Chemistry For Your Life
Episodes
How do we see our breath in the air?
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
#074 This time of year, it's a common occurrence, something so common that we might not even wonder about it anymore. But really, why do we see our b...
Thermometers: what is the chemistry behind them?
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
#178 Thermometers tell us what temperature something is. But how do the thermometers know what the temperature is? Who tells the thermometers? Or rat...
Bonus: How do "forever chemicals" sneak into our clothes? (and other questions)
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 51 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to your comments and questions about PFAS/forever chem...
What is yogurt?
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
#177 Yogurt, sometimes known as thick milk. But what is it really? What happens at the molecular level, how does it become yogurt? And while we're at...
What is cheese? And what does it have in common with soap?
28 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#104 Rebroadcast Seriously what the heck is cheese? It's a question we've all wondered, but most of us only ever know that it's from milk—but what ...
What even is cinnamon?
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#176 We're in the portion of the year where cinnamon finds its way into many things we eat and drink: our pies, our tea, our coffee, our wassail, our...
Bonus: What's the chemistry of kombucha? (and other questions)
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 50 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to your comments and questions about mosquitos, kombuc...
What even is MSG? Is it bad for you?
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#175 MSG! The ingredient many of us reference but few of us know anything about. What is it? Why does it make things taste so good? What's in it? Is ...
Why do onions make you cry?
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#016 Rebroadcast This week Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of onion tears, the emotional reaction we all have, against our will, when cutting o...
Why does(n't) turkey make you sleepy?
23 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#174 For many folks in the US, today is a day where we eat Turkey! And many times the factoid/rumor makes the rounds that eating turkey makes you sle...
Bonus: Acronyms and Mom Memories (chemmunity style)
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Chemmunity Style For this month's bonus episode we don't have questions, so we're recording an episode in the style of our secret supp...
Why do we stir things to dissolve them?
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#173 What is freeze-drying? How can something be both frozen and dried? How does it differ from just freezing, or just drying? And is it just for ast...
Why does water form droplets?
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#020 Rebroadcast This week Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of water and intermolecular forces. Why does it form into droplets? Why can you fill...
What is freeze drying?
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#172 What is freeze-drying? How can something be both frozen and dried? How does it differ from just freezing, or just drying? And is it just for ast...
Bonus: Can geckos stick to teflon? (And other questions about PFAS)
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 49 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to your comments and questions all about PFAS aka Fore...
Are learning styles real?
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#171 What ways do you like to learn? Have you ever thought that you're more of a visual learner? Or what about an auditory learner? Why do you think ...
What is margarine? How is it different from butter?
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#003 Rebroadcast Melissa and Jam discuss margarine and what the heck it is, and how it's different from butter, and if it is actually made in the &quo...
Can forever chemicals be destroyed? (PFAS part 4)
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#170 So is there any hope of destroying forever chemicals? Once we've made these super resilient molecules, can we finally figure out how to unmake t...
Bonus: How does numbing cream work? (and other questions)
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 48 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about shoes, freeze-drying, ...
What can we do now about "forever chemicals?" (PFAS part 3)
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#169 Time for some action. This week on our "forever chemicals" aka PFAS series, get ready to talk about what we can do about PFAS. Can we ...
Are cast iron pans as cool as people say?
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#045 Rebroadcast The continuation of the unexpected cookware chemistry saga: cast iron. This week, Melissa and Jam discuss multiple aspects of cast i...
The history of “forever chemicals,” how did we get here? (PFAS part 2)
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#168 Continuing our series on "forever chemicals" aka PFAS, we explore how we got into this situation. Where did PFAS come from? Why were t...
Bonus: Why does coffee spoil faster than tea? (and other questions)
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 47 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about silicone, coffee, pizz...
What are "forever" chemicals? (aka PFAs) And are they bad? (PFAS part 1)
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#167 Have you heard of "forever" chemicals? Or PFAS, or PFOAS, or Teflon, or a bunch of other associated names and labels? Or have you ever...
Is it safe to use teflon pans?
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#041 Ok! So now that you know how teflon works (see last week's episode if you missed it), now it's time to discuss the equally important question: is...
What is silicone?
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#166 At some point, silicone snuck onto the scene and found its way into many of our kitchens. It seems kinda like rubber, kinda like plastic, but so...
Bonus: Are my shoes chemistry? (and other questions)
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 46 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about rubber, cold brew coff...
What is dietary fiber?
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#165 Fiber. Dietary Fiber. Fiber optic internet. We all probably know that fiber is good for you, good for digestion etc. But why? Also what is fiber...
What is jam? (and jelly and preserves etc.)
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#087 Rebroadcast Jams, jellies, preserves, marmalade. So many kinds of fruit spreads, but how are they made? How do they go from fruit to gooey sprea...
What is rubber?
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#164 Something some common and useful in our everyday lives, from gloves to toy balls, what even is rubber? What makes it rubber, and what makes it d...
Bonus: 1,000,000 Downloads! - YouTube Live Replay
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 45 This month we have a special bonus episode. To celebrate reaching 1,000,000 downloads, we hung out with a bun...
Why DO mosquitos bite some people more than others? (new research!)
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#163 We've talked about mosquitos many times around here, why they bite us, how they find us, how to prevent them from biting us, etc. One thing that...
Do mosquitos bite some people more than others?
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#052 Rebroadcast This week, Melissa and Jam continue the topic of mosquitos (If you missed last week's, listen to it first). It's time to answer the ...
Bonus: Why is butter yellow? (and other questions)
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 44 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about butter, popcorn, vineg...
What is the greenhouse effect?
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#162 Here's another summer topic, if you live in a somewhat warmer climate area, you've undoubtedly notice that cars can get insanely hot during the ...
Why does carbonated water have a taste?
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#026 Rebroadcast This week, Melissa and Jam discuss part of an often requested topic: carbonation. Does it have a taste? Like why does carbonated wat...
What is popcorn?
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#161 Summer's here, blockbusters are coming out, people will be headed to the movies, and nothing goes better with a movie... than popcorn. At least ...
Bonus: Can coffee get HOTTER in an insulated mug? (and other questions)
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 43 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about coffee in thermoses, y...
What is whipped cream?
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#160 Recently we talked about how butter is made from cream, but how is whipped cream made from cream? What is whipping? How does whip cream get foam...
What are trans fats and are they evil?
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#004 Rebroadcast This week Melissa and Jam talk about some of the possible unexpected results of hydrogenation, including trans fats. Thanks to ou...
What is butter?
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#159 Can you spread it? Can you melt it? Can you bake with it? Can you cook things with it? You butter believe it! But what is butter? Or rather, wha...
Bonus: How does lightning striking sand create glass? (and other questions)
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 42 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about freezing point depress...
How do gemstones get their color?
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#158 Gemstones come in all sorts of colors, but how do they get them? Are different stones super different at the molecular level? How do these diffe...
What is silver tarnish?
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#073 Rebroadcast Well if you haven't experienced silver tarnish yourself, then you've almost certainly heard people complain about it. Can anything l...
How do smoke alarms detect smoke? (part 2)
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#157 Part Two: When smoke alarms aren't beeping at us to replace their batteries, they are sitting, watching, waiting for the perfect moment, waiting...
Bonus: Why do cucumbers upset people's stomachs? (and other questions)
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 41 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about glass cookware, freezi...
How do smoke alarms detect smoke? (part 1)
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#156 When smoke alarms aren't beeping at us to replace their batteries, they are sitting, watching, waiting for the perfect moment, waiting for smoke...
Baking soda and baking powder: What's the difference?
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#009 Rebroadcast Baking powder? Baking soda? I mean they're both white powders with the word "baking" in it. How different could they be? W...
How does baking soda eliminate odors?
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#155 So baking soda, do you bake it? Can you drink it? What's the deal? And specifically for the purposes of this episode, how does it eliminate odor...
Bonus: Are candles toxic? (and other questions)
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 40 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about smells, candles, vineg...
Is freezing point *actually* real?
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#154 When you're young in science class, you probably learned the phrase "freezing point," but is that even a thing? Is there a specific tem...
How do thermoses keep coffee hot?
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#033 Rebroadcast That's right, we are sort of talking about coffee this week. Or rather, how to keep it hot. Nowadays we all have some version of a th...
Is "dry cleaning" actually dry?
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#153 Whether you're a frequent customer of the dry cleaner or not, you've probably wondered, "why is it called dry cleaning? How could it be dry?...
Bonus: How do semi-permanent tattoos work?
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 39 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about fero fluids, semi perm...
What do pine trees and jet fuel have in common?
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#152 Well we've just finished that time of the year, the time when some of us bring pine trees into our homes to hang out with us for a few weeks. Sou...
How do snowflakes form and look so cool?
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
#023 Rebroadcast This week, Melissa and Jam explore the wintery chemistry of snowflakes. How do they form? How are they all unique? How do they look ...
What happens to coffee when it cools down?
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#151 If you drink coffee, then you know that it starts to taste super different as it goes from hot to cold. Is it just the change in temperature that...
Bonus: Why does tupperware stain from pasta? (and other questions)
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 38 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about amino acids, chemistry...
What do peppermints and cigarettes have in common?
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#150 Peppermints. They seem innocent enough right? But if that's the case, then what common thread do they share with cigarettes? Don't worry, it's no...
Why do foods turn brown when we cook them?
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#017 Rebroadcast This week Melissa and Jam explore some of the chemistry behind cooking. What happens when you sear a steak? What's going on when you...
What is gluten?
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#149 Gluten. Public enemy number one. If you're gluten intolerant that is. But what is gluten? Why is it in bread? What does it do in bread? Let's fin...
Bonus: Is honey mustard a polymer? (and other questions)
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 37 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about regulation of scented ...
How can mosquitos smell you? (new research!)
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#148 How can mosquitoes sense us? And do they prefer some people over others? This is a question we've pursued across several episodes of the podcast ...
Why do mosquitos bite people?
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#051 Rebroadcast This week, Melissa and Jam begin a multi-faceted topic: mosquitos. Now of course mosquitos are insects, so studying them would mostly...
How do trick candles reignite?
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#147 Maybe you've experienced them yourself, maybe you've just heard of them, but trick candles are real, they are chemistry, they are kinda dangerous...
Bonus: How did Bella Hadid's spray-on dress work? (and other questions)
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 36 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about raw garlic burns, Bell...
Do nasal decongestants even work?
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#146 When we are sick and super congested, many of us go to the store to pick up a decongestant. But what if some decongestants DON'T EVEN WORK, like ...
What even is sunscreen and how does it screen the sun?
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#013 Rebroadcast This week Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of not being burned by the big, ominous, flaming ball of radioactive insanity that l...
The most toxic substance to humans? (It’s basically botox)
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#145 Today we're talking about the most toxic substance known to humans, and yet it also happens to be a substance that many people willingly inject i...
Bonus: How is pressure measured? (and other questions)
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 35 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about pressure, eicosane, clo...
What do catalytic converters do?
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#144 Cars are complicated, there's lots of parts that do lots of things most of us will probably never understand it all. Well we can at least tackle ...
What's up with alcohol(s)?
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#057 Rebroadcast So we all know what we think of when we hear the word "alcohol," but what if that's not really the whole picture? There's ...
What is gasoline?
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#143 For many of us, gasoline is just another everyday thing. It's essential, but we don't give it much thought. But how does it work? What is it made...
Bonus: How does gel nail polish dry under UV light? (and other questions)
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 34 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about nail polish, tattoos, v...
How are tattoos removed?
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#142 So a couple weeks ago we talked about how tattoos are permanent. But what if you don't want your tattoo to be permanent any more? You won't get a...
How do geckos stick to walls?
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#012 Rebroadcast This week Melissa and Jam continue in the category of "sticky" things by exploring how geckos stick to walls. How do they ...
Why are tattoos permanent?
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#141 Tattoos go back centuries across many cultures, and yet their chemistry is still an absolute mystery to most of us. How do tattoos work? What is ...
Bonus: How much does a polar bear weigh? (and other questions)
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 33 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam do something a little different. Because they're needing to rec...
Why does ice float on water?
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#140 Ice is water right? It's just that it's solid. So why does it float in liquid water? And also why does water expand when it freezes, when typical...
What is sea level rise? (with Dr. Renee Collini)
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#025 Rebroadcast This week, Melissa, Jam, and very special guest Renee Collini (Melissa's sister and climate scientist) delve into the important topic...
What is the chemistry of volcanoes?
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#139 The crazy, insane, scary, fascinating world of volcanoes is fully of chemistry! What is lava/magma? Why do some volcanoes ooze and others erupt? ...
Why are sand and water different temperatures at the beach?
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#002 Many of us have been in a situation where we are near a body of water (lake, ocean, pool etc), and you may have noticed that no matter what the ...
What is wind?
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#138 Wind is everywhere, we've all experienced it: soft breezes, strong gusts, cold fronts, warm fronts. But what is wind? What starts it? Where does ...
Bonus: Where does sand come from? (and other questions)
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 32 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about CO2 and mosquitos, sand...
What is lightning?
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#137 Lightning is something we're all used to. It's always just been an odd part of life. But think for a second, what even is it? It's just electrici...
What do rainbows and mirages have in common?
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#024 Rebroadcast This week, Melissa and Jam explore three very different, but related, light phenomena. We'll discuss situations when light can be ben...
What are clouds? And why do they look white?
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#136 Clouds. So fluffy. So wispy. So mysterious. What are they really? Why do they look white? How do they hold so much water for so long? Why do they...
Bonus: Why is caffeine in shampoo? (and other questions)
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 31 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about shampoo, microplastics,...
Why do people hate organic chemistry?
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#135 Well guess what, Melissa is a PhD Doctor now! And you know what that means? She gets to tell us more details about the research she did to get he...
How can sunlight turn into electricity?
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#021 Rebroadcast This week, Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of solar energy. How do we capture energy from the sun and turn it into electricity?...
How do ADHD and Adderall™ change the chemistry in our brains?
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#134 Well newsflash, the brain is complicated. And a surprising amount of what's going on in our brains is chemistry. But what about ADHD? What's happ...
Bonus: Animals have tears? (and other questions)
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 30 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about lobsters, crying, light...
Is crying chemistry? (the fascinating science of tears)
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#133 Have you ever wondered what tears are? If not, is it because you think you already know? Chances are, you don't actually know what tears are! It'...
Why does rain smell?
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#029 Rebroadcast What's that smell? This week, Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of smell. Now a lot of smell science has to do with our physiolog...
Why do lobsters turn red? (when we cook them)
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#132 When you think of lobsters, you probably always imagine them being red. But they're only actually red after they die, or more specifically, after...
Bonus: What do sunscreen and paint have in common? (and other questions)
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 29 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about soda bubbles, mentos, r...
Why do sodas explode? (when we shake them)
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#131 We've all shaken up a carbonated drink, either accidentally or on purpose, so we all know what happens. But why? Why does simply shaking it agita...
Why is the sky blue?
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#034 Rebroadcast This week, Melissa and Jam explore the oldest question in the book. But we're not going to answer it. Just kidding. Why the HECK is t...
Bonus: Chemistry and Greek myths? (and other questions)
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 28 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about greek myth analogies, h...
Why do we use hydrogen peroxide? (and should we?)
04 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
#130 For many people, hydrogen peroxide has been an essential first aid tool. Should it be? And before we answer that question, what even is hydrogen ...