ChemMatters is produced by the American Chemical Society in October, December, February, and April. The archive gives you access to all of ChemMatters’ past articles, dating back to February 1983. The most recently released issue is available through a complimentary subscription, if you chose to receive one when you joined AACT.

For recent articles, issues, or available teacher’s guides visit acs.org/ChemMatters.

AACT members can access the archive and generate a Student Pass that gives their students access to the articles. Available Teacher’s Guides can also be found next to the corresponding issue and article in the archive.

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Use the filters in the Filter by: section to search for an archived article by title, keyword, month, and/or year.

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  • Access is an AACT member benefit. What is Dental Enamel and How Does It Protect Your Teeth?

    It's more complex than you’d think: dental enamel keeps our teeth intact through a combination of physics and chemistry.

    Issue Date | December 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. A Periodic Table of Its Own?

    Translations into indigenous languages are important for people to feel included in the process of science, it helps to be able to under-stand science in their own language, because a language carries with it the values and traditions of a culture.

    Issue Date | October 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Braces! How Do They Straighten Your Teeth?

    At some point, many students in middle school or high school will get braces on their teeth. It may not be obvious, but there is a lot of science and technology that goes into straightening teeth with braces.

    Issue Date | October 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Don't Sweat It: How Moisture-Wicking Fabrics Keep You Cool and Dry

    How moisture-wicking fabrics keep you cool and dry.

    Issue Date | October 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Keeping Us Safe

    In 2020, as consumers snapped up every bottle in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kayla Ivey set to work. A product development scientist at GOJO Industries, a company that makes skin health and hygiene products, Ivey is the lead formulator for the Purell brand of hand sanitizer.

    Issue Date | October 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Origin of Life

    There was a time before life existed, when Earth was only land and ocean. Then,
    at some point in our planet’s 4.5-billion-year history, nonliving matter started down
    a path of chemical transformation that led to the incredible diversity of life we see
    today.

    Issue Date | October 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. The Opioid Epidemic: How Did it Get This Bad?

    As waves of coronavirus variants keep communities on constant alert, another epidemic has continued its relentless growth. In 2021 alone, more than 100,000 people in the United States died from a drug overdose, a 15% increase over the previous year.

    Issue Date | October 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. What are Glow Sticks and What is the Chemical Reaction That Makes Them Light Up?

    Whether you’re trick-or-treating on Halloween or dancing the night away, glow sticks provide a cool source of light. That light is made by a chemical reaction — a phenomenon known as chemiluminescence.

    Issue Date | October 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Bugs and the Future of Meat

    Raising insects for food is a growing business. Could they one day replace beef, chicken, and pork on plates everywhere?

    Issue Date | April 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Can You Power Devices With Your Body?

    Each movement you make requires energy and releases it. What if you could reclaim some of the energy that you produce with your own body?

    Issue Date | April 2022

Generate a Student Pass

Teacher Members, use a Student Pass to give your students 7 days of access to our locked member-only videos, animations, and archived articles of ChemMatters Magazine.

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About ChemMatters Magazine

Published four times a year since February 1983, ChemMatters Magazine is an award-winning high school chemistry magazine from the American Chemical Society that helps students demystify chemistry and make connections to the world around them. AACT members receive a complimentary subscription.

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Discover how an AACT membership enhances your experience in the chemistry classroom. Join now to access a wealth of resources, professional development, and other member benefits. Members have access to the archive and can generate a Student Pass.

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