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Chemistry

The latest stories, clear explanations and essential discoveries from Chemistry.

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Several coloured glow sticks shining against a dark background
EDITOR’S PICK

How Do Glow Sticks Produce Light?

Glow sticks produce light through chemiluminescence. Bending the plastic tube breaks a small inner glass vial and mixes hydrogen peroxide with an oxalate ester solution containing a fluorescent dye. The reaction creates a high-energy…

Oct 9, 2026 • 13 min readRead the discovery →
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Latest discoveries

New stories, explanations and research from Chemistry.

Road salt being loaded for winter storm response
Chemistry

Why Does Salt Melt Ice?

Salt melts ice by dissolving in the thin layer of liquid water that naturally exists on an ice surface. Sodium and chloride ions make…

Oct 7, 2026 • 14 min read
Hands covered with soap lather being washed under running water
Chemistry

How Does Soap Remove Grease?

Soap removes grease because each surfactant molecule has a water-attracting head and an oil-attracting tail. The tails associate with grease while the heads remain…

Oct 6, 2026 • 13 min read
Close-up photograph of freshly chopped white onion pieces on a cutting surface
Chemistry

Why Do Onions Make You Cry?

Cutting an onion ruptures cells and mixes enzymes with sulfur-containing molecules that were stored separately. Alliinase begins the reaction, and lachrymatory-factor synthase helps produce…

Oct 3, 2026 • 13 min read