An image from “Candles at Halloween–Periodic Table of Videos.”

Have you ever wondered what was happening in the burning flame of a candle? The University of Nottingham invites viewers to find out in a seasonal video that details the chemistry of candles here–just in time for Halloween!

The University of Nottingham hosts a series of 118 videos that correspond to Periodic Table elements on You Tube and on their web site (if You Tube is blocked) that have been watched 2.9 million times. This particularly charming and informative example, starring Martyn Poliakoff, a research professor at the University of Nottingham and a pioneer in the field of green chemistry, is about Halloween candles. You may subscribe to the Periodic Video RSS through You Tube.