Chemistry For Your Life

By Melissa and Jam, Bleav

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... more

4.6

294294 ratings

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FAQs about Chemistry For Your Life:

How many episodes does Chemistry For Your Life have?

The podcast currently has 409 episodes available.

Chemistry For Your Life episodes:

July 02, 2026Ask a Chemist: Is Silicone actually safe? (and other questions)
What happens when some listeners challenge one of our past episodes?
This week we’re revisiting our silicone episodes after several listeners pointed us toward new research. Along the way we answer questions about mosquito wristbands, waterproof mascara, stubborn adhesives, and whether amino acids may have formed on the early Earth after all. It’s an Ask a Chemist episode full of updates, follow-ups, and a reminder that science is always a work in progress.
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
Timestamps
0:00 – Revisiting our silicone episodes after new research

2:00 – Does silicone really leach into food, and should we be worried?

10:30 – What we know (and don’t know) about silicone safety

17:30 – Do mosquito patches and wristbands actually work?

23:30 – How does waterproof mascara stay waterproof?

27:20 – A chemistry detour: removing paint and stubborn adhesives

30:20 – The Miller–Urey experiment and the origin of amino acids

33:20 – Wrap-up + send us your chemistry questions
References from the Episode:
Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
36min
June 29, 2026How can we apply chemistry to real-world problems in the classroom?
What if chemistry classes were organized around real-world problems instead of chapters in a textbook?In this bonus BCCE Community Conversation preview, Melissa talks with Vicente Talanquer about helping students think like chemists rather than simply memorize chemistry. They explore why authentic, real-world problems can transform learning, how instructors can make meaningful changes without rewriting an entire course, and why teaching chemistry is about developing a way of thinking—not just delivering content.

Important Links
Submit a Question for Community Conversations

bcce.divched.org/2026

YouTube.com/@chemforyourlife

chemforyourlife.com
Free resources
Chemical Thinking Curriculum Structure: https://sites.google.com/site/chemicalthinking/structure
More on Chemical Thinking Curriculum: https://sites.google.com/site/chemicalthinking/
General Chemistry - CLUE textbook & activities: https://www.chemistry.msu.edu/clue/general-chemistry.aspx
Organic Chemistry OCLUE textbook & activities: https://www.chemistry.msu.edu/clue/organic-chemistry.aspx
Time Stamps
0:00 – Why Melissa loves BCCE and chemistry education
2:50 – Meet Ellen Yezierski and the idea of scholarly teaching
4:00 – Moving beyond intuition and using evidence to improve teaching
6:35 – What chemistry educators can learn from cognitive science and education research
8:30 – The biggest challenge: finding time to improve your teaching
11:00 – Why conferences and community matter for innovation
13:45 – Barriers to evidence-based teaching and the risk of changing what’s familiar
16:20 – Applying the same scientific scrutiny to old teaching methods
19:40 – A practical first step toward scholarly teaching
21:00 – Finding useful teaching research without getting overwhelmed
25:20 – Meet the panelists and the ideas they’ll bring to BCCE
29:10 – How the Community Conversation will work
32:35 – Why good teachers are made, not born
34:00 – Filling your teaching cup back up at BCCE
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
35min
June 25, 2026How do forensic scientists find fingerprints?
There are a lot more ways to reveal a fingerprint than the black powder you see on TV.In this second part of our forensic chemistry series with Nicki Stewart, we explore the surprising chemistry behind fingerprints. From powders and iodine vapor to super glue fumes and chemical reactions, we break down how forensic scientists reveal invisible fingerprints—and why choosing the right method depends entirely on the surface, the chemistry, and the evidence they’re trying to preserve.
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
0:00 – What are fingerprints, really?

5:30 – What’s actually left behind when you touch something?

9:20 – The two main categories of fingerprint detection

14:00 – How fingerprint powder actually works

18:40 – Iodine fuming and why fingerprints disappear again

25:25 – Revealing fingerprints on sticky tape

29:40 – Ninhydrin and the chemistry behind purple fingerprints

35:05 – The surprising science of super glue fuming

42:20 – Why collecting fingerprints is much harder than TV makes it look

46:10 – Jam’s biggest takeaways from fingerprint chemistry
References from the Episode:
Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
55min
June 22, 2026Are there new, improved ways to teach chemistry?
What does it mean to teach chemistry like a scientist?
In this BCCE Community Conversation preview, Melissa talks with chemistry education researcher Ellen Yezierski about scholarly teaching: making evidence-guided decisions about how we teach and how students learn. They discuss why content knowledge alone isn’t enough, how educators can improve their teaching without becoming full-time researchers, and why some of the best chemistry teaching ideas come from asking better questions about learning.

Important Links
bcce.divched.org/2026

YouTube.com/@chemforyourlife

chemforyourlife.com

Time Stamps
0:00 – Why Melissa loves BCCE and chemistry education
2:50 – Meet Ellen Yezierski and the idea of scholarly teaching
4:00 – Moving beyond intuition and using evidence to improve teaching
6:35 – What chemistry educators can learn from cognitive science and education research
8:30 – The biggest challenge: finding time to improve your teaching
11:00 – Why conferences and community matter for innovation
13:45 – Barriers to evidence-based teaching and the risk of changing what’s familiar
16:20 – Applying the same scientific scrutiny to old teaching methods
19:40 – A practical first step toward scholarly teaching
21:00 – Finding useful teaching research without getting overwhelmed
25:20 – Meet the panelists and the ideas they’ll bring to BCCE
29:10 – How the Community Conversation will work
32:35 – Why good teachers are made, not born
34:00 – Filling your teaching cup back up at BCCE
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
37min
June 18, 2026How does super glue glue things?
#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
Introduction to Polymers R.J. Young and P. A. Lovell

http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/superglue/superglueh.htm

https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/cyanoacrylate/6261.article

https://pubsapp.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/86/8624sci5.html

https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/students/highschool/chemistryclubs/March_ChemClubCal.pdf

https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/articlesbytopic/bonding/chemmatters-dec2006-glue.pdf
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
Email us at [email protected]
Thanks to our monthly supporters
Ciara Linville

J0HNTR0Y

Jeannette Napoleon

Cullyn R

Erica Bee

Elizabeth P

Sarah Moar

Rachel Reina

Letila

Katrina Barnum-Huckins

Suzanne Phillips

Nelly Silva

Venus Rebholz

Lyn Stubblefield

Jacob Taber

Brian Kimball

Emerson Woodhall

Kristina Gotfredsen

Timothy Parker

Steven Boyles

Chris Skupien

Chelsea B

Bri McAllister

Avishai Barnoy

Hunter Reardon
Support this podcast on Patreon

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
32min
June 15, 2026How could technology and A.I. change chemistry education?
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
bcce.divched.org/2026

YouTube.com/@chemforyourlife

chemforyourlife.com

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
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
34min
June 11, 2026How realistic are crime shows about forensics? (with Nicki Stewart)
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.
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
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
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
References from the Episode:
Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
38min
June 08, 2026What is BCCE and why are people so excited about it?
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
bcce.divched.org/2026

YouTube.com/@chemforyourlife

chemforyourlife.com

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
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
1h 11min
June 04, 2026 How does a pencil eraser remove graphite?
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.
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
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
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
References from the Episode:
Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon
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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
36min
May 28, 2026How do gemstones get their color?
#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
Thanks to our monthly supporters
Ciara Linville

J0HNTR0Y

Jeannette Napoleon

Cullyn R

Erica Bee

Elizabeth P

Sarah Moar

Rachel Reina

Letila

Katrina Barnum-Huckins

Suzanne Phillips

Nelly Silva

Venus Rebholz

Lyn Stubblefield

Jacob Taber

Brian Kimball

Emerson Woodhall

Kristina Gotfredsen

Timothy Parker

Steven Boyles

Chris Skupien

Chelsea B

Bri McAllister

Avishai Barnoy

Hunter Reardon
Support this podcast on Patreon
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
Watch our episodes on YouTube
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
45min

FAQs about Chemistry For Your Life:

How many episodes does Chemistry For Your Life have?

The podcast currently has 409 episodes available.

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