A chemistry demonstration given by Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri at MIT.

In a dark bottle at room temperature, hydrogen peroxide decomposes very, very slowly. But add potassium iodide, and that same reaction happens thousands of times faster, with very… tall results.

The old adage takes on new meaning . . . with the help of a little flash paper and isopropanol. (No money was harmed during the making of this video.)

Mix two mystery ingredients with some table sugar, and the result is a silver mirrored flask.

Mix these two clear and colorless liquids—that both look just like water—and the result is anything but clear and colorless.

Colorful indicators tell the story of acids, bases, and the places in between.

Discover what disposable diapers and fake snow have in common.

Discover what happens when you burn different elements of the periodic table . . .

Dr. John Dolhun is thirsty. But when he asks his assistant for a drink, he gets more than he bargained for . . .

A gummy bear may not be big, but its few grams of sugar contain a lot of energy. Find out how much by combusting one lone gummy in a test tube.

Dr. John Dolhun is hungry. But the bacon he’s got on the griddle isn’t for him. It’s for Bromine.

Mix these three colorless liquids and you get a chemical reaction that can tell time.

Discover the colorful chemistry that makes a good party glow.