Chemistry and Cranberry: the Science of Thanksgiving

Ever wonder how that little plastic pop-up timer knows when the turkey is done? Or why potatoes are the preferred starch of Thanksgiving? In this illuminating video, shot in a lecture hall at Catholic University of America, chemistry professor Diane Bunce sets out to answer those questions. Incorporating a power point presentation and audience participation (which involves munching on paper towels at a certain point), Bunce, who is also the associate editor for chemical education research for the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Chemical Education, reveals some of the underlying science of our favorite feast. And after seeing this video, you’ll have to agree with her assessment of the pop-up timer: “Quite simple, quite elegant.”

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