Skip to main content

Up Next

How Do Hand Sanitizers Work?

How Do Hand Sanitizers Work?

Season 4 Episode 35
3:21
How Does Xanax Work?

How Does Xanax Work?

Season 4 Episode 36
4:07
Why Do Some People Hate Cilantro?

Why Do Some People Hate Cilantro?

Season 4 Episode 37
2:44
The One Where We Put Stuff in Acid

The One Where We Put Stuff in Acid

Season 4 Episode 38
5:13
The Periodic Table Table

The Periodic Table Table

Season 4 Episode 39
5:39
We Are Made of Star Stuff

We Are Made of Star Stuff

Season 10 Episode 3
10:13
I Reinvented a 300-Year Old Drink

I Reinvented a 300-Year Old Drink

Season 10 Episode 4
16:56
This (Edible) Mushroom Could Kill You

This (Edible) Mushroom Could Kill You

Season 10 Episode 7
17:23
Back to Show
Reactions

How Does Glassblowing Work?

Season 4 Episode 34

If you’ve ever tapped a screen to send a tweet, opted for the bottled soda because it tastes better, or drooled over art glass in a gallery, then your life has been changed for the better by the transparent yet durable combination of sand and simple chemicals we call glass. We visit McFadden Art Glass in Baltimore, Maryland, to learn about the chemistry of this ancient material.

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Season
How Does Sunscreen Work?
7:38
Can it actually stop us from getting wrinkles or skin cancer? We find out!
How Carbon Capture Works
7:39
Removing CO2 from our atmosphere can mean big business.
How Lead (Maybe?) Caused the Downfall of the Roman Empire
5:55
We unwrap the possibility that lead caused the Roman Empire’s collapse.
Pub Chemistry Trivia to Help You Interact With Humans
5:33
Get back out in the world with Pub Trivia!
Does Sugar Cause Diabetes?
5:50
We explore if eating a lot of sugar can actually cause diabetes.
We Burned Food to Figure Out How Many Calories It Has
7:56
Calories are complicated.
Can Science Make Less Addictive Opioids?
5:34
Will we ever have painkillers as good as opioids, but without the risk of addiction?
Catalytic Converter Stolen? Here's Why.
5:11
Catalytic converter theft is on the rise, and that’s partly because of their chemistry.
Forever Chemicals
4:24
Forever chemicals are used in everything from rain jackets to jet fuel.
Dog's Nose vs. Electronic Explosives Detector, Who Would Win
8:22
Is a dog or chemical detector better at finding a bomb? We find out!
The Science of How Life Started
8:08
We explore how are we using what we know to look for it throughout the galaxy.
COVID, One Year Later: What Do We Know Now?
8:08
We’re catching up with experts we talked to at the start of the pandemic.
Active loading indicator