Pour some milk in a dish (whole milk works best, but honestly, use whatever’s not expired), drop in some food coloring, then touch it with a dish soap-dipped cotton swab. The colors will scatter like ...

This interview was originally broadcast on May 22, 2001. Eating out has taught many Americans to be knowledgeable about ordering subtle and complex dishes from around the world, but it's left many of ...

When we say “salt”, we usually mean the stuff we sprinkle on our chips, which is sodium chloride (NaCl). But, technically speaking, this is just one example of a salt. In chemistry, a salt is an ionic ...

This title will probably come as a surprise to you. Astrophysics concerns enormous scales of space, time and energy; kitchens are relatively small, homely places. So how can there be a connection ...

Why is Christian Science in our name? Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and we’ve always been transparent about that. The church publishes the ...

We are routinely warned by earnest websites, advertisments and well-meaning popular articles about nasty “chemicals” lurking in our homes and kitchens. Many tout the benefits of switching to a ...

Why do scientists often use images and metaphors drawn from gastronomy? Why has science forcefully entered the kitchen from a certain moment in history? What is the common thread that connects ...

Let me be transparent–I’m not going to pretend these kitchen experiments won’t create a mess. They will. There will be vinegar on your floor, food coloring on hands that lasts a day or two, and ...