What IS fire? (and what happened in Beirut?)

#158 Rebroadcast Gemstones come in all sorts of colors, but how do they get them? Are different stones super different at the molecular level? How do these different colors happen naturally? And how can those colors be replicated in lab-made gemstones? Let's get into it. Referenc ...  Afficher plus

Why does a pencil work so perfectly? Why does graphite leave marks on paper instead of just crumbling apart? And what do pancakes, honeycombs, geckos, and intermolecular forces have to do with any of it? This week we follow a simple pencil all the way down to carbon atoms, graphe ...  Afficher plus

What is chemistry? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice take fan questions on exothermic reactions, PFAS, ice cream, sugar, fire, and more with Kate Biberdorf, aka Kate the Chemist.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: 

Real decisions. Trusted peers. The Chemical Executive Mastermind. Learn more and apply.Reflecting on what sparked their interest in chemistry and led them to a career in the chemical industry, Chemical Educational Foundation (CEF) board members, Joyce Marshall Johnson of Univar S ...  Afficher plus

Join Jame, Callum and Pals for a discussion on some highlights from FIS 2023: https://microbiologysociety.org/event/full-events-listing/federation-of-infec ...

Why is it so hard to get a picture of the Milky Way? How much of our galaxy have we mapped? What the heck is a "barred spiral" and what does that have to do with our core? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman!