In which we talk about how chirality, or handedness, has diffused through chemistry since its discovery in the 19th century, starting with Louis Pasteur. We look at work by Arnaldo Piutti and Emile Fischer. We discuss not only organic compounds, but amino acids, proteins, DNA, and inorganic chiral compounds. Ultimately we have to bring up the question of the biochemical handedness of life. Patreon supporters may download a supplemental sheet of some of the molecular structures mentioned in this episode.

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In which we talk about the history of using ammonia, the nitrogen analog of methane, as a fuel. We start two centuries ago with Goldsworthy Gurney, move to the mid-19th century when horseless carriages began to appear in Europe. World War II spurred necessary fuel adjustments to public transportation. We then examine post-war research. We tackle some pros and cons of using ammonia as fuel, as well as the ecological spectrum of ammonia sources.

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• Get my book, O Mg! How Chemistry Came to Be, from World Scientific Publishing, https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12670#t=aboutBook

Here we talk about how chemists historically have viewed the way life began: as chemicals self-organizing. The earliest serious chemical views began in the 1870s, with synthesis of proteins. Ideas through the decades included warm ponds, auto-catalytic enzymes, genes (whatever they were), a primitive reducing atmosphere, lightning bolts, and DNA or RNA.

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• Support my podcast at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofchemistry
• Tell me how your life relates to chemistry! E-mail me at [email protected]
• Get my book, O Mg! How Chemistry Came to Be, from World Scientific Publishing, https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12670#t=aboutBook

Contrary to popular belief, chemists have always found involvement in politics. Herein are some examples of chemists getting involved politically, whether willingly or unwillingly, from the past 250 years, starting with Englishman Joseph Priestley.

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• Tell me how your life relates to chemistry! E-mail me at [email protected]
• Get my book, O Mg! How Chemistry Came to Be, from World Scientific Publishing, https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12670#t=aboutBook

We look at the history of some recent problems in recycling materials. First we examine the history of wind farms, and how to recycle the fan blades. Second we talk about recent history and problems of recycling polyethylene terephthalate. Then we discuss the persistent and growing problem of electronics waste. Finally, we briefly touch on recycling of spent batteries.

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• Support my podcast at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofchemistry
• Tell me how your life relates to chemistry! E-mail me at [email protected]
• Get my book, O Mg! How Chemistry Came to Be, from World Scientific Publishing, https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12670#t=aboutBook

Given the environmental catastrophe into which we now zombie-walk, here is a bit about the history of extracting greenhouse gases directly from the air. Extracting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere began in the 1930s, but proposals to do it environmentally only began about 25 years ago, with the first large-scale systems appearing in the 2020s. We also talk a little about pulling a worse gas, methane, from the atmosphere.

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• Support my podcast at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofchemistry
• Tell me how your life relates to chemistry! E-mail me at [email protected]
• Get my book, O Mg! How Chemistry Came to Be, from World Scientific Publishing, https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12670#t=aboutBook

We hear about the history of hydrogen gas as a fuel, starting in the early 1800s with François Isaac de Rivaz. We continue through the 19th and 20th centuries, with dual-burning vehicles, airplanes, and fuel-cells. We talk of advantages and disadvantages of such engines, and the ecological spectrum of hydrogen gas.

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• Support my podcast at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofchemistry
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• Get my book, O Mg! How Chemistry Came to Be, from World Scientific Publishing, https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12670#t=aboutBook

In which we talk about the history of differently abled chemists, from around the year 1600 to the present. We mention some differently abled chemists, and how the American Chemical Society and Royal Society of Chemistry handle things, plus hope for continued improvement in the future.

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• Support my podcast at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofchemistry
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• Get my book, O Mg! How Chemistry Came to Be, from World Scientific Publishing, https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12670#t=aboutBook

We hear about the recent history of quantum computing to do quantum calculations on molecules. First we briefly discuss different types of computers. Then we talk about the kinds of calculations chemists want to do with quantum computers. We also learn about some ways chemists currently use to simplify the mathematics for quantum calculations.

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• Tell me how your life relates to chemistry! E-mail me at [email protected]
• Get my book, O Mg! How Chemistry Came to Be, from World Scientific Publishing, https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12670#t=aboutBook

In which we [cue theremin!] discuss how chemistry is presented in science-fiction stories. We start with Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," move through Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, then to 20th-century writers like Isaac Asimov. Kurt Vonnegut, Fred Hoyle, H. Beam Piper, and many others. We talk of "Star Trek," "Battlestar Galactica," and David Foster Wallace.

Support the show

• Support my podcast at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofchemistry
• Tell me how your life relates to chemistry! E-mail me at [email protected]
• Get my book, O Mg! How Chemistry Came to Be, from World Scientific Publishing, https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12670#t=aboutBook