The film details the process of soap making, starting with Carl Mason's laboratory demonstration using fat and sodium hydroxide (lye). It explains the chemical reaction known as saponification, where ...

Making soap seems like an arcane, ancient craft that few people know how to do. But the secrets of how to make soap are more within reach than you may think. Many do-it-yourself projects aren’t worth ...

In preparation for an upcoming summer event, the Smithsonian leads us through saponification, the chemical process of creating soap Piqued by the innovation, resourcefulness and ingenuity required in ...

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in ...