Chemistry For Your Life

What makes skunk spray smell so astonishingly bad, and why can the odor come roaring back whenever a sprayed dog gets wet? Are humans unusually sensitive to skunk smell? Does tomato juice actually remove it, or have cartoons been lying to us for decades? In this spooky episode, Melissa and Jam investigate skunk spray, sulfur compounds, olfaction, odor removal, and the chemistry behind a smell that simply refuses to die.

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Timestamps

00:00 – A spooky question: Why do skunks smell so bad?
02:43 – The listener question that inspired the episode
04:33 – The chemical family hiding inside skunk spray
08:46 – Why our noses are incredibly sensitive to sulfur compounds
11:38 – How skunks weaponized a smell mammals already hate
12:43 – Why skunk odor can return when it gets wet
17:00 – Drawing out the surprising water-triggered reaction
21:07 – Jam’s teach-back: skunk chemistry explained
31:11 – Does tomato juice actually remove skunk smell?
32:55 – What chemistry suggests might work instead
34:44 – Skunk species, warning signs, and spray strategy
37:58 – Melissa’s baby-skunk rescue and other skunk encounters

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
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Dog Day Dan
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Autoclave
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J0HNTR0Y
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Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
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Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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Why does microwaving ice cream for two five-second bursts feel different from microwaving it once for ten seconds? Can a science podcast make chemistry accessible without accidentally wrapping complicated ideas in answers that feel a little too neat—and what do seeds know about light that we don’t? Melissa and Jam tackle those questions along with protons versus neutrons, refrigerant patents, leaded gasoline, and an important conversation about unexpected ads. It’s a Q&R episode featuring chemistry off the cuff, educational soul-searching, listener corrections, and an unusually serious investigation into optimal ice cream texture.

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Timestamps

00:00 — Melissa turns the questions on Jam
00:42 — How long should you microwave ice cream?
02:09 — Why two five-second bursts differ from ten continuous seconds
06:43 — How melting and refreezing changes ice cream’s texture
08:25 — Is the podcast making chemistry too easy?
11:00 — Do analogies encourage curiosity or provide overly tidy answers?
17:51 — Jam’s perspective as the podcast’s non-chemist learner
20:15 — Why “that’s just how it is” can end scientific inquiry
25:52 — How can seeds detect light through soil?
31:37 — Yes, Melissa knows the difference between protons and neutrons
35:15 — Patents, leaded gasoline, and the refrigerant industry
37:26 — An important note about gambling ads and podcast platforms

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
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Dog Day Dan
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Ash
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Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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Do atoms “want” full electron shells, do molecules “prefer” stability, and are electrons really “attacking” each other? Or could it be that while personifying molecules might be quietly teaching us the wrong ideas? Chemistry education researcher Jessie Stenlund joins Melissa and Jam to investigate anthropomorphism, analogies, scientific language, and why a satisfying explanation isn’t necessarily an accurate one. Along the way, Melissa reckons with learning that one of her strongest teaching opinions might need revisiting.

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Timestamps

00:00 — Melissa discovers she may have been teaching something wrong
00:52 — Meet chemistry education researcher Jessie Stenlund
04:17 — Why does iron rust?
08:59 — What counts as anthropomorphizing molecules?
11:09 — Why personification makes chemistry easier to learn
15:17 — When chemistry’s official language already sounds human
18:49 — How personification can confuse cause and effect
24:58 — Oversimplification, unfalsifiable claims, and chemical evidence
34:07 — When scientific shorthand replaces real understanding
36:52 — Do students think atoms and molecules are alive?
40:48 — Can satisfying explanations stop us from asking questions?
47:35 — Are electrons really “attacking” other molecules?
52:09 — How to personify chemistry more responsibly
57:00 — Finding the right balance for different learners

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
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Dog Day Dan
Bri .
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Ash
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Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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Rebroadcast #068

This week we issue a correction, joining other science publications issuing the same correction. That's kind of an obvious answer to the question of "Is science always right?" So in this episode we explore that question, as well as what happens when science isn't right. And why that's NOT a bad thing.

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References from this episode

• https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/reactions/videos/2019/citrus-scent-debunked.html
• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jfq.12226
• Chemistry by Julia Burdge

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Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
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Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
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Can cooking pasta, rice, or bread, and then cooling it down, actually make it healthier? Could yesterday’s leftovers affect your blood sugar differently than a freshly cooked meal, or is this just another nutrition “hack” invented by the internet? Melissa and Jam investigate starch, glucose, insulin, digestion, crystallization, and the surprising chemistry that happens while your food sits in the fridge. Plus, the whole thing somehow turns into a Lord of the Rings battle involving glucose, hobbits, and ents, because of course it does.

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Timestamps

00:00 — Can cooking and cooling starch make it healthier?
03:52 — Why bread, pasta, and rice get a bad reputation
04:36 — Starch: a polymer made from glucose
07:03 — How glucose, insulin, and blood sugar work
09:25 — The internet’s cook-cool-reheat claim
12:14 — What crystallization has to do with leftovers
14:43 — How starch changes as cooked food cools
15:48 — What is resistant starch?
17:20 — Studies on reheated bread, rice, pasta, and potatoes
19:51 — Resistant starch, fiber, and your gut bacteria
21:26 — Can repeated reheating make even more resistant starch?
23:14 — Jam explains resistant starch using Lord of the Rings
30:44 — A free food hack with actual science behind it
34:49 — Melissa and Jam’s favorite starchy meals

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
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Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
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Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
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Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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What’s actually flowing through the “natural gas” pipes connected to your home—and did we get something wrong in our air-conditioning series? Which careers can an organic chemistry student pursue, how do topical pain-relief gels work, and what could make a successful HIV medication suddenly stop working? Melissa and Jam answer listener questions, revisit past episodes, correct the record, and stumble into a genuinely fascinating pharmaceutical mystery. Plus, could more chemistry history and chemistry-education stories be coming to the podcast?

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Timestamps

00:00 — Another round of listener chemistry questions
02:04 — Correction: methane, propane, and household natural gas
04:01 — How European AC systems handle propane safely
05:47 — Could more chemistry-education episodes be coming?
07:33 — The overlooked women and stories of chemistry
09:20 — What careers involve organic chemistry?
12:20 — A science teacher tackles the chemistry Praxis exam
13:38 — Do apples and human skin use the same protective pigment?
15:22 — Resources for learning organic chemistry
16:32 — How do topical pain-relief gels work?
19:35 — The HIV medication that suddenly stopped working
20:52 — How one crystal can transform an entire batch

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
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Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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Can shining a red light on your face really improve acne, wrinkles, inflammation, or wound healing, or is red light therapy just an expensive skincare scam involving a slightly alarming mask? How could ordinary visible light affect cells beneath your skin, and should you trust the products filling your social media feed? Melissa and Jam investigate photobiomodulation, mitochondria, collagen, blue light, FDA clearance, and the research behind this increasingly popular wellness trend. The answer is more scientifically interesting, and more complicated, than either of them expected.

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Timestamps

00:00 — Is red light therapy real or a scam?
03:41 — How light transfers energy to molecules
06:24 — Is red light therapy actually infrared?
08:03 — How deeply can visible light penetrate your skin?
09:34 — What red light may do inside your mitochondria
12:00 — Oxygen transport and other possible mechanisms
13:39 — Could red light trigger collagen production and healing?
16:26 — What scientists know—and still don’t understand
20:45 — Red light, blue light, inflammation, and acne
30:03 — The major problems with current red light research
33:20 — What FDA clearance does—and doesn’t—mean
35:20 — How to evaluate a red light therapy device
40:04 — So, should you buy a red light mask?
44:06 — A new series idea: Is it a scam or is it chemistry?

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
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Kyle McCray
Justine
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Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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#007 Rebroadcast

Melissa finally explains to Jam how microwaves work after making him wait for an entire week. What the heck is going on inside microwaves? How does it do it's thing and make our food tasty? Is it magic?

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Thanks to our monthly supporters
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Julie S.
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Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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What happens when a chemist and a non-chemist make a podcast together for seven years? Which chemistry lessons stuck, which episode ideas spectacularly refused to cooperate, and does Jam still count as a layperson after all this time? Joined by returning guest Claire, Melissa and Jam celebrate the seventh anniversary of Chemistry For Your Life with listener questions, behind-the-scenes stories, friendship reflections, favorite science facts, and one very large chemistry cookie cake. Come for the chemiversary; stay for the long-running argument about reality TV.

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Timestamps

00:00 — Celebrating seven years of Chemistry For Your Life
01:01 — Special guest Claire—and a chemistry cookie cake
03:04 — Nearly two million downloads and meeting listeners in real life
06:05 — What has the podcast done that Melissa and Jam never expected?
10:34 — The biggest surprises about making a podcast
16:35 — What has changed most over the past seven years?
18:30 — How the podcast changed Melissa and Jam’s friendship
25:24 — What would their past selves think of the show today?
27:24 — Episodes and guest collaborations that never panned out
35:02 — How has Jam used seven years of chemistry in everyday life?
39:09 — Is Jam still a chemistry layperson?
47:40 — Which chemistry concepts are hardest for Jam to understand?
52:12 — Their favorite things they’ve learned from the podcast
01:04:06 — Where do they hope to take the show next?

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
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Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
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Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
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

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What exactly is a swamp cooler, and why can it beat the heat in Arizona but leave you sweaty and betrayed in Houston? How can an air conditioner run on water, what does humidity have to do with its effectiveness, and could an icy new invention help prevent overloaded power grids? In the final installment of our air-conditioning series, Melissa and Jam explore evaporative cooling, ancient climate-control tricks, and some promising innovations for a hotter world. It turns out “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity” is more scientifically accurate, and more annoying, than we’d like.

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Timestamps

00:00 — The happier finale to our air-conditioning trilogy
00:37 — What exactly is a swamp cooler?
02:34 — How water can be used as a refrigerant
04:16 — The benefits and drawbacks of evaporative cooling
06:26 — Why air can only hold so much water
08:08 — How much can a swamp cooler lower the temperature?
08:56 — Why swamp coolers only work in certain climates
09:47 — Are refrigerants basically reusable sweat?
12:55 — Jam explains the complete swamp-cooler process
15:45 — Ancient evaporative cooling technology
17:19 — Could swamp coolers affect indoor air quality?
18:40 — An ice-slurry air conditioner designed to relieve the power grid
25:06 — Could underground temperatures heat and cool our homes?

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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Could a cheaper, more environmentally friendly refrigerant already exist, and could corporate lobbying be helping keep it out of American air conditioners? Why did the chemicals once hailed as safe alternatives become environmental villains, and are their replacements actually much better? Melissa and Jam follow the twisty history of Freon, ozone depletion, greenhouse gases, propane, and air-conditioning regulations to find out why choosing a refrigerant is never as simple as “this one works.” Grab your red string and conspiracy board, because the chemistry drama is heating up.

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Timestamps

00:00 — The chemistry and drama hiding inside refrigerants
02:31 — Is propane an ideal refrigerant?
05:37 — How an AC episode became an eight-hour research rabbit hole
09:57 — What makes a good—and safe—refrigerant?
11:19 — The hazardous chemicals used in early refrigeration
12:08 — The invention of Freon and chlorofluorocarbons
13:18 — How CFCs damage the ozone layer
16:40 — The Montreal Protocol and the next generation of refrigerants
18:08 — Solving ozone depletion while worsening global warming
22:24 — Why isn’t propane widely used in American air conditioners?
25:35 — How US refrigerant regulations differ from international standards
29:02 — The document requesting government protection for synthetic refrigerants
40:42 — What conspiracy theories might actually be true?
50:00 — Coming next: the surprisingly cool science of swamp coolers

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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What happens when a chemist ventures onto Reddit to answer the internet’s most pressing science questions? Why does carbon get its own entire branch of chemistry, what makes fireworks burn different colors, and can an invention work even when its inventor has no idea why? Melissa and Jam tackle those mysteries, plus laboratory disasters, stress recovery, wireless charging, and one surprisingly complicated “Am I the Jerk?” dilemma. It’s chemistry support for the internet, because Reddit clearly has plenty of need for it.

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Timestamps

00:00 — Chemistry Support: answering Reddit’s science questions
01:30 — A chemist’s biggest “oh shoot” laboratory moments
05:36 — Jam’s alarming muriatic acid spill story
09:28 — Can inventors discover something without knowing how it works?
11:49 — Why does wireless charging feel like magic?
16:50 — Why does carbon get its own branch of chemistry?
24:30 — Why do metals make flames different colors?
26:51 — What are some science-backed ways to recover from stress?
28:10 — Completing the body’s stress cycle
31:42 — Why rest isn’t optional—even for busy people
32:03 — “Am I the Jerk?”: A student, a failed class, and an awkward favor
36:01 — What grades really tell professors about their students

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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Is your air conditioner secretly doing chemistry while you’re inside pretending summer doesn’t exist? How does it turn hot air into cool air, and why does part of the AC blow out even more heat? In this episode, Melissa and Jam crack open the mysterious black box of air conditioning to explore refrigerants, phase changes, energy transfer, and the surprisingly clever science keeping your house livable. Plus: frozen AC coils, summer survival drinks, and the beginning of Hibiscus Girl Summer.

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Timestamps

00:00 — Could we survive a Texas summer without air conditioning?
01:52 — Opening the mysterious black box that is your AC
02:50 — Traditional air conditioners vs. swamp coolers
03:33 — The two chemistry concepts behind air conditioning
04:38 — Understanding energy transfer through human collisions
05:49 — Phase changes explained using a crowded theater
10:30 — How an AC removes energy from hot air
14:20 — What happens inside the refrigerant coils
15:46 — Cooling and recycling the refrigerant
18:50 — Do refrigerators work the same way?
23:19 — Why would ice form inside a broken AC?
28:42 — Our favorite treats and drinks for surviving hot weather

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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#044 Rebroadcast

You know what we're talking about. That spectacular fizzy geyser. This week, Melissa and Jam explore what makes diet coke and mentos go crazy together. Is it love? Is it hate? Is it chemistry? Why diet coke specifically? Or more importantly, why mentos? Let's get into it.

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References from this episode

• Diet Coke and Mentos: What is really behind this physical reaction? - American Journal of Physics 76, 551 (2008)
• Diet Coke and Mentos: What is really behind this physical reaction? - Tonya Coffey
• Spurting Science: Erupting Diet Coke with Mentos - Scientific American - Science Buddies

Thanks to our monthly supporters
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Summer Alden
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Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
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Julie S.
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Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
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Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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#135 Rebroadcast

Well guess what, Melissa is a PhD Doctor now! And you know what that means? She gets to tell us more details about the research she did to get her PhD. Listen to hear what Melissa found as she dove deep into the question "Why do people hate organic chemistry?" for the past few years.

References from this episode

• National Research Council, (2012), Discipline-based education research: Understanding and improving learning in undergraduate science and engineering, The National Academies Press.
• Graulich N., (2015), The tip of the iceberg in organic chemistry classes: How do students deal with the invisible? Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., 16(1), 9–21.
• Xu X. and Lewis J. E., (2011), Refinement of a chemistry attitude measure for college students. J. Chem. Educ., 88(5), 561–568.
• Gibbons R. E. and Raker J. R., (2019), Self-beliefs in organic chemistry: Evaluation of a reciprocal causation, cross-lagged model. J. Res. Sci. Teach., 56(5), 598–618.

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Thanks to our monthly supporters

Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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What if the biggest challenge in chemistry education isn’t helping students survive—but helping them thrive? In this final bonus episode of our BCCE Community Conversation series, Melissa talks with Dr. Leyte Winfield about creating learning environments where students feel like they belong. They discuss moving beyond “weed-out” culture, designing courses that maintain high standards while expanding opportunity, and why the future of chemistry depends on empowering talented students rather than simply filtering them out. It’s a fitting conclusion to a series all about rethinking how we teach and learn chemistry.

Important Links

• Submit a Question for Community Conversations
• https://bcce.divched.org/2026
• http://youtube.com/@chemforyourlife
• http://chemforyourlife.com

Timestamps

• 0:00 – Introducing the final BCCE Community Conversation
• 2:40 – Meet Leyte Winfield and the vision behind “Shifting the Equilibrium”
• 4:25 – From “weed out” culture to empowering student success
• 9:30 – Success-oriented vs. deficit-oriented teaching
• 13:30 – Practical ways to help students thrive without lowering standards
• 16:00 – Open deadlines, accountability, and lessons from COVID
• 18:40 – Connecting chemistry to students’ everyday lives
• 20:00 – Why organic chemistry shouldn’t be about memorization
• 22:20 – Rethinking mentoring and preparing the next generation of chemists
• 27:40 – Wrapping up the BCCE series and looking ahead

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#028

This week, Melissa and Jam travel even further down the rabbit hole of hair chemistry. How does our hair get damaged? How do we curl, straighten, and perm our hair? What's going on there at the molecular level? Let's find out!

References from this episode

• Biochemistry, Edition 4 - Garret and Grisham
• Making waves: The chemistry of hair perms - Christine Herman, Chemistry & Engineering News
• How Did the 80s Get Hair So Big? - American Chemical Society
• The Chemistry of Hair - C. S. Whewell, Ph.D., F.R.I.C., F.T.I.
• The Science of Curls - Leidamarie Tirado-Lee

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Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
Jacob Taber
Brian Kimball
Kristina Gotfredsen
Timothy Parker
Steven Boyles
Chris Skupien
Chelsea B
Avishai Barnoy
Hunter Reardon

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How do we build chemistry classrooms where more students can thrive? In this bonus BCCE Community Conversation preview, Melissa talks with Matt Mio about neurodiversity in chemistry education. They discuss why every student experiences learning differently, how understanding those differences can make us better teachers and colleagues, and why creating more accessible learning environments benefits far more people than we might expect. It’s a thoughtful conversation about curiosity, empathy, and what it means to teach the whole student.

Important Links

• Submit a Question for Community Conversations
• https://bcce.divched.org/2026
• http://youtube.com/@chemforyourlife
• http://chemforyourlife.com

Timestamps

• 0:00 – Introducing the Community Conversation on neurodiversity
• 2:40 – Meet Matt Mio and why this topic matters to him
• 6:10 – What the BCCE session will explore: students and faculty
• 11:00 – Why more educators are thinking differently about neurodiversity
• 14:00 – Melissa’s ADHD journey and designing courses that help everyone
• 18:30 – Questions to bring back to your own teaching community
• 19:10 – Universal Design for Learning and meeting students where they are
• 24:00 – Why awareness is the best place to start
• 25:30 – ADHD “superpowers” and different ways of thinking
• 28:00 – Looking ahead to the Community Conversation at BCCE

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Hairspray seems simple… until you actually stop and think about it. How does it come out as a fine mist? Why doesn’t it dry up inside the can? How can it hold your hair in place without acting like glue? This week we’re unpacking the surprisingly clever chemistry behind one of the most common products in our homes—and discovering it’s far more complicated than either of us expected.

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Timestamps

• 0:00 – A question inspired by our forensics episode: what is hairspray?
• 4:40 – The three ingredients inside a can of hairspray
• 10:40 – How the propellant turns liquid into a fine aerosol spray
• 18:30 – How polymers create an invisible “hairnet”
• 29:00 – Why designing hairspray is harder than you might expect
• 36:20 – How hairspray compares to gel and mousse
• 45:50 – Fun categories: movies, cast iron, and things that turned out to be more complicated than expected

References from the Episode:

Thanks to our monthly supporters
Sara Hull
Dog Day Dan
Bri .
Summer Alden
Amanda Raymond
Kyle McCray
Justine
Ash
Vince W
Julie S.
Heather Ragusa
Autoclave
Dorien VD
Scott Beyer
Jessie Reder
J0HNTR0Y
Cullyn R
Erica Bee
Elizabeth P
Rachel Reina
Letila
Katrina Barnum-Huckins
Suzanne Phillips
Venus Rebholz
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 http://chemforyourlife.com/

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Great teaching doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in community. In this bonus BCCE Community Conversation preview, Melissa talks with chemistry educator Dr. Joanne Stewart about communities of practice: groups of educators who come together to share ideas, solve problems, and help one another grow. They explore why teaching is hard to improve on your own, how these communities support both faculty and students, and why meaningful change in chemistry education depends on building relationships, not just sharing resources.

Important Links

• Submit a Question for Community Conversations
• https://bcce.divched.org/2026
• http://youtube.com/@chemforyourlife
• http://chemforyourlife.com

Timestamps

• 0:00 – Introducing the BCCE Community Conversation series
• 2:40 – Meet Joanne Stewart and her work in chemistry education
• 5:10 – What is a community of practice?
• 8:20 – How educators can get involved (even as a “lurker”)
• 11:50 – Sharing teaching resources and learning from one another
• 15:30 – Building a “community of communities” in chemistry
• 18:50 – What this year’s Community Conversation will explore
• 23:50 – Why lasting educational change requires strong networks
• 29:20 – BCCE events, communities to explore, and final invitations

Support this podcast on Patreon

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