Podcast Episodes

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 wintergreen mints spark in the dark to the science of pregnancy…

Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Why do airplanes make you gassy?

Episode 211

#211

Melissa and Jam delve into the chemistry behind increased flatulence on airplanes. They explore how changes in air pressure affect gas expansion in the human body, leading to more frequent gas r…

Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago

Chemistry at Home: Chromatography

Chemistry at Home: Chromatography Rebroadcast
Originally Published June 29, 2020

Here's another bonus episode dedicated to teaching a specific chemistry experiment you can do at home. This month, we …

Published on 5 months ago

How do pregnancy tests actually work?

Episode 210

#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 hormone HCG, which signals a positive pregnancy result. Th…

Published on 5 months, 1 week ago

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 behind toasting herbs, the effect of gravity on elementa…

Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago

How do plants defy gravity to "drink" water?

Episode 209

#209

Melissa and Jam dive into the fascinating chemistry behind how plants transport water from their roots to their leaves, effectively defying gravity. They explore processes such as capillary acti…

Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago

What is the future of antihistamines?

Episode 98

#098 Rebroadcast
Original Air Date: June 3, 2021

Could histamine and antihistamines do more than just affect our allergies? Actually yes. Today we discuss new and recent research in the world of hist…

Published on 5 months, 4 weeks ago

Why are seasonal allergies the worst?

Episode 97

#097 Rebroadcast

Most of us know the feeling. But what are we actually experiencing when we experience allergies? How does being around plants and pollen make us all sniffly? Why does this beautiful …

Published on 6 months ago

Why is red food dye banned?

Episode 208

#208

Melissa and Jam dive deep into the topic of FDA regulations, particularly focusing on food additives like red food dye. They discuss the complexities of the FDA's approval process, the Delaney C…

Published on 6 months, 1 week ago

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 farts stop smelling over time, the non-oily nature of Ca…

Published on 6 months, 2 weeks ago