Chemistry For Your Life

De: Melissa and Jam Bleav
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  • Resumen

  • 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, or why do trees change colors in the fall? Melissa is a chemist, and to answer these questions she started a podcast, called Chemistry for your life! In each episode Melissa explains the chemistry behind one of life’s mysteries to Jam, who is definitely not a chemist, but she explains it in a way that is easy to understand, and totally fascinating. If you’re someone who loves learning new things, or who wonders about the way the world works, then give us a listen.
    © For Your Life 2023, All rights reserved.
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Ciencia Química
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Episodios
  • How Do Pregnancy Tests Actually Work?

    How Do Pregnancy Tests Actually Work?
    May 1 2025
    #210 Melissa and Jam dive into the science of home pregnancy tests. They explore the process in which these tests detect the presence of the hormone HCG, which signals a positive pregnancy result. The episode explains the roles of capillary action, antibodies, and enzymes in the test's operation and discusses the specificity needed to avoid false positives and negatives. The hosts also share personal anecdotes related to pregnancy tests and offer gratitude to their supportive community. This episode offers a fascinating look at how everyday chemistry impacts our lives in important ways. ★ 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 00:00 Introduction and Personal Experiences with Pregnancy Tests 00:17 Curiosity and Chemistry in Everyday Life 04:18 Acknowledging the Community and Supporters 05:09 The Science Behind Pregnancy Tests 06:33 How Pregnancy Tests Detect Hormones 13:19 Ensuring Accuracy in Pregnancy Tests 22:56 Introduction to the Blue and Yellow Balls Analogy 24:12 Understanding the Antibody Mechanism 26:45 Biotin and Its Impact on Test Results 29:33 Personal Stories and Fun Facts 32:06 The Benefits of the Pee Style Device 37:29 Conclusion and Listener Engagement References from this episode: https://www.acs.org/pressroom/reactions/library/how-do-pregnancy-tests-work.htmlhttps://www.compoundchem.com/2018/11/09/pregnancy-tests/https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/technical-documents/technical-article/clinical-testing-and-diagnostics-manufacturing/ivd-manufacturing/intro-horseradish-peroxidase-hrp-applications?srsltid=AfmBOorCr6_j7sKr8ZBm3jQa4Rz-PdxyabPLY4OO-KtQJZESFXpdRe19#lateral-flow-assayshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555922/https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/protein-biology/protein-biology-learning-center/protein-biology-resource-library/pierce-protein-methods/overview-elisa.html#:~:text=The%20most%20commonly%20used%20enzyme,an%20HRP%20or%20AP%20conjugate. Thanks to our monthly supporters Vince WJulie S.Heather RAutoclaveChelsea MDorien VDScott BJessie RCiara LJ0HNTR0YJeannette NCullyn RErica BElizabeth PSarah MRachel RLetilaKatrina BSuzanne PVenus RLyn SJacob TBrian KEmerson WKristina GTimothy PSteven BChris and Claire SChelsea BAvishai BHunter R ★ 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
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    40 m
  • Ask a Chemist: Are all food dyes bad? (and other questions)

    Ask a Chemist: Are all food dyes bad? (and other questions)
    Apr 24 2025

    Ask a Chemist #66

    Melissa and Jam dive into a range of listener-submitted questions exploring everyday chemistry. Topics include the chemistry behind toasting herbs, the effect of gravity on elemental bonds, the purpose and ethics of creating elements with short half-lives, and the effectiveness of cough medicine. They also discuss potential causes of mysterious holes in clothing, the debate on food dyes, and the impact of politics on scientific research funding. The hosts wrap up by addressing various listener questions and sharing some heartwarming and supportive messages from their audience.

    ★ 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

    00:00 Introduction
    01:24 Toasting Herbs: The Chemistry Behind the Flavor
    03:05 Gravity's Role in Chemical Bonding
    06:44 The Ethics of Creating New Elements
    10:17 How Cough Medicine Works
    13:06 The Debate on Food Dyes
    15:57 The Yellow Cheese Phenomenon
    16:35 Colorful Ceviche and Natural Foods
    17:58 Chemistry Hot Takes and Listener Questions
    19:03 Cleaning Lab Counters and Acid Holes
    21:10 Listener Feedback and Podcast Reflections
    25:33 Impact of Politics on Science Funding
    29:19 Encouraging Messages from Listeners
    30:40 Supporting the Podcast and Final Thanks

    References from this episode:

    1. https://www.rsc.org/news-events/community/2017/jan/new-elements/

    Thanks to our monthly supporters

    • Vince W
    • Julie S.
    • Heather R
    • Autoclave
    • Chelsea M
    • Dorien VD
    • Scott B
    • Jessie R
    • Ciara L
    • J0HNTR0Y
    • Jeannette N
    • Cullyn R
    • Erica B
    • Elizabeth P
    • Sarah M
    • Rachel R
    • Letila
    • Katrina B
    • Suzanne P
    • Venus R
    • Lyn S
    • Jacob T
    • Brian K
    • Emerson W
    • Kristina G
    • Timothy P
    • Steven B
    • Chris and Claire S
    • Chelsea B
    • Avishai B
    • Hunter R
    ★ 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
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    33 m
  • How do plants defy gravity to "drink" water?

    How do plants defy gravity to "drink" water?
    Apr 18 2025

    #209

    Melissa and Jam dive into the fascinating chemistry behind how plants transport water from their roots to their leaves, effectively defying gravity. They explore processes such as capillary action and the cohesion tension mechanism, citing a primary source from Nature journal. Melissa and Jam also touch on key chemistry concepts like water polarity, hydrogen bonding, and osmosis, providing examples from everyday life. Jam shares a personal story about germinating an apple seed with his son, while Melissa discusses her adventures in native plant gardening. The episode concludes with a shoutout to their Patreon supporters and details on upcoming Chemistry for Your Life merch.

    ★ 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

    00:00 Introduction and Tea Talk
    00:17 Plants Defying Gravity
    01:05 Welcome to Chemistry for Your Life
    01:20 Listener Question: Chemistry of Pregnancy Tests
    02:11 Capillary Action in Everyday Life
    03:57 Personal Stories and Plant Enthusiasm
    05:15 Chemistry Lessons: Water Polarity and Hydrogen Bonds
    10:32 Water Transport in Plants: Xylem and Capillary Action
    16:00 Transpiration and Water Loss in Plants
    23:32 Curiosity About Soil and Water Content
    24:23 Water Movement in Trees
    26:53 Understanding Osmosis
    28:37 Practical Applications of Osmosis
    31:12 Capillary Action and Plant Water Transport
    33:15 Fun Plant Stories and Experiments
    41:11 Supporting the Show and Community

    References from this episode:

    1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890856711009531
    2. https://www.gao.gov/assets/hrd-82-3.pdf
    3. https://pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.libproxy.library.unt.edu/23026007/
    4. https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-revoke-authorization-use-red-no-3-food-and-ingested-drugs
    5. https://cen.acs.org/food/food-ingredients/FDA-bans-red3-food-drugs/103/web/2025/01
    6. https://www.acs.org/education/chemmatters/past-issues/2015-2016/october-2015/articial-dyes.html
    7. https://cen.acs.org/food/food-ingredients/Editorial-Fewer-risky-food-colors/102/i26
    8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10502305/

    Thanks to our monthly supporters

    • Vince W
    • Julie S.
    • Heather R
    • Autoclave
    • Chelsea M
    • Dorien VD
    • Scott B
    • Jessie R
    • Ciara L
    • J0HNTR0Y
    • Jeannette N
    • Cullyn R
    • Erica B
    • Elizabeth P
    • Sarah M
    • Rachel R
    • Letila
    • Katrina B
    • Suzanne P
    • Venus R
    • Lyn S
    • Jacob T
    • Brian K
    • Emerson W
    • Kristina G
    • Timothy P
    • Steven B
    • Chris and Claire S
    • Chelsea B
    • Avishai B
    • Hunter R
    ★ 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
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    45 m
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