Rephonic
Artwork for Chemistry For Your Life

Chemistry For Your Life

Melissa and Jam, Bleav
Chemistry
Chemistry Education
Vitamin C
FDA
Chemical Reactions
Nutrition
Bacteria
Sweat
Intermolecular Forces
PFAS
Sourdough
X-Rays
Evaporative Cooling
Polymers
Onion
Organic Chemistry
Skin Care
Fermentation
Self-Tanners
Aging

A podcast that helps you understand the fascinating chemistry hidden in your everyday life. Have you ever wondered why onions make you cry? Or how soap gets your hands clean? What really is margarine, or why do trees change colors in the fall? Melissa is a chemist, and to answer these questions she started a podcast, called Chemistry for your life! In each episode Melissa explains the chemistry be... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes465Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ChemistryScience

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Chemistry For Your Life

Latest Episodes

#065 Rebroadcast

It's Fall! You know why they call Fall Fall? Well because the leaves fall. But before that, the leaves change color. Why do they do that? How? Is there any sort of function to it? Do the different colors mean anything? Let's dive in... more

What makes skunk spray smell so astonishingly bad, and why can the odor come roaring back whenever a sprayed dog gets wet? Are humans unusually sensitive to skunk smell? Does tomato juice actually remove it, or have cartoons been lying to us for deca... more

Why does microwaving ice cream for two five-second bursts feel different from microwaving it once for ten seconds? Can a science podcast make chemistry accessible without accidentally wrapping complicated ideas in answers that feel a little too neat—... more

Do atoms “want” full electron shells, do molecules “prefer” stability, and are electrons really “attacking” each other? Or could it be that while personifying molecules might be quietly teaching us the wrong ideas? Chemistry education researcher Jess... more

Key Facts

Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Jessie Stenlund
Chemistry education researcher and graduate student at the University of North Texas
University of North Texas
Episode: Is personification helpful or harmful in science?
Leyte Winfield
Community conversation leader, moderator for the BCCE series
Not specified
Episode: What if the system needs fixing instead of the students? (BCCE 2026)
Matt Mayo
Professor at University of Detroit Mercy
University of Detroit Mercy
Episode: What does neurodiversity mean for chemistry education? (BCCE 2026)
Joanne Stewart
Community Conversation Moderator, chemistry education leader
Hope College
Episode: How can chemistry teachers learn from each other? (BCCE 2026)
Diana Mason
Professor Emeritus at UNT
University of North Texas
Episode: Ask a Chemist: Is Silicone actually safe? (and other questions)
Vicente Talanquer
Community Conversation moderator
University of Arizona
Episode: How can we apply chemistry to real-world problems in the classroom? (BCCE 2026)
Nicki Stewart
Forensic science educator with a background in forensic chemistry
Undisclosed (guest on episode)
Episode: How do forensic scientists find fingerprints? (with Nicki Stewart)
Ellen Yezierski
Community Conversation moderator
University of Pittsburgh? (as discussed in transcript)
Episode: Are there new, improved ways to teach chemistry? (BCCE 2026)
Resa Kelly
Moderator, chemistry education professional
Independent educator/chemistry education advocate
Episode: How could technology and A.I. change chemistry education? (BCCE 2026)

Hosts

Melissa Cullyn
Chemist and chemistry educator who explains the science behind everyday questions
Jam Robinson
Producer and non-chemist who brings a curious learner's perspective to everyday science

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 767 ratings
  • Please NEVER stop!

    Germaine and niche chemistry facts, fun, and fundamentals through the ASMR like tones of two kind, curious hosts. Please, never stop.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kwistofo
    United States4 months ago
  • I was wondering:)

    I’ve heard that people make engine oil Jet fuel,gasoline,diesel and propane in a layer's is this true or no love the podcast keep up the good work

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jdjdjsaj
    United States6 months ago
  • This podcast is really informative of our everyday use cases.

    I a fan of this podcast and was wondering if you would consider writing a book about Chemistry in our everyday lives. Thank you

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Deepa Swain
    United States6 months ago
  • Idea and comment

    How do particle accelerators work

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jdjdjsaj
    United States9 months ago
  • I like this podcast

    This podcast is informative and really cool :3 also, jszmim… bro🫩

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    I love_froggys
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners value Melissa's clear explanations and analogies, which make chemistry approachable while still offering depth.
Listeners use the material for teaching, studying, refreshing science knowledge, and answering children's questions.
Ad placement draws criticism when it interrupts the conversation or appears abruptly.
Some listeners find the conversational tangents and longer episodes enjoyable; others prefer tighter editing and less unrelated discussion.
The hosts' contrast works well: Melissa brings chemistry expertise, while Jam's questions and recaps reflect a learner's perspective.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Can leftovers be healthier than freshly cooked food?
Q: Can repeatedly heating and cooling food create even more resistant starch?
Melissa says evidence suggests repeated cycles can increase resistant starch, but cautions that they also increase the risk of foodborne pathogens, so she does not recommend doing it to optimize the effect.
Can leftovers be healthier than freshly cooked food?
Q: Can cooking pasta, rice, or bread, then cooling and reheating it, make it healthier?
Cooling cooked starch lets some of its molecules reorganize into resistant starch, which is digested less readily. Studies described in the episode found this can increase resistant starch and reduce post-meal glucose responses, though results vary by food and process.
Is personification helpful or harmful in science?
Q: How can we use personification in chemistry more responsibly?
Use it as a starting point for intuition, ask what a phrase like “wants” means, make clear that the language is metaphorical, connect it to underlying chemical processes, and tailor explanations to the learner.
Is personification helpful or harmful in science?
Q: Why does iron rust?
Rusting involves iron interacting with oxygen and moisture through chemical processes involving electron transfer, electrostatic interactions, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Saying iron rusts because it wants to be more stable describes the outcome rather than the cause.
Ask a Chemist: How long do you microwave ice cream? (and other questions)
Q: What structures in seeds detect wavelengths, how do those wavelengths travel through soil, and what chemistry helps seeds determine when to grow?
Melissa suggests that organic molecules in seeds can absorb particular wavelengths and trigger processes involved in growth. She adds that other signals also affect germination and that much of the chemistry is not fully understood.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Chemistry For Your Life

What is Chemistry For Your Life about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Accessible conversations about the chemistry behind familiar things, from food and household appliances to plants, animals, and the science of learning. Chemist Melissa Cullyn explains the mechanisms, while co-host Jam Robinson asks questions from a non-specialist's perspective and helps test whether the explanations make sense. Episodes often start with an everyday puzzle, then build the answer through clear analogies, practical examples, and occasional personal stories. Some conversations also examine how scientific knowledge develops, how chemistry is taught, and how chemical technologies connect to policy or environmental concerns. The combination of detailed explanations and a curious learner's viewpoint makes the material approachable... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Chemistry For Your Life?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Chemistry For Your Life. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Chemistry For Your Life and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Chemistry For Your Life get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Chemistry For Your Life, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Chemistry For Your Life?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Chemistry For Your Life, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Chemistry For Your Life have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Chemistry For Your Life has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Chemistry For Your Life?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Chemistry For Your Life:

1. The Episodic Table of Elements
2. Science Vs
3. Ologies with Alie Ward
4. The Naked Scientists Podcast
5. Unexplainable

How many episodes of Chemistry For Your Life are there?

Chemistry For Your Life launched 7 years ago and published 465 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Chemistry For Your Life?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Chemistry For Your Life?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Chemistry For Your Life from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Chemistry For Your Life?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Chemistry For Your Life. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Chemistry For Your Life?

Recent guests on Chemistry For Your Life include:

1. Jessie Stenlund
2. Leyte Winfield
3. Matt Mayo
4. Joanne Stewart
5. Diana Mason
6. Vicente Talanquer
7. Nicki Stewart
8. Ellen Yezierski

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days