Chemistry For Your Life

• Ask a Chemist: Are all food dyes bad? (and other questions)

  Ask a Chemist #66 Melissa and Jam dive into a range of listener-submitted questions exploring everyday chemistry. Topics include the chemistry behind toasting herbs, the effect of gravity on elemental bonds, the purpose and ethics of creating elements with short half-lives, and the effectiveness of cough medicine. They also discuss potential causes of mysterious holes in clothing, the debate on food dyes, and the impact of politics on scientific research funding. The hosts wrap up by addressing various listener questions and sharing some heartwarming and supportive messages from their audience. ★ 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 00:00 Introduction 01:24 Toasting Herbs: The Chemistry Behind the Flavor 03:05 Gravity's Role in Chemical Bonding 06:44 The Ethics of Creating New Elements 10:17 How Cough Medicine Works 13:06 The Debate on Food Dyes 15:57 The Yellow Cheese Phenomenon 16:35 Colorful Ceviche and Natural Foods 17:58 Chemistry Hot Takes and Listener Questions 19:03 Cleaning Lab Counters and Acid Holes 21:10 Listener Feedback and Podcast Reflections 25:33 Impact of Politics on Science Funding 29:19 Encouraging Messages from Listeners 30:40 Supporting the Podcast and Final Thanks References from this episode: https://www.rsc.org/news-events/community/2017/jan/new-elements/ 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 do plants "drink" water?

  #209 Melissa and Jam dive into the fascinating chemistry behind how plants transport water from their roots to their leaves, effectively defying gravity. They explore processes such as capillary action and the cohesion tension mechanism, citing a primary source from Nature journal. Melissa and Jam also touch on key chemistry concepts like water polarity, hydrogen bonding, and osmosis, providing examples from everyday life. Jam shares a personal story about germinating an apple seed with his son, while Melissa discusses her adventures in native plant gardening. The episode concludes with a shoutout to their Patreon supporters and details on upcoming Chemistry for Your Life merch. ★ 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 00:00 Introduction and Tea Talk 00:17 Plants Defying Gravity 01:05 Welcome to Chemistry for Your Life 01:20 Listener Question: Chemistry of Pregnancy Tests 02:11 Capillary Action in Everyday Life 03:57 Personal Stories and Plant Enthusiasm 05:15 Chemistry Lessons: Water Polarity and Hydrogen Bonds 10:32 Water Transport in Plants: Xylem and Capillary Action 16:00 Transpiration and Water Loss in Plants 23:32 Curiosity About Soil and Water Content 24:23 Water Movement in Trees 26:53 Understanding Osmosis 28:37 Practical Applications of Osmosis 31:12 Capillary Action and Plant Water Transport 33:15 Fun Plant Stories and Experiments 41:11 Supporting the Show and Community References from this episode: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890856711009531 https://www.gao.gov/assets/hrd-82-3.pdf https://pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.libproxy.library.unt.edu/23026007/ https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-revoke-authorization-use-red-no-3-food-and-ingested-drugs https://cen.acs.org/food/food-ingredients/FDA-bans-red3-food-drugs/103/web/2025/01 https://www.acs.org/education/chemmatters/past-issues/2015-2016/october-2015/articial-dyes.html https://cen.acs.org/food/food-ingredients/Editorial-Fewer-risky-food-colors/102/i26 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10502305/ 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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• What is the future of antihistamines?

  #098 Rebroadcast Original Air Date: June 3, 2021 Could histamine and antihistamines do more than just affect our allergies? Actually yes. Today we discuss new and recent research in the world of histamine, and believe us, there's some really cool stuff.   References from this episode https://cen.acs.org/articles/91/web/2013/06/Tracking-Histamine-Levels-Glowing-Nanosensors.html https://cen.acs.org/articles/92/web/2014/12/Chemical-Cocktail-Lures-Bedbugs-Coaxes.html https://cen.acs.org/pharmaceuticals/antibiotics/Common-allergy-drug-makes-resistant/97/i24 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b05515 https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/molecule-of-the-week/archive/h/histamines.html https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.9b03300     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 ★ ★ 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 are seasonal allergies the worst?

  #097 Rebroadcast Most of us know the feeling. But what are we actually experiencing when we experience allergies? How does being around plants and pollen make us all sniffly? Why does this beautiful season have such a dark side? Let's find out.   References from this episode https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538528/ https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/histamine/3005799.article https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/molecule-of-the-week/archive/h/histamine.html https://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i19/Periodic-Graphics-Allergies-Antihistamines.html   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 ★ ★ 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 red food dye banned?

  #208 Melissa and Jam dive deep into the topic of FDA regulations, particularly focusing on food additives like red food dye. They discuss the complexities of the FDA's approval process, the Delaney Clause, and recent changes in the regulation of red dye number 3, which has been banned in response to cancer risks found in rats. They also delve into how other countries like the UK and Canada are ahead of the U.S. in reevaluating approved substances. The episode includes personal anecdotes and a discussion on the role of public awareness in influencing FDA policies. They wrap up with a lighthearted conversation about sprinkles and favorite dyed foods. 00:00 Introduction and FDA Discussion 00:36 Podcast Banter and Hat Story 02:42 FDA's Role and Food Additives 04:48 Red Food Dye Controversy 11:33 FDA Trustworthiness and Public Perception 18:29 Comparing Food Regulations: US vs. Canada 18:50 Trusting the FDA: A Personal Take 20:02 Challenges Faced by the FDA 20:56 Rebranding the FDA: A Fun Idea 22:16 Sprinkles and Donuts: A Sweet Debate 26:51 Favorite Dyed Foods 30:44 Podcast Wrap-Up and Community Shoutouts References from this episode: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890856711009531 https://www.gao.gov/assets/hrd-82-3.pdf https://pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.libproxy.library.unt.edu/23026007/ https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-revoke-authorization-use-red-no-3-food-and-ingested-drugs https://cen.acs.org/food/food-ingredients/FDA-bans-red3-food-drugs/103/web/2025/01 https://www.acs.org/education/chemmatters/past-issues/2015-2016/october-2015/articial-dyes.html https://cen.acs.org/food/food-ingredients/Editorial-Fewer-risky-food-colors/102/i26 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10502305/ Thanks to our monthly supporters Julie S Heather R Autoclave Chelsea M Dorien V 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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