essential2fun
Riding your bike? Surfing the waves? Chemistry helps get you going. It’s part of every shopping spree, it’s at the movies—it’s even in those fruity drinks with the little umbrellas. Low-tech or high-tech, everything from crayons to computer games gets an element of fun from the business of chemistry.
Did You Know
fresh food
American chemistry produces resins that keep food fresh, allowing meat to be shipped to and stored in developing nations for up to six months without refrigeration.
» more facts
Featured Articles
fun
Bound For Glory: Cutting-Edge Winter Sports Footwear
In frigid temperatures and under challenging conditions, athletes competing in the Winter Olympics test the limits of their skills on ice, snow, and the track. Medals are won in split-second finishes, and dreams of glory can be helped or hindered by specialized footwear. » learn more
travel
Plastic Bags: A Perfect Holiday Traveling Companion
Very few people remember what life was like before plastic bags became an icon of convenience and practicality. Today, we not only use plastic bags, we often reuse them. Discover tips for using plastic bags on the road and reusing them for everything from around-the-house storage bags to convenient pet cleanups. » learn more
fun
As the popularity of snowboarding continues to grow, the chemical industry helps make the sport safer. Durable plastics and composites are used in snowboards, as well as an array of protective safety gear that lets boarders focus on ollies and half-pipes. » learn more
materials
They Shoot, They Score! The Chemistry of Hockey
Chemical-based products have gone a long way in modernizing the sport of ice hockey, leading to renovated rinks, improved sticks and pucks, and—most importantly—better protected players. » learn more
fun
Taking it to the Hoop: The Chemistry of Basketball
Whether it’s the plastic water bottles that help replenish players between substitutions or the foam “wiggle sticks” fans use to distract an opposing free throw shooter, chemistry can be found all around the basketball court. Here are some examples of the most prominent ways chemistry makes basketball possible. » learn more
Get Involved
Can you imagine your daily life without the benefits of chemistry?
» join the discussion