Science segments that work on LIVE television
Every experiment on this page is tried and tested for television. They work on camera, they work with the talent, and they work when the clock tightens mid-segment. They allow for talent to ask questions and discuss talking points, especially if you’re wanting to talk about Steve’s latest book – The Engagement Effect.
Each clip is the TikTok-length cut. You don’t have time for a five-minute breakdown, so these run under a minute and show the visual, the reveal, and the potential for Steve to involve your talent. That’s the part that matters for greenlighting a slot.
What makes these segments different
The talent does the action. The anchors shake the can, drop the egg, snap their fingers. They get the reaction live, on camera, with no rehearsal. Steve’s job is to set them up to look good doing it. The science is the vehicle. The fun with the talent is the destination.
If the clock changes mid-segment, Steve adjusts in real time. Drop an experiment, stretch one, swap the order. No one watching will know anything changed.
The anchor shakes it. Steve opens it dry. The science of carbon dioxide, in four seconds.
Water pours into a cup. Snap. It’s gone. The secret is hiding inside a baby diaper.
A tray of full water glasses spins in every direction. Not a drop spills. Centripetal force, in real time.
The anchor pushes a wooden skewer straight through a balloon. No pop. A two-second lesson in polymers.
A raw egg balanced on cardboard, sitting on a glass of water. Inertia drops it safely in. Anchors always gasp.
Steve hands the move to the anchor. Three eggs, three glasses, live, on the first try. That’s the clip your show posts.
Logistics
10 minutes to set up on the demo table. Access to a sink to fill a pitcher of water. Steve brings everything else, down to the paper towels.
A note on sequencing
The order matters. These experiments are designed to flow, with each one setting up the next. Don’t start with the finale and work backwards. Talk to Steve before locking the run-of-show and he’ll build the arc to fit your segment length and your talent.
For the Anchors
A few hooks the team can use on air. Steve will adapt to whatever direction the anchors want to take it.
- He hosts the nationally syndicated series DIY Sci. The show is in its 8th season.
- His science videos have crossed 4.5 billion views online. All social channels – @stevespangler
- He’s been sharing science on television for 30+ years – 2,100 segments, including 27 appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
- He’s the author of nine books. His latest, The Engagement Effect (Simon & Schuster), just won a 2026 Axiom Business Book Award Silver Medal.
- He serves as STEM Educator in Residence at High Point University in North Carolina.
- He’s a member of the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame, an honor shared with Zig Ziglar, Colin Powell, and Tony Robbins.
- Fun fact: he grew up in a family of magicians, which is how a science guy learned to read a room.
About Steve
Steve Spangler turns science into the kind of television people remember. A two-time Emmy Award winner, host of DIY Sci, and author of nine books including The Engagement Effect, he’s built a 30-year career on one idea: the science is the vehicle, the human moment is the destination. His on-camera work has generated more than 4.5 billion views and 2,100 television appearances. Off-camera, he speaks to audiences around the world about how to create experiences that make people lean in, listen, and act.
Contact Information
Contact Carly Reed at 303-720-1389. Carly has managed Steve’s television appearances for two decades and produces his show DIY Sci. She speaks your language and is here to help you build a great segment.