Chemistry For Your Life
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Chemistry For Your Life
A podcast that helps you understand the fascinating chemistry hidden in your everyday life. Have you ever wondered why onions make you cry? Or how soap gets your hands clean? What really is margarine, or why do trees change colors in the fall? Melissa is a chemist, and to answer these questions s...
Nedávné epizody
364 epizod
How does Poo-Pourri prevent unpleasant smells?
Melissa and Jam discuss the chemistry behind Poopourri Toilet Spray. Melissa explains how the spray works by forming a non-polar oil layer on top of w...
How do odor absorbers work?
#072 Rebroadcast
You know what they say, everyone's experienced odors, and 99.99% of all odors smell. We have room sprays, candles, air freshene...
Are your lips being tricked by chapstick?
Melissa and Jam delve into the science behind lip balm, investigating whether products like Chapstick and Burt's Bees are beneficial or if they could...
Ask a Chemist: Why is glass clear? (and other questions)
Melissa and Jam tackle a range of fascinating chemistry questions from their audience in this episode of 'Chemistry For Your Life'. They discuss why g...
Does lotion really hydrate dry skin?
Melissa and Jam discuss the science behind moisturizers and how they help with dry skin. The conversation covers the role of occlusives like petroleum...
What are shooting stars?
Melissa and Jam explore the science behind shooting stars, unraveling the chemistry that turns space rocks into brilliant streaks of light in our nigh...
How do glowsticks glow?
#067 Rebroadcast (Originally Aired October 2020)
Guess what time of year it is. It's spooky time! One thing we see a lot of during this time of...
What makes fireflies glow?
Melissa and Jam delve into the fascinating chemistry behind fireflies' bioluminescence. They explore how fireflies produce light through a complex ser...
Ask a Chemist: What would be worse, drinking bleach or gasoline? (and other questions)
Melissa and Jam dive into a variety of listener-submitted questions. They discuss the science behind fluffy shave ice versus mainland shaved ice, the...
Why is sweat salty?
Melissa and Jam explore the science behind why sweat is salty. They discuss personal experiences with sweating, the types of sweat glands, and the che...
How does sweat cool us down?
#050
This week, Melissa and Jam once again look under the armpits of society, this time to explore sweat. Is it cool? Well does it keep us cool?...
How does *color* film photography work??
In this continuation of our two-part series, Melissa and Jam dive into the intriguing chemistry behind color film and Polaroid photography. The episod...
Ask a Chemist: Is Baking Soda and Vinegar a Cleaning Myth? (And other questions)
Melissa and Jam tackle a variety of questions and corrections from their listeners. They dive into topics such as the effectiveness of baking soda and...
What is the chemistry of film photography?
Melissa and Jam delve into the fascinating chemistry behind film photography. They reminisce about their childhood experiences with analog cameras and...
What gives curly hair its curl?
#027 Rebroadcast
Originally Published January 23, 2020
This week, Melissa and Jam dive into the chemistry of something that may not...
Are organic vegetables healthier for you?
Melissa and Jam dive into the definition and implications of organic foods. They explore what organic means according to USDA standards, dissect commo...
Ask a Chemist: Explain it like I'm five?
This episode of 'Chemistry for Your Life' features Melissa and Jam tackling various chemistry questions sourced from the 'Explain Like I'm Five' subre...
Is it safe to use weed killer (Roundup)?
Melissa and Jam discuss the multifaceted debate surrounding the use of the widely known weed killer, Roundup, specifically its active ingredient, glyp...
Are we breathing recycled air on airplanes?
#212
Melissa and Jam explore the concept of ozone and its impact on air quality in airplanes. Melissa explains the chemical reaction of ozone, w...
What is the ozone layer?
#110 Rebroadcast
Originally Published August 26, 2021
We've all heard about it. And most likely you've heard that it's in danger. B...
Ask a Chemist: What is heavy water? (and other questions)
Question and Response #67
Melissa and Jam dive into a series of chemistry-related questions from their audience. From understanding why wintergr...
Why do airplanes make you gassy?
#211
Melissa and Jam delve into the chemistry behind increased flatulence on airplanes. They explore how changes in air pressure affect gas expa...
Chemistry at Home: Chromatography
Chemistry at Home: Chromatography Rebroadcast
Originally Published June 29, 2020
Here's another bonus episode dedicated to teaching...
How do pregnancy tests actually work?
#210
Melissa and Jam dive into the science of home pregnancy tests. They explore the process in which these tests detect the presence of the hor...
Ask a Chemist: Are all food dyes bad? (and other questions)
Ask a Chemist #66
Melissa and Jam dive into a range of listener-submitted questions exploring everyday chemistry. Topics include the chemistry b...
How do plants defy gravity to "drink" water?
#209
Melissa and Jam dive into the fascinating chemistry behind how plants transport water from their roots to their leaves, effectively defying...
What is the future of antihistamines?
#098 Rebroadcast
Original Air Date: June 3, 2021
Could histamine and antihistamines do more than just affect our allergies? Actuall...
Why are seasonal allergies the worst?
#097 Rebroadcast
Most of us know the feeling. But what are we actually experiencing when we experience allergies? How does being around plants a...
Why is red food dye banned?
#208
Melissa and Jam dive deep into the topic of FDA regulations, particularly focusing on food additives like red food dye. They discuss the co...
Chemistry Support: Where does a fart go? (and other questions)
Question and Response 65
Melissa and Jam delve into a variety of interesting chemistry-related questions sourced from Reddit. They explore why f...
Can gasoline freeze?
#207
Melissa and Jam explore why gasoline doesn't freeze in extremely low temperatures while water and other substances do. They delve into the...
What's the chemistry of sticky stuff?
#011 Rebroadcast
Why is honey sticky but salt isn’t? What’s the difference between things that stick and things that just feel sticky? In this e...
Can I trust the FDA? (from thalidomide to cough medicine)
#206
Melissa and Jam address a listener's question about the FDA's reliability in approving products. They discuss the intersection of chemistry...
Ask a Chemist: Does metal mess up sourdough? (and other questions)
Ask a Chemist #64
Melissa and Jam delve into intriguing chemistry questions posed by their listeners. They explore whether all salts are salty,...
What is going on with science funding??
#205
Jam and Melissa discuss the complexities and consequences of recent executive orders surrounding science funding. Melissa provides insight...
What is rust and is it kinda cool?
#047 Rebroadcast
This week, Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of rust. What even is it? Where does it come from? Is it bad? Is it reversible...
How do Tums make us feel better? (And why do they make us burp?)
#114 Rebroadcast
Tums, alka seltzer, and other antacids: they're simple, they've been around for a long time, but they're a tried and true metho...
What's the Chemistry Inside Sourdough Bread?
#204
In this episode Melissa and Jam delve into the fascinating biochemistry behind sourdough bread. They explore the role of microorganisms, in...
Ask a Chemist: Why do carrots cause hiccups? (and other questions)
Ask a Chemist #64
In this bonus edition of 'Chemistry for Your Life,' hosts Melissa and Jam tackle intriguing questions from listeners. They del...
Why does Benadryl make us sleepy?
#203
In this episode, Jam recounts a humorous yet enlightening story of accidentally taking a dog-sized dose of Benadryl and the sleepy conseque...