Catalysts increase chemical reaction rates by providing a lower energy pathway

Batteries store energy in chemical bonds that can be turned into electricity

To achieve a more stable, nonreactive state, many elements in nature are reactive and will seek to lose electrons via oxidation or gain electrons through reduction reactions. By pairing an oxidizing chemical with a reducing chemical in a battery, electrons will naturally flow between them, producing an electric current.

Bath bombs can produce endothermic reactions that cool water

In bath bombs containing citric acid and sodium bicarbonate, water facilitates the reaction between the bicarbonate and acid, providing energy as the salt dissolves. The loss of energy in the water reduces the average speed of the water molecules, reducing the temperature of the bath.

Learn about the chemical refinement of crude oil, from cracking to reforming and blending

Just as an organism's digestive system can break down complex molecules in food into simple sugars that cells can use, cracking uses catalysts and other chemicals to break apart large hydrocarbons in crude oil into smaller molecules. These can then be chemically reshaped, combined, or purified into useful petroleum products.

How artificial photosynthesis can help make plastics and fuels using sunlight

These systems link a molecular light absorber to a catalyst that can synthesize fuels—such as ethanol—and ethylene, a precursor to plastics, in a carbon-neutral manner. Because these byproducts have greater energy concentrations than the carbohydrates produced by photosynthetic organisms, research is ongoing to engineer the necessary catalysts.

Spontaneous combustion involves an object igniting on its own

Even without matches, sparks, or external flames, exothermic chemical or biological reactions can increase the internal temperature of objects to the point where they reach a threshold temperature that can cause them to catch fire. Running batteries and fermenting bacteria within compressed materials can build this heat and cause combustion.

How greenhouse gases and climate change impact the efficiency of photosynthesis

A review in the Journal of Experimental Botany found that higher temperatures reduce the efficiency of enzymes involved in photosynthesis and impair a plant's ability to control water loss and regulate carbon dioxide uptake. While increased carbon dioxide levels are understood to accelerate plant growth by boosting photosynthesis, researchers suggest these effects more than offset the potential gain.

Nuclear-powered missiles replace chemical combustion with energy from nuclear fission

In these systems, energy is added to an airstream, which passes through a nozzle to generate thrust. Because the amount of energy released per unit mass of nuclear fuel is millions of times larger than that of chemical propellants, nuclear missiles can travel faster and farther with less fuel.

Cells modify their internal spacing to improve biochemical reaction efficiencies

Studies involving microscopy and genetic engineering tools in yeast and human cells show ribosomes act as crowding agents—much like packing peanuts—and their concentrations are actively tuned to alter the rate of cellular functions. However, these concentrations and cell crowding levels vary across different tissues and cell types.

Particle accelerators propel matter toward small targets at high speed

Devices like cathode-ray tube televisions were once basic particle accelerators, but modern ones, such as the Large Hadron Collider, use massive magnetic fields and circular tunnels to achieve energies high enough to recreate the conditions just after the big bang.

Atmospheric processes amplify the strength of storms by coalescing clouds

Research has shown that turbulent mixing of air at the edges of clouds and other small-scale thermal activity beneath them help clouds group together, intensifying short bursts of rainfall, especially in tropical regions. Simulations reveal this produces more powerful storms than predicted by older models, though they may occur less frequently.

The depression paradox refers to a lack of energy to take action to help alleviate it

Activities like exercise, even at low levels, have been shown to alleviate some of depression's symptoms for some people. However, depression saps energy levels, making it particularly difficult to motivate oneself to take helpful action.

How sunlight helps chlorofluorocarbons destroy the ozone molecules that block solar radiation

CFCs, which are used in old refrigerants, air conditioners, and aerosol sprays, do not react with atmospheric molecules. Once they reach the stratosphere, ultraviolet radiation breaks chlorine atoms off of them, which can each break apart more than 100,000 ozone molecules, thinning Earth's protective layer against ultraviolet radiation.

Fevers are an immune response to create hurdles for pathogens

Substances called pyrogens prompt the brain to raise the body temperature to levels where bacteria and viruses struggle to survive. The higher temps also support immune cells fighting off the invaders.

Comparing bioremediation with other treatment techniques, at three levels of complexity

Physical manipulation, such as collecting and moving contaminated material to a landfill, or chemical applications, which use strong, expensive substances and produce harmful byproducts, can be costly. While bioremediation leverages naturally occurring degradation processes that can be augmented without disrupting impacted ecosystems, these processes may be less effective in environments that bioremediation organisms are not adapted to.

Why the existence of extremophiles greatly improves the odds of life beyond Earth

The conditions for life have long been thought to include liquid water, an energy source, and the essential elements for organic molecules within environments on or near Earth's surface. However, because extremophiles thrive in far more inhospitable environments, astronomers now analyze exoplanets whose characteristics indicate environments that fall within a broader range of possibilities when searching for signs of extraterrestrial life.

How fusion—which releases energy when two lighter atoms combine to form a heavier atom—differs from fission

Unlike milder fears, phobias may get in the way of proceeding with your life

Clinicians may recommend exposure therapy—exposing oneself to the thing triggering fears in some doses—as one way to help overcome a fear.

Quantum mechanical principles are responsible for chemical properties

Besides quantization, the wave-particle duality, and probabilistic features, quantum theory's mathematics introduces the exclusion principle, quantum tunneling, quantum entanglement, and other phenomena foreign to our everyday experiences. Some suggest that all possibilities for a quantum system may also occur across the multiverse.

Despite its potential, CRISPR still fails 15% of the time

Biochemists from UIC found that persistent Cas9 binding to double-strand breaks impacts DNA repair efficiency and the effectiveness of the gene editing tool. RNA polymerase collisions also dislodge Cas9, which affects the efficiency of the tool.

Chemotherapy slows cancer by interfering with cell division

Cancer cells divide much more frequently than most normal cells. Most chemotherapy drugs are designed to interfere with cell division, thereby targeting harmful cells while attempting to leave healthy cells alone.

What is metabolic rate?

Read this article to better understand the concept of metabolic rate, which is defined as the amount of energy expended by an organism over the course of a day. Basic metabolic rate (or BMR) is this metabolic rate at rest, during which the body only...

Low temperatures led to the equipment failure that caused the Challenger disaster

The polymer chains that make up an O-ring give it the ability to quickly deform and fill in gaps to seal fluids, including the hot gases from the Challenger's rocket boosters. Cold weather on the day of launch stiffened the O-rings, reducing their flexibility and sealing properties.

The boiling temperature of water decreases with increasing elevation because the molecules need less energy to overcome the lower atmospheric pressure associated with thinner air.

Connected technology improves infrastructure efficiency in smart cities

Through information and communication technologies, smart cities can provide enhanced public services and improved quality of life by managing traffic and dynamic safety policies. They can also promote sustainability by automating energy use and redirecting resources according to need.

Myokines are molecules that facilitate some of the benefits of exercise

When muscles contract, they release ‘hope molecules’ (myokines) such as IL-6 and irisin. These proteins then travel through the bloodstream to reduce inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, and even support brain repair. This piece illustrates how movement triggers a systemic healing cascade throughout the human body.

Synthetic diamonds may be used to cool microchips

The strong carbon bonds in diamonds efficiently carry vibrations, allowing them to conduct heat several times faster than copper, a metal commonly used in heat sinks. AI and high-performance computing have pushed researchers to investigate alternative materials for cooling solutions.

Raising interest rates can help control inflation

While controlling a complex and dynamic economy is difficult, interest rates—more specifically, the rate at which banks lend each other money overnight—are a powerful tool. Generally, raising the rate makes purchases more expensive and cools an overheated economy.

The price of gas is a composite made up of several different factors, with the federal gas tax making up less than 20% of what drivers pay at the pump.

Doctors differentiate between a phobia and fear by asking patients whether their fear interferes with their day-to-day activities.

Visualize how CRISPR-Cas9—a type of immune system used by single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses—targets and makes precise changes to a gene's DNA.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Some renewable energy sources may weaken the resiliency of electric grids by removing outage buffers provided by coal- and natural gas-fired plants, which provide the system with more time to find a new power source if a plant goes down.

The use of fungi to detoxify land and water—a process known as mycoremediation—has been used to clean up natural resources affected by the 2025 California wildfires.

Radioactive elements can introduce software errors because the ionizing radiation they produce can detach electrons from atoms, and computer code relies on the distribution of electrons.

Chaos theory—informally known as the butterfly effect—is the reason why weather forecasts are presented with probabilities rather than certainties.

When you complete a CAPTCHA on a website to prove you are human, you may be unknowingly training algorithms for self-driving cars, whose systems require training data to help identify crosswalks, bicycles, and other outdoor objects.

The history of many kitchen appliances involves unexpected discoveries and applications, including wartime radar turned hamster defroster and replacing an 'ice king' with heat-stealing boxes.

To reduce wrinkles in clothing, research recommends gentle wash cycles with more water and tumble drying with smaller loads and longer times.

Coral reefs get their colors from zooxanthellae—microorganisms that line corals' digestive tracts and provide them with sugars in exchange for a home within this protective tissue.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

Fast-casual restaurant Chili's is experiencing a resurgence, with its parent company recently reporting a nearly 32% increase in sales, thanks to passionate Gen Z fans on TikTok.

Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley' is infamous for having some of the highest industrial pollution, toxic air emissions, and cancer risks in the US.

'Silent' fireworks have gained more interest in recent years as a quieter celebratory option.

Shooting stars, or meteors, are fragments of asteroids and comets that burn up as they enter Earth's atmosphere, creating streaks in the sky called meteor showers.

Venture capital is a form of funding provided to early-stage companies with high growth potential, typically in exchange for an equity (or ownership) stake

US intelligence allegedly pursued more than 600 schemes to assassinate Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro.

The first steps to rebuilding your credit score include getting to know exactly what's on your credit report and figuring out how far you are from the '700 club,' or 'good score' range.

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

About 2,000 US babies are born annually without some portion of their limbs, potentially leading to a lifetime of pricey prosthetics.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps is independent of Iran's regular army and is one of the most powerful and influential military-political organizations in the Middle East.