Chemistry in its element (podcast)
Subject: Chemistry
Type: Podcast
Hosts: Various
How long is it?
There are 624 episodes. The episodes are between 4 and 11 minutes long.
Is it easy to understand?
It is down-to-earth and well-explained.
Who is it for?
It is for anyone who is interested in chemistry or the history of scientific discoveries.
How recent is it?
The first episode was released in 2008 and the last episode was released in 2021.
2,4-Dinitrophenol
2-methylundecanal
2AP (2-acetyl-1-pyrroline)
2C psychedelics
Acesulfame potassium
Acetaldehyde
Acetone
Acetone peroxide
Acetycholine
Acetylcysteine
Acetylene
Aconitine
Acrolein
Acrylamide
Actinium
Adamantane
Adenosine triphosphate
Adrenaline
Aflatoxins
Albumin
Alizarin
Allicin
Alum
Alumina
Aluminium
Aluminium chloride
Amantadine
Amber
Ambergirls
Americium
Ammonia
Ammonium carbonate
Ammonium dichromate
Ammonium nitrate
Amygdalin & Laetrile
Amylase
Anatoxin-a
Aniline
Anthocyanins
Antifreeze glycoproteins
Antihistamines
Antimony
Antimony sulfide
Aqua regia
Argon
Arsenic
Arsenic trioxide
Artemisinin
Asafoetida
Asbestos
Asparagus acid
Aspartame
Aspirin
Astatine
Astaxanthin
Atropine
Azidoazide
Azidothymidine
BINAP
Baclofen
Bakelite
Barbituric acid
Barium
Batrachotoxin
Batteries
Bedaquiline
Benzaldehyde
Benzene
Benzoyl peroxide
Berkelium
Beryllium
Beryllium oxide
Beta carotene
Beta-damascenone
Bilirubin
Bismuth
Bisphenol A
Bohrium
Bombykol
Borax
Boric acid
Boron
Boron nitride
Botox
Brominated vegetable oil
Bromine
Bromodeoxyuridine
Bronze
Buckminsterfullerene
Butanone
Butyric acid
CFCs
CS gas
Cacodyl
Cadmium
Cadmium sulfide
Cadmium telluride
Caesium
Caesium chloride
Caffeine
Calcium
Calcium carbide
Calcium carbonate
Calcium hydroxide
Calcium hypochlorite
Californium
Cannabicyclohexanol
Cannabidiol
Capsaicin
Carbon
Carbon dioxide
Carbon monoxide
Carbon tetrachloride
Carminic acid
Caryophyllene
Casein
Cathinone
Cedrol
Cellulose acetate
Cephalosporins
Cerium
Chitin
Chloral hydrate
Chlorhexidine
Chlorine
Chlorine dioxide
Chlorine trifluoride
Chloroform
Chlorophyll
Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine
Cholesterol
Chromium
Chymosin
Ciguatoxin
CiiE
Cimetidine
Cinnamaldehyde
Cinnarizine
Cisplatin
Citral
Citric acid
Citronellol
Cobalt
Cobalt oxide
Cocaine
Colchicine
Coniine
Conotoxins
Coomassie brilliant blue
Copper
Copper sulfate
Cordite
Cortisol & Hydrocortisone
Coumarin
Cryolite
Curare and ouabain
Curcumin
Curium
Cyanoacrylate
Cyclodextrin
Cyclopropane
Cytochrome P450
DDT
DEET
DMT — Dimethyltryptamine
DNA
Darcin
Darmstadtium
Denatonium benzoate
Desomorphine
Dexamethasone
Diazepam
Diborane
Dibromoindigo
Dichloromethane
Didymium
Diethyl ether
Digoxin
Dimethyl sulfide
Dimethylmercury
Diphenyl oxalate
Diphenylchlorarsine
Domoic acid
Dopamine
Dubnium
Dysprosium
EDTA
Ectoparasiticides
Einsteinium
Electrum
Ellagic acid
Epoxies
Erbium
Ergotamine
Erythropoietin
Ethane
Ethanol
Ethene
Ethidium bromide
Ethyl iodoacetate
Ethylene glycol
Eugenol
Europium
Favipiravir
Feldspar
Fentanyl
Fermium
Ferrocene
Ferrous sulfate, or iron(II) sulfate
Fexinidazole
Fibrin and fibrinogen
Fipronil
Flerovium
Flibanserin
Fluorescein
Fluorides
Fluorine
Fluorouracil
Folic acid
Formaldehyde
Formic acid
Francium
Frankincense and myrrh
Fructose
Furanocouarins
Gabapentin
Gadolinium
Galantamine
Gallium
Gallium arsenide
Gallium nitride
Gelsemine
Geosmin
Germanium
Ghrelin
Glucose
Glutamate
Gluten
Glycerol
Glycyrrhizic acid
Glyphosate
Goethite
Gold
Graphene
Green fluorescent protein
Grubbs catalyst
Guaiacol
Guncotton or nitrocellulose
Gutta percha
Gypsum
Haemoglobin
Hafnium
Haloperidol
Hassium
Heavy water
Hedione
Helium
Helium hydride
Hexasilabenzene
Hexenal
Hirudin
Histamine
Holmium
Human growth hormone
Hyaluronic acid
Hydrazine
Hydrochloric acid
Hydrofluoric acid
Hydrogen
Hydrogen cyanide
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen sulfide
Hydroquinone
Hypoxia-inducible factors — HIFs
Ibuprofen
Imidacloprid
Iminosugars
Indigo
Indium
Indium tin oxide
Indole
Indometacin
Insulin
Interferon beta
Iodine
Ionic liquids
Iridium
Iron
Iron sulfides
Isoamyl acetate
Isoniazid
Isoprene
Keratin
Kerosene
Ketamine
Kevlar
Krypton
LSD
Lactic acid
Lactose
Lanolin
Lanthanum
Lawrencium
Lazurite
Lead
Leptin
Levothyroxine
Levulinic acid
Lewisite
Lidocaine
Lignin
Limulus Amebocyte Lysate
Lithium
Lithium carbonate
Livermorium
Lopinavir
Low-background steel
Luciferin
Luminol
Lutetium
Lycra
MDMA
MOFs — Metal-organic frameworks
Magnesium
Magnesium chloride
Magnesium oxide
Magnesium sulfate
Maitotoxin
Maltodextrin
Manganese
Manganese dioxide
Mauveine
Meitnerium
Melanin
Melarsoprol
Melatonin
Mendelevium
Menthol
Mercuric chloride
Mercury
Mercury fulminate, Hg(CNO)2
Methaemoglobin and diaphorase 1
Methamphetamine
Methane
Methanol
Methyl isocyanate
Methyl salicylate
Methylphenidate (Ritalin)
Minoxidil and finasteride
Molybdenum
Morphine
Mthylhexaneamine or DMAA
Muscone
Muscovium
Mussel adhesive proteins
Mustine
Myristicin
Nacre
Naloxone
Napalm
Naphthalene
Neodymium chloride
Neon
Neoprene
Nepetalactone
Neptunium
Neuraminic acid
Niacin
Nickel
Nickel carbonyl
Nicotine
Nihonium
Niobium
Nitinol
Nitric acid
Nitric oxide
Nitrogen
Nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen triiodide
Nitrogenase
Nitroglycerine
Nitrous oxide
Nobelium
Nylon
Ochre
Octane
Oestrogen
Oganesson
Oleic acid
Omega-3 fatty acids
Opsins
Orlistat
Oseltamivir
Osmium
Osmium tetraoxide
Oxalic acid
Oxybenzone
Oxycodone and hydrocodone
Oxygen
Oxytocin
Ozone
PEDOT
PTFE
PVC
Palladium
Pancuronium bromide
Parabens
Paracetamol
Paraquat
Pectin
Penicillin
Pentylone
Petrol
Phenol
Phenolphthalein
Phenylthiocarbamide
Phosgene
Phosphine
Phosphoric acid
Phosphorus
Phosphorus chlorides
Picric acid
Piperine
Piranha solution
Platinum
Plutonium
Polonium
Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)
Polyacetylene
Polybutene
Polydimethylsiloxane
Polyethylene glycol or PEG
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Polyhydroxybutyrate
Polypropylene
Polythene
Porcelain
Porphyrins
Potassium
Potassium bitartrate
Potassium bromide
Potassium chlorate
Potassium nitrate
Potassium permanganate
Potassium sulfide
Prodiginines
Prolactin
Promethium
Propanethial-S-oxide
Propanolol hydrochloride
Propofol
Propylene glycol
Protactinum
Prozac
Prussian blue
Psilocybin & Mescaline
Putrescine
Pykrete
Pyridine
Quaternary ammonium salts
Quinine
RNA
Ractopamine
Radium
Radon
Ragwort alkaloids
Ramdesivir
Ramipril & ACE inhibitors
Raspberry ketone
Resveratrol
Rhenium
Rhodium
Ricin
Ritonavir
Roentgenium
Rotaxanes
Rubber
Rubidium
Rust
Ruthenium
Rutherfordium
Saccharin
Salbutamol
Salt
Salvarsan
Samarium
Scandium
Seaborgium
Selenium
Selenium dioxide
Serotonin
Shikimic acid
Sildenafil
Silicon
Silicon dioxide
Silicones
Silver
Silver fulminate and cyanate
Silver iodide
Silver nitrate
Sodium
Sodium alginate
Sodium azide
Sodium cyanide
Sodium dichromate
Sodium fluroacetate
Sodium hydroxide
Sodium hypochlorite
Sodium polyacrylate
Sodium sulfate
Sodium thiopental
Sofosbuvir
Solvated electrons
Spanish fly
Spermine and spermidine
Spidroin
Spilanthol
Spinel
Squalene
Starch
Statins
Streptomycin
Strontium
Strontium aluminate
Strychnine
Sucrose
Sulfanilamide
Sulfur
Sulfur hexafluoride
Sulfur mustard
Sulfuric acid
Swainsonine
TCDD or dioxin
TEMPO — (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl
TNT
Talc, or magnesium silicate
Tamoxifen
Tannic acid
Tannins
Tantalum
Tantalum pentoxide
Taq Polymerase
Tartrazine
Taurine
Taxol
Technetium
Tellurium
Tennessine
Terbium
Terephthalic acid
Testosterone
Tetracycline
Tetraethyl lead
Tetrahydrocannabinol
Tetrahydrogestrinone
Tetranitromethane
Tetrodotoxin
Thalidomide
Thallium
Thaumetopoein
The Elements Song 2019
Theobromine
Thiamine or vitamin B
Thiomersal
Thorium
Thujone
Thulium
Tin
Tin chlorides
Titanium
Titanium dioxide
Titanium nitride
Titin
Tocopherols
Toluene
Topaz
Tramadol
Triamcinolone
Tributyltin
Trichloroanisole — Wine cork taint
Trimethylamine
Tryptophan
Tungsten
Tungsten carbide
Twistacenes
UF6
Ubiquitin
Uk37
Unonoctium – 14 jul 2010
Ununbium
Ununquadium
Uranium
Uranium dioxide
Urea
Urushiol
VX
Vanadium
Vanadium oxides
Vancomycin
Vanillin
Vermilion
Vinblastine and vincristine — Vinca alkaloids
Vinegar
Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin K
Warfarin
Water
Wilkinson’s Catalyst
Xenon
Xenon hexafluoroplatinate
YBCO
Ytterbium
Yttrium
Zeolites
Zinc
Zinc oxide
Zinc polycarboxylate
Zircon
Zirconium
Zirconium tungstate
tert-Butyl Lithium
My thoughts…
One thing you should know about Wider Reading Geek is that I will never write about something I haven’t read/watched/listened to. I’m not going to pretend that I’ve listened to all 624 episodes of Chemistry in its Element because I doubt you would attempt to do so either. Instead, I suggest listening to the episodes whose titles intrigue you most. Here are two of my favourites, as well as my opinions on the topics discussed:
- CFSs: Chemistry in its element
- Dopamine: Chemistry in its element
How bad are CFCs?
We have been talking a lot about carbon dioxide and methane as the evil greenhouse gases which are warming the planet. However, that does not mean that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are off the hook. While it’s true that CFCs have been useful in the past, they have also been extremely damaging. Before their detrimental effects on the ozone layer were discovered in the 1970s, CFCs were used in refrigeration, air conditioning, aerosol sprays and fire extinguishers, because the combination of their low toxicities and non-flammability made them versatile compounds.
But later, it was discovered that being so unreactive also allows them remain in the atmosphere for as long as 100 years. So, after gradually moving higher up, there is enough energy from the sun to break the bonds in the CFCs and they release free radicals into the atmosphere. Then the free radicals act as catalysts for the reaction of ozone, the triatomic oxygen molecule, and the ozone layer breaks down as a result. The ozone layer is responsible for shielding us against the sun’s UV radiation, so as ‘holes’ are made, we are put at an increased risk of skin cancer, not to mention the disastrous effects on the climate. Therefore, I think that CFCs are pretty bad.
Does dopamine control us?
Dopamine plays a role in learning, attention, nausea, sexual gratification, motivation and addiction. It acts as a hormone and as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Levels of dopamine in the brain have also been associated with Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, depression and hyperactivity disorders, although it is difficult to determine precisely how it impacts these conditions. In some ways, dopamine does control us because it gives us an incredible feeling when we do something rewarding. It has been found that cocaine causes a surge in dopamine levels and prevents it being reabsorbed afterwards, which is why the substance is so addictive.
The evolutionary reason for dopamine’s control over us makes sense. If we went out hunting and came back with a delicious meal, dopamine gave us a happy feeling so that we hunted again the next day. The urge to do something repeatedly is even stronger when the reward is frequent, yet unpredictable, which explains why getting likes on social media consumes many people’s attention. As well as this, the more dopamine you get, the more you need for the same effect, which might explain what motivates people to seek excitement in skydiving, for example. Overall, I think that there are ways to manage addiction, like setting limits on the time we spend on TikTok, but it cannot be denied that dopamine influences our behaviour to a significant extent.