There are few things better than an ice cold beer on a hot day. Chances are, when you crack open a beer this summer, you probably won’t be thinking much about chemistry – but it’s the particular chemicals in beer, produced inthe brewing process, that give beer both its bitterness and ...

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It’s the middle of summer, and hopefully, if you’re heading out in the sun, you’re taking the precaution of applying sun cream beforehand. Sometimes, however, you can end up with sunburn despite your best efforts to prevent it. After sun and moisturisers can help to soothe the burn – here, we ...

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The Chemistry of Beetroot

The latest of the food science graphics looks at the chemistry of beetroot. An unusual effect of beetroot is that it can cause ‘beeturia’, or a red colouration to the urine, after ingestion. This is a condition that only affects an estimated 10-14% of the population, so what are the chemical ...

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Colour, Aroma, & Explosions

Watermelons are a popular, refreshing summer fruit. There’s also a lot of intriguing chemistry behind them, from the colour of their flesh and the complexity of their aroma, to the tales of explodingwatermelons in China, and even the claims that they can have a viagra-like effect. This post ...

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A number of chemical materials are used in the manufacture of the Brazuca, the World Cup football. The majority of these materials are polymers; these are very long molecules built up from many smaller component molecules. A simple, everyday example is polyethene, used to make some plastic bags. ...

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Kunststoff ist überall in unserem täglichen Leben - aber natürlich ist "Kunststoff" nur ein Sammelbegriff für eine Reihe verschiedener chemischer Substanzen. Diese Grafik zeigt einige der gängigsten Kunststoffe, denen wir regelmäßig begegnen, und beleuchtet deren chemische Strukturen. Im ...

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For objects that essentially look like thin plastic films, there’s a surprising amount of chemistry behind contact lenses. This chemistry is designed to maximise comfort whilst they are being worn, and as such it’s also been constantly evolving and improving. Today’s post takes a look at some of ...

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Electric guitars, on the face of it, might not seem to have much to do with chemistry. However,the materials that make them up are carefully chosen for their chemical properties, without which they simply wouldn’t function. In this graphic, we take a look at some of these materials, and their ...

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Ever wondered what compounds help kitchen cleaners keep your kitchen surfaces bacteria free? Or about the compounds that help antiseptic creams do their job? In this graphic, we take a look at some of the compounds used for antisepsis and disinfection, and where they’re commonly used.

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This year’s European Championships are now well under way in France, and there’s already been some great football on show. It might surprise you to learn that some chemistry has also been taking centre-stage! TheEURO 2016ball is a triumph of materials science, and in this post we take a look at ...

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