Chemistry For Your Life

Latest Episodes:

How does super glue glue things? Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

#061

Be honest. Have you ever glued yourself with super glue? Everyone should accidentally make that mistake at least once, so you can literally feel the impressive stickiness of super glue. Well today, you can learn about the chemistry within super glue, without putting any fingers or other body parts at risk! Let's do this.

References from this episode

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How could technology and A.I. change chemistry education? (BCCE 2026) Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

AI is everywhere in education right now, but is that the only technology chemistry educators should be thinking about?

In this bonus BCCE preview episode, Melissa talks with Resa Kelly about technology in chemistry education, from visualizations and videos to flipped classrooms and AI. What do we actually want students to be able to do in a technology-rich world? How should that shape our teaching? And how can educators stay curious without feeling pressured to adopt every new tool that comes along?

Important Links

Time Stamps

0:00 – Introducing the Community Conversation on technology
1:11 – Resa Kelly’s journey into chemistry education research
2:20 – How visualizations and animations help students learn chemistry
3:31 – Why this conversation is about more than just AI
5:50 – Technology already shaping chemistry classrooms
7:20 – Staying curious even if you’re skeptical of new technology
9:10 – Time constraints and practical barriers for teachers
10:00 – Creative ways educators are using AI
14:15 – Teaching students to evaluate trustworthy information
17:13 – The central question: What should students be able to do in a technology-rich environment?
18:20 – Is technology helping students learn or just complete tasks?
19:00 – If AI gives answers, what are we really teaching?
24:00 – Why these conversations matter beyond BCCE
28:15 – Assumptions, AI, and trusting students
30:05 – Final thoughts and invitation to the conference conversation

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How realistic are crime shows about forensics? (with Nicki Stewart) Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

CSI makes forensic science look fast, easy, and almost magical. But how much of that is actually true?This week we’re joined by forensic chemist and graduate student Nicki Stewart to answer your questions about forensic science. We talk about crime shows, fingerprints, toxicology, illicit drugs, and what really happens inside a forensic laboratory. Plus, Nicki shares what surprised her most when she worked in a real crime lab and why forensic science is often much slower (and more complicated) than TV would have you believe.

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Time Stamps

0:00 – Do crime shows get forensics right?
1:20 – Nicki’s background in forensic chemistry and toxicology
6:15 – From forensic chemistry to chemistry education
9:10 – The “CSI Effect” and common TV misconceptions
12:30 – Breaking Bad, Project Hail Mary, and science accuracy in entertainment
14:10 – Transitioning from clinical chemistry to forensic chemistry
17:40 – The biggest misconceptions about forensic work
20:20 – Forensic chemistry vs. forensic biology
22:05 – How fingerprints actually form
26:35 – Can fingerprints be removed?
26:55 – How forensic labs identify illicit drugs
31:10 – Which shows portray science most accurately?
33:00 – What’s coming in our next forensic chemistry episode

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References from the Episode:

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What is BCCE and why are people so excited about it? (BCCE 2026) Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

What happens when the world’s largest gathering of chemistry educators decides to try something new? This summer we’re partnering with the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) for a special series of Monday episodes. In this kickoff conversation, Melissa sits down with conference organizers to talk about the vision behind this year’s event, why community conversations are replacing traditional keynotes, and how chemistry educators are thinking about the future of teaching and learning. Whether you’re attending BCCE or just curious about how people learn chemistry, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the biggest conversations happening in chemistry education today.

Important Links

Time Stamps

0:00 – Introducing our BCCE summer series 2:00 – Why Melissa loves BCCE 4:50 – Meet Ariel Vaughn and Ginger Schultz 7:00 – What are Community Conversations? 8:20 – Replacing keynote speakers with interactive discussions 9:00 – How the conversation topics were selected 13:40 – Empowering the community to shape the conference 14:40 – Previewing this year’s Community Conversation topics 16:00 – Neurodiversity, equity, and communities of practice 19:50 – Why community matters in chemistry education 25:20 – Meet BCCE General Chair Sam Pazicni 28:30 – The vision behind this year’s conference 29:00 – “Reflecting Back and Marching Forward” explained 32:30 – The six conference contexts and Community Conversations 37:20 – Who should attend BCCE? 39:00 – Tips for first-time conference attendees 41:00 – Remote attendance and recorded sessions 45:20 – Planning your schedule with the conference app 50:40 – What to wear and what to pack 57:30 – Madison food recommendations and cheese curds 1:03:50 – Special events, parking tips, and final advice 1:08:20 – Final BCCE details and registration information

Podcast Transcript

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How does a pencil eraser remove graphite? Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

How can the same element make both pencil lead and diamonds? This week we wrap up our pencil chemistry mini-series by answering a surprisingly tricky question: how do erasers actually erase? Then we dive into one of chemistry’s coolest ideas. Graphite and diamond are both made entirely of carbon, but one is soft enough to write with and the other is the hardest natural material we know. What changed? The answer reveals something remarkable about chemistry, structure, and the hidden world of atoms.

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0:00 – Intro: diamonds, carbon, and the hardest natural material 2:25 – How erasers actually erase pencil marks 6:50 – Why erasers get old, crumbly, and less effective 9:50 – Graphite vs. diamond: same element, completely different materials 13:50 – Why diamonds are so hard (and why they sparkle) 15:30 – Allotropes: how carbon can become radically different substances 17:00 – Melissa’s carbon epiphany: appreciating chemistry in a new way 20:20 – Things we didn’t appreciate until later in life (birds, coffee, and more) 25:20 – Father’s Day advice for dads and families 31:50 – Wrap-up + your carbon questions

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References from the Episode:

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How do gemstones get their color? May 28, 2026

Show notes

#158 Rebroadcast

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 different colors happen naturally? And how can those colors be replicated in lab-made gemstones? Let's get into it.

References from this episode

https://www.acs.org/education/students/highschool/chemistryclubs/activities/jewelry-science.html

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How do pencils write on paper? May 21, 2026

Show notes

Why does a pencil work so perfectly? Why does graphite leave marks on paper instead of just crumbling apart? And what do pancakes, honeycombs, geckos, and intermolecular forces have to do with any of it? This week we follow a simple pencil all the way down to carbon atoms, graphene sheets, and the weirdly satisfying chemistry that makes writing possible. Plus: final exam horror stories, missed alarms, and why reading the syllabus might save your GPA.

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Timestamps

0:00 – The strangely satisfying feeling of fresh pencils 1:03 – So… how do pencils actually work? 2:07 – A “polymer eraser” sparks this whole episode 3:10 – Are pencils disappearing for Gen Alpha? 4:35 – Graphite, graphene, and carbon structures 6:20 – What graphene actually looks like 7:10 – Carbon bonding and tetrahedral shapes 8:10 – Double bonds and flat molecular structures 9:40 – Electron highways and conductivity 10:20 – Melissa’s graphene model demonstration 13:10 – Why graphene could replace silicon chips 13:30 – Carbon nanotubes explained 14:40 – What holds graphite layers together? 15:00 – Intermolecular forces return 17:10 – Quick refresher on intermolecular forces 18:50 – London dispersion forces and temporary dipoles 19:30 – Why graphite is brittle 20:00 – How pencils leave marks on paper 21:20 – Why graphite is basically perfectly designed for writing 22:00 – A detour into paper, parchment, and writing history 24:00 – Pencil hardness and clay mixtures 26:30 – Jam attempts a chemistry-heavy recap 33:20 – Cliffhanger: how erasers work 34:00 – Final exam disaster stories 36:50 – Oversleeping a college final 39:10 – Melissa’s sprint across campus in pajamas 41:00 – Read the syllabus. Seriously. 43:10 – Teasing next episode: erasers and other forms of carbon

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References from the Episode:

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Ask a Chemist: What things should you never mix? (and other questions) May 14, 2026

Show notes

What happens when you mix bleach and ammonia? Why does perfume smell amazing on one person and weird on another? And why is getting a job so hard right now? This week we’re answering a huge batch of listener questions about chemistry, sunscreen, scents, books, careers, birds, and somehow even British accents. Plus, we accidentally brainstorm several new podcast ideas along the way.

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Timestamps

0:00 – Listener question extravaganza begins
1:00 – What ingredients should NEVER be mixed together?
1:30 – Bleach + ammonia and dangerous chloramine gas
2:40 – Food combinations that actually are bad
3:30 – How SPF and sunscreen work
5:00 – Why perfumes smell different on different people
6:30 – Body chemistry, temperature, and scent longevity
8:00 – “Why is it so hard to get a job?”
9:00 – Post-graduation job hunting advice
10:15 – Treating job searching like a full-time job
11:00 – Using chemistry skills in unexpected careers
12:00 – Certifications, courses, and standing out
14:15 – Book recommendations from listeners and hosts
15:50 – Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and classic books
17:00 – “Phoebe Reads a Mystery” and audiobook-style podcasts
18:20 – Human similarities to elements and chemical bonding
19:45 – Why chemistry analogies help us learn
22:00 – Are American accents annoying to British listeners?
23:45 – Melissa considers starting a reading podcast
25:00 – Listener suggestion: chemistry changes that impacted real life
25:45 – Podcast-inspired life changes: sunscreen and Teflon
27:00 – Shoutouts to listeners, friends, and good coffee
29:20 – The missing bird fact mystery
30:20 – “Please don’t stop uploading”
31:00 – Reflecting on nearly 7 years of the podcast
31:45 – Patreon, merch, and intermolecular forces merch talk
33:45 – Chemmunity thank-yous and outro

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References from the Episode:

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How was kevlar accidentally invented? May 07, 2026

Show notes

How do you turn a weird cloudy liquid into something stronger than steel? This week we’re telling the story of Kevlar: the chemistry breakthrough that led to bulletproof vests, firefighter gear, reinforced tires, and so much more. Along the way we talk polymers, hydrogen bonding, accidental discoveries, and the chemist who almost went to medical school instead.

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Timestamps

0:00 – Story time setup: bulletproof gear and the chemistry behind it
1:30 – Meet Stephanie Kwolek, the chemist behind Kevlar
4:00 – DuPont, polymers, and the early days of synthetic fibers
6:30 – Why Stephanie stayed in chemistry instead of medical school
8:30 – The gas shortage problem that sparked the search for Kevlar
9:50 – What polymers actually are
10:20 – Benzene rings, resonance, and rigid molecular structures
11:30 – The strange watery solution that almost got ignored
13:30 – The accidental breakthrough that created Kevlar fibers
14:20 – Why Kevlar is so unusually strong
16:30 – Hydrogen bonding and “molecular Velcro”
18:40 – How Kevlar chains organize into massive strong sheets
21:30 – Why Kevlar behaves almost like a metal
24:00 – Stronger than steel, lighter than steel
26:30 – Melissa’s theory about the mysterious cloudy solution
27:00 – How Kevlar became bulletproof vests
28:00 – Why “detours” in life aren’t always failures
32:30 – Other surprising uses for Kevlar
35:00 – “Mistakes” that turned into good things (personal stories)
44:00 – Wrap-up + chemistry storytime appreciation

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References from the Episode:

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Is there a helium shortage? Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

#038 Rebroadcast

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 this question.

References from this episode

Helium: Its Discovery and Applications – Locker
We Discovered Helium 150 Years Ago. Are We Running Out? - Greshko
Introductory Physics I - Brown
Helium beer: prank or possible? - American Chemical Society
Organic Chemistry, Edition 11 - Solomon

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife. Email us at chemforyourlife@gmail.com And check out our chill, simple little website at https://chemforyourlife.transistor.fm/

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