The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element

Nihonium: Chemistry in its element 08.02.2018 8:18 ↓

We catch up with the changes in the periodic table. This time, Kit Chapman discovers the element that realised a Japanese national dream

Strontium aluminate: Chemistry in its element 01.02.2018 6:48 ↓

Brian Clegg illuminates a glow-in-the-dark compound that defies naming conventions

Topaz: Chemistry in its element 26.01.2018 5:51 ↓

Mike Freemantle brings us a sparkling mineral and a tale of derring-do on the high seas

Methaemoglobin and diaphorase 1: Chemistry in its element 19.01.2018 6:38 ↓

Kat Arney discovers the biological chemistry behind a colourful blood disorder

Fructose: Chemistry in its element 21.12.2017 5:55 ↓

Super-sweet and packed with preserving power, Mike Freemantle discovers that fructose can help keep things fresh long after the sell-by date

TEMPO – (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl: Chemistry in its element 15.12.2017 9:57 ↓

Katrina Krämer speaks to organic chemist Daniel Allwood about a multi-talented molecule that proves that not all radicals live up to their name

Aluminium chloride: Chemistry in its element 07.12.2017 6:23 ↓

Brian Clegg becomes a sleuth to investigate the uses of a deceptively simple Lewis acid

Acesulfame potassium: Chemistry in its element 30.11.2017 6:19 ↓

Mike Freemantle discovers a sweet solution to monitoring contaminated water

Sildenafil: Chemistry in its element 23.11.2017 5:55 ↓

Kat Arney takes a long, hard look at the story behind those famous little blue pills

Tetranitromethane: Chemistry in its element 16.11.2017 6:27 ↓

Brian Clegg introduces a failed rocket fuel oxidiser with a very tricky structure

Polybutene: Chemistry in its element 09.11.2017 5:10 ↓

Kit Chapman discovers the compound that blighted Nixon's second presidential inauguration by littering the route with dead pigeons

Aflatoxins: Chemistry in its element 02.11.2017 6:02 ↓

Kat Arney investigates the cancer-causing chemicals that could be lurking in that bag of peanuts

Citral: Chemistry in its element 27.10.2017 6:14 ↓

Brian Clegg freshens up the podcast with a spritz of lemon scent, courtesy of neral and geranial, collectively known as citral

Cinnarizine: Chemistry in its element 12.10.2017 4:26 ↓

Neil Withers relives a choppy (and messy) sea voyage to bring us the science of anti-seasickness drug cinnarizine, known in the UK as stugeron

Sodium dichromate: Chemistry in its element 06.10.2017 6:31 ↓

Discover the compound at the heart of a multi-million dollar legal case and an Oscar–winning role for Julia Roberts

Coomassie brilliant blue: Chemistry in its element 29.09.2017 5:50 ↓

Kat Arney explains how an attractive blue dye, with a name inspired by the British Empire's military exploits, became the basis of a fundamental lab technique

Phosphorus chlorides: Chemistry in its element 22.09.2017 7:38 ↓

Brian Clegg on a hugely useful group of compounds that have a distinct dual personality – from household products to chemical weapons

tert-Butyl Lithium: Chemistry in its element 13.09.2017 10:12 ↓

A pyrophoric reagent that remains one of chemistry's staples and the liquid salts that can tame its wild reactivity

Alizarin: Chemistry in its element 07.09.2017 6:04 ↓

Mike Freemantle introduces a pigment used by William Morris that also gave the Redcoats their distinctive hue

Chlorine trifluoride: Chemistry in its element 31.08.2017 5:47 ↓

Tabitha Watson introduces a poisonous, corrosive and extremely reactive compound that will start 'roaring reactions' with almost anything

Pykrete: Chemistry in its element 23.08.2017 5:29 ↓

A lightweight, bulletproof material made from ice and wood pulp

Sodium polyacrylate: Chemistry in its Element 16.08.2017 5:08 ↓

Kat Arney explains the unlikely link between fake snow and babies' nappies

Indometacin: Chemistry in its element 10.08.2017 6:39 ↓

Mike Freemantle discusses the drug that keeps his gout at bay

Piranha solution: Chemistry in its element 04.08.2017 8:05 ↓

When you need to get your glassware extremely clean, you need a cleaning solution with real 'bite'