Ask a Chemist: Why are crystals rare? (and ot...

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 ...  Show more

What happens when you mix bleach and ammonia? Why does perfume smell amazing on one person and weird on another? And why is getting a job so hard right now? This week we’re answering a huge batch of listener questions about chemistry, sunscreen, scents, books, careers, birds, and ...  Show more

What are chemical reactions like in space? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice team up with Kate the Chemist to explore how cesium helps us tell time, the elusive quest for the periodic table’s “island of stability,” how AI is revolutionizing chemistry, and more!

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Love isn’t just about romance. This Valentine’s Day, we’re exploring the power of deep nonromantic bonds. Host Rachel Feltman sits down with Rhaina Cohen, a producer and editor for NPR’s podcast Embedded and author of The Other Significant Others, to discuss the history and psych ...  Show more

Where do we live within the galaxy? What shapes the local bubble? How long will we be inside it? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman!

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What happens when you fall into a black hole? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice give us the step-by-step on spaghettification, explain Schrodinger's cat, and explore quantum tunnelling… Or do they? 

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