[Image above] Credit: Peter Miller; Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

This weekend marks the end of 2016—and the fresh start of a brand new calendar year.

[Need a refresher on the major events of 2016? Here’s the year, in 5 minutes.]

And that crucial point in between the two will be marked by celebrations of all sorts.

For many, however, one New Years Eve tradition rings true, year after year: the champagne toast.

According to an article from FiveThirtyEight, champagne sales are seven times higher during the week of New Year’s compared to an average week during the rest of the year. But, luckily for consumers, supply and demand don’t apply here—prices are also lower during the holiday season.

And, even more broadly, champagne sales are a good overall indicator of the health of the global economy. Who knew that raising a glass of bubbly was so much more?

But that’s only the economics—there’s a lot of science that happens once you raise that glass to your lips and take a drink.

In the United States, 87.6% of Americans older than 18 years reported that they’ve drank alcohol sometime in their life, according to 2014 statistics from the NIH. And while those 87.6% of Americans have felt the effects of alcohol, how many know the science behind those effects?

A new video from the American Chemical Society’s Reaction series can bring everyone up to speed—the video details the complex chemical processes behind one of the world’s most popular drugs, alcohol.

Why do the molecules that make up your beer, wine, or cocktail make your bathroom breaks more frequent? Why do alcohol-influenced individuals suddenly think they can dance, tell a joke, or perform incredible feats of human stupidity? Why do a few drinks make you feel good, or a few more make you forget the end of the night?

It’s all simple science. But the process is complicated.

So watch this 3.5-minute video to learn all about the process. And if you do plan to drink to celebrate the New Year’s holiday, there are a few tips at the end of the video that might help make your night a success.

Have a safe and happy New Year’s, no matter how you celebrate!

Credit: Reactions; YouTube

Author

April Gocha

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