In this episode of Periodic Videos, professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff from the School of Chemistry at The University of Nottingham describes the process of making a spoon from an alloy that melts in a cup of hot tea. The alloy is called Field's Alloy and it has a melting temperature of 62 °C (144 °F). It was named after its inventor, Simon Quellen Field of SciToys and is made from bismuth, lead, and tin. Here's Simon's article about the alloy.
Making a metal teaspoon that melts in a cup of tea
Crushing things with a little vacuum pump
Chris Notap used a small, cheap vacuum pump to suck the air out of a variety of plastic containers ranging from bread bags to 55 gallon drums. READ THE REST
Putting a large marshmallow gummy bear in a vacuum chamber
As the air leaves the chamber, the marshmallow gummy bear bloats. Its candy skin forms fissures. After it reaches its maximum size, the operator opens a valve. The bear implodes under atmospheric pressure, becoming a puddly lump at the bottom of the chamber. READ THE REST
Cut out the bad meals (and prepare delicious ones) with 63% off these Japanese knives
Whether you are a professional chef or just a novice making yourself dinner in your kitchen, you should always make sure that you have the best tools at your disposal. You may ensure that you have great ingredients, frying pans, and glassware, but proper preparation doesn't end there. A complete master knife set is the perfect way to step… READ THE REST
Want to be a true globetrotter? This bundle can teach you how at a steal
If you're like most people, you probably feel a little jealous when you hear someone who's multilingual. And that's with good reason. It's an impressive and handy skill to have. Being able to travel internationally and communicate with people can be invaluable. So, if you want to become multilingual yourself but only have some basic language skills, then you're in… READ THE REST
Got a home repair project? This HD endoscope camera can give you a closer look
As much as you hate it, sometimes we have to search for things in places we never want to go, like the kitchen sink's drain, the dusty attic, or the spider-web-laden area underneath the house. Your shrieks might just bring music to their ears! But as much as we don't want to see what's in these… READ THE REST
