Brought to you by Chemistry

In our final podcast episode on this deep dive into air quality, we are joined by Dr. Sean Beevers, School of Public Health, and Professor Steve Arnold, Atmospheric Composition, University of Leeds. Both experts give insights into the connections between climate change and air quality, explain what co-benefits and trade-offs mean regarding air quality, and share their research which gives hope for...

Why is there an increase in wildfires around the world? How does this impact air quality? Are wildfires affecting our health? Joining our host, Dr. Alex Lathbridge, today is Dr. Emily Fischer, Atmospheric Scientist at Colorado State University. Dr. Emily shares her research and insights around wildfires, their impact on our health, and the chemistry climate interactions that happen during and afte...

What is ULEZ? Why is it important for public health in London? What is the data telling us about the recent expansion? Joining us in part two of our discussion around air quality policies is Deputy Mayor of London, Shirley Rodrigues, who helps us deep-dive into what ULEZ is, the positive impacts it has on our health & the environment, as well us sharing the motivations of the Mayoral office fo...

How bad is London's air quality compared to other cities? How do we measure the success of policies such as ULEZ? Are 15 minute cities the future solutions for improving our health and environment? In part 1 of our discussion around air quality policies, we speak with Dr. Audrey de Nazelle, a Senior Lecturer at the Centre of Environmental Policy. Audrey is also co-chair of the International Societ...

How can we improve our indoor air quality? Should we stop frying meats in our kitchens? Is your air fryer out to get you? In this episode we speak about all things indoor air quality, from the importance of ventilation, to the behaviour of outdoor air particulates when they come into our homes. Joining us to share their expertise are Professor Cath Noakes, mechanical engineer and Professor of Envi...

What is air pollution? How does it impact our health? How does the science help us improve this environmental and health issue? In this episode of Brought to you by Chemistry, UKRI Clean Air Champion, Dr. Suzanne Bartington, and Atmospheric Chemist & Editor-in-Chief of RSC Environmental Science: Atmosphere, Dr. Neil Donahue give us their expert answers about all things air quality. Hosted by D...

Thanks to the leadership of Germany, the hard work of negotiators, and the spirit of compromise, the world has agreed to the Global Framework on Chemicals – backed by a High-Level Declaration that provides political impetus to drive the deal’s implementation. The RSC's Dan Korbel, Steph Metzger, and Camilla Alexander-White all attended the fifth session of the International Conference on Chemicals...

Dr. Dan Korbel, Science Policy Lead at the Royal Society of Chemistry, shares his time at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution in Paris. The purpose of this event is to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment with the ambition to complete the negotiations by the end of 2024. The instrument is to be ba...

Will climate change accelerate fungal threats to food and people? Will fungal infections cause a zombie apocalypse? How real is the science behind 'The Last of Us'? In this bonus episode, Manchester University’s Dr. Norman Van Rhijn, an expert on fungi, told the Brought To You By Chemistry podcast that the fight against antifungal resistance is constant, with some species evolving to defeat them i...

In a perfect world, what should governments be doing to help prevent AMR? What are the political obstacles in the way of tackling AMR? In our final episode of the series, we speak to Professor Dame Sally Davies, Former UK Chief Medical Officer, Dr Eduardo Samo Gudo, Deputy Director General of the National Institute of Health in Mozambique. We also go around the world and speak with a var...

How do we avoid getting to the point of needing to use so many antibiotics? Professor Morgan Alexander, Professor of Biomaterials at the University of Nottingham and Dr Lena Ciric, who leads the Healthy Infrastructure Research Group at University College London, join us for this episode on infection prevention and control. We learn about how diseases spread, especially through buildings and on sur...

Why should we care about antibiotics being in the environment? How does it impact us? And what do we mean by "One Health"? In this episode, we talk to Professor Barbara Kasprzyk, a researcher from the University of Bath, Kurt Arden from the Royal Veterinary College and University College London, and Professor David Graham, Professor of Ecosystems Engineering at Newcastle University, who talks us t...

Why is it important to have Doctors working within the media? Do the public need to be more scientifically literate? What advances have we seen in diagnostics? And how can this help GPs in the UK? In this bonus episode, RSC producers Hiren Joshi & Lizzy Ratcliffe speak in depth with ITV's favourite GP - Dr. Hilary Jones. Dr. Hilary shares 40 years' worth of medical wisdom, his experience worki...

Why is accurate diagnosis of patients so crucial in the fight against AMR? How do diagnostics work now and what is the best-case scenario in the future? What innovative technologies are being developed? Diagnostics is a key area in the fight against AMR since it's only through accurately diagnosing patients that the most targeted treatment can be chosen. Without accurate diagnostics, overprescript...

How do we develop drugs like antibiotics? How long does it take for such a drug to go from its inception in a research lab to use in a hospital, for example? And what people and processes are involved? In this episode, we speak to microbiologist Dr. Vicky Savage, from INFEX Therapeutics, and Professor Colm Leonard at NICE. We look at every step of the drug development process, including drug procu...

What is AMR and why is it such an urgent challenge? What are researchers and governments doing to address it and what needs to done? In this episode, host Dr. Alex Lathbridge explores these questions with Professor Alison Holmes – president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases and researcher at Imperial College London, and Dr. Gerry Wright – researcher at McMasters University. Host...

What are the exciting new technologies that we can look forward to in a future where batteries are front and centre? Dr. Mauro Pasta, Associate Professor of Materials at the University of Oxford, and Isobel Sheldon, commercial strategy officer for Britishvolt, join us to talk about the cutting-edge technologies that they are working on right now, as well as give us a sneak peek into what the futur...

How does recycling of batteries work, how can it be improved, and what are the social, legal, environmental, and economic implications of implementing a large-scale recycling infrastructure for batteries? We're joined by two experts from the University of Birmingham, metallurgy and materials expert Dr. Roberto Sommerville, and legal expert Dr. Jyoti Ahuja. We discuss all aspects of implementing a...

How can batteries make energy cheaper, more sustainable, and more accessible? In this episode, we're joined by two people who are using batteries in innovative ways to support communities. Professor Satish Patil tells us about the Sunrise Network, which supports rural communities and communities living off the grid, bringing energy independence through the use of solar panels and batteries. Brenda...

We've heard a lot about the benefits of batteries, but what can go wrong? What happens to batteries as they age and how can we extend their lifespan? Why are e-scooters banned in the London underground? And what can we do to make sure we're using batteries safely in our homes, and disposing of them correctly. In this fascinating episode, we're joined by Professor Paul Shearing from SafeBatt and&nb...

What would happen if everyone switched to electric vehicles tomorrow? What's the future of electric vehicles, and will they ever become more affordable for people? And how is battery design for these vehicles evolving? Claire Miller from Octopus Electric Vehicles joined us to share her knowledge on electric vehicles from the perspective of an electricity provider. She tells us about the broader ap...

Where do the materials for batteries come from? What are the human and environmental costs of mining, and what can we do to mitigate its effects? Professor Frances Wall from Camborne School of Mines at the University of Exeter and Dr Sarah Gordon – CEO and co-founder of Satarla – speak to us about the process of mining and processing precious metals, and about the social and environmental effects....

What are the benefits of using batteries, and how do they compare to alternatives? How are batteries used as part of the energy system in the UK, and how is that likely to change in the future? Alan Whitehead MP, Shadow Energy Minister, and Dr Jacqueline Edge from Imperial College London, join us to talk about batteries and the big picture. We learn how batteries can best be used to facilitate a m...

What is a battery? What different types are there and how do they work? And what are some things we can use them for? Actor, presenter and batteries enthusiast Robert Llewellyn joins us alongside Professor Serena Cussen from the University of Sheffield for our opening episode. Find out about Robert's battery-powered home and passion for the future of electric vehicles, and hear Serena's insights i...

In this short episode Royal society of chemistry journalist, Lizzy Ratcliffe, speaks with Historian Alex Hall about the history of plastics, the pros and cons of this innovation, and how public perception has evolved over the last four decades. Produced by Lizzy Ratcliffe, Kathy Page and Hiren Joshi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.