

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

Oct 21, 2021 • 13min
Fall Mini 03 - How chemistry revolutionized baking (For Melissa)
#118
Are you an avid baker? Melissa's baking discovery may be as revolutionary for you as it was for her.
How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!
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/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. 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 ★

Oct 14, 2021 • 10min
Fall Mini 02 - The biochemistry of sugar?
#116
Let's hear more about sugar from the perspective of biochemist, Caibe Alves.
How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!
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/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. 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 ★

Oct 7, 2021 • 17min
Fall Mini 01 - Vanilla and beaver butts?
#116
Does vanilla come from beaver butts?
Our merch store is open until October 21! -> http://bonfire.com/store/chemforyourlife/
How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!
References from this episode
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/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. 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 ★

Sep 30, 2021 • 35min
What is vanilla? (and imitation vanilla?)
#115
Well we've all had vanilla. And if you have a tongue then you probably like it. But the question we've all wondered each time we're baking something is probably something like, "what is imitation vanilla?" and "how do they make it?" and "how is it so much cheaper?" and "do you think anyone would notice if I use it instead?" Let's look into it.
How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!
References from this episode
https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i36/problem-vanilla.html
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/molecule-of-the-week/archive/v/vanillin.html
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja02025a019
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ja02025a019
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5b01344
https://youtu.be/9Cw6FEaQz4o
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/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. 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 ★

Sep 23, 2021 • 27min
How do Tums make us feel better? (And why do they make us burp?)
#114
Tums, alka seltzer, and other antacids: they're simple, they've been around for a long time, but they're a tried and true method for helping our stomachs. But how do they work? What's the chemistry behind these unsung heroes?
How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!
References from this episode
Chemistry Julia Burdge
Biochemistry 4th edition by Garret & Grisham
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-carbonation-time/
http://websites.umich.edu/~chemstu/content_weeks/F_06_Week10/p848.pdf
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/outreach/celebrating-chemistry-editions/2021-ncw/fizz-race.html
https://youtu.be/7VJ4cRWCpDw?t=1s
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/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. 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 ★

Sep 20, 2021 • 19min
Bonus: Does elevation affect airbags? (and other questions)
Bonus Episode: Question and Response 24
In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about breathalyzers, high fructose corn syrup, candles, airbags, 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.
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/
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 ★

Sep 16, 2021 • 36min
Is there BPA in my receipt? And is that bad?
#113
What if BPA was in something more ordinary and everywhere than a water bottle? Something seemingly innocent and inconspicuous? Like a receipt? Wouldn't that just be a cherry on top of a sad sundae.
How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!
References from this episode
https://cen.acs.org/articles/95/i35/Touching-thermal-paper-receipts-extend.html
https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.7b03093
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4206219/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5453537/
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/shop-receipts-may-explain-majority-of-bpa-detected-in-people/3007968.article
https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/bpa-friend-or-foe/5649.article
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749120320947
https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0269749120320947?token=00CDC59193489F585451665FA346F74F8EF3C86D9AFFE45F605A0656301BB33F03DE3907E0EE3175806D4E3292D67386&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20210905235245
https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-05/documents/bpa_kickoff-alternatives.pdf
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ed076p1201
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/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. 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 ★

Sep 9, 2021 • 29min
What does BPA free really mean?
#112
Every time you buy a plastic water bottle or something, you probably see a sticker that says "BPA free." Pretty good news right? I mean who knows? But what is BPA? And why did we need to get rid of it? And what did we replace it with? And is the problem really solved? Let's just say, don't get too attached to your water bottle.
How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!
References from this episode
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4063249/
https://cen.acs.org/materials/polymers/Chemist-convicted-of-stealing-BPA-free-can-liner-trade-secrets-for-a-Chinese-firm/99/web/2021/04
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c09276
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2012/august/acs-entrepreneurs-tackle-bpa-free-plastic-food-packaging-and-advanced-diabetes-drugs-in-philadelphia.html
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.7b03093
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es102785d
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/molecule-of-the-week/archive/b/bisphenol-a.html
https://cen.acs.org/articles/95/i5/Epoxy-resins-without-BPA.html
https://cen.acs.org/articles/89/web/2011/09/Biobased-BPA-free-Epoxies.html
https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1021/ie202909s
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/sya-bpa/index.cfm
https://www-sciencedirect-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/topics/chemical-engineering/polycarbonates
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/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. 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 ★

Sep 2, 2021 • 27min
How do breathalyzers detect alcohol?
#111
How can machines tell how much alcohol is in our blood, simply from checking our breath? Is it magic, or is it chemistry? I think you know the answer to that. But let's get into the details.
How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!
References from this episode
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2016/acs-presspac-november-9-2016/toward-a-hand-held-breathalyzer-for-diagnosing-diabetes.html
Solomon’s organic chemistry 11th edition
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ed063p897
Quantitative Chemical Analysis 7th edition Daniel C. Harris
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/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. 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 ★

Aug 26, 2021 • 26min
What is the ozone layer?
#110
We've all heard about it. And most likely you've heard that it's in danger. But what is the ozone layer in the first place? And once we learn that, how about figuring out why it's in danger? Ok let's do it.
How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!
References from this episode
https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/ozone/3005901.article
https://youtu.be/XGDU6RvUVuk
https://www-sciencedirect-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/atmospheric-ozone
Solomon’s organic chemistry 11th edition
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/archive-2012-2013/ozone-layer-our-global-sunscreen.html
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/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. 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 ★