Chemistry For Your Life

• What makes fireflies glow?

  Melissa and Jam delve into the fascinating chemistry behind fireflies' bioluminescence. They explore how fireflies produce light through a complex series of chemical reactions involving specific molecules like luciferin and enzymes like luciferase. The discussion extends to how these mechanisms find applications in scientific research, such as identifying tumors in mice. The episode is interspersed with nostalgic summer stories, making it a blend of chemistry education and personal anecdotes. 00:00 Nostalgic Summer Evenings 00:33 Fireflies and Childhood Wonder 01:04 Introduction to Firefly Chemistry 02:22 Shoutout to Ash and Podcast Tips 03:58 Diving into Bioluminescence 04:52 The Chemistry Behind Firefly Light 11:17 Understanding Acid-Base Reactions 16:13 The Role of Luciferase 18:43 The Unstable Four-Membered Ring 28:39 Understanding Molecular Structures 29:33 The Instability of Molecular Rings 33:39 Fireflies and Bioluminescence 40:53 Applications in Medical Science 45:37 Nostalgic Summer Memories 52:48 Supporting the Show and Final Thoughts ★ 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 References from this episode: https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/luciferin/3005839.article https://www.science.org/content/article/watch-chemistry-behind-how-fireflies-glow https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.258103 https://youtu.be/pTPMwZK2-yM https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.5b03820 https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1021/jp301910p https://chemistry-europe-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1002/cphc.201300330 https://chemistry-europe-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1002/cphc.201200195 https://iubmb-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1002/iub.134 https://chemistry-europe-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1002/cbic.200500443 https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/rainbow-makers/3003381.article https://www.acs.org/molecule-of-the-week/archive/f/firefly-luciferin.html Thanks to our monthly supporters Kyle McCray Justine Emily Hardy Ash Vince W Julie S. Heather Ragusa Autoclave Chelsea Morelos Dorien VD Scott Beyer Jessie Reder Ciara Linville J0HNTR0Y Jeannette Napoleon Cullyn R Erica Bee Elizabeth P Rachel Reina Letila Katrina Barnum-Huckins Suzanne Phillips Venus Rebholz Lyn Stubblefield Jacob Taber Brian Kimball Kristina Gotfredsen Timothy Parker Steven Boyles Chris Skupien Chelsea B 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

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• Ask a Chemist: What would be worse, drinking bleach or gasoline? (and other questions)

  Melissa and Jam dive into a variety of listener-submitted questions. They discuss the science behind fluffy shave ice versus mainland shaved ice, the effectiveness and safety of ozone treatments for smoke smells, and the potential impact of glyphosate on human health. They also explore the chemistry of everyday items like rinse aid in dishwashers, different types of soap, and even hypothetical scenarios involving bleach and gasoline. Melissa provides insights based on her knowledge as a chemist, offering a fascinating look into the chemistry of our everyday life. 00:00 Introduction and Listener Questions 00:29 Chemistry of Shave Ice 06:58 Ozone Treatment for Cigarette Smell 12:15 Glyphosate and Its Effects 21:32 Rinse Aid in Dishwashers 24:02 Concerns About Rinse Safety 24:24 Exploring Cleaning Products 26:26 Differences in Soaps and Shampoos 27:27 Chemistry of Hair and Skin Products 32:59 Hypothetical: Bleach vs. Gasoline 37:17 Listener Shoutouts and Anniversary 42:27 Chemistry of Erasable and Invisible Inks 45:22 Supporting the Podcast ★ 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 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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• Why is sweat salty?

  Melissa and Jam explore the science behind why sweat is salty. They discuss personal experiences with sweating, the types of sweat glands, and the chemical processes involved in sweat production. The episode explains how osmosis, ion channels, and salt concentrations contribute to the movement of sweat through sweat glands to the skin's surface. They also touch on evolutionary aspects and the role of sweat in cooling the body. For anyone curious about the chemistry of everyday life, this episode offers an accessible and intriguing explanation. 00:00 Introduction: Why is Sweat Salty? 00:27 Personal Experiences with Sweat 01:32 The Science Behind Sweat 02:00 Meet the Hosts 02:20 Types of Sweat Glands 04:30 How Sweat Reaches the Skin 07:31 The Role of Salt in Sweat 14:20 Health Indicators in Sweat 17:01 Understanding Osmosis and Interstitial Fluid 17:39 Evolutionary Perspective on Sweating 20:01 Mechanism of Sweat Glands 22:41 Sweat Composition and Function 27:39 Personal Sweating Experiences 33:47 Supporting the Show and Community ★ 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 References from this episode: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6773238/ https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2024/lc/d3lc00874f#cit23 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsnano.4c10344 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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• How does sweat cool us down?

  #050 This week, Melissa and Jam once again look under the armpits of society, this time to explore sweat. Is it cool? Well does it keep us cool? How? At what cost? Is there more to sweat than meets the eye? Can you drink it? Grab your sweat bands and let's hit the track Paulie Bleeker.   References from this episode Flexible and Superwettable Bands as a Platform toward Sweat Sampling and Sensing - Analytical Chemistry - Xuecheng He, Tailin Xu, Zhen Gu, Wei Gao, Li-Ping Xu, Tingrui Pan, and Xueji Zhang A Fully Integrated and Self-Powered Smartwatch for Continuous Sweat Glucose Monitoring - ACS Sensors - Jiangqi Zhao, Yuanjing Lin, Jingbo Wu, Hnin Yin Yin Nyein, Mallika Bariya, Li-Chia Tai, Minghan Chao, Wenbo Ji, George Zhang, Zhiyong Fan, and Ali Javey General Chemistry, Edition 2 - Flowers, Theopold, Langley, Robinson Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife. Email us at [email protected] 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 ★

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• How does *color* film photography work??

  In this continuation of our two-part series, Melissa and Jam dive into the intriguing chemistry behind color film and Polaroid photography. The episode picks up from the previous discussion on black and white film, focusing on color theory and how it applies to both traditional and instant photography. Listeners will learn about the science of additive and subtractive colors, how multiple layers of dye-sensitized silver halide work together to capture images, and the unique processes involved in developing these images. For those fascinated by the intersection of chemistry and photography, this episode is a must-listen. 00:00 Introduction and Recap 01:42 Understanding Color Theory 05:08 Additive and Subtractive Colors 07:00 Color Photography Basics 08:45 Film Development Process 13:03 Negative and Positive Images 17:33 Practical Applications and Examples 23:28 Understanding Negative Images in Photography 24:26 Principles of Color Photography 25:22 Exploring Color Negatives and Filters 27:14 Layers and Sensitizers in Color Film 29:51 The Development Process of Color Film 34:22 Introduction to Polaroid Photography 35:20 The Chemistry Behind Polaroid Development 40:06 Fascination with Photography and Color Theory 40:50 Favorite Black and White TV Shows 44:12 Closing Remarks and Community Shoutouts ★ 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 References from this episode: https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/epdf/10.1021/ed052p622?ref=article_openPDF https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00400 https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1021/ed081p694 https://edu.rsc.org/experiments/making-a-photographic-print-using-silver-chloride/454.article https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/articlesbytopic/metals%20and%20nonmetals/chemmatters-feb2006-digital-photo.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rolf-Steiger/publication/279964154_CHEMICAL_SENSITIZATION_OF_SILVER_BROMIDE/links/5a7d8b55aca272341aef2f6f/CHEMICAL-SENSITIZATION-OF-SILVER-BROMIDE.pdf https://www.acs.org/education/celebrating-chemistry-editions/2024-ncw/chemistry-of-polaroids.html https://cen.acs.org/articles/87/i12/Instant-Film.html https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/land-instant-photography.html https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/epdf/10.1021/ed051p72?ref=article_openPDF 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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