Chemistry For Your Life

Chemistry For Your Life

Melissa and Jam, Bleav

Episodes 399
Avg. Duration 33m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 4.6 (301)
Since Jul 2019
Latest Episode Jun 2026

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Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
94%
Hosting
feeds.simplecast.com

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About This Podcast

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 that is easy to understand, and totally fascinating. If you’re someone who loves learning new things, or who wonders about the way the world works, then give us a listen.

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Recent Episodes

What is BCCE and why are people so excited about it?

Jun 08, 2026 1h 10m Bonus

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…

How does a pencil eraser remove graphite?

Jun 04, 2026 35m

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…

How do gemstones get their color?

May 28, 2026 44m

#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…

How do pencils write on paper?

May 21, 2026 46m

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…

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

May 14, 2026 34m Bonus

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…

How was kevlar accidentally invented?

May 07, 2026 48m

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,…

Is there a helium shortage?

Apr 30, 2026 39m

#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…

How does reverse osmosis actually work?

Apr 23, 2026 38m

#236 When a retired chemist wrote in… we had to explore to his great questions. How does reverse osmosis actually work? Should you put aluminum foil in your dishwasher? Why do mixed powders…

Ask a Chemist: Is That Pool Smell Actually Chlorine? (and other questions)

Apr 16, 2026 32m Bonus

Question and Response #76 You asked… so we answered. What do carbon chains have to do with Greek words? How do MRIs make “3D pixels”? Is that pool smell actually chlorine? And wait… are birds blue,…

How do diapers change color when wet?

Apr 09, 2026 50m

#235 You’ve seen it a hundred times… but how does it actually work? Why do diapers change color when they’re wet? What kind of chemistry is happening in there? And how does something as simple as pee…

How do deodorant and antiperspirant work?

Apr 02, 2026 46m

#042 Rebroadcast 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 of this everyday important…

More bird chemistry?!

Mar 26, 2026 35m

Birds… but chemistry. What does compost have to do with eggs? How are birds basically doing chemistry experiments to make their colors? Why would a bird eat dirt… or rub ants all over itself?? This…

What even is DEET?

Mar 19, 2026 37m

#053 Rebroadcast This week, Melissa and Jam revisit one of their fav episodes on the topic of mosquitos. What is DEET? What part does it play in repelling mosquitos? How do repellants repel mosquitos…

How do birds fly? And how is chemistry involved?!

Mar 12, 2026 40m

Birds fly all the time. We see it constantly. But how does it actually work? Is it just "Bernoulli’s" principle? Is the air pushing up? Are the wings pushing down? And what’s happening at the…

Fun Fact or Fake Factoid?! Game Rematch (with Claire Caballero)

Mar 05, 2026 33m Bonus

In this bonus episode, we host a rematch of our game “Fun Fact or Fake Factoid” with Claire and Jam, using stricter rules: each claim must be entirely true or false as worded, and the winner earns a…

How do MRIs see inside our bodies, in 3D? (with Claire Caballero)

Feb 27, 2026 1h 9m

MRIs are loud. They’re huge. They’re magnetic. But what are they actually doing? This week, we bring Claire back to help us connect the dots between NMR (yes, organic chem flashbacks) and MRI. How…

Is glass actually a liquid?

Feb 19, 2026 32m

#079 Rebroadcast Glass. The more you look at it, the more clear it becomes that it holds some serious mysteries. So what really is glass? Is it a liquid? How is it different from typical solids? Does…

What makes ice slippery? (A surprising science mystery)

Feb 12, 2026 52m

#231 Why is ice so slippery? Is it because of a layer of water on top, or is it something more complex? Join us as we dive into the chemistry behind icy surfaces, inspired by a curious 5-year-old's…

Reddit Chemistry: Why don't birds get shocked on power lines? (and other questions)

Feb 05, 2026 40m Bonus

Why can birds sit on electrical wires without getting shocked? What's the chemistry behind cake mix versus baking from scratch? Why do some materials create more fire than others? Melissa and Jam…

How do fans cool us off?

Jan 29, 2026 27m

#230 Winter has us longing for warmer weather. BUT when it's a hot day how do fans keep us cool? Do fans actually lower the air temperature? What role does evaporative cooling play? Find out how the…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Chemistry For Your Life have?

Chemistry For Your Life has published 399 episodes since July 2019, covering topics in Chemistry, Science.

Is Chemistry For Your Life still active?

Chemistry For Your Life is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 33m.

How do I contact Chemistry For Your Life for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Chemistry For Your Life, including email and social media links.

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