UI chemists carry on holiday tradition

URBANA – Five University of Illinois chemists ushered in the holiday season with a big explosion and a "kaboom" – after all, what's December without a fire sizzling?

They turned fire red and green, lit what looked like snowballs and snowmen on fire (and juggled them) and expanded and deflated marshmallows designed to look like Santa. They completed the tricks using chemistry at the department's Holiday Magic show at Noyes Lab in Urbana on Wednesday night.

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