It’s explosive: Brit’s Biggest Bangs

No mess.  No danger.  No smelly fumes.

BBC Brit’s Biggest Bangs is a fun, interactive video experience that allows users to channel their inner mad scientists, mixing dangerous chemicals with sometimes explosive results without a proper laboratory.

The secret behind the interactivity is a central choose-your-own-adventure video around which annotations lead to separate videos that respond to your chemical selections.

Choose your first chemical and then select another from among eight on the laboratory table.  You’ll see the team scientist take each chemical from the table.  Then pause to consider–will it explode or won’t it?

If it doesn’t, the oh so serious, oh so British narrator offers background on why the bang, or the lack of bang (NR or no reaction) may have disappointed, as well as what the resulting compound is and does.  I love watching him get all excited when an explosion does occur.

Biggest Bangs suggests a few favourite reactions for budding chemists:
https://youtu.be/o0hKhQW9kIg
https://youtu.be/-6XnBzOWar8
https://youtu.be/Z4RZmNdjiJw

I can see kids playing at home, or together remotely competing for the biggest reactions.

I see chemistry teachers using this at the beginning or end of class for a bit of informed, predictive fun.

Filed under: chemistry, science, technology