Chemistry in its element
624 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 177 ratingsA weekly tour of the periodic table, from Chemistry World, the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
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Episodes
Batteries: The bedrock of the sustainable future
June 01, 2021 09:07 - 21 minutes - 29.8 MBIn this special podcast produced in partnership with Waters Corporation, find out how understanding the chemistry and materials that go into batteries marks the first step towards making them safer and increasing energy density, and unlocks new opportunities for reuse and recycling
Cinnamaldehyde: Chemistry in its element
December 21, 2020 12:06 - 7 minutes - 11.2 MBHow did a tree bark from Sri Lanka become one of the essential flavours of the festive season? We explore the history of cinnamon and the compound that gives it its distinctive taste and aroma
Azidoazide azide: Chemistry in its element
December 11, 2020 17:55 - 5 minutes - 8.66 MBA compound so explosively unstable that nobody has been able to measure how sensitive it is without it, well, exploding.
Ochre: Chemistry in its element
December 04, 2020 17:17 - 7 minutes - 10.9 MBHow one of mankind's oldest pigments helped shepherds secure their sheep and inspired one of the most popular songs of the twentieth century
Maltodextrin: Chemistry in its element
November 27, 2020 19:06 - 7 minutes - 10.8 MBA sweet compound that provides ample energy for extreme endurance events – find out how maltodextrin helped Anna Ploszajski swim the English channel
Ionic liquids: Chemistry in its element
November 20, 2020 15:26 - 11 minutes - 16.9 MBLiquid salts, ionic melts, fused salts, or ionic glasses – call them what you like, these much-hyped solvents show great promise. Katrina Krämer speaks to chemical engineer Jason Bara about ionic liquids.
Chlorhexidine: Chemistry in its element
November 13, 2020 12:00 - 8 minutes - 11.7 MBAn antimicrobial compound that kills bacteria and viruses quickly – found in some of the most colourful antiseptic solutions
Asparagusic acid: Chemistry in its element
November 05, 2020 10:00 - 7 minutes - 11 MBDoes asparagus give you foul-smelling urine? Helen Arney investigates asparagusic acid, and the lavatorial genetic lottery that controls whether or not you can smell its distinctive aroma
Glycyrrhizic acid: Chemistry in its element
October 30, 2020 16:11 - 6 minutes - 10.1 MBA sweet treat with a deadly trick for Halloween – glycyrrhizic acid, or glycyrrhizin, is found in black liquorice and sweeter than sucrose, but can cause heart problems and even prove fatal if consumed in excess
Propofol: Chemistry in its element
October 23, 2020 16:19 - 6 minutes - 9.87 MBAlso known as 'milk of amnesia', propofol helps to prevent perception of pain in surgery – just don't forget its dangerous side
Sofosbuvir: Chemistry in its element
October 16, 2020 16:30 - 6 minutes - 9.2 MBHepatitis C drug sofosbuvir made waves when first launched – quicker to work and with fewer side effects than existing drugs, but it came with a hefty price tag
Bedaquiline: Chemistry in its element
October 09, 2020 16:49 - 9 minutes - 13.5 MBMeera Senthilingam makes a welcome return to the podcast with a drug that gives hope to the many sufferers of drug-resistant TB – still one of the world's biggest killers
Oxybenzone: Chemistry in its element
October 02, 2020 17:27 - 12 minutes - 17.7 MBThis summer's extreme weather prompts Katrina Krämer to investigate the history of sunblock and the ingredient blamed by some for bleaching coral reefs
Gypsum: Chemistry in its element
August 07, 2020 19:54 - 8 minutes - 11.8 MBFrom Lavoisier’s experiments with plaster of paris to the the ‘Sistine Chapel of crystals’ in Mexico, Mike Freemantle explores the history of gypsum
Favipiravir: Chemistry in its element
August 02, 2020 16:45 - 7 minutes - 11.2 MBOriginally developed to treat flu and marketed in Japan as Avigan, promising Covid-19 trial results have seen countries stockpiling this medication by the millions
Tannic acid: Chemistry in its element
July 24, 2020 20:23 - 8 minutes - 11.5 MBTannic acid in green acorns can kill wild animals and livestock, but in this podcast Mike Freemantle makes plain that you can prevent poisoning with pannage pigs.
Ractopamine: Chemistry in its element
July 17, 2020 20:09 - 7 minutes - 11.2 MBCommon in the US but banned in the EU, this animal feed additive makes for muscular pigs and beefy international trade disputes.
Hexasilabenzene: Chemistry in its element
July 10, 2020 18:16 - 6 minutes - 10 MBBrian Clegg discovers what a six-membered silicon ring can tell us about alien life
2AP (2-acetyl-1-pyrroline): Chemistry in its element
July 03, 2020 09:30 - 5 minutes - 8.59 MBFrances Addison on the aromatic compound found in both buttered popcorn and the bearcat’s scent glands, and responsible for the distinctive smell of both
Dexamethasone: Chemistry in its element
June 26, 2020 20:09 - 6 minutes - 9.49 MBNews that this cheap, ubiquitous steroid drug may reduce deaths in Covid-19 cases has been greeted with cautious optimism. Ben Valsler looks at the history of dexamethasone and the promising Recovery trial results.
Porcelain: Chemistry in its element
June 19, 2020 11:21 - 6 minutes - 9.78 MBMike Freemantle on the art, history and science of this delicate, translucent ceramic material
Feldspar: Chemistry in its element
June 12, 2020 13:51 - 7 minutes - 10.6 MBBrian Clegg introduces the humble mineral that delights both astronomers and archaeologists
Cimetidine: Chemistry in its element
June 05, 2020 11:00 - 7 minutes - 10.7 MBMike Freemantle introduces the peptic ulcer treatment cimetidine, which – as Tagamet – became the first 'blockbuster' drug
Fexinidazole: Chemistry in its element
May 29, 2020 15:24 - 6 minutes - 9.9 MBThe World Health Organisation hope to eradicate human African trypanosomiasis, better known as sleeping sickness, within our lifetimes. Jamie Durrani looks at a drug that may make it possible.
DMT – Dimethyltryptamine: Chemistry in its element
May 22, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 10.7 MBGeorgia Mills investigates the psychoactive found in ayahuasca that may mirror near-death experiences
Chlorine dioxide: Chemistry in its element
May 15, 2020 15:22 - 8 minutes - 12.3 MBKatrina Krämer investigates how industrial-strength bleach became promoted as 'miracle mineral supplement' – a supposed 'cure' for autism, cancer and even Covid-19.
Oleic acid: Chemistry in its element
May 08, 2020 09:30 - 7 minutes - 10.9 MBBrian Clegg discovers the link between olive oil, dandruff and stained glass windows.
Interferon beta: Chemistry in its element
May 01, 2020 15:53 - 6 minutes - 9.62 MBAn immune-modulating compound used to reduce the symptoms of multiple sclerosis and now showing potential against coronaviruses, interferon beta is the last of the WHO's Covid-19 Solidarity trial candidates to get the Chemistry in its element treatment.
Ritonavir: Chemistry in its element
April 24, 2020 16:32 - 11 minutes - 16.4 MBThe unexplained appearance and dramatic spread of a new form of HIV drug ritonavir hurt patients and cost its makers almost $250 million. Alexander Whiteside on the chemical phenomenon that links Irving Langmuir, H G Wells and Kurt Vonnegut.
Lopinavir: Chemistry in its element
April 17, 2020 15:42 - 6 minutes - 9.59 MBBen Valsler explains how a drug that prevents HIV from donning its protective 'coat' now makes up one arm of the World Health Organisation's Covid-19 trial
Remdesivir: Chemistry in its element
April 03, 2020 09:30 - 6 minutes - 9.35 MBWill new clinical trials for Covid-19 give remdesivir a second chance?Ben Valsler introduces the broad-spectrum antiviral that didn't quite make it as the Ebola drug it was originally planned to be.
Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine: Chemistry in its element
March 27, 2020 15:57 - 7 minutes - 10.6 MBOld drugs sometimes find their way back into the news. The Covid-19 pandemic – and some very high profile backing – has led to malaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine hitting the headlines worldwide. Ben Valsler explores both the history and the hype.
Ibuprofen: Chemistry in its element
March 20, 2020 15:22 - 9 minutes - 13 MBBrian Clegg on the popular over-the-counter painkiller, developed by a high-street pharmacy chain
Minoxidil and finasteride: Chemistry in its element
March 13, 2020 13:54 - 6 minutes - 9.95 MBCatherine Hodges explores the chemical solutions to thinning hair and patchy beards, examining the popularity of minoxidil and the cautionary tale of finasteride
Fipronil: Chemistry in its element
March 06, 2020 13:57 - 6 minutes - 9.96 MBThe pesticide that keeps pets free of pests, but may have also been responsible for the devastating collapse of bee colonies. With Harriet Brewerton.
Leptin: Chemistry in its element
February 28, 2020 12:19 - 10 minutes - 14.7 MBRotund rodents revolutionised our understanding of the biological role of fat. Now, as Katrina Krämer discovers, the hormones created by fats could redefine obesity.
Vitamin K: Chemistry in its element
February 21, 2020 10:46 - 6 minutes - 9.97 MBBen Valsler on vitamin K – the blood clotting factor that is likely to be the first supplement you ever receive
Amylase: Chemistry in its element
February 14, 2020 10:25 - 7 minutes - 10.7 MBBrian Clegg on the enzymes make life a little sweeter by breaking down starch into sugars, helping to make bread and beer
Hydroquinone: Chemistry in its element
February 07, 2020 13:57 - 6 minutes - 9.53 MBGeorgia Mills on a compound that explodes from a beetle's bum, and has a controversial role in skin depigmentation
Sodium cyanide: Chemistry in its element
January 31, 2020 11:18 - 7 minutes - 10.9 MBThis week marks the 20th anniversary of the Baia Mare disaster, when toxic sodium cyanide spilled from a gold processing plant led to ecological damage on a huge scale. Mike Freemantle tells the tragic tale and explores the poison's place in precious metal processing.
Terephthalic acid: Chemistry in its element
January 24, 2020 15:33 - 7 minutes - 11.1 MBOnce thought of as an interesting – but useless – turpentine derivative, this oddly-named acid became the precursor to one of the world's most widely used plastics
Cobalt oxide: Chemistry in its Element
January 17, 2020 16:52 - 6 minutes - 9.77 MBFrom ancient Egyptian pottery to distinctive blue bottles, cobalt oxide has been providing ‘chemically and artistically perfect’ pigments for centuries
Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin
January 10, 2020 15:39 - 7 minutes - 10.2 MBIf you’re trying out a vegan diet, you’re likely to be told to make sure you get enough vitamin B12. Ben Valsler asks what B12 does, where we get it from, and how can we be sure we’re getting enough?
The Elements Song 2019: Chemistry in its Element
December 20, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 6.1 MBTo celebrate 2019 – the International Year of the Periodic Table – we're joined by Helen Arney and the Waterbeach Brass Band with an updated version of Tom Lehrer's elements song. See the video, featuring contributions from chemists around the world, here: https://www.chemistryworld.com/IYPT Happy New Year!
Iminosugars: Chemistry in its element
December 13, 2019 14:39 - 7 minutes - 10.1 MBAfter promising results treating ill pets, some researchers think iminosugars could become treatments for infection and even cancer. Mike Freemantle explores the buzz about iminohoney.
Oxycodone and hydrocodone: Chemistry in its element
December 06, 2019 09:30 - 6 minutes - 9.35 MBFrances Addison examines how our quest to control and manage pain has led to a modern medical crisis, as opioids oxycodone and hydrocodone are among the most abused prescription medications in the US
Tryptophan: Chemistry in its element
November 29, 2019 10:30 - 6 minutes - 8.79 MBBen Valsler tackles 'zombie facts' and the tenuous connection between tryptophan in turkey and your post-Thanksgiving dinner doze
Zeolites: Chemistry in its element
November 22, 2019 13:17 - 7 minutes - 11.1 MBBrian Clegg introduces the class of materials where the holes are more important than the whole – the super-porous zeolites
Allicin: Chemistry in its Element
November 15, 2019 16:36 - 7 minutes - 11.1 MBIt helps prevent garlic plants from marauding insects and should have prevented the Hindenburg disaster – Mike Freemantle on allicin and the smell of freshly crushed garlic
Beta–damascenone: Chemistry in its element
November 08, 2019 14:52 - 4 minutes - 7.27 MBLouise Crane explains how a series of happy accidents led to the discovery of this rose-scented compound, found in rose oil, beer, apple pie and Kentucky bourbon.