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Chemistry For Your Life

Chemistry For Your Life

By: Melissa and Jam Bleav
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Summary

 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.© For Your Life 2023, All rights reserved. Science
Episodes
  • Ask a Chemist: What things should you never mix? (and other questions)

    Ask a Chemist: What things should you never mix? (and other questions)
    May 14 2026
    What happens when you mix bleach and ammonia? Why does perfume smell amazing on one person and weird on another? And why is getting a job so hard right now? This week we’re answering a huge batch of listener questions about chemistry, sunscreen, scents, books, careers, birds, and somehow even British accents. Plus, we accidentally brainstorm several new podcast ideas along the way. 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 Timestamps 0:00 – Listener question extravaganza begins 1:00 – What ingredients should NEVER be mixed together? 1:30 – Bleach + ammonia and dangerous chloramine gas 2:40 – Food combinations that actually are bad 3:30 – How SPF and sunscreen work 5:00 – Why perfumes smell different on different people 6:30 – Body chemistry, temperature, and scent longevity 8:00 – “Why is it so hard to get a job?” 9:00 – Post-graduation job hunting advice 10:15 – Treating job searching like a full-time job 11:00 – Using chemistry skills in unexpected careers 12:00 – Certifications, courses, and standing out 14:15 – Book recommendations from listeners and hosts 15:50 – Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and classic books 17:00 – “Phoebe Reads a Mystery” and audiobook-style podcasts 18:20 – Human similarities to elements and chemical bonding 19:45 – Why chemistry analogies help us learn 22:00 – Are American accents annoying to British listeners? 23:45 – Melissa considers starting a reading podcast 25:00 – Listener suggestion: chemistry changes that impacted real life 25:45 – Podcast-inspired life changes: sunscreen and Teflon 27:00 – Shoutouts to listeners, friends, and good coffee 29:20 – The missing bird fact mystery 30:20 – “Please don’t stop uploading” 31:00 – Reflecting on nearly 7 years of the podcast 31:45 – Patreon, merch, and intermolecular forces merch talk 33:45 – Chemmunity thank-yous and outro 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 the Episode: Thanks to our monthly supporters Kelly D. Bri Summer Alden Amanda Raymond Kyle McCray Justine Ash Vince W Julie S. Heather Ragusa Autoclave Dorien VD Scott Beyer Jessie Reder J0HNTR0Y Jeannette Napoleon 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 chemforyourlife.com Watch our episodes on YouTube Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    35 mins
  • How was kevlar accidentally invented?

    How was kevlar accidentally invented?
    May 7 2026

    How do you turn a weird cloudy liquid into something stronger than steel? This week we’re telling the story of Kevlar: the chemistry breakthrough that led to bulletproof vests, firefighter gear, reinforced tires, and so much more. Along the way we talk polymers, hydrogen bonding, accidental discoveries, and the chemist who almost went to medical school instead.

    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

    Timestamps

    0:00 – Story time setup: bulletproof gear and the chemistry behind it
    1:30 – Meet Stephanie Kwolek, the chemist behind Kevlar
    4:00 – DuPont, polymers, and the early days of synthetic fibers
    6:30 – Why Stephanie stayed in chemistry instead of medical school
    8:30 – The gas shortage problem that sparked the search for Kevlar
    9:50 – What polymers actually are
    10:20 – Benzene rings, resonance, and rigid molecular structures
    11:30 – The strange watery solution that almost got ignored
    13:30 – The accidental breakthrough that created Kevlar fibers
    14:20 – Why Kevlar is so unusually strong
    16:30 – Hydrogen bonding and “molecular Velcro”
    18:40 – How Kevlar chains organize into massive strong sheets
    21:30 – Why Kevlar behaves almost like a metal
    24:00 – Stronger than steel, lighter than steel
    26:30 – Melissa’s theory about the mysterious cloudy solution
    27:00 – How Kevlar became bulletproof vests
    28:00 – Why “detours” in life aren’t always failures
    32:30 – Other surprising uses for Kevlar
    35:00 – “Mistakes” that turned into good things (personal stories)
    44:00 – Wrap-up + chemistry storytime appreciation

    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 the Episode:

    Thanks to our monthly supporters
    Kelly D.
    Bri
    Summer Alden
    Amanda Raymond
    Kyle McCray
    Justine
    Ash
    Vince W
    Julie S.
    Heather Ragusa
    Autoclave
    Dorien VD
    Scott Beyer
    Jessie Reder
    J0HNTR0Y
    Jeannette Napoleon
    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 chemforyourlife.com

    Watch our episodes on YouTube

    Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    48 mins
  • Is there a helium shortage?

    Is there a helium shortage?
    Apr 30 2026

    #038 Rebroadcast

    Helium is all fun and games right? High voice, super funny, no worries right? Or is there a serious shortage of helium? This week, Melissa and Jam answer this question.

    References from this episode

    1. Helium: Its Discovery and Applications – Locker
    2. We Discovered Helium 150 Years Ago. Are We Running Out? - Greshko
    3. Introductory Physics I - Brown
    4. Helium beer: prank or possible? - American Chemical Society
    5. Organic Chemistry, Edition 11 - Solomon
    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

    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
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All stars
Most relevant
I'm dumb and even I can understand this.
I recently started a journey of learning. I have no experience of chemistry at all and I'm slowly picking up the jargon and lingo in a bite size easy to understand way. This lady is amazing at what she does on this pod cast. I'd like to give her and her little team a big thank you.

Great at explaining

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