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The History of Chemistry

The History of Chemistry

Steve Cohen

Chemistry is everywhere, and involves everything. But how did chemistry get to be what it is? I'm Steve Cohen, a chemist and writer, bringing you The History of Chemistry. This podcast explores the development of chemistry from prehistoric times to the present, including the people and societies who made chemistry what it is today. The History of Chemistry is for you, whether you hated chemistry in high school, or got a PhD in inorganic chemistry. We'll explore how chemistry affected art, music, language, politics and vice-versa. Whether it's ancient Greek philosophers, medieval alchemists, or modern laboratory apparatus, it's all here. Don't forget to support my series at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofchemistry !
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Top 10 The History of Chemistry Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The History of Chemistry episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The History of Chemistry for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The History of Chemistry episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

The History of Chemistry - 101: Totally Tubular

101: Totally Tubular

The History of Chemistry

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12/31/23 • 22 min

We examine the history of carbon nanotubes, starting with Sumio Iijima in 1990. Or maybe Howard Tennett. Or maybe A.M. Nesterenko, N.F. Kolesnik, Yu.S. Akhmatov, V.I. Suhomlin, and O.V. Prilutskii, or maybe John Abrahamson, Peter Wiles, and Brian Rhoades. Or maybe others. Whoever it was, we then look at what mechanical, electrical, and optical properties are so interesting about nanotubes, then some practical applications for them.

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The History of Chemistry - 143: Queer as a Clockwork Orange

143: Queer as a Clockwork Orange

The History of Chemistry

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10/20/24 • 20 min

In which I give a brief history of queer chemists. We talk of the rise of queer scientific associations, and the slog to acceptance of the Gay and Transgender Chemists and their Allies in the American Chemical Society, some current queer chemists around the world, and something of the challenge of queer chemists in the Britain.

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The History of Chemistry - 52: Making It

52: Making It

The History of Chemistry

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02/05/23 • 19 min

We look at the progress organic chemist Robert Woodward achieved in the 20th century in organic synthesis, that is, creating from scratch all sorts of natural products. His first success was during World War II in synthesizing quinine. Then he was able to create strychnine, cholesterol, cortisone, lysergic acid, reserpine, chlorophyll, cephalosporin, and colchicine. These syntheses took a dozen to two dozen separate chemical reactions. His pinnacle of synthesis was the 1972 co-creation of Vitamin B12. We look at one of the most important mid-20th-century theoretical results of his work: the Woodward-Hoffman rules, co-invented with Holocaust survivor Roald Hoffman. Patreon supporters can download a supplemental sheet to show some diagrams of these molecules.

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The History of Chemistry - 92: Infinite Loop

92: Infinite Loop

The History of Chemistry

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10/29/23 • 22 min

Recycling became common in the 1980s, and we learn why. We also learn of the seven different types of plastic in the recycling world, why they need to be sorted by type for recycling, and how (and even if) they can be recycled.

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The History of Chemistry - 145: State of the Art

145: State of the Art

The History of Chemistry

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11/17/24 • 22 min

In which we learn about the beginnings of chemistry applied to art conservation, from the initial attempts by Edward Forbes, but especially when he hired Rutherford John Gettens. We discuss Harvard University's Pigment Collection, plus various analytical tools chemists use to examine art, both light-based and non-light-based. We talk of several institutions with strong chemical applications for art conservation. Finally we examine the problems of modern products--polymers--that need to be preserved, from toys to photographic film.

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The History of Chemistry - 37: Come to the Lab

37: Come to the Lab

The History of Chemistry

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11/07/22 • 23 min

We take a break from chemical observations and theory, and switch to practice. That is, we learn about the origins of the chemical laboratory in the Renaissance, and track its development up through the early 20th century. We see the switch from furnaces to gas lines for individual heating apparatuses. We see the start of ventilation, and the differentiation of experimental, lecture, and teaching laboratories. Gradually plumbing enters laboratories, and the arrangement of tables and benches becomes standardized. Laboratories even filter down into governmental school settings.

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The History of Chemistry - 68: Transuranium Elements

68: Transuranium Elements

The History of Chemistry

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05/15/23 • 23 min

We discuss the discovery of elements 93 to 103, from 1940 through the early 1960s. We hear of Enrico Fermi's work, Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner's discovery of fission, McMillan and Abelson's success, and then the long tenure of Glenn Seaborg discovering elements. Albert Ghiorso was added to the mix. There were Cold War controversies over discoveries at Berkeley versus Dubna and even the Nobel Institute in Sweden. IUPAC was inconsistent with its imprimatur on discovery. Finally, we hear something of the tribulations and difficulties in doing radioactive analytical chemistry on tiny amounts of elements.

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The History of Chemistry - 139: To the Max

139: To the Max

The History of Chemistry

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09/22/24 • 21 min

A new material, the MXene, discovered in 2010, is the topic of this episode. We hear of its creation and derivation at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Then we learn of ways to create single layers, variations in materials, and new methods of synthesis of MXenes. Finally, we discuss the practical uses of MXenes.

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The History of Chemistry - 28: A Nobel, Booming Business

28: A Nobel, Booming Business

The History of Chemistry

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09/16/22 • 20 min

In the 19th century, the centuries-old dependence on gunpowder for war began to change with Christian Schönbein's invention of guncotton. Then Sobrero invented the frightening nitroglycerin. We learn about Alfred Nobel's dealings with nitroglycerin and his efforts to improve its stability. We also hear about his will, founding the Nobel Prizes. There are more variations of nitro compounds, such as TNT.

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The History of Chemistry - 141: Chemical Communications

141: Chemical Communications

The History of Chemistry

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10/06/24 • 36 min

In this episode, I have a conversation with Professor David Perlmutter in the Communications Department at Texas Tech University, on the public's impressions of chemistry, and what value chemistry brings to the wider world.

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FAQ

How many episodes does The History of Chemistry have?

The History of Chemistry currently has 150 episodes available.

What topics does The History of Chemistry cover?

The podcast is about Alchemy, History, Chemistry, Podcasts, Science and Philosophy.

What is the most popular episode on The History of Chemistry?

The episode title '42: The Shape of You' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on The History of Chemistry?

The average episode length on The History of Chemistry is 22 minutes.

How often are episodes of The History of Chemistry released?

Episodes of The History of Chemistry are typically released every 6 days, 17 hours.

When was the first episode of The History of Chemistry?

The first episode of The History of Chemistry was released on May 7, 2022.

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