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 yolk is creamy and well-done without being mealy.
Look, tests are no fun, and doing poorly on them is rarely an option. Whether you're studious or a slacker, everyone needs a little boost now and again. While students have found ways to cheat as long as tests have existed, the invention of smartphones has greatly enhanced the potential to get ... creative.
If you've been to a convention of any sort before, you know that there are good and bad panels, and that their inherent goodness or badness often has little to do with the actual content being discussed. That's because giving a panel is a skill that not everyone has. However, it is a skill that everyone could have! In this article, I'll tell you how to give a good panel on practically any subject. Image by Shannon Cottrell
While the airline, casino, cruise, and hotel industries are asking for government bailouts during the COVID-19 pandemic, companies around the US are giving away its apps and services for a limited time. So while you're stuck at home, keep your mind off of coronavirus with free movies, TV, music apps, concerts, internet, fitness sessions, classes, and more.
One of the best ways to reduce stress is to see a therapist. Interviewing a therapist can be tricky, but picking the right therapist for you is crucial. Get advice on reducing and managing stress in this stress management how-to video.
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 higher education. The aim of the ILP is to address the diverse range of experience and skills students bring with them to a university by offering a resource to support their transition from school to the university chem...
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 higher education. The aim of the ILP is to address the diverse range of experience and skills students bring with them to a university by offering a resource to support their transition from school to the university chem...
Let's face it— most people don't understand Shakespeare's language. If they say they do, they're probably lying. The poetic words of the world's most famous playwright continue to plague school children and college lit. majors alike, but not anymore.
Who could resist a gummy bear? Those rubbery little candy creatures shaped like a bear are just too cute and too delicious to pass up. If you can't get any enjoyment out of those gelatin-based confectioneries, then you're simple not human. Even scientists love them, but not for their seductively sweet properties...
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 route, it's an exploration of science and chemistry.
Kent Chemistry offers up some of the most exciting chemistry and general science experiments from their lab. Here Mr. Kent illustrates the process of creating fire with dry ice. How does freezing and flame mix? Watch now to see the amazing chemical reaction!
Salsa dancing thrives on spontaneity and the wonderful chemistry and fun move variations and transitions you create with your partner, but these bouts of freestyling and showing off must be grounded in very set patterns. Patterns help to establish time and also a cohesive look to your salsa dance. Check out this video to learn how to do "wind waker" salsa dance moves to create a pattern.
This video tutorial will show you the process of drawing blood from rats through the saphenous vein and by cardiac puncture.
Learn how to turn cotton balls into smokeless gunpowder with high school chemistry teacher Chris Schrempp. Turn cotton balls into smokeless gunpowder.
Tracey Cox talks about the five key areas of compatibility (chemistry, compatibility, common goals, speed, and timing) that lead to long term relationships. If your relationship meets enough of these criteria then it will likely stand the test of time. Know if you've found "the one".
Fish are among the most popular of all domestic pets. From the humble goldfish to the most complicated and beautiful aquatic micro-environments, they offer owners years of pleasure and serene viewing. Moreover, they are relatively easy to care for; however, like many pets, there is a lot to learn about this finned friend. Good tank maintenance will keep your aquarium healthy for years to come. Keep your fish healthy by watching this film, which will show you the basics of keeping your fish ta...
I first heard the term molecular gastronomy while watching an episode of Bravo's Top Chef a few seasons back. Intrigued by the concept, I sought to find out more about this modern, deconstructed type of cookery. If you happen to be around foodies and the topic of molecular gastronomy comes up (which very likely will at some point) you'll want to have a few points to contribute and maybe even give them a run for their money.
Turn every darn coin into...gold!
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.
Science is most marvelous when it's creating an explosion, even at the tiniest of proportions. In the video below, Daniel Rosenberg from Harvard's Natural Science Lecture Demonstration Services reveals the secret to shooting a cork rocket over twenty meters using a little chemistry and an ultraviolet LED light. Rosenberg, who's a research assistant and lecturer for the Natural Science division at Harvard, demonstrates what happens when hydrogen and chlorine are explosively "burned" together t...
Heya All, I have a new video on my YouTube channel and this time its a music video I shot / edited for Cape Town based band, Cold Hand Chemistry.
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 etchant at home with everyday chemicals! Better yet, our new etchant will turn an eerie green color rather than the dull brown of ferric chloride.
Super useful run down of home chemistry tips and tricks.
How your computer habits affect not just your ability to focus, but your brain chemistry and overall health. I highly recommend taking twenty minutes to watch this.
This week's review roundup is a diverse lot. They really only have two things in common—their indie origins and puzzle elements. Otherwise, they come from France, Spain and the U.S., a few from unknown designers and one by the guy who inspired Minecraft.
Shadows of the Dammed (360/PS3) is a polarizing game. It's not shy of being crass and crude. Go ahead and judge the game by the following examples (click to enlarge):
Calling all alchemists, it's time to make magic. Here's another lesson from our favorite mad scientist, Nurdrage (previously, DIY glow sticks & pencil lead levitaton).
Math is unreasonably effective in describing the natural universe. Anyone who's seen Walt Disney's Donald in Mathmagic Land knows this to be so. Well, the axiom works in reverse, too: The physical stuff of the universe can model math right back. And to great effect.
Where would we be without science? Not everybody's always fresh as a daisy; try Odegon Technologies' iron-on "Odour Tags". When attached to clothing, the patches capture your odoriferous molecules in a carbon mesh. Somehow the patches don't come off in the wash and run about 18 bucks for a pack of six.
GOOD, a Los Angeles-based magazine focused on doing good in the world, along with LAUSD, The USDA People’s Garden Initiative, The Environmental Media Association, The National Gardening Association, The Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, The California School Garden Network, and Mia Lehrer & Associates, is sponsoring a contest for people to help design a garden for a LAUSD school. GOOD will help build the winning garden design, and they'd like your participation, too.
Taking some time to reminisce on fond memories is always pleasant to do every now and then. Since the year is winding down, why not take this moment to get a little nostalgic? In this week's Phone Snap Challenge, we'd love to see what makes you nostalgic. Post your image to the corkboard by Monday, December 19th at 11:59 pm PST for a chance to win the JOYSTICK-IT Arcade Stick for your touchscreen phone or tablet.
LEVOGYRE 65 points (15 points without the bingo) Definition: turning toward the left [adj]
The newest fuel alternative on the horizon? Pee. U.S. researchers have been experimenting with using urine as a method of producing hydrogen. Not only could this virtually free and readily available resource possibly power automobiles, but it could also aid in the clean up of municipal wastewater.
Mad Science is looking for more hackers, makers, and DIYers to participate in our community madness. If you've recently designed or made a project, we want to see it! Share with the other Mad Scientists out there by posting up a how-to of your pet project on our community corkboard, or even just a few cool, inspiring photos of the build.
But elephants don't need toothpaste, do they? Mr. Kent, a Long Island chemistry teacher, is at it again with his after hours experiments. We like to refer to him as Mr. Wizard 2.0.
Hello, potato plastic -- goodbye, petroleum plastic! Watch carefully, treehuggers.
The only thing better than successfully pulling off a new experiment is doing it with household materials. You get to laugh in conceit as professional scientists everywhere spend all their grant money on the same project you just accomplished with some under-the-sink chemicals! However, there are times when DIY gets dangerous. Some household chemicals are not pure enough to use and some are just pure dangerous. Let's take a look at two problems I have encountered in the course of mad sciencing.
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 lye, can easily be stored in glass as a solid, but when molten, it reacts violently with glass and can actually dissolve it away! So, the next time you clog up your drains with broken glass beakers and flasks, rest assur...
I finally got around to trying out another one of Will's mad science experiments and found out that this one was actually more satisfying (and less frustrating) than my slightly uncooperative jar jet. There's something very pleasing about making potassium nitrate at home in the kitchen and then watching the transformation from semitransparent liquid to spiky, frozen crystals. That was the best part for me, second only to igniting it with its sugar companion.
Carol Platt was caught in the middle of the economic downturn with no backup plan. Searching for a stable job in an unstable economy proved to be difficult without a college degree. Her work history and past successes were overlooked. It had always been a dream of hers to complete her degree; after a failed first attempt, she was unsure of her ability to follow through. She began researching online education options and felt that Kaplan University stood out; she decided to complete her colleg...