in water and glows blindly bright under flame. And wit ...more
Want to be able to take a water filtration system with you everywhere you go? Well, that's where NANO Carbon comes in. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a homemade water filter with NANO Carbon. It's a handmade portable filter with the newest NANO Carbon material ...more
When you're trying to cut some calories or just eat more veggies, it's important to enjoy what you're eating. If all you're doing is telling yourself "no" and focusing on what you can't eat, you are pretty much destined to fail at your diet. Don't Miss: Cut 500 Calories Each ...more
WonderHowTo is a how-to website made up of niche communities called Worlds, with topics ranging from Minecraft to science experiments to Scrabble and everything in-between. Check in every Wednesday evening for a roundup of user-run activities and how-to projects from the most ...more
It's tough to figure out what a mummy would have looked like when he was alive; soft tissue of a human body decays, even in ice. But, Dutch brothers Adrie and Alfons Kennis took the challenge. Using techniques that belong to both science and art, they managed to reconstruct th ...more
Pranks are fun, but finding a way to maximize the affect of a prank can be tricky. Toilet papering the whole campus or repainting all of the parking spaces slightly smaller can take a long time and a lot of resources. A better plan of attack is to booby trap the choke points w ...more
Professional camera cleaning is expensive and usually more than you need. Follow these simple steps to keep your lenses clear and smudge-free. You Will Need * A blower brush or ear syringe * A camel hair lens brush * A lens cloth or tissue * Lens cleaner Step 1: Brush first U ...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
Witch hazel is a type of shrub with fragrant yellow flowers, and its bark and leaves are extracted and used for many medicinal uses. Witch hazel extract contains chemicals called tannins, and you can find this clear liquid astringent in drugstores and grocery stores (probably ...more
The oven is arguably our most essential kitchen appliance (right alongside the fridge, freezer, and yes, even the microwave). But even though we've been using them for a few millennia, many of us know so little about our ovens that our cooking or baking can feel like a roll of ...more
When we were kids, Saint Patrick's Day was a green-hued holiday that promised green eggs in the morning and green mashed potatoes in the evening... along with some traditional corned beef and cabbage, of course. Don't Miss: 8 Delicious Dessert Recipes for St. Patrick's Day W ...more
Check out this video to learn how to fix a clogged shower or tub drain. This is an alternative to going to the store and buying chemicals.
In this home scientist video the instructor Robert Bruce talks about cheap sulfuric acid. He says that sulfuric acid is very important in any lab both as a reagent and a precursor for preparing other chemicals. He points to the battery acid saying that it is a good source of s ...more
The number one culprit for a slow or clogged up water drain is hair. Check out this video tutorial to learn how to open slow or clogged drains with the Drain Claw. The Drain Claw is amazing at removing hair trapped in shower drains, bathtubs, and bath sinks. You don't need che ...more
As the fish farming industry struggles to become more environmentally friendly, it just gained another problem. Fish food loaded with antibiotic-resistant genes. Do you like salmon? Around the world, salmon aquaculture represents about 70% of the market, according to the Worl ...more
Salt is one of my favorite ingredients, by far, and also one of the most overlooked foods in the kitchen. This is probably due to the fact that it's an essential component of almost any recipe; because salt is a necessity, it's easy to forget how dynamic and versatile it can b ...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
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
Tagine is both the name of a cooking vessel and also the dish that is cooked within it. In fact, some might say tagines are the national dish of Morocco. These slow-cooked stews and braises, often combining meat, vegetables, spices, and dried fruits, have a character unlike an ...more
Starbucks may be the McDonalds of the coffee world, but sometimes there is just no way around that jones for a cup of joe. Today was one of those days. A late night of wishing friends farewell from the city of angels turned into sleeping past my alarm and running late for work ...more
Rita Heikenfeld from AboutEating discusses some of the flowers that are not only beautiful but also edible. It is important not to eat flowers that have been sprayed with chemicals. Some of the more common edible flowers are the zinnia, petunia, and the marigold, which has a d ...more
Yep Kitty Litter, but DON'T FREAK OUT! Read or watch the video before you make any assumptions. This mask is perfect for oily, dirty, large pores skin! If you need to detoxify your skin, this is the best mask to use, and you can make it right at home! Use this once every 2 wee ...more
DIY is a far-reaching term—though culturally it tends to refer to hacks, mods, crafts and constructions, its meaning can also extend to the ongoing trials and tribulations of the evolution of mankind: astonishing developments in technology, desperate acts of self-preservation ...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
It's really easy to take lazy route and purchase fire starters at a grocery or hardware store to aid you in creating campfires, but storebought fire starters tend to have massive amounts of environment polluting chemicals and toxins that you probably shouldn't be anywhere near ...more
You just ran out of shampoo, but need to give your hair a quick wash. Use baking soda! You can make an emergency shampoo paste from 1 part baking soda, 3 parts water, then work the paste into your hair, allow to sit for a few minutes, and rinse out with warm water. Most commo ...more
This eleven-part video tutorial discusses how to drain and clean a hot tub spa. It goes over the process step-by-step from turning off the circuit breaker to restarting the spa. It also gives helpful tips on cleaning the tub, working with spa chemicals and avoiding air locks t ...more
Always wanted a fluorescent dog but didn’t want to commit? Well, here’s your solution. Researchers at Seoul National University developed fluorescent puppies that only glow when you want them to. Just inject the special pups with doxycycline and they’ll glow like a black light ...more
All stuffed up and wanting to breathe – but without the chemicals? Here's how to get relief fast! Learn how to clear up a stuffed nose with this home remedy. You Will Need * Steam * Licorice tea * A saline rinse * Hot peppers * Peppermint oil or peppermint tea * Chicken soup ...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
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make a 100 foot glow stick with Dr. Lithium. Just in time for Halloween. Brighter than electroluminescent wire and self-powered. This can be used to decorate, glow stuff up, or create all kinds of awesome effects. Wa ...more
If you have encountered bed bugs lately, you are not alone. While the pesticides used to fight these pests are losing effectiveness, a fungus shows promise in knocking the bugs out of beds everywhere. Bed bugs, or Cimex lectularius, are parasitic arthropods, part of a broad g ...more
Back when we took chemistry, most of what we read and learn went in one ear and out the other. If only we had a cool experiment like this one to perk up our pubescent ADD. Check out this cool science video to learn how to expand and poof up a wad of shaving cream. By placing ...more
In this video we learn how to balance chemical equations the fun way. First, remember that matter cannot be created or destroyed. Take two different types of chemicals and put them on opposite sides of the equation. If you have more mass on one side than the other, these will ...more
Rust can form anywhere and happens on all types of metal objects, no matter how old they are. You can get rust quickly if something metallic gets into contact with water. If some of your beloved tools have gotten rusty, check out this tutorial and learn how to remove some of t ...more
Watch this piano tutorial video to learn how to play "Helena" by My Chemical Romance on the piano. Instruction includes key signature, scale, chord breakdowns, and melody. Even beginners can learn how to play "Helena" by My Chemical Romance on the piano by watching this helpfu ...more
Blue corn is a special variety of corn which can be differentiated by the majority of the corn species by looking at the unusual top growth of the corn. It is a hybrid and grows very uniformly throughout. Now take a corn from the field and peel it off. You shall notice that it ...more
Somewhere around 600–800 million people in the world are infected with whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), an infection they got from ingesting soil or water contaminated with feces of infected animals or people containing the parasite's eggs. Currently, treatment options are lim ...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
Mr. G plays with chemicals and fire (what a surprise), for a really cool demonstration. An experiment you'll want to try, and probably can try immediately, as all materials (vinegar and baking soda) are likely in your house already. Exothermic reaction and gas displacement at ...more
The evidence is mounting and is becoming indisputable: Gut bacteria play a role in strokes and heart attacks. The link may seem a little far-fetched, but cardiovascular disease may have less to do with what we eat and more to do with what chemicals gut bacteria make from the f ...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
In this tutorial, we learn how to balance chemical equations. The first thing you want to do is to draw a graph and label one side reactants and the other side products. Go through each of the atoms that are in your equation on both sides. Write out how many atoms are in each ...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
Make a crystal LED light from the chemicals in a cold compress that runs on USB power.
Switching your favorite facial cleanser isn't an easy choice. Since everyone's skin type can range from dry, to oily, to some complicated combination of both... well, let's just say that the conventional wisdom is to stick to what you know works. However, fruit—and citrus fru ...more
First of all you need to have some warm water in glass. Now take an ear bud and dip into the warm water. Now apply some soap over it. You can use the hand soap also for this purpose. Insert the bud in your nostril and then rub it around the pierced skin. Remove all kinds of pa ...more
PopSci's Gray Matter explains how to "hack light", a simple project that calls for glow sticks, diagonal cutters and Drano. Here's the science behind it: "When you bend a light stick, you break open a glass ampule inside. Diphenyl oxalate in the ampule reacts with hydrogen pe ...more
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill that began on April 20, 2010, was the largest maritime oil spill in history. Killing 11 people and discharging 4.1 million barrels of oil and natural gas into the Gulf of Mexico, the event was an unparalleled personal, environmental, and busines ...more
Bed bugs are parasites not yet known to spread disease — but they cause plenty of irritation. As scientists and landlords search for new ways to deal with the pests, a new study examines how we can deter bed bugs without so many chemicals. While they don't infect us with anyt ...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
If you want your photos to look like they came straight out of a movie scene, the best method is to use split toning. Many Hollywood producers use this effect to recreate the cinematic look of cameras before the digital film era, which is why most people associate split toning ...more
Before you figure out how to strip the paint on your car to bare metal, you should should first ask the question, should I strip all of the paint off. Depending on the type of job you're doing, it may actually be better not to strip all of the paint off. This was a question I ...more