Chain Reaction by ACS

If you’re on social media, you may feel bombarded by influencers promoting peptides for a range of ailments so broad it almost seems like a brand-new trend. But peptide-based therapies actually date back to 1922, when insulin was first administered to treat diabetes. But it wasn’t until semaglutide (better known as Ozempic) entered the market that peptides truly captured public attention. In today’s episode, we explore how what chemists and other scientists learned from insulin paved the way for the remarkable effectiveness of GLP-1 drugs, and how treatments originally developed for diabetes are now being used to address obesity, substance use, and more.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

In the late 1950s, a tuberculosis drug was repurposed as the world’s first antidepressant. Then the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) Prozac ushered in a new era of antidepressants. Today SSRIs are some of the most widely prescribed drugs in the country, but gaps still exist in our biological understanding of mental health, the overall efficacy of antidepressants, and predicting serious side effects. In response, some scientists and physicians are turning to different classes of drugs altogether to treat depression. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

The discovery of sex hormones in the 1930s led to the development of female birth control, a widely used class of drugs that reshaped cultural norms surrounding fertility and bodily autonomy. But contraception remains largely the responsibility of women. On today’s episode: the evolution of birth control and the future of male contraception. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

Through a few serendipitous discoveries, antibiotics changed the course of history by turning deadly infections into manageable sicknesses. But it didn’t take long for  bacteria to begin outsmarting these wonder drugs. On today’s episode: The fascinating world of antibiotics and the efforts to tackle antibiotic resistance, including using AI to come up with new drugs that will only become more essential.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

You’ve likely relied on a drug at one point or another, whether it be a prescribed medication or something over the counter. The upcoming miniseries of Chain Reaction explores the history, impact, and future of major drug classes, including antibiotics, birth control, antidepressants, and GLP-1s. Margot and Sam will chat with experts about the history and scientific breakthroughs behind these medicines and the ongoing research that could shape the next generation of drugs. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

This bonus episode continues the celebration of the American Chemical Society’s 150th anniversary by spotlighting two remarkable ACS presidents whose work helped shape public health in very different ways. Hosts Margot and Shane trade stories about these pioneering chemists. 

Harvey Wiley, ACS president in the 1890s, investigated dangerous food additives like formaldehyde and borax and presided over the infamous “Poison Squad” experiments. He was part of the impetus behind the “Wiley Act,” also known as the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. 

Helen M. Free, ACS president in the 1990s, transformed urinalysis diagnostics, co-inventing the first glucose test and countless other tests. Free’s innovations made health monitoring more accessible for millions of people and her legacy continues through the ACS award that bears her name. Learn more and send in your nominations here. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

To cap off this special #ACS150 miniseries, we chat with chemistry educator, science communicator, and social media creator Kim Hilton — better known as Chemical Kim (follow @chemicalkim).

Kim reflects on her unexpected path into teaching, from struggling to understand chemistry as a college student to becoming a professor who has spent three decades helping others discover their place in STEM. The conversation explores Kim’s passion for outreach, from creating hands-on science experiences for children in hospitals and community programs to building an online audience that spans generations. Along the way, Kim explains why making chemistry accessible is not the same as making it easier, and why educators must meet learners where they are to help them succeed.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

Space is the place . . . for chemistry! ACS president-elect Chris Bodurow and three colleagues chat about the role of chemistry in space exploration and how they ended up working in such an exciting field. Luke Roberson, Ken Savin, and George Rodriguez highlight the expanding space industry, the technologies that chemistry has enabled in space, and how chemistry might change the industry in the future by, for instance, enabling long-term life-support systems. Across all conversations, one thing becomes clear: Chemistry is enabling humanity to explore, live, and innovate in space.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

ACS president Rigoberto Hernandez invites colleagues to speak about mentorship, communication, and the human side of science. One of Rigoberto’s former students, Ashley Ringer McDonald, talks about the power of multi-directional mentorship and the importance of nurturing growth and confidence in students. Michelle Francl and Rigoberto discuss the evolving role of theoretical chemistry, the need to balance basic and applied research, and the importance of communicating science in accessible, engaging ways. The episode closes with Angel Martí, who reflects on inclusive mentoring, community-building, and creating a sense of belonging to retain diverse talent in STEM. Across these conversations, a central theme emerges: science is fundamentally a human endeavor shaped by relationships, communication, and shared curiosity. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

This episode of Chain Reaction launches a special series celebrating the American Chemical Society’s 150th anniversary. Immediate past president, Dorothy Phillips, interviews three chemists whose journeys emphasize resilience, representation, and inclusion. Cary Supalo, a blind chemist, describes overcoming barriers in education and research by developing collaborative techniques and accessible technologies that allow visually impaired scientists to participate fully in chemistry. Zemen Berhe, a refugee and first-generation scholar, reflects on the importance of representation and mentorship in shaping her path to becoming a professor and supporting underrepresented students. Simon Shannon shares his transition from bench chemistry to business leadership at 3M, highlighting the value of interdisciplinary skills and diverse perspectives. Throughout, the episode underscores how mentorship, community, and increased access can help broaden participation in STEM and ensure that chemistry truly belongs to everyone.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the American Chemical Society, our upcoming miniseries features the past, present, and future presidents of ACS in conversation with colleagues about topics they’re passionate about, including mentorship, representation, and … space! 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

In the inaugural “From the Cutting Room Floor” — where we take parts of interviews that didn’t quite fit in our regular episodes — we talk about anthrax. Well not exactly… we talk about what happens with the chemicals that we use to kill anthrax. In 2001, some high profile people like news anchors and senators received mail laced with anthrax — a spore-forming bacteria that can be deadly. Afterwards, there were many spaces that had to be decontaminated. And Richard Corsi was tapped to study these decontaminants. How did they interact with indoor spaces? Where did they go? How long did they last for? When was it safe for people to return to these spaces? It was a multi-year study that helped explain why sometimes the spaces deemed safe after decontamination still caused harm. 

Enjoy the episode? Please rate and review us! And, as always, if you have ideas email chainreaction@acs.org

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

Pollution is only one way humans are altering our planet. There’s climate change, sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and much more. Earth system scientists, including biological oceanographer Katherine Richardson, developed the nine planetary boundaries, a framework to understand what Earth systems are critical for life, and what will happen if human-caused changes to our planet continue. Katherine unpacks these boundaries, revealing how chemistry sits at the heart of both the problems and solutions to the equilibrium of many of these critical systems. It’s a sobering yet hopeful look at humanity’s future on a finite planet. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

Water and air pollution may capture the headlines, but there’s another threat looming beneath our feet: soil. We farm on it, build cities on it, and pull water from it. But pollutants from industrial waste, mining, and trash settle in soil, wreaking havoc on existing ecosystems and threatening our food and water supply. Soil and environmental chemist Owen Duckworth shares how chemists study soil, the unique qualities of soil pollutants, and the role chemists play in protecting public health. 

After understanding what’s polluting our soil, then comes the difficult task of cleaning up those pollutants. Biogeochemist William Burgos discusses the little known world of soil remediation, including storing waste in landfills or allowing adaptable microbes to slowly remediate pollutants on their own. This episode transports you to the Superfund sites, old mining caves, and acid pits where waste hides away, and reveals chemistry’s role in understanding — and fixing — soil pollution. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

We live in a watery world; 71% of Earth is covered in water. But humans have polluted Earth’s water for decades with pollutants like plastic, oil, and drugs. Marine chemist Chris Reddy guides us through what happens to the ocean during human-caused spills – from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to the X-Press Pearl plastic spill – and how the ocean recovers. 

But our oceans aren’t the only waters at risk of human-caused pollution. Analytical chemist Carrie McDonough transports us to the water in our taps and the ‘forever chemicals’ lurking in them. She demystifies PFAS chemicals, explaining where they come from, where they end up, and the dangers they pose to our environment and human health. This episode is a whirling adventure through the world of water, including the analytical tools chemists use to study it and the looming public health threat of polluted water. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

In the first episode of our series on pollution, we’re turning to the very thing necessary for human life: air. Environmental engineer Pete DeCarlo introduces us first to the tools chemists use to study the air, including the early innovations by chemist Arnold Beckman. These tools alarmed us to the problem of air pollution and its impact on human health, from the smog derived from cars in Los Angeles to the gases escaping from factories in Louisiana, the home of Cancer Alley, an 85-mile industrial stretch between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. 

But the threat of air pollution doesn’t just exist outside. During the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists (and the world) woke up to the viruses and particles polluting the air in our homes, office buildings, and schools. Indoor air quality engineer Richard Corsi urges that this indoor air pollution is a public health issue and that cleaning our air through proper ventilation is the way to mitigate this issue. He even created a low-cost way to filter indoor air that you can make at home. This episode is packed with public health crises, ingenious scientific inventions to analyze the unseen, and calls for cleaner air for the health of humanity. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

In this miniseries, Chain Reaction takes listeners on a sweeping journey through the hidden chemistry of pollution—above us, around us, and beneath our feet.

The series begins with the air we breathe, tracing how chemists developed tools to detect invisible pollutants and how those discoveries revealed major public health crises, from urban smog and industrial emissions to the often‑overlooked danger of polluted indoor air.

From the sky, the story flows into water, where marine and analytical chemists unravel how things like plastics and “forever chemicals” move through oceans and drinking water, threatening ecosystems and human health alike. 

Then the focus shifts downward, to soil to explore how pollutants accumulate underground and how chemists tackle the complex challenge of remediation.

Finally, we will zoom out to look at the planet as a whole and the systems we need to protect most.

Together, these episodes reveal pollution as a deeply interconnected chemical problem—and show how chemistry is key to understanding, mitigating, and ultimately repairing our planet. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

In this special bonus episode of Chain Reaction, meet the voices behind the American Chemical Society’s newest chemistry podcast. Host and producer Margot Wohl and executive producer Sam Jones introduce themselves, share their journeys from science research to science communication, and explain why Chain Reaction by ACS exists in the first place.

Sam talks about launching ACS’s long‑running podcast Tiny Matters and her path from biomedical research to podcasting, while Margot shares her background in neuroscience and animal behavior, and her long‑standing love of audio storytelling.

Along the way, you'll hear about butterfly genitals that sense light, an egg‑shaped electric car designed by a dentist, and learn about upcoming miniseries on medicines, energy and transportation, and pollution.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

For 150 years, the American Chemical Society has been a pillar of the chemistry field, supporting students and professionals through major world events and scientific developments. The 2025 president of ACS, Dorothy Phillips, joins to discuss the future of the society while also bringing us along on her trailblazing journey through chemistry. 

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

For centuries, chemistry in the United States was for one kind of a person: The white man. But now, after decades of progress, chemistry is more inclusive than ever.

Historian Laura Puaca reveals how wars, feminist movements, and shifting societal expectations opened long‑closed doors for women in science. As feminism changed women's role in chemistry, other social movements were advancing the causes of minority scientists. Chemist and educator Sibrina Collins highlights the stories of early Black chemists, the vital role of HBCUs, and the creation of NOBCChE to provide community and opportunity amid systemic exclusion. And chemistry lecturer Barbara Belmont recounts the fight for LGBTQ+ visibility in chemistry, leading to the creation of Out to Innovate and ACS’s LGBTQ+ Chemists and Allies Subdivision. Together, their stories show how representation, advocacy, and community continue to reshape the chemical enterprise.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

Chemistry doesn’t just shape conflict — conflict shapes chemistry. And at no time in history is that more apparent than during the two world wars. Historian Alison McManus recounts how the race to weaponize toxic gases like chlorine and mustard gas transformed chemists into key military players, spurred industrial growth, and ignited an international arms race during WWI. 

However, some battles of the world wars weren’t waged against an opposing army, but against diseases that soldiers caught while in combat. Journalist Karen Masterson reveals how WWII triggered a massive scientific mobilization — a secret, high‑stakes search for synthetic quinine and antimalarial drugs that would ultimately help seed the modern pharmaceutical industry. Packed with espionage, innovation, and ethical dilemmas, this episode uncovers how war accelerated chemistry in ways that still shape science today.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

In this debut episode of Chain Reaction, we go on a thrilling journey through the earliest chapters of chemistry’s history starting with the quest to make gold from abundant metals. Chemical historian Larry Principe guides us through the winding past of alchemy – its evolution across Greek, Islamic, and European traditions, and the secrecy, symbolism, and ambition that defined the craft. From coded manuscripts to the social politics that ultimately pushed alchemy underground, Larry reveals how hands-on experimentation shaped the scientific mindset we now take for granted.

Then the episode fast-forwards through centuries of discovery – from identifying elements, to early gas experiments, to the birth of the periodic table, to the atomic revolution – guided by science writers Sam Kean and Cathy Cobb. It’s a whirlwind introduction to how humans learned to understand, categorize, and ultimately master matter.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction

Introducing Chain Reaction, a podcast by the American Chemical Society that links chemistry's past to its future, revealing how this ever‑evolving science shapes the world around us — from the materials we use every day to the environment that we depend on. Each episode brings fresh perspectives and personal stories from chemists, engineers, and other scientists, as well as historians who guide us through pivotal moments in chemistry’s history. Together, we’ll uncover chemistry’s surprising connections, explore its interdisciplinary impact, and see how past discoveries set off the breakthroughs of today and the future. Whether you’re a student, an experienced scientist, or simply curious, Chain Reaction will show you how chemistry fits into the bigger picture — and why it matters now more than ever.

Transcripts and episode sources at acs.org/chainreaction