Anne Helmenstine

A dandelion burns in colors, including violet, blue, red, orange, and yellow. (Henry Be) — Back in 2013, a photo of a dandelion burning in a rainbow of colors went viral on the internet. The original photograph was taken by Gregory Gomer. That picture looks like what you’d expect. It’s a dandelion, engulfed in flame, pretty much just orange. Clearly, the viral image had been […]

Do Dandelions Burn in Colors? Recently updated !

This entry was posted on April 23, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on April 23, 2018)

Once water starts boiling, its temperature remains stable. (chuttersnap) — Do you know what happens to the temperature of water boiling in a pot on high heat? It’s a common science question, particularly for tests, because knowing the answer shows how well you understand the process of boiling. The answer is the water reaches its boiling point temperature and stays […]

Does Boiling Water Keep Getting Hotter?

This entry was posted on April 23, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine

Glow stick lanterns are quick and easy to make. — Glow jars make great night lights, party lights, or fairy lights. There are different ways to make them and lots of cool effects you can create. Here is a collection of easy glow jar tutorials for you to try and a look at the pros and cons of each type […]

How to Make Glow Jars Recently updated !

This entry was posted on April 21, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on April 22, 2018)

The best rose water is distilled or purified via solvent extraction. (Carlos Quintero) — Rose water is water that is scented and flavored with rose petals. It’s used in food and drink recipes, as a facial toner, to scent baths, and as a perfume. If you have a lot of roses, it’s easy to make homemade rose water. Here are two simple recipes to […]

How to Make Rose Water Recently updated !

This entry was posted on April 21, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on April 21, 2018)

It takes a lot of black dye to make solid black crystals. — Black crystals can look translucent, like black diamonds or smoky quartz, or opaque, like anthracite. You can take most crystal recipes and use them to grow black crystals. The Secret to Black Crystals While it’s easy to grow crystals in rainbow colors, black is a little trickier because a lot […]

How to Grow Black Crystals Recently updated !

This entry was posted on April 19, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on April 20, 2018)

You shouldn't store open cans in the fridge because metals and BPA can leach into food. (maerzbow) — When you don’t finish an open can, you may be tempted to put some plastic wrap over it and put it in the refrigerator for later. However, it’s not a good idea to store open cans in the fridge. No, it won’t grow Salmonella or give you botulism. The risks […]

Why You Shouldn’t Store Open Cans in the Fridge Recently updated !

This entry was posted on April 13, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on April 23, 2018)