Many people are probably aware of Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, but few are likely aware of its relation to candy. When this scientific tenet is applied to candy, the theory states that a candy’s taste is relative to its surroundings.

Okay, so maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but it is important to note that candy is affected by its surroundings. One important aspect people often ignore is temperature. Commonly, most people eat candy in this manner: you’re driving and suddenly get a craving, park at the nearest 7-11, buy that Twix staring at you from the candy shelf, and have consumed half the bar by the time you’re back in car.

Instances like this are examples of candy being consumed at room temperature. There’s nothing wrong with this way of eating candy, and in fact, candy like chocolate is often considered to taste best at room temperature. But have you ever tried a Twix frozen? I have, and I must confess it’s a great way to enliven your favorite confections that might have lost their zest over the years.

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Have you ever wondered just what exactly would happen to a gummy bear if you added it to a test tube containing heated potassium chlorate? I know I’ve been dying to know.

What, you don’t believe me? Ok, ok, you caught me. The truth is, I had no idea what the hell this was all about. Turns out, there’s a high school chemistry demonstration that shows how the sugars in a gummy bear interact with liquefied potassium chlorate to create a really cool flame-y jet looking thing.

I’m the first to admit that I’m not exactly a math and science type person. However, I’m fairly sure I would have remembered an experiment like this in either my high school or college classes, if only due to the scary fire it produces. I’m generally not a big fan of fire, but watching it online isn’t too bad!

Above you see a video of this chemical reaction using a gummi bear (poor bear!). Who’d have thought one little gummi bear could produce that much fire? Just remember kids, don’t try this at home!

You know, I had always heard that Wintergreen LifeSavers would “spark” when chewed, but I don’t think I ever actually tried it. Evidently, it is true (and my wife says she has verified it). So, why does it do this? According to exploratorium.edu,

When you crunch on wintergreen candies, you are making light with friction. The scientific name for this process is triboluminescence, from the Greek word tribein, which means “to rub,” and the Latin word lumin, which means “light.”
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Here is another interesting site where someone crushed Wintergreeen LifeSavers with needle-nosed pliers and took some pictures of it. Pretty cool.

I’m going to have to figure out a way to work triboluminescence into a conversation. “I witnessed triboluminescence while eating my Wint-O-Green LifeSavers in the dark.”

Explanation from exploratorium.edu
Explanation from howstuffworks.com
Pictures of Wintergreen flashes

candy, wintergreen, science, mint, mints, lifesavers, lightning