Ask a Chemist: Are all food dyes bad? (and other questions)

Ask a Chemist #66

Melissa and Jam dive into a range of listener-submitted questions exploring everyday chemistry. Topics include the chemistry behind toasting herbs, the effect of gravity on elemental bonds, the purpose and ethics of creating elements with short half-lives, and the effectiveness of cough medicine. They also discuss potential causes of mysterious holes in clothing, the debate on food dyes, and the impact of politics on scientific research funding. The hosts wrap up by addressing various listener questions and sharing some heartwarming and supportive messages from their audience.

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00:00 Introduction

01:24 Toasting Herbs: The Chemistry Behind the Flavor

03:05 Gravity's Role in Chemical Bonding

06:44 The Ethics of Creating New Elements

10:17 How Cough Medicine Works

13:06 The Debate on Food Dyes

15:57 The Yellow Cheese Phenomenon

16:35 Colorful Ceviche and Natural Foods

17:58 Chemistry Hot Takes and Listener Questions

19:03 Cleaning Lab Counters and Acid Holes

21:10 Listener Feedback and Podcast Reflections

25:33 Impact of Politics on Science Funding

29:19 Encouraging Messages from Listeners

30:40 Supporting the Podcast and Final Thanks

References from this episode:

1. https://www.rsc.org/news-events/community/2017/jan/new-elements/

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