

Chemistry For Your Life
Melissa and Jam, Bleav
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.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 16, 2023 • 30min
Bonus: Are candles toxic? (and other questions)
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 40
In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about smells, candles, vinegar, milk, macromolecules, and more!
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
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
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.

Feb 9, 2023 • 48min
Is freezing point *actually* real?
#154
When you're young in science class, you probably learned the phrase "freezing point," but is that even a thing? Is there a specific temperature at which things go from liquid to solid? Spoiler alert: Melissa thinks that's actually a huge misunderstanding about states of matter and how substances go from liquid to solid. So what's really going on? Let's get into it.
References from this episode
https://cen.acs.org/articles/92/i25/Exploring-Supercooled-Water-Structures.html
https://cen.acs.org/articles/96/i3/Waters-hypercooling-point-reach.html
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
We love using Transistor to host our podcast -> Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.
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
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Feb 2, 2023 • 32min
How do thermoses keep coffee hot?
#033 Rebroadcast
That's right, we are sort of talking about coffee this week. Or rather, how to keep it hot. Nowadays we all have some version of a thermos for our coffee, tea, water, or what-have-you. Today Melissa and Jam try to get to the bottom of how those work. How do they keep things hot and cold? What's between the two layers (or whatever) and how is it so good at insulating? Is it a vacuum? Can someone please tell me what the heck is going on?
References from this episode
Chemistry, Edition 2 - Flowers, Theopold, Langley, Robinson
Physical Chemistry, Edition 3 - Thomas Engel
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
We love using Transistor to host our podcast -> Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.
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
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jan 26, 2023 • 42min
Is "dry cleaning" actually dry?
#153
Whether you're a frequent customer of the dry cleaner or not, you've probably wondered, "why is it called dry cleaning? How could it be dry?" So let's get into it. What is dry cleaning? Why is it called dry? What are they using to clean our clothes? Does it actually work? Let's find out!
References from this episode
https://www.acs.org/pressroom/newsreleases/2019/april/is-it-really-dry-clean-only-video.html
https://cen.acs.org/articles/95/i45/Periodic-graphics-chemistry-dry-cleaning.html
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
We love using Transistor to host our podcast -> Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.
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
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jan 19, 2023 • 35min
Bonus: How do semi-permanent tattoos work?
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 39
In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about fero fluids, semi permanent tattoos, ketchup, least favorite pastas, and more!
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.
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
We love using Transistor to host our podcast -> Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.
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
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jan 12, 2023 • 30min
What do pine trees and jet fuel have in common?
#152
Well we've just finished that time of the year, the time when some of us bring pine trees into our homes to hang out with us for a few weeks. Sounds fine right? Nothing risky, it's just a tree right? Unless maybe that tree secretly has a notable similarity to jet fuel. Then maybe it could have a chance of being a problem.
References from this episode
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/cen-v089n049.p035
https://www.acs.org/molecule-of-the-week/archive/p/alpha-pinene.html
https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/natural-products/Cannabis-industry-crafty-terpenes/97/i29?utm_source=mostread&utm_medium=mostread&utm_campaign=CEN
https://i0.wp.com/www.compoundchem.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/The-Aroma-of-Christmas-Trees.png?ssl=1
https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/12/19/christmastrees/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283914717_Basic_Plant_Taxonomy_Basic_Essential_Oil_Chemistry_Extraction_Biosynthesis_and_Analysis
https://edu.rsc.org/feature/terpenes-not-just-for-christmas/2000116.article
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.0c00274
https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/natural-products/Cannabis-industry-crafty-terpenes/97/i29?utm_source=mostread&utm_medium=mostread&utm_campaign=CEN
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
We love using Transistor to host our podcast -> Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.
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
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jan 5, 2023 • 28min
How do snowflakes form and look so cool?
#023 Rebroadcast
This week, Melissa and Jam explore the wintery chemistry of snowflakes. How do they form? How are they all unique? How do they look so gosh darn cool? Why don’t we see them here in Texas very much?
References from this episode
The Chemistry of Snowflakes, Explained - Charlotte Hsu
How Do Snowflakes Form?
Crystal Growing Competition
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
We love using Transistor to host our podcast -> Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.
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
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Dec 29, 2022 • 50min
What happens to coffee when it cools down?
#151
If you drink coffee, then you know that it starts to taste super different as it goes from hot to cold. Is it just the change in temperature that makes it seem like it tastes different? Or is there a little more chemistry going on? Let's find out.
References from this episode
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.0c01373
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jf048701t
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-18247-4
https://sca.coffee/sca-news/podcast/86/elucidating-the-bitter-taste-of-coffee-expo-lectures-2019
https://pages.uoregon.edu/chendon/coffee_literature/2012%20Coffee%20Emerging%20Health%20Effects%20and%20Disease%20Prevention,%20Coffee%20Constituents,%20Chapter%202.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26712785/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34392-w
https://www.acs.org/pressroom/newsreleases/2020/april/using-chemistry-to-unlock-the-difference-between-cold--and-hot-brew-coffee-video.html
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-73341-4
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36010440/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996918306203
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996914001409
https://www.compoundchem.com/tag/coffee/
https://www.science.org/content/article/coffees-bitter-mystery
https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/01/30/why-is-coffee-bitter-the-chemistry-of-coffee/
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
We love using Transistor to host our podcast -> Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.
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
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Dec 22, 2022 • 28min
Bonus: Why does tupperware stain from pasta? (and other questions)
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 38
In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about amino acids, chemistry puns, salt preservation, and more!
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.
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
We love using Transistor to host our podcast -> Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.
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
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Dec 15, 2022 • 33min
What do peppermints and cigarettes have in common?
#150
Peppermints. They seem innocent enough right? But if that's the case, then what common thread do they share with cigarettes? Don't worry, it's not an inherently bad connection. The common ingredient is one simple thing, menthol. Let's talk about it.
References from this episode
https://www.compoundchem.com/2017advent/2017advent4/
https://www.fightcancer.org/releases/acs-can-joins-naacp-and-others-calling-immediate-action-menthol
https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/menthol-cigarettes--the-food-and-drug-administration-fda-ban-and-why-they-are-more-harmful.h00-159460056.html
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-commits-evidence-based-actions-aimed-saving-lives-and-preventing-future-generations-smokers
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2015/acs-presspac-july-8-2015/peppermint-oil-and-cinnamon-could-help-treat-and-heal-chronic-wounds.html
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/peppermint-oil
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29372567/
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/menthol/related-health-disparities.html
Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
We love using Transistor to host our podcast -> Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.
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
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★