Shows / Chemistry For Your Life
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 she started a podcast, called Chemistry for your life! In each episode Melissa explains the chemistry behind one of life’s mysteries to Jam, who is definitely not a chemist, but she explains it in a way…
Episodes
Chemistry For Your LifeWhat is the future of mosquito repellents?
#054 This week, Melissa and Jam close out the mosquitos series with part 4 (If you missed the previous three, go check them out). What does the future look…
Chemistry For Your LifeChemistry at Home: Milk and Soap
Bonus Episode: Chemistry at Home 3 Here's another bonus episode dedicated to teaching a specific chemistry experiment you can do at home. This month, we see…
Chemistry For Your LifeWhat even is DEET?
#053 This week, Melissa and Jam continue to part 3 on the topic of mosquitos (If you missed the previous two, go check them out). What is DEET? What part does…
Chemistry For Your LifeBonus: Is rain just like sweat for the earth? (and other questions)
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 11 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about carbonation, color-changing…
Chemistry For Your LifeDo mosquitos bite some people more than others?
#052 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 age-old, every-summer…
Chemistry For Your LifeWhy do mosquitos bite people?
#051 This week, Melissa and Jam begin a multi-faceted topic: mosquitos. Now of course mosquitos are insects, so studying them would mostly fall into biology…
- Chemistry For Your Life
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? At what…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Chemistry at home: Chromatography
Bonus Episode: Chemistry at Home 2 Here's another bonus episode dedicated to teaching a specific chemistry experiment you can do at home. This month, we see…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What is a calorie?
#049 This week, Melissa and Jam question the whole system of food. Or rather, the way we calculate food: calories. What are they? Where'd the come from? How…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What makes jalapeños hot, and do they have other super powers?
#048 This week, Melissa and Jam dive into spiciness. What is it? Is it a flavor? Is it a feeling? Is it both? Is it more? Why can some people handle more than…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Bonus: What is Mel's cast iron routine? (and other questions)
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 10 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about cast iron routines, dyes…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What is rust and is it the worst?
#047 A somewhat natural chemical topic following cast iron: rust. This week, Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of rust. What even is it? Where does it come…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Are cast iron pans as cool as people say?
#045 The continuation of the unexpected cookware chemistry saga: cast iron. This week, Melissa and Jam discuss multiple aspects of cast iron chemistry. What is…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Chemistry at home: Homemade Lava Lamp
Bonus Episode: Chemistry at Home 1 What's this, another bonus episode? It's something new we're test driving! A short little extra bonus episode dedicated to…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Why do diet coke and mentos do that thing?
#044 You know what we're talking about. That spectacular fizzy geyser. This week, Melissa and Jam explore what makes diet coke and mentos go crazy together. Is…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Bonus: My girlfriend's sweat doesn't stink (and other questions)?
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 9 In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about sunlight bleaching, weird feeling…
- Chemistry For Your Life
How do color-changing mugs change color?
#043 You know how you have that one mug that changes colors when you put hot coffee in it? Let's talk about that. This week, Melissa and Jam explore the…
- Chemistry For Your Life
How do deodorant and antiperspirant work?
#042 What's that smell? Is it us? Is it you? We hope it's neither, thanks to deodorants and antiperspirants. This week, Melissa and Jam delve into the…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Is it safe to use teflon pans?
#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 it safe…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Bonus: Do purple carrots have beta carotene (and other questions)?
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 8 In his month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about carrots, pigments, quinones…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What makes nonstick pans not sticky?
#040 Who you calling sticky? This week, Melissa and Jam open up another two-part series about nonstick pans, aka teflon. What keeps food from sticking to them?…
- Chemistry For Your Life
How does helium change your voice?
#039 Part two on the chemistry of helium! Now to the question you've all been wondering, how does helium change your voice? This week, Melissa and Jam explore…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Bonus: Podcast For Your Life - Books for your life
Don't worry, you didn't click on the wrong podcast. This week Melissa was a guest on another "for your life" podcast: Podcast For Your Life, Jam's original…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Is there a helium shortage?
#038 Helium is all fun and games right? High voice, super funny, no worries right? Or is there a serious shortage of helium? This week, Melissa and Jam answer…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Why does orange juice taste bad after you brush your teeth?
#037 It's the lesson we've all had to learn the hard way. The pain our mouths feel when we take a treacherous swig of the post-brush poison. This week, Melissa…
- Chemistry For Your Life
How does soap kill COVID-19?
#036 Ok so we've known for awhile how soap works in a general use sense, like how it cleans dishes (see episode 1). But these weird times call for a deeper…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Why do apples turn brown when you cut them?
#035 Do you like apples? Ever wonder why they turn brown when you cut them? This week, Melissa and Jam explore this very question. What's going on in these…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Bonus: Methane doesn't have a smell (and other questions)?
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 7 In his month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about methane, bad smells, bleach…
Chemistry For Your LifeWhy is the sky blue?
#034 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 the sky blue? And also…
- Chemistry For Your Life
How do thermoses keep coffee hot?
#033 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 thermos for our coffee…
- Chemistry For Your Life
How do hand warmers get hot?
#032 This week, Melissa and Jam investigate reusable hand warmers. How do they get hot? Where does the heat even come from? How do reusable ones even work? Is…
- Chemistry For Your Life
How does bleach remove color?
#031 How does bleach bleach stuff? Oh and also, what even is color? This week Melissa and Jam investigate these questions. What's the molecular makeup of color…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Bonus: Does cold exist (and other questions)?
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 6 In his month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about cold/cool, water temperature's…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Why do bad smells smell bad?
#030 Melissa and Jam continue to sniff out the chemistry of smell, focusing this week on bad smells. Why are we so good at smelling bad smells? Why do they…
Chemistry For Your LifeWhy does rain smell?
#029 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 physiology and neurology…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What’s really happening when our hair gets damaged?
#028 This week, Melissa and Jam travel even further down the rabbit hole of hair chemistry. How does our hair get damaged? How do we curl, straighten, and perm…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What gives curly hair its curl?
#027 This week, Melissa and Jam dive into the chemistry of something that may not seem like chemistry at first: hair. Curly hair to be specific. What makes…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Bonus: Growing crystals, bobby pins, and how should we address the Hulk?
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 5 In his month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about how to grow crystals, details…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What is the taste of carbonated water?
#026 This week, Melissa and Jam discuss part of an often requested topic: carbonation. Does it have a taste? Like why does carbonated water taste different…
- Chemistry For Your Life
The sea is rising? Should I be scared? (with Renee Collini)
#025 This week, Melissa, Jam, and very special guest Renee Collini (Melissa's sister and climate scientist) delve into the important topic of sea-level rise…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What do rainbows and mirages have in common?
#024 This week, Melissa and Jam explore three very different, but related, light phenomena. We'll discuss situations when light can be bent, slowed down, and…
- Chemistry For Your Life
How do snowflakes form and look so cool?
#023 This week, Melissa and Jam explore the wintery chemistry of snowflakes. How do they form? How are they all unique? How do they look so gosh darn cool? Why…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What are antioxidants and are they even good for you?
#022 This week, Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of antioxidants. What are they? Is it just magical stuff they put in sport drinks and workout…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Bonus: Do solar farms kill birds (and other questions)?
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 4 Welcome to the new home for our Question and Response episodes! This week we respond to comments and questions about…
- Chemistry For Your Life
How can sunlight turn into electricity?
#021 This week, Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of solar energy. How do we capture energy from the sun and turn it into electricity? Is it as super…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Why does water form droplets?
#020 This week Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of water and intermolecular forces. Why does it form into droplets? Why can you fill a glass of water just…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What happens to water in space (and other questions)?
Question and Response #03 This week Melissa and Jam do the last Question and Response episode. We'll continue to do Questions and Responses every month, but…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What’s up with foil?
#018 This week Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of aluminum foil. Why doesn’t it feel hot when we take it out of the oven? How does it cool down so…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Why do foods brown when we cook them?
#017 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 toast toast? Why do…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Why do onions make you cry?
#016 This week Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of onion tears, the emotional reaction we all have, against our will, when cutting onions. Grab some…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Green fire?!
#015 This week Melissa and Jam explore a Halloween-themed topic, perfectly-timed for the fact that our episode air date happened to land on Halloween exactly!…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What makes artificial sweeteners artificial?
This week Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of artificial/alternative sweeteners. What are artificial sweeteners? How can something be sweet but not packed…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What even is sunscreen and how does it screen the sun?
This week Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of not being burned by the big, ominous, flaming ball of radioactive insanity that lights up our skies each…
- Chemistry For Your Life
How do geckos stick to walls?
This week Melissa and Jam continue in the category of "sticky" things by exploring how geckos stick to walls. How do they do it? Is it magic? Is it like…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What's the scientific word for sticky?
In this episode, Melissa and Jam explore the complex, but highly familiar and relatable concept of stickiness. It started as a lighthearted question from the…
- Chemistry For Your Life
You got more questions?
Question and Response #02 We've received even more questions! Melissa and Jam take more listener questions regarding topics from across the first 9 episodes…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Baking soda and baking powder: what’s the difference?
Baking powder? Baking soda? I mean they're both white powders with the word "baking" in it. How different could they be? Well, one can cause miniature kitchen…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Why didn't Jam's pot of water ever boil?
Remember that one time (in episode 6 "Why do we put lids on pots to boil water") when Jam had a situation where his big pot of water would never boil? And he…
- Chemistry For Your Life
What the heck is going on inside microwaves?
Melissa finally explains to Jam how microwaves work after making him wait for an entire week. What the heck is going on inside microwaves? How does it do it's…
- Chemistry For Your Life
Why do we put lids on pots to boil water?
Melissa and Jam discuss the curious habit of putting a lid on a pot in order to boil water. Does it help? Does it speed things up? If so, why? Find us on…