logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2024
25m 8s

Ask a Chemist: Reddit's Chemistry Questi...

Melissa and Jam, Bleav
About this episode

Question and Response #59

Reddit's Chemistry Questions Answered In this episode of 'Chemistry for Your Life,' hosts Melissa and Jam dive into Reddit to answer chemistry-related questions. They explore why ice in a fizzy drink causes more fizz, how stainless steel removes onion smells from hands, when to email professors for recommendation letters, and discuss a controversial prank by an organic chemistry professor. The hosts provide insightful and engaging explanations while also sharing personal anecdotes and practical advice for students.

00:00 Introduction to Reddit Chemistry Questions
00:55 Why Does Ice Make Fizzy Drinks Fizz More?
03:09 How Does Stainless Steel Remove Onion Smell?
06:53 When to Email Professors About Recommendation Letters
10:19 Am I the Jerk for Pranking My Students?
23:06 Conclusion and Listener Engagement

 

Thanks to our monthly supporters

  • Chelsea M
  • Dorien V
  • Scott B
  • 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
★ 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

Up next
Jul 3
What gives curly hair its curl?
#027 Rebroadcast Originally Published January 23, 2020 This week, Melissa and Jam dive into the chemistry of something that may not seem like chemistry at first: hair. Curly hair to be specific. What makes hair curl? Also what is hair in the first place? Why can hair be so radica ... Show More
28m 18s
Jun 26
Are organic vegetables healthier for you?
Melissa and Jam dive into the definition and implications of organic foods. They explore what organic means according to USDA standards, dissect common misconceptions about pesticide use, and discuss whether organic produce is actually healthier. This detailed analysis includes M ... Show More
57m 52s
Jun 19
Ask a Chemist: Explain it like I'm five?
This episode of 'Chemistry for Your Life' features Melissa and Jam tackling various chemistry questions sourced from the 'Explain Like I'm Five' subreddit. They aim to explain complex chemistry concepts in a manner even a 5-year-old could understand. Questions discussed include w ... Show More
30 m
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
The Elements of Marie Curie with Dava Sobel
How did Marie Curie’s discoveries in radioactivity change our understanding of the natural world? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice sit down with science writer Dava Sobel, author of a new book on Curie, to explore the enduring impact of her work on radioactivity.NOTE: ... Show More
40m 31s
Jun 24
The Philosophy of Physics with Elise Crull
What happens when physics meets the big questions of philosophy? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice sit down with Elise Crull, philosopher of physics at CUNY and author of The Einstein Paradox, to explore physics, philosophy, and how thought experiments shape real s ... Show More
49m 53s
Apr 22
Explosive Science with Kate the Chemist
What are chemical reactions like in space? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice team up with Kate the Chemist to explore how cesium helps us tell time, the elusive quest for the periodic table’s “island of stability,” how AI is revolutionizing chemistry, and more!NOTE: StarTalk+ Pa ... Show More
54m 29s
Feb 2025
Valentine’s Day Isn’t Just for Romance—The Science of Deep Friendships
Love isn’t just about romance. This Valentine’s Day, we’re exploring the power of deep nonromantic bonds. Host Rachel Feltman sits down with Rhaina Cohen, a producer and editor for NPR’s podcast Embedded and author of The Other Significant Others, to discuss the history and psych ... Show More
17m 2s
Dec 2024
A Nobel Prize For Chemistry Work ‘Totally Separate From Biology’
In 2022, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi of Stanford University, Dr. Morten Meldal of the University of Copenhagen, and Dr. K. Barry Sharpless of the Scripps Research Institute “for the development of click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry.” In “cli ... Show More
19m 24s
Jan 2019
AaS! 96: Hey, who took all the antimatter?
Why are matter and antimatter symmetric? What happened in the early universe to make matter win? Do we have any clue as to why? What do puppies have to do with it? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All ... Show More
23m 5s
Jan 2025
Forever Fresh
We eat apples in the summer and enjoy bananas in the winter. When we do this, we go against the natural order of life which is towards death and decay. What gives? This week, Latif Nasser spoke with Nicola Twilley, the author of Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our ... Show More
28m 44s
Oct 2024
Ask A Spaceman Ep. 234: How Could We Turn the Sun Into a Telescope?
How do gravitational lenses work? Where would a spacecraft need to be to use the Sun’s gravity as a telescope? What could we learn about exoplanets with this on weird trick? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!   This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. G ... Show More
35m 39s
Apr 18
From the Internet’s Beginnings to Our Understanding of Consciousness, This Editor Has Seen It All
Senior mind and brain editor Gary Stix has covered the breadth of science and technology over the past 35 years at Scientific American. He joins host Rachel Feltman to take us through the rise of the Internet and the acceleration of advancement in neuroscience that he’s covered t ... Show More
20m 15s
May 13
Cosmic Queries – Negative Gravity
What happens to gravity when matter converts to energy? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Paul Mecurio dive into fan questions about the speed of light, time machine mistakes, and what Neil would do if he were an alien.NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode comme ... Show More
47m 50s