Combustible Christmas special coming to public television

Chemistry is still a hot ticket in town. As in past years, the popular holiday lectures by University of Wisconsin–Madison chemistry professor Bassam Shakhashiri, scheduled for Dec. 2-3, are sold out, according to organizers.

If you didn’t score any of the free tickets, don’t despair: the show will be broadcast on Wisconsin Public Television at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22, at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 24, and at 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 25. In other parts of the country, check local PBS listings for broadcast dates and times.

Titled “Once Upon a Christmas Cheery in the Lab of Shakhashiri,” the lecture uses colorful glowing liquids and chemical explosions to showcase the wonder and power of science. Now in its 37th year, the program is one of UW–Madison’s longest running and most popular public outreach events.