What makes Thanksgiving such a complicated meal? Family dynamics are tough enough to decode without the added pressure of figuring out a multi-course feast. PopSci is here to help you understand some of the science of Thanksgiving dishes in order to make your meal easier-and more fun-to prepare.

Turn the page below for scientific tricks to making your bird tender yet crispy, your mashed potatoes ultra-fluffy and a pie crust to rival granny's.

If you're bored of everyday kitchen chemistry and are hankering to bust out the big guns of molecular gastronomy, your ordinary cookbook probably won't cut it. Fortunately, PopSci has you covered. Check out our favorite high-tech recipes-courtesy of International Cooking Concepts-perfect for rounding out any gastronomer's oeuvre.

A kitchen equipped for "molecular gastronomy"-gourmet cuisine as cooked by Mr. Wizard, basically-is all about the tech. Devices that wouldn´t be out of place in a chemistry lab fill the kitchens of some of the world´s most adventurous chefs, enabling far-out dishes like whipped-cream pancakes, lobster sorbet (shells and all) and meat-flavored mushrooms.