In this special podcast produced in partnership with Waters Corporation, find out how understanding the chemistry and materials that go into batteries marks the first step towards making them safer and increasing energy density, and unlocks new opportunities for reuse and recycling

How did a tree bark from Sri Lanka become one of the essential flavours of the festive season? We explore the history of cinnamon and the compound that gives it its distinctive taste and aroma  

A compound so explosively unstable that nobody has been able to measure how sensitive it is without it, well, exploding.

How one of mankind's oldest pigments helped shepherds secure their sheep and inspired one of the most popular songs of the twentieth century

A sweet compound that provides ample energy for extreme endurance events – find out how maltodextrin helped Anna Ploszajski swim the English channel

Liquid salts, ionic melts, fused salts, or ionic glasses – call them what you like, these much-hyped solvents show great promise. Katrina Krämer speaks to chemical engineer Jason Bara about ionic liquids.

An antimicrobial compound that kills bacteria and viruses quickly – found in some of the most colourful antiseptic solutions 

Does asparagus give you foul-smelling urine? Helen Arney investigates asparagusic acid, and the lavatorial genetic lottery that controls whether or not you can smell its distinctive aroma

A sweet treat with a deadly trick for Halloween – glycyrrhizic acid, or glycyrrhizin, is found in black liquorice and sweeter than sucrose, but can cause heart problems and even prove fatal if consumed in excess

Also known as 'milk of amnesia', propofol helps to prevent perception of pain in surgery – just don't forget its dangerous side

Hepatitis C drug sofosbuvir made waves when first launched – quicker to work and with fewer side effects than existing drugs, but it came with a hefty price tag

Meera Senthilingam makes a welcome return to the podcast with a drug that gives hope to the many sufferers of drug-resistant TB – still one of the world's biggest killers

This summer's extreme weather prompts Katrina Krämer to investigate the history of sunblock and the ingredient blamed by some for bleaching coral reefs

From Lavoisier’s experiments with plaster of paris to the the ‘Sistine Chapel of crystals’ in Mexico, Mike Freemantle explores the history of gypsum

Originally developed to treat flu and marketed in Japan as Avigan, promising Covid-19 trial results have seen countries stockpiling this medication by the millions

Tannic acid in green acorns can kill wild animals and livestock, but in this podcast Mike Freemantle makes plain that you can prevent poisoning with pannage pigs.

Common in the US but banned in the EU, this animal feed additive makes for muscular pigs and beefy international trade disputes. 

Brian Clegg discovers what a six-membered silicon ring can tell us about alien life

Frances Addison on the aromatic compound found in both buttered popcorn and the bearcat’s scent glands, and responsible for the distinctive smell of both

News that this cheap, ubiquitous steroid drug may reduce deaths in Covid-19 cases has been greeted with cautious optimism. Ben Valsler looks at the history of dexamethasone and the promising Recovery trial results.

Mike Freemantle on the art, history and science of this delicate, translucent ceramic material

Brian Clegg introduces the humble mineral that delights both astronomers and archaeologists

Mike Freemantle introduces the peptic ulcer treatment cimetidine, which – as Tagamet – became the first 'blockbuster' drug

The World Health Organisation hope to eradicate human African trypanosomiasis, better known as sleeping sickness, within our lifetimes. Jamie Durrani looks at a drug that may make it possible.

Georgia Mills investigates the psychoactive found in ayahuasca that may mirror near-death experiences

Katrina Krämer investigates how industrial-strength bleach became promoted as 'miracle mineral supplement' – a supposed 'cure' for autism, cancer and even Covid-19.

Brian Clegg discovers the link between olive oil, dandruff and stained glass windows.

An immune-modulating compound used to reduce the symptoms of multiple sclerosis and now showing potential against coronaviruses, interferon beta is the last of the WHO's Covid-19 Solidarity trial candidates to get the Chemistry in its element treatment.

The unexplained appearance and dramatic spread of a new form of HIV drug ritonavir hurt patients and cost its makers almost $250 million. Alexander Whiteside on the chemical phenomenon that links Irving Langmuir, H G Wells and Kurt Vonnegut.

Ben Valsler explains how a drug that prevents HIV from donning its protective 'coat' now makes up one arm of the World Health Organisation's Covid-19 trial

Will new clinical trials for Covid-19 give remdesivir a second chance?Ben Valsler introduces the broad-spectrum antiviral that didn't quite make it as the Ebola drug it was originally planned to be.

Old drugs sometimes find their way back into the news. The Covid-19 pandemic – and some very high profile backing – has led to malaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine hitting the headlines worldwide. Ben Valsler explores both the history and the hype.

Brian Clegg on the popular over-the-counter painkiller, developed by a high-street pharmacy chain

Catherine Hodges explores the chemical solutions to thinning hair and patchy beards, examining the popularity of minoxidil and the cautionary tale of finasteride

The pesticide that keeps pets free of pests, but may have also been responsible for the devastating collapse of bee colonies. With Harriet Brewerton.

Rotund rodents revolutionised our understanding of the biological role of fat. Now, as Katrina Krämer discovers, the hormones created by fats could redefine obesity.

Ben Valsler on vitamin K – the blood clotting factor that is likely to be the first supplement you ever receive

Brian Clegg on the enzymes make life a little sweeter by breaking down starch into sugars, helping to make bread and beer

Georgia Mills on a compound that explodes from a beetle's bum, and has a controversial role in skin depigmentation

This week marks the 20th anniversary of the Baia Mare disaster, when toxic sodium cyanide spilled from a gold processing plant led to ecological damage on a huge scale. Mike Freemantle tells the tragic tale and explores the poison's place in precious metal processing.

Once thought of as an interesting – but useless – turpentine derivative, this oddly-named acid became the precursor to one of the world's most widely used plastics

From ancient Egyptian pottery to distinctive blue bottles, cobalt oxide has been providing ‘chemically and artistically perfect’ pigments for centuries

If you’re trying out a vegan diet, you’re likely to be told to make sure you get enough vitamin B12. Ben Valsler asks what B12 does, where we get it from, and how can we be sure we’re getting enough?

To celebrate 2019 – the International Year of the Periodic Table – we're joined by Helen Arney and the Waterbeach Brass Band with an updated version of Tom Lehrer's elements song. See the video, featuring contributions from chemists around the world, here: https://www.chemistryworld.com/IYPT Happy New Year!

After promising results treating ill pets, some researchers think iminosugars could become treatments for infection and even cancer. Mike Freemantle explores the buzz about iminohoney.

Frances Addison examines how our quest to control and manage pain has led to a modern medical crisis, as opioids oxycodone and hydrocodone are among the most abused prescription medications in the US

Ben Valsler tackles 'zombie facts' and the tenuous connection between tryptophan in turkey and your post-Thanksgiving dinner doze

Brian Clegg introduces the class of materials where the holes are more important than the whole – the super-porous zeolites

It helps prevent garlic plants from marauding insects and should have prevented the Hindenburg disaster – Mike Freemantle on allicin and the smell of freshly crushed garlic

Louise Crane explains how a series of happy accidents led to the discovery of this rose-scented compound, found in rose oil, beer, apple pie and Kentucky bourbon.

Brian Clegg introduces gallium arsenide – the supercar of the semiconductor scene

Georgia Mills introduces the malleable mixture of gold and silver that minted some of the world's oldest coins

Ben Valsler introduces the oxygen sensors that help life react to changing conditions, and were key to the 2019 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine

Enna Guadalupe investigates the toxin found in reef fish that leads to food poisoning so bad it can cause life-long symptoms.

How a Brazilian scientist's knowledge of viper venom led to the discovery of a whole class of medication for high blood pressure. With Mike Freemantle.

Louise Crane investigates a jasmine-derived synthetic scent with supposed sex appeal

Georgia Mills examines a controversial killer: Sodium fluoroacetate or 1080

Sold as a 'sports supplement', methylhexaneamine – or DMAA – is implicated in the deaths of otherwise fit & healthy people. Enna Guadalupe investigates.

Katrina Krämer investigates a marine toxin that drives animals crazy and might have inspired one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous films

Mike Freemantle revisits battlefield surgery to investigate boric acid, a key part of Dakin's antiseptic solution used extensively in the first world war

Patrick Hughes delves into the molecule at the centre of a decades-old cancer treatment conspiracy theory

Georgia Mills tackles the feel-good neurotransmitter and hormone behind thrill seeking, addiction and mobile gaming

Mike Freemantle finds the connection between Land of Hope and Glory and the noxious, corrosive, flammable gas that stinks of rotten eggs

One doctor's battle with alcoholism and self-experimentation with baclofen led to a rush of people desperate to try the drug to curb their addictions. But are we simply replacing one problem with another, asks Enna Guadalupe 

Microplastics, including polypropylene, are present in our oceans, on our beaches and even in bottled water. Ian Robertson from PerkinElmer investigates the scale and some solutions

Lay back in the chair and say 'Ahh', as Mike Freemantle introduces zinc polycarboxylate dental cement

The versatile gemstones that give scientists insights into the chemistry of the early Earth, introduced by Brian Clegg

Chemistry’s tastiest bonds for an explosive anaesthetic that was as useful as it was dangerous

Ben Valsler introduces a class of hallucinogenic phenethylamines, explored by the 'godfather of psychedelics' Alexander Shulgin and sadly implicated in a tragedy at a 2017 music festival

The first drug approved in the US to treat Aids required a completely new approach to clinical trials – Frances Addison explores the history of azidothymidine

How the compound that ushered in a photographic revolution has taken to the skies to try to control the weather

Katrina Krämer investigates how one of the smallest small-molecule drugs around saved Jeanna Giese's life

Kat Arney investigates a potent chemical that might explain the brain-bending powers of bacteria

Mike Freemantle introduces amber – the valuable organic gemstone that invests unwary insects in a durable tomb

Brian Clegg examines the duality that makes beryllium oxide so valuable to the electronics industry

Jamie Durrani diverts his attention to the rise of Ritalin, a drug first identified as a way of improving tennis performance

Frances Addison takes a look at the discovery that brought horseshoe crabs to the heart of the pharmaceutical industry

Kit Chapman investigates the drug that has been one of the top five prescription medications in the UK every year for the last two decades

Inspired by a mention of arrowroot in Jane Austen's Emma, Mike Freemantle investigates how subtle differences in composition mean starch can be resistant dietary fibre or easily-digested nourishment.

How an early synthetic dye chemical came to play a role in a mysterious disease outbreak in 1980s Spain

Coating your naked body with powdered magnesium silicate may sound strange, but it's an important part of many bathtime rituals

Mike Freemantle discovers sea buckthorns, also called 'beauty berries' because of their high concentration of tocopherols and tocotrienols, collectively known as vitamin E.

If you've ever been unlucky enough to experience 'corked' wine, then 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, or TCA was likely the chemical culprit

Kat Arney unearths the story of a truly international effort to develop new drugs for cancer, and the female researcher whose key role went overlooked

Kit Chapman on the simple polymer that preserves and protects ancient artifacts, and saved a historical Swedish shipwreck from complete collapse

Mike Freemantle on the iron compound that has been turning oak gall extract into indelible ink for centuries, but is now eating though our ancient manuscripts and musical scores

The mysterious enzyme that can beat the world’s biggest chemical process when it comes to breaking the dinitrogen triple bond

A brilliant rich blue rock, prized in antiquity as a gemstone and a prominent pigment, lazurite is the basis of lapis lazuli, the original ultramarine paint and – as Brian Clegg finds – it even adorns Tutankhamun's death mask.

Cases of sleeping sickness – human African trypanosomiasis – are in decline, dropping 86% in Africa between 2000 and 2014. Gege Li explores the role that this toxic, arsenic-based medication has to play.

Many consume cod liver oil due to 'a vague sense we should be taking them for something' – but what to the omega-3 fatty acids actually do?

It made Robert Bunsen seriously ill, Michael Faraday thought it 'barbaric' to use in battle and even Fritz Haber – the 'father of chemical warfare' – abandoned it after a fatal accident in his lab. This week, Mike Freemantle tells the story of tetramethyldiarsine, otherwise known as cacodyl.

Kit Chapman takes us back to the 1904 Olympics in St Louis, via the bronze age and ancient Greece

Louise Crane introduces the antioxidant that led to exaggerated claims that 'whisky helps fight cancer'

The spice that gives your Christmas eggnog its distinctive taste and aroma is also a toxic narcotic that played an important role in international history. Florence Schechter shares the history of myristicin – the active ingredient in nutmeg

Post-nuclear steel is a little bit radioactive, so for some specialist jobs we need to find a source of steel from before the bomb

The compounds that put the 'tin' in tin cans and help you to reflect on your appearance

Kat Arney’s investigation of the pungent chemical in onions is enough to bring tears to your eyes

Epoxies – including hard-wearing resins and strong adhesives – can be found almost everywhere, from your household white goods to the Large Hadron Collider. And the aroma of these compounds cemented their place in Brian Clegg's childhood memories.

How one footballer's climate concerns led to the creation of a green chemistry company: Mike Freemantle discovers the story of Mathieu Flamini, GFBiochemicals and levulinic acid.

Florence Schechter discovers how a seemingly healthy grapefruit-based breakfast could disrupt your daily drugs

Kat Arney gets to the bottom of the story of phenolphthalein – a chemical with two very different uses. If you've measured pH in a classroom or had some trouble in the bathroom, you may have met this compound before. 

A biologically active compound from the biblical balm of Gilead, said to ‘heal the sin-sick soul’

Gege Li on the compound formerly known by the no-nonsense name 'very fast death factor'

Florence Schechter introduces an ancient, but effective, treatment for painful attacks of gout

What links blue jeans to ancient British warriors? Mike Freemantle discovers the blue dye with a colourful history

The latest in an alarming trend of novel psychoactive substances being mis-sold at festivals as traditional street drugs, putting users at risk

As hayfever season comes to a close, Katrina Krämer examines antihistamines. From calming down a hyperactive immune system to increasing cognitive abilities, these small molecules have a big impact.

Kat Arney finds out about the 'toxic caterpillar' chemical that will make your skin crawl

Michael Freemantle introduces a tear gas used by the British army in the first world war, picked, in part, because of our access to seaweed

Brian Clegg on the almond flavour compound that gives your taste buds a treat and may help rescue survivors from a disaster

How the ‘world’s most wonderful mineral’ became one of the world’s biggest health hazards

Kat Arney investigates the chemicals responsible for giving bruises their hue and colouring your poo

Katrina Krämer examines the overdose antidote that has saved tens of thousands of lives

A 1960s breakthrough in pain relief that now fuels the opioid crisis

How a waxy mixture from a sheep's fleece helped create a global fashion brand

Ben Valsler with the story of Charlotte Figi, Dravet syndrome and the cannabis compound controlling her condition.

Brian Clegg on a compound that keeps us well fed and looking radiant

Katrina Krämer asks if an essential blood-thinning medicine ended Joseph Stalin’s 30-year rule over the Soviet Union

Discover bat-borne-bombs and a classic chemistry textbook, as Mike Freemantle examines the history of kerosene

One mineral form may look like gold, but Brian Clegg isn't fooled by the value of iron sulfides

From tacky Hallowe’en decorations to the stuff of an arachnophobe’s nightmares, spiders don’t have the greatest reputation. But, as Kat Arney is here to prove, there’s fascinating chemistry at work in their webs.

Jamie Durrani on the compound that gives pepper its characteristic kick

Brian Clegg with the winemaking byproduct that may be lurking in your larder

Kat Arney discovers the strange things that happen when organic compounds go round the twist

A component of 'trench atmosphere' and ‘the most powerful antiseptic known’, Mike Freemantle explores calcium hydroxide and the birth of a chemical dynasty 

Swipe, tap, pinch, poke and prod – Neil Withers gets hands on with touchscreen material indium tin oxide, ITO

Science imitates art imitating science, as sitcom The big bang theory inspires the creation of a new compound

Concluding our pair of podcasts on a recent cycling scandal, Ben Valsler looks at the steroid triamcinolone

Acetylcysteine is a versatile drug, helping manage lung conditions and treat paracetamol overdose. But, as Ben Valsler discovers, it has found itself at the centre of a cycling controversy

Jamie Durrani presents a pair of plant-based poisons

Kat Arney wraps herself around the tree sap that saved transatlantic telecommunications

A giant marine toxin with a total synthesis story to tell

Colourful crustaceans and the story of a ubiquitous biological pigment

Kat Arney investigates the biological pigment that links sun tanning, squid ink and browning bananas

We speak to Yuri Oganessian about the element that bears his name

Three Tennessee institutions contributed to the discovery of element 117, now fittingly named tennessine

Meet the Mayor of Livermore, California, and discover how his city has been immortalised on the periodic table

The US-Russian collaborative superheavy element 'factory' strikes again, but only 100 atoms of element 115 have ever been observed

How 'hot fusion' research saw an end to cold war tensions

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

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

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

Kat Arney discovers the biological chemistry behind a colourful blood disorder

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

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

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

Mike Freemantle discovers a sweet solution to monitoring contaminated water

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A lightweight, bulletproof material made from ice and wood pulp

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

Mike Freemantle discusses the drug that keeps his gout at bay

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

Wood has been vital in the development of human civilisation. Brian Clegg looks at the compound at its heart

Mike Freemantle introduces a chemical weapon developed in the first world war that fortunately failed to live up to its terrible potential

Tabitha Watson introduces the most aristocratic of acids: Aqua regia

The enzyme that helps us turn milk into cheese is also responsible for the biggest commercial success story of any genetically modified organism

One of the most popular plastics of the early 20th century was accidentally invented by a cat, as Kat Arney finds out

Despite early setbacks, this conducting crystal shows great promise across a wide range of electronics

Caesium chloride is packs a lot of radioactivity into a small volume, making it ideal for treatments where the radioactive material needs to be accurately sited

Katrina Kramer speaks with  Manchester University researcher David Leigh about compounds that resemble machine parts and could pave the way for molecular robots

From scabby knees to life-threatening strokes, this important protein is the fundamental link in the complex molecular chain that forms blood clots.

When a batch of cinnamon whiskey meant for the American market made its way to Europe, it highlighted starkly different regulations controlling how much propylene glycol is allowed in food and drink

If you’ve ever built plastic scale models of aeroplanes or spacecraft, you’ll be familiar with the sharp, sweet smell of butanone

Rowena Fletcher-Wood discovers how to stave off stage fright, with a simple compound that revolutionised drug development

Michael Freemantle explores the pigments responsible for the rich colours of autumn foliage: ‘the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves’.

Katrina Krämer examines these extremely versatile materials and speaks to MOF pioneer Omar Yaghi

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Ragworts and other plants are popular with pollinators but a potent poison to wildlife and livestock, as Mike Freemantle discovers

Kit Chapman on the compound that could be the chemical cause of mysterious lights in the night: Phosphines 

Kat Arney introduces a two-faced tree sap that can cause nasty rashes or be made into beautiful Japanese furniture

Through an early ointment for spots through a medicine for syphilitic Victorians, Michael Freemantle traces the history of highly toxic mercuric chloride

The catnip compound that felines go crazy for could have exciting uses for humans, too, as Kat Arney finds out

Kiki Sanford explores how polyamines found in semen could be related to a long and healthy life

Michael Freemantle on chemical weapons and the birth of cancer chemotherapy

Forming layers just three atoms deep, molybdenum disulfide shows potential in filtration, flexible screens and minuscule transistors

Kit Chapman explains how a 'daft' pharmacy mix up led to a series of poisonings in Victorian Britain

Jane Austen’s Mr Darcy lends his name to a pheromone that lets mice feel the love, as Kat Arney discovers

Brian Clegg examines the colourful compounds that no red-blooded creature can do without: Porphyrins

Blue flashes and metallic water are just some of the tricks the smallest possible anion has up its sleeve

Brian Clegg introduces a crystalline hydrocarbon that isn't as tough as it sounds, but is the basis of a wide range of medicines

On-demand muscle paralysis revolutionised surgery. Katrina Krämer explores one of the key muscle relaxants used in medical procedures: Pancuronium bromide

The Seveso accident saw an accidental release of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), commonly known as dioxin. Matt Gunther tells the tragic story.

With thoughts turning to our festively-expanded waistlines, Kit Chapman looks at a poster child in the battle against obesity

Eugenol, the smell most associated with cloves, may be one of the defining smells of Christmas, but it also leads a double life as fish anaesthetic and insect attractant...

This week, Neil Withers examines a compound with the 'wrong' number of bonds: Diborane

Jamie Durrani introduces one of the biggest selling pharmaceuticals in history, the 'mother's little helper': Diazepam

Katrina Krämer investigates the sad case of Christopher McCandless, who some believe consumed the poison swainsonine in the Alaskan wilderness

Kat Arney introduces bromodeoxyuridine, or BrdU, a nucleoside that revolutionised our ability to watch cells grow and divide

The whitest smile, the blondest blonde, the clearest complexion – all from one essential compound. Fernando Gomollón-Bel introduces benzoyl peroxide

Louise Crane reveals the compound that gives American chocolate and wet dogs their distinct aroma

Kat Arney explains how a protein that repairs broken DNA holds the key to killing cancer cells – but only if you stop it from doing its job

From medicine to the military, this compound makes lasers for a range of applications. Brian Clegg discovers neodymium chloride

Louise Crane documents the rise and fall of gabapentin – from ‘wonder drug’ to illicit substance in just 50 years

The story of one of the most ubiquitous artificial compounds

Katrina Kramer introduces the Nobel prize-winning ligand that will give you just the hand you need: BINAP or 2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl

 A substitute for one of the bases in DNA that can cause the death of cancer cells

Brian Clegg introduces a family of molecules that first gave fluffy softness to freshly washed clothes

Ben Valsler finds out why writing Alice’s adventures in Wonderland was such a headache for Lewis Carroll

Find out about the Black Prince’s ruby, which is no ruby at all

This powerful poison is said to have the power to transform werewolves and heal snake bites. Brian Clegg unpicks fiction from fact

Is there really a simple, fruity route to weight loss?

Brian Clegg gets to the heart of the matter on the benefits or otherwise of one of the most commonly prescribed drugs

Is there a single hormone that causes hunger, and is this it?

When the communion bread starts secreting blood, could this be the cause?

Kat Arney tells us about the active ingredient in energy drinks

A yellow dress, of the type worn by Jane Austen, sets Michael Freemantle exploring the chemistry of picric acid

It's the active molecule in the plant known as electric daisies or the toothache plant but it might also make your skin smoother

Kat Arney introduces the organomercury preservative associated with the current controversy around vaccines

Ever taken a whiff of smelling salts? For many years, the compound that contributed the pungent pong was ammonium carbonate

With a name that literally means rotten resin, asafoetida is a surprising food additive and deodorant

The 1984 accident at Bhopal, India, was the worst in the history of industrial chemistry. It involved a leak of methyl isocyanate

Kat Arney introduces a biologically ubiquitous compound, important in beating both infectious viruses and invasive weeds

The tastiest food additive there is, or the greatest threat to life in the western world?

The Battle of Jutland was fought 100 years ago next week, on May 31st, 1916. A critical role was played by cordite

Michael Freemantle takes a stroll through 'Jane Austen country' to discover this week's compound: Coumarin

For decades, automobile fuel had a dangerous additive: Tetraethyl lead. Matt Gunther explains why a toxic compound was added to our fuel

It failed as a painkiller, but Haldol rapidly became an essential medicine for schizophrenia. Raychelle Burks explains more

It may not be the best material for solar cells but it has some distinct advantages

Rowena Fletcher-Wood on the simple compound that links spandex, automobile safety and space exploration: Hydrazine

Does burnt toast cause cancer? Martha Henriques explores this complex question

This week's compound has had a glowing career in the arts and a runaway success in the energy sector

Michael Freemantle with a colourful account of the birth of synthetic organic chemistry

Emma Stoye on citronellol - her constant companion when faced with biting bugs

Kat Arney discovers the compound that first coloured the Chicago river green for St Patrick's Day

What do hygienic work surfaces have in common with 19th century French violins? Brian Clegg finds out.

Too much cola can mess with your brain. The effects of excess brominated vegetable oil explained

Oseltamivir, or Tamiflu, stockpiling during the 2009 H1N1 epidemic highlighted significant problems with drugs trials policy

Flibanserin was touted to be the female Viagra. Martha Henriques explains why it failed to live up to the hype.

Michael Freemantle relates the history arolein, a poor tear gas with unexpected benefits

Raychelle Burks explains how the scent of cedar wood can be used to destroy pests

Kat Arney shines a light on the fluorescent DNA marker

Michael Freemantle tells us of discovery that lit the homes and put the food on the table of millions of people

Martha Henriques explains how compounds developed to keep parasites at bay may be protecting rhinos from poachers

Kat Arney reveals how high temperature bacteria provide us with the molecule that speeds up DNA sequencing

Kiki Sanford examines the molecule that holds the balance between life and death

Michael Freemantle awakens us to the history of diethyl ether

Brian Clegg paints a picture of a compound found in ancient cave paintings and top-of-the-range electronics: Manganese dioxide

Michael Freemantle examines the explosive history and chemistry of mercury fulminate

Generally, things get bigger as they get hotter. Neil Withers examines one of the exceptions – zirconium tungstate

There's more to toluene than TNT, as Brian Clegg reveals

From an apron aflame to a popular propellant, Michael Freemantle tracks the history of guncotton

Brian Clegg introduces an essential nutrient, and the first to hold the name 'vitamin': Thiamine or vitamin B

A story which starts knee-deep in sewage and ends with the spread of drug resistant infections like MRSA

Wouldn't it be great to have a molecule named after you? But perhaps not this week's compound, the chemical weapon lewisite

Hayley Birch discovers the compound that opened up a wing of the periodic table for reactions: Xenon hexafluoroplatinate

Raychelle Burks finds out how Potbelly's patrons became poisoning patients, in the mystery of the sodium azide-laced iced tea

In this week's podcast, Matt Gunther reveals the toxic history of gelsemine

In this week's podcast, Raychelle Burks tells us of the cool but warming effects of methyl salicylate, better known as oil of wintergreen.

It's at the heart of the first chemical equation, and makes Hayley Birch think of quiche. This week's compound is antimony sulfide

Why do the Blue Ridged Mountains inspire so many songs? Maybe it's because of the Isoprene that gives them their blue hue...

Emilie Steinmark tells us about gluten and gluten intolerance

Simon Cotton explains the explosive history and the dangers to health of the weight-loss drug, 2,4-dinitrophenol

Brian Clegg introduces an exotic chemical dynasty: the Vanadium oxides

Simon Cotton on the compound that turns a shrinking violet into a hero: Adrenaline

Brian Clegg tells us about a silicone gel, which can sometimes be a bit silly

Raychelle Burks introduces a red dye with a prickly history.

If life hands you lemons, make lemonade – or you could make citric acid, a very useful commodity chemical according to Andrew Turley

Brian Clegg on sodium sulfate, known as 'the miraculous salt' because of its strong laxative effects.

Tempted by a tipple of home-brewed moonshine? Andrew Turley examines the risks associated with drinking methanol.

Brian Clegg investigates a compound that calms inflamed joints and excites the stressed brain: Cortisol

Ben Valsler examines the chemicals at the heart of one of the latest cosmetic & food additive scare stories: Parabens

Matt Gunther investigates a clear, colourless gas responsible for thousands of deaths in the Great War: Phosgene

It rendered walls of pyramids and helps remove unwanted hair - Brian Clegg introduces a compound with many names - Calcium hydroxide

From a glamorous necklace to cutting edge body armour - Helen Scales investigates the properties of nacre

Brian Clegg smooths out the wrinkles over the darling of the cosmetic industry, hyaluronic acid

How do mussels stick tight and weather the constant ocean waves? Helen Scales discovers mussel adhesive proteins

Brian Clegg introduces a compound steeped in faded Victorian glamour – acetylene

Simon Cotton examines a compound banned in warfare but still used by police to disperse crowds: CS gas

It's the strongest known biological material and one of the earliest pigments - Helen Scales discovers goethite

Brian Clegg discusses the vitamin found in both breakfast cereal and meteorites: Niacin

Start your engines! Simon Cotton looks into one of the few chemical names known well to the public: Octane

Sensible approach to dental rot or sinister communist plot? Brian Clegg examines the much-maligned fluorides

Simon Cotton introduces the first of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants: Prozac

Once thought to extract the truth and now used to enact the ultimate punishment, this week's compound is sodium thiopental

It may have been largely superceded in the clinic but Phil Robinson discovers there is no rest yet for barbituric acid

RNA may be less famous than it's more stable cousin, but is central to cellular function

Breaking Bad may have exaggerated its body-dissolving effects, but Katrina Krämer finds the truth about hydrofluoric acid is just as gruesome

From lemon-fresh detergent to home made silly putty, Jenna Bilbrey expounds the virtues of borax

Brian Clegg introduces the 'ogres' that make up transparent electronics

Nina Notman describes the dance of olefin metathesis, and how the tempo is set by Grubbs' catalysts

Brian Clegg explains how titanium nitride could protect artificial joints and pimp out your ride

Matt Gunther introduces the alloy that links armour-piercing bullets and ball point pens: Tungsten carbide

Brian Clegg introduces a weedkiller whose name has entered public consciousness – Paraquat

In this seasonal podcast, we look at the compounds found in frankincense and myrrh

Nina Notman introduces isoniazid - an antibiotic key to treating tuberculosis

Could this be the sweetener that causes the most online panic?

Used to make synthetic cannabis, cannabicyclohexanol may be more risky than its non-synthetic counterpart

Simon Cotton introduces the painkiller tramadol – could this be the next banned drug in competitive cycling?

A protein with an impressive roster of 'firsts': Anna Lewcock introduces insulin

Simon Cotton explores our hallucinogenic horizons with psilocybin and mescaline

It smells of 'rotting horseradish' but gives glass a magnificent red colour – Brian Clegg shines a light on selenium dioxide

Marketed as a path to eternal youth but banned in professional sports, Hayley Simon introduces human growth hormone

It may have no common name, but as Brian Clegg explains, magnesium chloride has many common uses

Simon Cotton takes us back to a dark day in UK history, to highlight a terrible use of acetone peroxide

The drug that fuelled rave culture may yet be a treatment for PTSD. Hayley Simon introduces MDMA

Why would a simple molecule used to produce plastics excite astronomers? Brian Clegg introduces ethane

Lars Öhrström explains how tantalum(V)oxide banished 'the brick' and allows your mobile phone to fit in your pocket

When Brian Clegg's acid reflux strikes, he knows he can rely on help from this compound: Sodium alginate

It reeks of rotting fish but finds use in a range of applications - Jenna Bilbrey introduces trimethylamine

Phenol, that mainstay of the chemical industry, was a familiar smell around the house in soap. Brian Clegg reveals all

Simon Cotton describes one of his favourite school chemistry experiments, involving this week's compound: Glycerol

It's highly toxic but essential for studying detailed structures of cells. Brian Clegg introduces osmium tetraoxide

You may have created it in a fiery flash or taken it to soothe a burning stomach. Simon Cotton on magnesium oxide

Why don't fish freeze in sub-zero seas? Helen Scales introduces the compounds that protect them - antifreeze glycoproteins

It makes a sweet banana-flavoured treat, but can ruin home brewed beer; Jenna Bilbrey introduces isoamyl acetate

The science is far from settled, but this week's compound – bisphenol A – is facing bans across the world

Helen Scales investigates tributyltin, banned from use as anti-fouling paint for causing 'imposex' in marine life

From potential painkiller to kitchen-cooked heroin replacement, Nate Adams tracks the history of desomorphine

It helps keep sharks afloat, but may be partly responsible for their declining numbers: Helen Scales introduces squalene

Nathan Adams introduces a confusingly-named protein that's essential for keeping blood flowing: Albumin

Neil Withers finds out how vermilion has been keeping human civilisation looking bright and beautifully red for centuries

Brian Clegg holds his nose to examine one of the real workhorses of the organic chemistry lab: Pyridine

Nathan Adams investigates some of the most important molecular machines within our cells, the cytochrome p450 enzymes

Brian Clegg reminisces about indoor fireworks and Vesuvian fire with this week's compound: Ammonium dichromate

Meet melatonin, the 'Dracula of hormones', essential in regulating the body's natural circadian rhythm

Once a fusty way of keeping moths out of clothes, Brian Clegg explains how naphthalene may have helped bring life to Earth

Nature has a range of ways to create bioluminescence. Not to be outdone, chemists create their own glow with diphenyl oxalate.

They are the compounds that link leather trousers to a nice cup of tea - Brian Clegg introduces tannins

Anna Lewcock finds out how pigeons played a major role in discovering an important pituitary hormone, prolactin

Amongst the fictional forensic equipment shown on television, Brian Clegg notices one distinctly non-fiction stalwart: Luminol

It smells sweet, is potentially lethal and organic chemists rely on it: Emily James on dichloromethane

Purple was once a colour only royalty could afford to wear. Hayley Birch investigates tyrian purple, or dibromoindigo, the original purple dye

Stephen Wallace introduces batrachotoxin, a deadly toxin that comes from a beautiful little frog

Brian Clegg introduces the first compound to ever exist - helium hydride

Simon Cotton introduces the first antibiotic known to kill TB: Streptomycin

Lars Öhrström delves into the history of alum, a compound linked to some of Europe's most infamous families

Helen Scales investigates hirudin, a powerful anticoagulant found in leech saliva

Simon Cotton explores a dance-scene drug that was designed for horses, ketamine

Hayley Birch discovers the compound that links explosive anaesthetics, plastics and ripe bananas: Ethene

Lactose intolerance leads to unpleasant and antisocial symptoms. Lars Öhrström finds out why

Simon Cotton investigates tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), a designer steroid that sparked a sporting scandal

Brian Clegg meets a simple organic compound with a reputation for being something of a bruiser

Simon Cotton looks back at the history of one of our favourite painkillers, paracetamol

Helen Scales finds out how unique toxins found in deadly cone snail stings could herald the next generation of painkillers

Brian Clegg explains how the versatile compound boron nitride may be 'the best kept secret in all of chemistry'

A popular way to weed out unwanted pest plants, Jen Newton introduces Glyphosate

This week, Ben Valsler investigates the smoky compound that links whisky, kippers, bacon, hot dogs, coffee, creosote and cough syrup

For many, it's the smell of spring and summer. But hexenal - responsible for the aroma of freshly cut grass - makes Simon Cotton think of cricket.

Did chemistry help control tension in the trenches? Brian Clegg investigates potassium bromide

A devastating weapon indelibly associated with Apocalypse Now and the Vietnam war, Simon Cotton introduces Napalm

Tamoxifen can treat and prevent one type of breast cancer, without the side effects of chemotherapy. Andrew Holding explains more

By tasting fantastically bitter, but only to some, phenylthiocarbamide (or PTC) exposed the genetics of taste

Sitting on your glasses is no longer a death sentence for spectacles, thanks to shape memory alloys like nitinol

It's a massive molecular record breaker. Andrew Holding introduces Titin, the largest protein in the human body

Helen Scales looks at cantharidin, the active ingredient in this famous aphrodisiac

Serotonin, the 'happy molecule', may be at the root of depression, but Hayley Birch finds we still have a lot to learn

Wrongly blamed for murders and hallucinations, Simon Cotton raises a glass of absinthe to this week's compound: Thujone

How can whale waste make you a fortune? This week, Helen Scales searches for Ambergris

Simon Cotton introduces the dynamic Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson, and the catalyst that carries his name

The poison from deadly nightshade, used in a recent attempted murder - Dan Johnson introduces atropine

Brian Clegg is taken back to his childhood by zinc oxide

David Lindsay explores the first of the conducting organic polymers, polyacetylene

It's the compound that creates a lucrative market from leftover lobster. Emma Stoye introduces chitin

Developed to save lives, its potential to give cheats an edge was soon identified. David Lindsay explores erythropoietin

For an aromatic curry and, potentially, a healthier life, Simon Cotton recommends curcumin

It kept the explosions on the silver screen instead of in the projection booth - Brian Clegg on cellulose acetate

Just 50 grams could kill everyone on the planet, but we have it injected into our faces. David Lindsay on Botox

Phillip Broadwith discusses one of the neonicitinoid insecticides believed to be causing problems for bees

To some it looks cheap and nasty, for others it's a sensible (or even sexy) design decision. Brian Clegg wraps himself in PVC

Can a compound in red wine protect against heart attack and cancer? Phillip Broadwith investigates resveratrol

Lars Öhrström on phosphoric acid: Crucial for crops and DNA's backbone, it's the energy currency of the biological world

It repairs objects, heals wounds and fights crime. It puts the ‘super’ in superglue. Emma Stoye introduces cyanoacrylate

The stuff of action films and horrifying news stories, Simon Cotton introduces the infamous nerve agent, VX

It's a catalyst, an abrasive, a bright white pigment and the basis for beautiful gemstones - Neil Withers introduces Alumina

Simon Cotton introduces us to cathinone, the active ingredient in the stimulant Khat

Emma Stoye on digoxin, a toxic product of foxgloves, and the birth of modern pharmacology

Neil Withers recalls making this groundbreaking superconductor as a student

Lars Öhrström gets his teeth into the first sandwich compound

Lars Öhrström finds a link between Napoleon III and rhubarb

Brian Clegg has a sniff at the bitterest substance known to science

Brian Clegg explains how bath salts may actually be more than just relaxing

Simon Cotton explains the discovery of 'the drug of last resort'

Brian Clegg raises a glass to unscrupulous barmen

Simon Cotton looks at the rocket propellant that causes environmental problems

Brian Clegg brightens up our lives with some bright yellow chemistry

Simon Cotton channels the Fonz and stays cool

Brian Clegg opens our eyes to the compounds that enable sight

Josh Howgego looks into the past, with help from some alkenones

Philip Robinson tells us about the first chemotherapeutic drug

Brian Clegg looks at one of the original environmental villains

Laura Howes looks back to a time when feeling blue was a good thing - and wearing it was 'bling'

Josh Howgego prepares to socialise - and tells us why 'cuddle chemicals' are too good to be true

Rust podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Silicones podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

EDTA podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Geosmin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Urea podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Tetracycline podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Vinegar podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Ricin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Thalidomide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Keratin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Graphene podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Lithium carbonate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Folic acid podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Galantamine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Fireworks, explosives, spacecraft – Neil Withers explains why potassium chlorate is the sort of compound that draws attention to chemistry

Artemisinin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Pectin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Coniine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Lactic acid podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

PTFE podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

UF6 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Saccharin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Putrescine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Lycra podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

DEET podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Nitrous oxide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Histamine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Nitroglycerine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Titanium dioxide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Potassium nitrate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Carbon tetrachloride podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Heavy water podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Muscone podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

DDT podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Cyclodextrin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Lidocaine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

2-Methylundecanal podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Ozone podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Penicillin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Kevlar podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Vitamin C podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Vitamin D podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Chlorophyll podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Hydrochloric acid podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

TNT podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Haemoglobin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Formic acid podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Morphine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Carbon monoxide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Testosterone podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Theobromine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Neuraminic acid podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Tartrazine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Green fluorescent protein podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Nitric acid podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Cryolite podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Acetylcholine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Strychnine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Potassium permanganate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Acetone podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Nylon podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Aspirin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Vanillin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Sulfur mustard podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Adenosine triphosphate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Ammonia podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Bombykol podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Hydrogen cyanide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Beta carotene podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Polyhydroxybutyrate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Formaldehyde podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Glucose podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Rubber podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Dimethylmercury podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Chloroform podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Calcium carbonate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Sulfanilamide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Phillip Broadwith investigates the simplest of the nitrogen oxides – and Science magazine's 'Molecule of the year' in 1992 – nitric oxide.

Taxol podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Benzene podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Cocaine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Hydrogen peroxide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Buckminsterfullerene podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Silver nitrate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Copper sulfate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Capsaicin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

LSD podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Petrol podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Dimethyl sulfide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

DNA podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Glutamate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Quinine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Methamphetamine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Ammonium nitrate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Polythene podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Silicon dioxide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Silver fulminate and cyanate podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Bakelite podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Salbutamol podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Sulfuric acid podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Sulfur hexafluoride podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Ethanol podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Nitrogen triiodide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Ethylene glycol podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Tetrodotoxin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Sodium hydroxide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Tetrahydrocannabinol podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

A component of natural gas also associated with ignis fatuus and bovine flatulence: Brian Clegg with methane.

Nicotine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Luciferin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Nickel carbonyl podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Caffeine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Oestrogen podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Salt podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Cisplatin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Carbon dioxide podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Cholesterol podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Water podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Lawrencium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Two elements for the price of one! Andrea Sella peers through didymium glass and examines the discovery of neodymium and praseodymium

Hassium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Bohrium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Caesium

Berkelium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Xenon podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Nickel podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Flerovium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Sodium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Ununoctium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Lutetium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Fermium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Rhodium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Darmstadtium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Molybdenum podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Nobelium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Gadolinium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Scandium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Thorium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Niobium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Dysprosium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Samarium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Meitnerium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Dubnium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Mendelevium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Curium

Enter the world of Greek mythology to reveal the great powers of the element promethium

Chlorine

Roentgenium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Silicon podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Thulium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Rutherfordium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Actinium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Holmium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Yttrium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Neptunium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chromium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Titanium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Einsteinium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Ytterbium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Palladium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Element 112 podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Terbium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Rhenium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Indium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Iridium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Protactinium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Tantalum podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Rubidium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Hafnium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Lanthanum podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Pat Bailey, from the University of Keele, explains why he thinks boron is like a middle-aged accountant who participates in skydiving and partner swapping parties in his spare time

Karen Faulds, University of Strathclyde, on why calcium is so much more than just a constituent of dairy products

Ruthenium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Sarah Staniland, University of Leeds, tells us about the element behind blue glass

Science writer Brian Clegg on the element used to trigger nuclear reactions and in moisture gauges used in potential oil wells

Thallium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Science writer Brian Clegg on the difficult to pronounce element whose discovery was announced on a children's radio quiz

Tungsten podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Krypton podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Vanadium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Selenium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Science writer Brian Clegg on the element that put red into colour TV and caused a dispute between England and France

Tin podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Lafayette College's Steve Mylon shares painful lessons on a heavy metal

Kira Weissman, from Saarlandes University in Germany, explores the element that stops eggs sticking to frying pans and keeps astronauts safe in space

Radon podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Kira Weissman, from Saarlandes University in Germany, on why aeroplanes should not be referred to as 'tin boxes'

Science writer Brian Clegg on the element that often get confused with the flowering plant geranium

Iron podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Platinum podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Zirconium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Radium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Iodine podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Zinc podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Phosphorus podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

University of Cambridge's Peter Wothers goes hunting for the element that is named after France

Uranium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

UCL's Andrea Sella tells us about a pink coloured element that contributed to the birth of spectroscopy

Andrea Sella, from UCL, talks about licking the M & M element gallium - something we would not recommend you try at home

Chemistry World's Richard Van Noorden on the element that gave us spark proof tools for the oil industry and a deadly lung condition

Lithium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Katherine Holt of UCL admires diamond - carbon in its most glamorous form

Manganese podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

UCL's Andrea Sella succumbs to the lure of shiny bars of bismuth

Neon podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Tellurium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemistry World's Bea Perks explains the link between poison, aphrodisiacs, the smell of garlic and Napoleon’s wallpaper

Potassium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Poor copper, US chemist Steve Mylon from Lafayette College explains how a wonderful metal has been superficially overlooked

Author John Emsley explains how a very lazy element redeemed itself

Sulfur podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

What is the link between rat poison, fireworks, fine glass and enemas? Marine chemist Adina Paytan from the University of California Santa Cruz explains

Hydrogen podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Mercury podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Strontium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Helium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Seaborgium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

UCL chemist Andrea Sella explains how he discovered a therapeutic use for his favourite element

Osmium podcast from Chemistry World - the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.