Closing out the inaugural year of Stereo Chemistry, host Kerri Jansen and C&EN reporter Tien Nguyen share a collection of stories about ways of distilling complex chemistry. Join us for a resonant take on organic chemistry reactions, an abridged explanation of some Nobel Prize–winning work, and the story behind a chemical earworm. A script of this episode is available at cen.acs.org/education/science-communication/Finding-fun-ways-simplify-complicated/96/web/2018/12. Read about the year's most memorable chemistry at cenm.ag/yic2018. Other stories referenced in this episode: Unusual mash-ups of art and science | C&EN https://cen.acs.org/articles/96/i9/Unusual-mash-ups-art-science.html Frances H. Arnold, George P. Smith, and Gregory P. Winter share 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry | C&EN https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/Frances-H-Arnold-George-P-Smith-and-Gregory-P-Winter-share-2018-Nobel-Prize-in-Chemistry/96/web/2018/10 How is directed evolution changing the world? | C&EN https://cen.acs.org/people/nobel-prize/directed-evolution-changing-world/96/i44 Alex Sable-Smith's tweet about his dad's Nobel win https://twitter.com/alexsablesmith/status/1047453987006377985?lang=en New definitions for the kilogram and mole | C&EN https://cen.acs.org/analytical-chemistry/New-definitions-kilogram-mole/96/web/2018/11 "Clarinet Cora Theme" by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 "The Confrontation" by Podington Bear is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 Clips from "A Mole Is a Unit," "Amazing Spoons," and "Mendeleev" were provided courtesy of Mike Offutt