Chemistry World Podcast

Drugging the 'undruggable' cancer proteins & conserving the Bayeux Tapestry | The chemical breakdown podcast Sep 16, 2026 31:41 This week, we explore how molecular glues have revolutionized how we treat previously 'undruggable' cancers and explore how modern scientific techniques are teasing apart the mysteries of one of the most iconic historical artefacts with Phillip Broadwith and Neil Withers. A ground-breaking new drug has become the first of its kind to win FDA approval for metastatic pancreatic cancer. Could it mark

Advances in CAR-T cancer therapy & carbon materials' hidden defects | The chemical breakdown podcast Sep 2, 2026 33:36 This week, we discuss a study showing promise in applying CAR-T immunotherapy in bladder cancer tumours and breakdown how scientists have uncovered spectral signatures previously misassigned in carbon materials – with Frankie Macpherson and Mason Wakley. CAR-T therapy has been a game changer for blood cancers, yet solid tumours have been largely resistant to this treatment. We discuss a new study

UK science department abolished & Ireland's crumbling concrete | The chemical breakdown podcast Aug 19, 2026 31:24 In this episode, we discuss the changes to science policy made by the new UK prime minister and breakdown the chemistry behind crumbling concrete in Ireland. On July 21, new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham abolished the government's department of science and absorbing its functions into the business department. What does this mean for UK research? And, thousands of Irish buildings are cracking apar

Thermo Fisher antibody data manipulation & the shrinking chemical recycling industry | The chemical breakdown podcast Aug 5, 2026 29:47 In this episode, we breakdown the controversy behind a collection of altered images in the online catalogue of one of the largest laboratory suppliers, and discuss the complexity behind chemical recycling of plastics with Frankie Macpherson and Phillip Broadwith. Multinational laboratory supplier Thermo Fisher Scientific has been criticized after hundreds of doctored images of validation Western b

50 years after Seveso & changing the way we separate hydrocarbons | The chemical breakdown podcast Jul 22, 2026 34:49 In this episode, we reflect on the lessons learned and the impacts of the Seveso chemical disaster of 1976, and discuss the latest membrane materials that could slash the energy required to refine crude oil with Jamie Durrani and Mason Wakley. Fifty years ago, a major accident at an Italian chemical plant released a cloud of dioxin that spread across 18 square kilometres, exposing 35,000 residents

An update on the Strait of Hormuz & potential explosives at an Antarctic base | The chemical breakdown podcast Jul 8, 2026 27:30 In this episode, we bring the latest from the recent temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and discuss the presence of potential explosives at the historic Antarctic bases of explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Scott with Phillip Broadwith and Frances Briggs. The US and Iran have recently signed a form of agreement to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping. But will this be

A warning for US science & wool's chemical versatility | The chemical breakdown podcast Jun 24, 2026 30:15 This week, we discuss the latest challenges facing US science outlined by president of the US National Academy of Sciences Marcia McNutt in her outgoing address as well as the unique chemistry underpinning wool's incredible properties with Neil Withers and Rebecca Trager. Marcia McNutt gave her final address as president of the US National Academy of Sciences earlier this month, warning of turmoil

Click chemistry marks 25 years & covalent bonding in the actinides | The chemical breakdown podcast Jun 10, 2026 27:54 This week, we look back at how far click chemistry has come in the last 25 years and discuss the strange bonding behaviour of some of the largest elements on the periodic table with Mason Wakley and Frances Briggs. It started as a review paper in 2001 that has since been cited almost 20,000 times, becoming one of the most influential chemistry papers ever written. Click chemistry has revolutionise

Quantum computing & a mysterious contaminant in microplastics research | The chemical breakdown podcast May 28, 2026 34:15 This week, we discuss the latest milestone in quantum computational modelling and reveal the common laboratory item causing strange readings in microplastics research with Frankie Macpherson and Patrick Walter. A new hybrid workflow involving two IBM quantum computers and two powerful supercomputers has allowed researchers to model a protein–ligand system containing up to a record 12,635 atoms. Wh

Battery week 2026: The EV cathode race & battery-recycling | The chemical breakdown podcast May 13, 2026 24:57 This week, we are celebrating Chemistry World's Battery Week with a special battery-themed episode! We discuss the race between cathode materials for electric vehicles and a new photocatalyst capable of turning plastic waste into hydrogen and value-added chemicals, with Neil Withers and Patrick Walter. A race between competing battery cathode materials is heating up, the winner of which will shape

Vanadium-based medicines & sustainable labs | The chemical breakdown podcast Apr 29, 2026 24:05 This week, we discuss vanadium's potential in the medical field and the changes you can make in our lab to reduce your carbon footprint, with Jennifer Newton and Emma Pewsey. Many are familiar with vanadium's role in metal production, but did you know that it has a history of research as a potential medicine? We explore the little-known story of vanadium's medical potential. And, how can your lab

Inert materials & the Mary Celeste | The chemical breakdown podcast Apr 16, 2026 31:16 This week, we discuss how to ensure experimental instruments are truly inert and chemistry's answer to the fate of the Mary Celeste, with Phillip Broadwith and Mason Wakley. A new study has demonstrated how unexpected results can arise from experiments using seemingly inert materials. How do we avoid the effects of these accidental reagents? And, scientists may have found the answer behind wh

The two types of water & science sleuths | The chemical breakdown podcast Apr 2, 2026 30:01 This week, we discuss the peculiarities of water's behaviour and how science sleuths are fighting disinformation with Philip Robinson and Emma Pewsey. A recent study from researchers at Stockholm University has found the existence of a critical point in supercooled water, which could prove the existence of two types of water. How did they do it, and what does this mean for our understanding of t

Atomic radii & synthetic food dyes | The chemical breakdown podcast Mar 11, 2026 28:45 This week, we discuss team discuss the boundaries of the atom and breakdown the US's plan to eliminate synthetic food dyes with Jennifer Newton and Phillip Broadwith. The atomic radius of an atom is a concept we are taught from early in our chemistry careers, but for such an important value its definition remains ambiguous. Why is there no single answer to the size of an atom? And, US health secr

AAAS annual meeting & plasma chemistry | The chemical breakdown podcast Feb 26, 2026 30:04 This week, we discuss reflections from this year's American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting and the latest advances in plasma chemistry with Rebecca Trager and Mason Wakley. The annual meeting of the AAAS kicked off in Phoenix, on the heels of the recent minibus spending package announcement, as well as the rescinding of the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Find

AlphaGenome & the RNA world hypothesis | The chemical breakdown podcast Feb 11, 2026 26:41 This week, we discuss the new deep learning model AlphaGenome and visit the very beginning of life on Earth with Mason Wakley and Neil Withers. Google DeepMind has released a new deep learning model that can predict the effect of small changes to DNA sequences up to one million base pairs in length. What does this new tech mean for our understanding of the human genome? And, how did life start on

Bench-stable butyllithium & secrets of Pompeii's limescale | The chemical breakdown podcast Jan 28, 2026 23:36 This week, we discuss new butyllithium formulations and ancient limescale chemistry with Emma Pewsey and Phillip Broadwith. New bench-stable tert- and n-butyllithium formulations developed by Merck KGaA, should make organometallic chemistry safer and more accessible. What's different about these formulations and how do they work? And a team based in Germany have managed to reconstruct the history

Halogen-bond catalysis & the future of total synthesis | The chemical breakdown podcast Jan 15, 2026 27:10 Welcome to the first episode of our latest podcast series, The chemical breakdown. Each week, we'll dive deeper into two stories we've covered here at Chemistry World. We'll provide insight into the facts, why you should care, and what it means for the chemistry community. We'll also give you that week's headlines to keep you up to date on what's happening in the chemistry community. And finally,

Chemistry World podcast – January 2017 Feb 3, 2017 47:12 This month we introduce our new puzzles page, discuss the implications of Trump for science and meet Yuri Oganessian, the only living person with an element named after him

Chemistry World Book Club podcast – Herding Hemingway's Cats Jul 26, 2016 Six-toed cats and misconceptions in genetics are discussed in this months podcast

Chemistry World Book Club podcast – Sorting the beef from the bull Jun 22, 2016 22:31 This month we discuss the ubiquitous nature of food fraud and its detection

Chemistry World Book Club podcast – Scientific paper writing May 11, 2016 29:20 This month, we discuss how to write quality scientific papers

Chemistry World Book Club podcast – Why science is sexist Apr 18, 2016 22:44 This month we discuss unconscious bias and other reasons why science is sexist

Chemistry World Book Club podcast – Elements of Power Mar 10, 2016 22:42 This month we learn of the problems that arise from mining rare metals in David Abraham's The Elements of Power

Chemistry World Book Club podcast – Adventures in the Anthropocene Feb 12, 2016 22:02 This month we consider the dawning of a new epoch as we discuss Gaia Vince's Adventures in the Anthropocene

Chemistry World Book Club podcast – Thing explainer Jan 5, 2016 23:55 Our book club podcast considers simple language in science as we discuss Randall Munroe's new book, Thing explainer.

Chemistry World podcast – December 2015 Dec 9, 2015 31:56 This month, we learn how to leave the calories out of fine chocolate, and discover the earth might be older than we thought

Chemistry World Book Club podcast – Why does asparagus make your wee smell? Dec 4, 2015 26:46 In this podcast, we learn why does asparagus make your wee smell, as we discuss Andy Brunning's new book

Chemistry World podcast – November 2015 Nov 9, 2015 31:23 This month we meet chemisty Nobel winner,Thomas Lindahl, and we learn how bio-markers might be used to determine the time of death

Chemistry World Book Club podcast - Scientific Babel Nov 5, 2015 26:43 We probe the nature of scientific language with Michael Gordin's bestseller, Scientific Babel

Chemistry World podcast – October 2015 Oct 19, 2015 31:09 This month, we chart a course through chemical space and discover the potential problems of cleaning up Sellafield

Chemistry World Book Club podcast – A is for Arsenic Oct 1, 2015 21:05 In the first of a brand new podcast series, we get together to discuss 'A is for Arsenic: the poisons of Agatha Christie'

Chemistry World podcast – September 2015 Sep 1, 2015 33:24 In this months podcast, we discuss Ebola and malaria vaccines in the pipeline, the history of peer review, and managing the mountain of chemical data

Chemistry World podcast – August2015 Aug 1, 2015 28:48 In this space special, we learn how to study comets surfaces, and speak to a Nobel Prize winner about his 20-year-old prediction proving to be correct

Chemistry World podcast – July 2015 Jul 1, 2015 29:01 We ask, does graphene live up to the hype, and discuss injectable electronics that unfold in the brain

Chemistry World podcast – June 2015 Jun 3, 2015 27:49 What makes food sweet? How do we protect against food alteration? New e-paper, and possible treatment for ebola

Chemistry World podcast – May 2015 May 1, 2015 30:24 We find out how nanotoxicology could be holding back development, and ask if 'patent or perish' should be the new academic adage

Chemistry World podcast – April 2015 Apr 3, 2015 27:50 How do you smell? We discuss a controversial theory about odour detection, and investigate forensic toxicology

Chemistry World podcast – March 2015 Mar 5, 2015 31:06 How cephalopods teach chemists about camouflage, and new ways to convert carbon dioxide into useful materials

Chemistry World podcast - February 2015 Feb 5, 2015 32:58 Cannabis, peanuts and explosive investigations – all in the February 2015 Chemistry World podcast

Chemistry World podcast - January 2015 Jan 1, 2015 33:58 How a new nanoparticle iron supplement can treat anaemia, and a run down of chemists in the new year honours

Chemistry World podcast - December 2014 Dec 4, 2014 32:57 How nitrogen can make green explosives and why molecular communication might produce chatty nanobots

Chemistry World podcast - November 2014 Nov 3, 2014 We speak to Eric Betzig about his Nobel prize-winning research, and find out how thermoelectric materials can be made more efficient

Chemistry World podcast - October 2014 Oct 3, 2014 36:05 We speak to Jason Sello about the hunt for new antibiotics, and Monique Simmonds explains the chemical role of botanical gardens

Chemistry World podcast - September 2014 Sep 5, 2014 35:12 We speak to Paul Clarke about the challenges of natural product synthesis and discuss the pros and cons of perovskite solar cells

Chemistry World podcast - August 2014 Aug 5, 2014 33:31 This month, how artificial comets may explain the origins of asymmetry in life. Plus, we speak to Martyn Poliakoff

Chemistry World podcast - July 2014 Jul 2, 2014 32:34 We speak to artist Briony Marshall and art detective Warren Warren about the more artistic sides of chemistry

Chemistry World podcast - June 2014 Jun 2, 2014 35:39 We speak to Tom Brown, the 2014 Chemistry World Entrepreneur of the Year, and find out why cells spend so much time doing nothing

Chemistry World podcast - May 2014 May 8, 2014 34:48 We speak to the 'sultan of synthesis', Phil Baran, and Peter James explains how labs can save cash on energy bills

Chemistry World podcast - April 2014 Apr 4, 2014 27:02 Why are researchers boycotting a conference? How can Raman spectroscopy reveal the true colours of paintings? And how can shrimp shells help clean the ocean?

Chemistry World podcast - March 2014 Mar 4, 2014 39:50 This month, synthetic DNA bases and chemistry using smartphones

Chemistry World podcast - February 2014 Feb 5, 2014 35:02 This month, alternatives to animal testing and exploring actinide chemistry

Chemistry World podcast - January 2014 Jan 15, 2014 35:20 This month, we examine the controversy surrounding the Turin shroud and explore the history of crystallography

Chemistry World podcast - December 2013 Dec 3, 2013 31:35 We discover how spin chemistry guides migrating birds and explore the science of cheese

Chemistry World podcast - November 2013 Nov 4, 2013 31:19 Michelle Francl helps us tackle chemophobia, and we discover the history, art and science of alloys with David Dye

Chemistry World podcast - October 2013 Oct 2, 2013 36:44 Chemists are helping palaeontologists discover the palette of fossil pigments, and helping toxicologists design greener compounds

Chemistry World podcast - September 2013 Sep 2, 2013 37:12 Emma Smith surveys the prospects for chemistry graduates and Polly Arnold looks at plugging the leaky pipeline of women in chemistry

Chemistry World podcast - August 2013 Aug 5, 2013 37:51 Loren Williams explains how the ribosome hints at the origins of life, and Kevin Greenlees discusses veterinary drug development

Chemistry World podcast - July 2013 Jul 1, 2013 34:13 Hagan Bayley explains the scientific scope for 3D printing and Chad Mirkin introduces programmable DNA building blocks

Chemistry World podcast - June 2013 Jun 3, 2013 34:21 We discover 300 years of chemistry in Edinburgh with Eleanor Campbell, and explore the secrets of the main group elements

Chemistry World podcast - May 2013 May 2, 2013 40:09 Robert Lovitt tells us about algae biotechnology, Patrick Holland discusses nitrogen fixing chemistry and the team cover the latest news

Chemistry World podcast - April 2013 Apr 4, 2013 37:33 Geoffrey Kibby on mushroom chemistry, Paul Midgley illuminates 3D imaging and the team cover the latest news

Chemistry World podcast - March 2013 Mar 13, 2013 38:18 Mark Mascal talks about bio-derived chemicals, John Lindon introduces the Phenome Centre and the team cover the latest news

Chemistry World podcast - February 2013 Feb 4, 2013 36:43 Graham Richards discusses crowdsourcing, Eric Wolff talks about ice cores and the team cover the latest chemical news

Chemistry World Podcast January 2013 Jan 10, 2013 37:53 January 2013 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast December 2012 Dec 6, 2012 34:58 December 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast November 2012 Oct 12, 2012 37:52 November 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast October 2012 Oct 3, 2012 33:05 October 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast September 2012 Sep 4, 2012 38:32 September 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast August 2012 Aug 9, 2012 36:40 August 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast July 2012 Jul 5, 2012 40:08 July 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast June 2012 Jul 5, 2012 35:45 June 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast May 2012 May 4, 2012 36:19 May 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast April 2012 Apr 4, 2012 34:58 April 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast March 2012 Mar 6, 2012 35:24 March 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast February 2012 Feb 3, 2012 35:02 February 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World Podcast January 2012 Jan 4, 2012 37:46 January 2012 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Episodes

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