When Mentos are mixed with diet cola, something incredible happens. The question is: can you harness that explosive reaction or will you just end up having a soda shower?

This kid-friendly experiment is just one of many featured on the pages of Guinness World Records’ brand-new Science & Stuff book.

This challenge is paired with a record attempt that you can try at home: Farthest distance by a Mentos and soda bottle vehicle.

How to make a Mentos and soda car

You can make the DIY car using regular items you’ll find around your home, such as straws, Popsicle sticks, scissors, rubber bands, pickle jars and even fidget spinners – you can use anything!

Watch the video tutorial below to get some tips from our favourite funny scientists, Professor Orbax and Lab Assistant Klopek, then see if you can do better! You can find the full instructions on our website or in the Science & Stuff book.

Once you’ve mastered the Mentos and soda experiment, why not try our fruit batteries and marshmallow catapult challenges?

Science & Stuff is out now in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. If you’re in the UK, hold tight, the book will hit stores in March!

Science and Stuff