#188

In this episode, hosts Melissa and Jam dive into the basics of vitamins. They discuss the origins of vitamins, why they are labeled with letters, and the difference between water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. The episode also touches on the history of vitamin regulation, the necessity of supplementing vitamins, and the impact of diet on vitamin intake. Finally, they challenge listeners to assess the variety of plant-based foods they consume in a week to promote a healthier diet.

00:00 Introduction to Vitamins
00:27 What Are Vitamins?
01:40 Types of Vitamins: Water Soluble vs Fat Soluble
07:10 Sources of Vitamins
10:19 The History and Naming of Vitamins
20:16 The Importance of Vitamins and Supplements
24:51 Optimal Vitamin Intake
25:10 The Role of Multivitamins
26:04 Diet Trends and Nutrient Deficiency
28:39 Understanding Vitamins
31:14 Fat-Soluble vs. Water-Soluble Vitamins
32:50 The Importance of Dietary Variety
36:57 Personal Diet Challenges
43:07 Engage with Us!

References from this episode:

We want to give a special thanks to Bri McAllister for illustrating molecules for some episodes! Please go check out Bri’s art, follow and support her at entr0pic.artstation.com and @McAllisterBri on twitter!

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Jessie Reder
• Ciara Linville
• J0HNTR0Y
• Jeannette Napoleon
• Cullyn R
• Erica Bee
• Elizabeth P
• Sarah Moar
• Rachel Reina
• Letila
• Katrina Barnum-Huckins
• Suzanne Phillips
• 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

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife

Question and Response 56

In this bonus edition of Chemistry for Your Life, hosts Melissa and Jam engage with their listeners by answering a variety of chemistry-related questions and addressing listener comments and reviews. They read and discuss both positive and constructive reviews, and provide important updates about joining a network for the podcast. They also talk about the introduction of advertisements, the benefits of becoming a patron for an ad-free experience, and some behind-the-scenes improvements to enhance the show. The episode includes shout-outs to long-time listeners and special mentions of devoted classes and followers. Key discussions cover effective materials for hot baths, making water drinkable in emergencies, and the process of making yogurt, among other chemistry inquiries. The show wraps up with a reminder about the importance of engaging in scientific and political processes to promote environmental safety.

00:00 Introduction and Listener Questions Teaser
00:49 Podcast Reviews: The Good, The Bad, and The Funny
02:31 Sponsorships and Exciting Updates
07:37 Shoutouts and Special Mentions
11:02 Chemistry Q&A: From Yogurt to Water Safety
20:02 Fun Chemistry Facts and Final Thoughts

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Jessie Reder
• Ciara Linville
• J0HNTR0Y
• Jeannette Napoleon
• Cullyn R
• Erica Bee
• Elizabeth P
• Sarah Moar
• Rachel Reina
• Letila
• Katrina Barnum-Huckins
• Suzanne Phillips
• 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

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife

#030 Rebroadcast

Melissa and Jam continue to sniff out the chemistry of smell, focusing this week on bad smells. Why are we so good at smelling bad smells? Why do they haunt us at night? Why are some bad smells so strong and long lasting, while many great smells are subtle and temporary. What’s in a smell? "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." I think that quote applies here right?

References from this episode

1. Aerosol generation by raindrop impact on soil - Young Soo Joung & Cullen R. Buie, Nature Communications
2. 2 Americans Win Nobel for Demystifying Sense of Smell - Lawrence K. Altman, The New York Times
3. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2004 Press Release - Richard Axel & Linda B. Buck, The Nobel Prize
4. A Novel Multigene Family May Encode Odorant Receptors: A Molecular Basis for Odor Recognition - Buck and Axel
5. Chemists and bad smells (and sulfur): A productive pairing - Ashutosh Jogalekar, Scientific American

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
Email us at chemforyourlife@gmail.com
And check out our chill, simple little website at https://chemforyourlife.transistor.fm/

Bonus Episode: Question and Response 55

In this bonus episode of 'Chemistry for Your Life,' hosts Melissa and Jam deviate from their usual format of answering listener questions to engage with the Reddit community instead. They delve into various chemistry-related topics, starting with a Reddit user's struggle to understand moles in chemistry, which Melissa, a chemist, explains in simple terms. They also discuss the social dynamics and difficulties of explaining complex scientific concepts to non-experts, exemplified through a Reddit story about a PhD student oversharing her research at a family gathering. The episode also covers the merits and sacrifices involved in pursuing a PhD, focusing on whether it's worthwhile for those aiming to become professors. Throughout, the hosts emphasize the importance of effective communication in science and the challenges of balancing personal aspirations with academic pursuits.

00:00 Introduction to Reddit Edition: Chemistry Q&A
01:09 Exploring the Concept of Moles in Chemistry
06:02 Navigating Family Dynamics: The PhD Dilemma
15:12 Is Pursuing a PhD Worth It? Insights and Reflections
22:40 Wrapping Up and Future Plans for Reddit Q&A Sessions

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

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Buy our merch at chemforyourlife.com/store

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.

#185

Let's make dirt. Or is it dirt? I don't know, well, can you dig it? We've all heard of compost, maybe you compost, maybe your friend does, maybe they talk about it a lot. But how does it work? Why can we compost some things, but not others? And why can't we just put compostable stuff into the trash can, won't it break down in the landfill? Let's find out!!

References from this Episode

1. https://compost.css.cornell.edu/chemistry.html
2. https://compost.css.cornell.edu/microorg.html
3. https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/composting
4. https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/CompostDefinition
5. https://www.psu.edu/news/agricultural-sciences/story/consumer-support-food-waste-solutions-focus-agricultural-economists/
6. https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home
7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344910000261
8. https://www.acs.org/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/2017-2018/october2017/composting-your-trash-natures-treasure.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

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.

Want to start your own podcast? Use Transistor and you'll have the best podcast platform available. We use it and we are totally in love with it.

#082 Rebroadcast

Wow sunglasses sure are cool. What's the coolest thing about them? Is it how cool they make us look and feel? Or is it the chemistry inside them? We'll let you decide, but we think you'll be surprised to find out how significant a role chemistry plays in the making of your shades.

References from this episode

1. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.chas.8b23208
2. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.macromol.8b02513
3. https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/issues/2018-2019/December2018/2%20Shades%20TG%20Reading%20Supports.docx
4. https://www.safetyglassesusa.com/product-information/
5. https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i19/Periodic-graphics-chemistry-sunglasses.html
6. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118909911.ch26
7. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ma960808x
8. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/1999/JM/a902864a#!divAbstract

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

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.

Want to start your own podcast? Use Transistor and you'll have the best podcast platform available. We use it and we are totally in love with it.