The Science of Breaking Bad | Yeah Science! | Head Squeeze

Channel:
United Kingdom BBC Earth Science
Subscribers:
1,710,000
Published on ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysIg4Air86M


Duration: 4:39
28,953 views
818

So if you haven't had your head under a rock, you'll be aware that the last episode of Breaking Bad aired. Well, as sad as everyone was at Head Squeeze it inspired us to look into the science behind the show a bit more.

A paper was recently published on how to synthesise decongestant from crystal meth, which works the other way around too.  By binding and activating the right point on the molecule we can deliver a small change to all the molecules in the right location.

Red phosphorus is key to the chemistry discussed in Breaking Bad. But red phosphorus isn't all that readily available. White phosphorus won't work either, they're both the same element, but the difference in arrangements of the atoms results in very different behaviours. The second problem is that white phosphorus is also a chemical weapon. Not cool.

So the quick route of taking one drug and turning it into another has it's difficulties. What about making it from scratch? Build it up step by step. That's where Walter White's genius as a really good chemist made him formidable as Heisenberg. 

Yeah, Science!

http://www.youtube.com/user/HeadsqueezeTV
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=HeadsqueezeTV



Other Videos By BBC Earth Science


2013-10-13How did they build the world's tallest building? I Sci Guide with Jheni Osman I Head Squeeze
2013-10-12Bloopers I Live Experiments I Head Squeeze
2013-10-11Does James May Smell Terrible? I Earth Lab
2013-10-11How does deodorant work? I James May Q&A I Head Squeeze
2013-10-08How much energy does it take to get into space? | NumberHub with Timandra Harkness | Head Squeeze
2013-10-07Why do the Stars Twinkle? World Space Week | Greg Foot | Head Squeeze
2013-10-06How Fast is the Universe Expanding? | Sci Guide with Tom Whyntie and Andrew Pontzen | Head Squeeze
2013-10-05Create your own Solar System | Live Experiment with Huw James | Head Squeeze
2013-10-04Tom and Andrew's Favourite Head Squeeze Videos
2013-10-04Awesome Space Facts for World Space Week I Martin Archer I Head Squeeze
2013-10-03The Science of Breaking Bad | Yeah Science! | Head Squeeze
2013-10-02Can iPhone5S fingerprint sensor be hacked? I Sci Guide with Mark Champkins I Head Squeeze
2013-09-30Why do men grow facial hair? | Greg Foot Answers | Head Squeeze
2013-09-29How to Freeze Light | Sci Guide | Martin Archer | Earth Lab
2013-09-28MEGA Phonebook Car Lift | Power of Friction | MEGA Live Experiment | Huw James | Head Squeeze
2013-09-28Clamp build for phonebook car lift | MEGA Live Experiment | Huw James | Head Squeeze
2013-09-28Phonebook car lift EPIC FAIL | MEGA Live Experiment | Huw James | Head Squeeze
2013-09-27Satellite Navigation: HOW does it Work? | Earth Lab
2013-09-27Can you trust Sat Navs? James May's perspective | Earth Lab
2013-09-24Bullet Proof Custard | Head Squeeze
2013-09-23Do Dolphins Sleep? | Greg Foot Answers Your Question | Head Squeeze


Tags:
Head
Squeeze
Breaking Bad (TV Program)
Breaking Bad
science of breaking bad
sudafed
meth
crystal meth
pseudoephedrine
synthesise your decongestant
synthetic drugs
make drugs
drugs
pharmaceutical drugs
Ozymandias
Jesse Pinkman
Walter White
Bryan Cranston
Aaron Paul
Heisenberg
vancomycin
head squeeze
headsqueeze
BBC
Andrew Holding
phosphorus
Yeah Science!
chemistry
Methamphetamine (Drug)
Science (Literary Genre)
Drug (Taxonomy Subject)