Curated playlist
Household chemicals
- Sodium carbonateUntil the early 19th century, Europe made soda ash by burning plants. Chemists raced to make it from salt instead.
- Carbon dioxideCarbon dioxide is only about 0.043% of Earth's air as of July 2025. Yet it feeds plants and traps heat.
- AcetoneAcetone, the nail polish remover chemical, was once called the spirit of Saturn.
- Acetic acidRoman aristocrats ate a sweet syrup made in lead pots. Historians believe it fed their lead poisoning.
- Sodium hydroxideSodium hydroxide, better known as caustic soda or lye, is a white solid built from sodium cations and hydroxide anions. In 2022, factories around the world turned out roughly 83 million tons of it. Yet many people know it only through a…
- CosmeticsEarly cosmetics such as white lead could kill the people who wore them. It swelled the eyes and weakened tooth enamel.
- Sulfuric acidAdding water to concentrated sulfuric acid can trigger an explosion. Chemists add acid to water instead.
- EthanolEthanol, the molecule that makes alcoholic drinks intoxicating, turns up in the breath of healthy volunteers at an average of 196 parts per billion. It also forms an icy coating on dust grains in interstellar clouds. This one plain liquid,…
- AmmoniaIn 2021, factories around the world produced 235 million tonnes of ammonia. That is an enormous weight for a gas best known for its sharp, pungent smell. Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, yet its reach extends far beyond the…
- Hydrogen peroxideHydrogen peroxide sank the Royal Navy submarine HMS Sidon in June 1955. Concentrated peroxide leaked from a torpedo and caused it to explode inside its launch tube. Twelve crew members died, and so did a member of the rescue party. The…