Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The crystals that wiped out an HIV medication, almost overnight. Thanks to SoFi for sponsoring the video! Click here to sign-up for SoFi Checking and Savings: sofi.com/ve
In 2025, we launched the Elements of Truth game on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, with Kickstarter rewards shipping soon. If you missed the campaign, you can now pre-order the retail edition through our new website here -ve42.co/PolymorphsDesc
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - ve42.co/Newsletter
▀▀▀
Check out the excellent video by Reactions here: youtu.be/PccOwGEbtQU?si=NOpmaulDcoq6Kif-
This video was a huge collaborative effort!
Special thanks to…
Dr Andreas Kafizas for all his help with the Silver and Tin demonstrations, and staying up for those 14 hours with us monitoring the timelapse! As well as Conrad Duncan and the team at Imperial College London.
@ChrisYoungCooks for teaching Casper how to temper chocolate and @jameshoffmann and the team for letting us take over their studio; we had a great day!
Many thanks to Professor Adam Matzger, Professor Katharina Fromm and Professor Mike Zaworotko for taking the time to talk to us.
Also thank you to Dr. William McVicker and the British Institute of Organ Studies and Chris at Luciteria Science for helping us source our grey and white tin samples.
Correction: 11:45 should say carbon-nitrogen triple bond not double bond
▀▀▀
0:00 The Disease Infecting Miracle Medicine
4:20 An Explosive Feud
10:05 How The Same Compound Can Behave Two Different Ways
13:18 Polymorphs Of Chocolate
19:51 Why Ritonavir Stopped Working
22:57 The Tin Pest
27:28 Disappearing Polymorphs
30:20 Is Everything Polymorphic?
▀▀▀
References can be found here - ve42.co/PolymorphRefs
▀▀▀
Special thanks to our Patreon supporters: Adam Foreman, Albert Wenger, Alex Porter, Alexander Tamas, André Powell, Anton Ragin, Balkrishna Heroor, Bertrand Serlet, Blake Byers, Bruce, Bryan Ackermann, Cartier, Chris Brewer, Daniel Martins, Data Don, Dave Kircher, David Johnston, David Tseng, EJ Alexandra, Evgeny Skvortsov, Garrett Mueller, Gnare, gpoly, Hayden Christensen, Hong Thai Le, Ibby Hadeed, Jeromy Johnson, Jesse Brandsoy, Juan Benet, Kelcey Steele, KeyWestr, Kyi, Lee Redden, Marinus Kuivenhoven, Mark Heising, Martin Paull, Meekay, meg noah, Michael Krugman, Orlando Bassotto, Parsee Health, Paul Peijzel, Richard Sundvall, Robson, Sam Lutfi, Shalva Bukia, Sinan Taifour, Tj Steyn, Ubiquity Ventures, Vahe Andonians, William Yoon, wolfee
▀▀▀
Writers: Gabe Strong & Casper Mebius
Producer and Director: Gabe Strong
Presenters: Derek Muller & Casper Mebius
Editor: Trenton Oliver
Assistant Editor: James Stuart
Art Director: Mathias Hawk
Illustrators: Jakub Misiek, Emma Wright, Maria Gusakovich & Raphael Aubry
Animators: Fabio Albertelli, Andrew Neet, Emma Wright & Alex Drakoulis
Researcher: Sophia Rose
Additional Research: Callum Cuttle
Camera Operators: Rob Newman, Casper Mebius, Gabe Strong, Callum Cuttle & Derek Muller
Voice-over Artist: Gregor Čavlović
Thumbnail Designers: Abdallah Rabah, Ren Hurley & Ben Powell
Production Team: Jess Bishop-Laggett, Glen Griffiths, Mathew Cavanagh & Anna Milkovic
Executive Producers: Derek Muller, Casper Mebius & Gregor Čavlović
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images & Storyblocks
Music from Epidemic Sound
The crystals that wiped out an HIV medication, almost overnight. Thanks to SoFi for sponsoring the video! Click here to sign-up for SoFi Checking and Savings: sofi.com/ve
In 2025, we launched the Elements of Truth game on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, with Kickstarter rewards shipping soon. If you missed the campaign, you can now pre-order the retail edition through our new website here -ve42.co/PolymorphsDesc
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - ve42.co/Newsletter
▀▀▀
Check out the excellent video by Reactions here: youtu.be/PccOwGEbtQU?si=NOpmaulDcoq6Kif-
This video was a huge collaborative effort!
Special thanks to…
Dr Andreas Kafizas for all his help with the Silver and Tin demonstrations, and staying up for those 14 hours with us monitoring the timelapse! As well as Conrad Duncan and the team at Imperial College London.
@ChrisYoungCooks for teaching Casper how to temper chocolate and @jameshoffmann and the team for letting us take over their studio; we had a great day!
Many thanks to Professor Adam Matzger, Professor Katharina Fromm and Professor Mike Zaworotko for taking the time to talk to us.
Also thank you to Dr. William McVicker and the British Institute of Organ Studies and Chris at Luciteria Science for helping us source our grey and white tin samples.
Correction: 11:45 should say carbon-nitrogen triple bond not double bond
▀▀▀
0:00 The Disease Infecting Miracle Medicine
4:20 An Explosive Feud
10:05 How The Same Compound Can Behave Two Different Ways
13:18 Polymorphs Of Chocolate
19:51 Why Ritonavir Stopped Working
22:57 The Tin Pest
27:28 Disappearing Polymorphs
30:20 Is Everything Polymorphic?
▀▀▀
References can be found here - ve42.co/PolymorphRefs
▀▀▀
Special thanks to our Patreon supporters: Adam Foreman, Albert Wenger, Alex Porter, Alexander Tamas, André Powell, Anton Ragin, Balkrishna Heroor, Bertrand Serlet, Blake Byers, Bruce, Bryan Ackermann, Cartier, Chris Brewer, Daniel Martins, Data Don, Dave Kircher, David Johnston, David Tseng, EJ Alexandra, Evgeny Skvortsov, Garrett Mueller, Gnare, gpoly, Hayden Christensen, Hong Thai Le, Ibby Hadeed, Jeromy Johnson, Jesse Brandsoy, Juan Benet, Kelcey Steele, KeyWestr, Kyi, Lee Redden, Marinus Kuivenhoven, Mark Heising, Martin Paull, Meekay, meg noah, Michael Krugman, Orlando Bassotto, Parsee Health, Paul Peijzel, Richard Sundvall, Robson, Sam Lutfi, Shalva Bukia, Sinan Taifour, Tj Steyn, Ubiquity Ventures, Vahe Andonians, William Yoon, wolfee
▀▀▀
Writers: Gabe Strong & Casper Mebius
Producer and Director: Gabe Strong
Presenters: Derek Muller & Casper Mebius
Editor: Trenton Oliver
Assistant Editor: James Stuart
Art Director: Mathias Hawk
Illustrators: Jakub Misiek, Emma Wright, Maria Gusakovich & Raphael Aubry
Animators: Fabio Albertelli, Andrew Neet, Emma Wright & Alex Drakoulis
Researcher: Sophia Rose
Additional Research: Callum Cuttle
Camera Operators: Rob Newman, Casper Mebius, Gabe Strong, Callum Cuttle & Derek Muller
Voice-over Artist: Gregor Čavlović
Thumbnail Designers: Abdallah Rabah, Ren Hurley & Ben Powell
Production Team: Jess Bishop-Laggett, Glen Griffiths, Mathew Cavanagh & Anna Milkovic
Executive Producers: Derek Muller, Casper Mebius & Gregor Čavlović
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images & Storyblocks
Music from Epidemic Sound
