Chemistry For Your Life

Melissa and Jam explore the science behind shooting stars, unraveling the chemistry that turns space rocks into brilliant streaks of light in our night sky. They discuss how meteors heat up and glow as they enter Earth’s atmosphere, the difference between meteors, meteoroids, and meteorites, and share fun facts about colorful meteors and the surprising role of amino acids from space. The episode is filled with personal stories, space trivia, and thoughtful tangents about the ethics of asteroid mining and the wonder of the universe.

00:00 Stargazing and Summer Memories

03:20 Meet the Hosts

05:00 Chemistry for Your Life Merch

07:00 Camping Stories & Inspiration

10:00 Chemistry of Gases and Atmosphere

13:00 What Are Shooting Stars?

18:00 The Science of Meteor Glow

23:00 Fun Facts: Colors, Metals, and Amino Acids

30:00 Asteroid Mining & Space Ethics

36:00 Favorite Space Stories

43:00 Listener Shoutouts & Support

47:00 Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

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References from this episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Kyle McCray


• Justine


• Emily Hardy


• Ash


• Vince W


• Julie S.


• Heather Ragusa


• Autoclave


• Chelsea Morelos


• Dorien VD


• Scott Beyer


• Jessie Reder


• Ciara Linville


• J0HNTR0Y


• Jeannette Napoleon


• Cullyn R


• Erica Bee


• Elizabeth P


• Rachel Reina


• Letila


• Katrina Barnum-Huckins


• Suzanne Phillips


• Venus Rebholz


• Lyn Stubblefield


• Jacob Taber


• Brian Kimball


• Kristina Gotfredsen


• Timothy Parker


• Steven Boyles


• Chris Skupien


• Chelsea B


• Avishai Barnoy


• Hunter Reardon

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife

#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 year, is things that glow. And you better believe that's chemistry. So how do glowsticks glow? How does bending the glowsticks start that process? What's mixing with what, and seriously how the heck does it glow? Let's find out.

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References from this episode

1. Organic Chemistry, Solomons 11e


2. Quantitative Chemical Analysis, Daniel C. Harris


3. Simple Glowmatography: Chromatographic Separation of GlowStick Dyes Using Chalk - Thomas S. Kuntzleman,* Kasey R. Bunker, and Ashlee A. Bartlett


4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/fluorescence


5. https://ocw.mit.edu/high-school/chemistry/demonstrations/videos/anatomy-of-a-glowstick/glowstick.pdf


6. Glowmatography - Thomas S. Kuntzleman,* Anna E. Comfort, and Bruce W. Baldwin

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Kyle McCray


• Justine


• Emily Hardy


• Ash


• Vince W


• Julie S.


• Heather Ragusa


• Autoclave


• Chelsea Morelos


• Dorien VD


• Scott Beyer


• Jessie Reder


• Ciara Linville


• J0HNTR0Y


• Jeannette Napoleon


• Cullyn R


• Erica Bee


• Elizabeth P


• Rachel Reina


• Letila


• Katrina Barnum-Huckins


• Suzanne Phillips


• Venus Rebholz


• Lyn Stubblefield


• Jacob Taber


• Brian Kimball


• Kristina Gotfredsen


• Timothy Parker


• Steven Boyles


• Chris Skupien


• Chelsea B


• Avishai Barnoy


• Hunter Reardon

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

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Melissa and Jam delve into the fascinating chemistry behind fireflies' bioluminescence. They explore how fireflies produce light through a complex series of chemical reactions involving specific molecules like luciferin and enzymes like luciferase. The discussion extends to how these mechanisms find applications in scientific research, such as identifying tumors in mice. The episode is interspersed with nostalgic summer stories, making it a blend of chemistry education and personal anecdotes.

00:00 Nostalgic Summer Evenings

00:33 Fireflies and Childhood Wonder

01:04 Introduction to Firefly Chemistry

02:22 Shoutout to Ash and Podcast Tips

03:58 Diving into Bioluminescence

04:52 The Chemistry Behind Firefly Light

11:17 Understanding Acid-Base Reactions

16:13 The Role of Luciferase

18:43 The Unstable Four-Membered Ring

28:39 Understanding Molecular Structures

29:33 The Instability of Molecular Rings

33:39 Fireflies and Bioluminescence

40:53 Applications in Medical Science

45:37 Nostalgic Summer Memories

52:48 Supporting the Show and Final Thoughts

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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References from this episode:

1. https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/luciferin/3005839.article


2. https://www.science.org/content/article/watch-chemistry-behind-how-fireflies-glow


3. https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.258103


4. https://youtu.be/pTPMwZK2-yM


5. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.5b03820


6. https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1021/jp301910p


7. https://chemistry-europe-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1002/cphc.201300330


8. https://chemistry-europe-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1002/cphc.201200195


9. https://iubmb-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1002/iub.134


10. https://chemistry-europe-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1002/cbic.200500443


11. https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/rainbow-makers/3003381.article


12. https://www.acs.org/molecule-of-the-week/archive/f/firefly-luciferin.html

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Kyle McCray


• Justine


• Emily Hardy


• Ash


• Vince W


• Julie S.


• Heather Ragusa


• Autoclave


• Chelsea Morelos


• Dorien VD


• Scott Beyer


• Jessie Reder


• Ciara Linville


• J0HNTR0Y


• Jeannette Napoleon


• Cullyn R


• Erica Bee


• Elizabeth P


• Rachel Reina


• Letila


• Katrina Barnum-Huckins


• Suzanne Phillips


• Venus Rebholz


• Lyn Stubblefield


• Jacob Taber


• Brian Kimball


• Kristina Gotfredsen


• Timothy Parker


• Steven Boyles


• Chris Skupien


• Chelsea B


• Avishai Barnoy


• Hunter Reardon

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife

Melissa and Jam dive into a variety of listener-submitted questions. They discuss the science behind fluffy shave ice versus mainland shaved ice, the effectiveness and safety of ozone treatments for smoke smells, and the potential impact of glyphosate on human health. They also explore the chemistry of everyday items like rinse aid in dishwashers, different types of soap, and even hypothetical scenarios involving bleach and gasoline. Melissa provides insights based on her knowledge as a chemist, offering a fascinating look into the chemistry of our everyday life.

00:00 Introduction and Listener Questions

00:29 Chemistry of Shave Ice

06:58 Ozone Treatment for Cigarette Smell

12:15 Glyphosate and Its Effects

21:32 Rinse Aid in Dishwashers

24:02 Concerns About Rinse Safety

24:24 Exploring Cleaning Products

26:26 Differences in Soaps and Shampoos

27:27 Chemistry of Hair and Skin Products

32:59 Hypothetical: Bleach vs. Gasoline

37:17 Listener Shoutouts and Anniversary

42:27 Chemistry of Erasable and Invisible Inks

45:22 Supporting the Podcast

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

★ Buy Podcast Merch and Apparel ★

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Vince W


• Julie S.


• Heather R


• Autoclave


• Chelsea M


• Dorien VD


• Scott B


• Jessie R


• Ciara L


• J0HNTR0Y


• Jeannette N


• Cullyn R


• Erica B


• Elizabeth P


• Sarah M


• Rachel R


• Letila


• Katrina B


• Suzanne P


• Venus R


• Lyn S


• Jacob T


• Brian K


• Emerson W


• Kristina G


• Timothy P


• Steven B


• Chris and Claire S


• Chelsea B


• Avishai B


• Hunter R

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife

Melissa and Jam explore the science behind why sweat is salty. They discuss personal experiences with sweating, the types of sweat glands, and the chemical processes involved in sweat production. The episode explains how osmosis, ion channels, and salt concentrations contribute to the movement of sweat through sweat glands to the skin's surface. They also touch on evolutionary aspects and the role of sweat in cooling the body. For anyone curious about the chemistry of everyday life, this episode offers an accessible and intriguing explanation.

00:00 Introduction: Why is Sweat Salty?

00:27 Personal Experiences with Sweat

01:32 The Science Behind Sweat

02:00 Meet the Hosts

02:20 Types of Sweat Glands

04:30 How Sweat Reaches the Skin

07:31 The Role of Salt in Sweat

14:20 Health Indicators in Sweat

17:01 Understanding Osmosis and Interstitial Fluid

17:39 Evolutionary Perspective on Sweating

20:01 Mechanism of Sweat Glands

22:41 Sweat Composition and Function

27:39 Personal Sweating Experiences

33:47 Supporting the Show and Community

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

★ Buy Podcast Merch and Apparel ★

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

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References from this episode:

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6773238/


2. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2024/lc/d3lc00874f#cit23


3. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsnano.4c10344

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Vince W


• Julie S.


• Heather R


• Autoclave


• Chelsea M


• Dorien VD


• Scott B


• Jessie R


• Ciara L


• J0HNTR0Y


• Jeannette N


• Cullyn R


• Erica B


• Elizabeth P


• Sarah M


• Rachel R


• Letila


• Katrina B


• Suzanne P


• Venus R


• Lyn S


• Jacob T


• Brian K


• Emerson W


• Kristina G


• Timothy P


• Steven B


• Chris and Claire S


• Chelsea B


• Avishai B


• Hunter R

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife