Food fraud often boils down to politics or semantics. Something labeled parmesan cheese may not come from Parma, for instance. But sometimes food producers try to feed us cheap fillers and other lies. In this episode of Speaking of Chemistry, Sophia Cai explains how scientists, regulators, and food makers are relying on chemistry to make sure consumers get what they pay for.

Our pools are full of disinfectant chemicals that keep them free of microorganisms, but we're going to answer that age old swimmer's question - is it really okay to pee in the pool?

Freshly caught fish is delicious. But after a day or two, that filet in your fridge smells a little fishier, thanks to a stinky molecule known as trimethylamine. Is there any hope? This week, find out how to make fish taste and smell less fishy with chemistry. Learn about the amino acids that give fresh fish its sweet and savory flavor, and get three chemistry-backed tricks to cut down the fishy taste and smell.

Recent news of Olympic doping scandals have led to strict penalties and a closer look at steroid testing. Chemistry plays a huge role on both sides of the performance-enhancing drug battle. On one side are officials and scientists, aiming to keep the competitions fair; on the other are underground or overseas chemists, creating new drugs to cheat the system.

Speaking of Chemistry set a course for JPL to learn about NASA’s plans for cubesats, little satellites with interplanetary aspirations. Andy Klesh of the Jet Propulsion Lab welcomes us to the cleanroom to talk about how satellites smaller than a briefcase could one day explore the chemistry of alien moons and planets. But first, Andy and his team have to show that cubesats can make it to other planets like NASA’s more conventional, more expensive, and much larger satellites. That’s where Mars Cube One, or MarCO, comes in.

Out in the open air on a beautiful summer day, most people don’t realize that they’re bathing in the world's most common carcinogen – the sun's rays. Ultra violet (UV) rays to be exact. Let’s take a look at how UV rays affect your body, and the sorts of built-in chemical defense systems you're working with to stop any potential damage.

For those striving to build muscle, protein is essential. While this is obvious to many athletes and gym-goers, the biological and chemical processes between drinking a protein shake and getting “swole” may not be so clear--but we got you covered!

Unless you’ve had a sushi chef grate a $50 wasabi stem right onto your plate, you’ve probably not had the real thing. Find out what that green paste next to your tuna roll really is and how compounds in authentic wasabi may one-day treat a variety of medical ailments.

Have you ever wondered about what makes a fluorescent color stand out so brightly from the rest? Today we’re digging into what makes them pop, and we’re going highlight some of the brilliant applications of fluorescence coming out of nanotechnology.

Got a special someone you want to impress? Check out this life hack on how to turn white flowers into fluorescent masterpieces!