In keeping with our “Chemistry for Adults” series celebrating the International Year of Chemistry, ISC offers yet another tasty program -- Chemistry of Honey (aren’t you glad I didn’t say “in bee-keeping with..”?  Groan.)

This sweet program will delight and enlighten you with what bees actually do to make honey, how it’s harvested and other fun facts.  We’ve got an entomologist – that’s a bee expert – Dr. May Berenbaum of University of Illinois-Champaign, together with a chemist – that’s a chemistry expert – Dr. Shelby Hatch of Northwestern University to explore the extraordinary chemical properties of honey and its many varieties.

• Why doesn’t honey “go bad” even if you leave it in the cabinet for months or years?
• What are the different viscosities of honey?  Does it affect taste?
• Does the amount of water in honey matter?
• What about honey’s antibiotic properties?
• What the heck is the “osmotic effect” of honey and what is Mānuka honey?

You’ll conduct experiments yourselves to explore the wonders of this golden goodness.  There may be balloons and beakers and ph involved, and perhaps refractometers, but there will be definitely be tastes to tantalize your tongue.

Tickets are $15 (includes museum admission!).  This program is in collaboration with the Notebaert Nature Museum and Slow Food Chicago as part of their series on bees and beekeeping.

No science prerequisites necessary.  Sign up now -- space is limited!  Past ISC programs in this series have included the chemistry of beer, whiskey, chocolate and cosmetics.  Visit IllinoisScience.org for more details.  Chemistry of Chocolate is happening Wednesday, Sept. 21; check here for ticket availability.

BONUS!  FREE  Parking (unheard of!) in the Diversy Harbor lot across the street from the Nature Museum.