In this miniseries, Chain Reaction takes listeners on a sweeping journey through the hidden chemistry of pollution—above us, around us, and beneath our feet.

The series begins with the air we breathe, tracing how chemists developed tools to detect invisible pollutants and how those discoveries revealed major public health crises, from urban smog and industrial emissions to the often‑overlooked danger of polluted indoor air.

From the sky, the story flows into water, where marine and analytical chemists unravel how things like plastics and “forever chemicals” move through oceans and drinking water, threatening ecosystems and human health alike. 

Then the focus shifts downward, to soil to explore how pollutants accumulate underground and how chemists tackle the complex challenge of remediation.

Finally, we will zoom out to look at the planet as a whole and the systems we need to protect most.

Together, these episodes reveal pollution as a deeply interconnected chemical problem—and show how chemistry is key to understanding, mitigating, and ultimately repairing our planet. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

In this special bonus episode of Chain Reaction, meet the voices behind the American Chemical Society’s newest chemistry podcast. Host and producer Margot Wohl and executive producer Sam Jones introduce themselves, share their journeys from science research to science communication, and explain why Chain Reaction by ACS exists in the first place.

Sam talks about launching ACS’s long‑running podcast Tiny Matters and her path from biomedical research to podcasting, while Margot shares her background in neuroscience and animal behavior, and her long‑standing love of audio storytelling.

Along the way, you'll hear about butterfly genitals that sense light, an egg‑shaped electric car designed by a dentist, and learn about upcoming miniseries on medicines, energy and transportation, and pollution.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

For 150 years, the American Chemical Society has been a pillar of the chemistry field, supporting students and professionals through major world events and scientific developments. The 2025 president of ACS, Dorothy Phillips, joins to discuss the future of the society while also bringing us along on her trailblazing journey through chemistry. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

For centuries, chemistry in the United States was for one kind of a person: The white man. But now, after decades of progress, chemistry is more inclusive than ever.

Historian Laura Puaca reveals how wars, feminist movements, and shifting societal expectations opened long‑closed doors for women in science. As feminism changed women's role in chemistry, other social movements were advancing the causes of minority scientists. Chemist and educator Sibrina Collins highlights the stories of early Black chemists, the vital role of HBCUs, and the creation of NOBCChE to provide community and opportunity amid systemic exclusion. And chemistry lecturer Barbara Belmont recounts the fight for LGBTQ+ visibility in chemistry, leading to the creation of Out to Innovate and ACS’s LGBTQ+ Chemists and Allies Subdivision. Together, their stories show how representation, advocacy, and community continue to reshape the chemical enterprise.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

Chemistry doesn’t just shape conflict — conflict shapes chemistry. And at no time in history is that more apparent than during the two world wars. Historian Alison McManus recounts how the race to weaponize toxic gases like chlorine and mustard gas transformed chemists into key military players, spurred industrial growth, and ignited an international arms race during WWI. 

However, some battles of the world wars weren’t waged against an opposing army, but against diseases that soldiers caught while in combat. Journalist Karen Masterson reveals how WWII triggered a massive scientific mobilization — a secret, high‑stakes search for synthetic quinine and antimalarial drugs that would ultimately help seed the modern pharmaceutical industry. Packed with espionage, innovation, and ethical dilemmas, this episode uncovers how war accelerated chemistry in ways that still shape science today.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

In this debut episode of Chain Reaction, we go on a thrilling journey through the earliest chapters of chemistry’s history starting with the quest to make gold from abundant metals. Chemical historian Larry Principe guides us through the winding past of alchemy – its evolution across Greek, Islamic, and European traditions, and the secrecy, symbolism, and ambition that defined the craft. From coded manuscripts to the social politics that ultimately pushed alchemy underground, Larry reveals how hands-on experimentation shaped the scientific mindset we now take for granted.

Then the episode fast-forwards through centuries of discovery – from identifying elements, to early gas experiments, to the birth of the periodic table, to the atomic revolution – guided by science writers Sam Kean and Cathy Cobb. It’s a whirlwind introduction to how humans learned to understand, categorize, and ultimately master matter.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

Introducing Chain Reaction, a podcast by the American Chemical Society that links chemistry's past to its future, revealing how this ever‑evolving science shapes the world around us — from the materials we use every day to the environment that we depend on. Each episode brings fresh perspectives and personal stories from chemists, engineers, and other scientists, as well as historians who guide us through pivotal moments in chemistry’s history. Together, we’ll uncover chemistry’s surprising connections, explore its interdisciplinary impact, and see how past discoveries set off the breakthroughs of today and the future. Whether you’re a student, an experienced scientist, or simply curious, Chain Reaction will show you how chemistry fits into the bigger picture — and why it matters now more than ever.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction