These are the sounds of celebration. Although the basic recipe and techniques used in preparing the black powder (gun powder) in modern-day fireworks is the same as it was 500 years ago, advances in ...

He's one of the world's leading experts in pyrotechnics, and he says the problem comes down to chemistry. You see, to make fireworks, you need four basic components: Fuel, usually gunpowder ...

As a chemist, and someone who leads demonstrations for chemistry students, I consider fireworks a great example of combustion reactions that produce colored fire. But the invention of colored ...

Where does the color come from? Metals or metal salts are the colorants in most fireworks. So let’s look a little more closely at the chemistry of these three components. Oxidizers These are the ...

Anyone who has seen a fireworks display has probably wondered, "How'd they do that?" Well it's actually quite elemental—The Periodic Table of the Elements, that is. The whiz, bang, pop ...

Watching thrilling fireworks displays is a Bonfire Night classic. Over 400 years since the Gunpowder plot failed, we’re still marking the occasion every year with fireworks - and toffee apples!