Stereo Chemistry

In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, host Craig Bettenhausen speaks with C&EN Editor, Ananya Palivela, about her featured article about a recent breakthrough in quantum computing. Together, they talk about IBM's benchmark collaboration with two research laboratories and how it may change the way we look at the Quantum Realm. You can find the link to the article here.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Executive producer: David Anderson

Host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Ananya Palivela

Video + Audio Producer: David Anderson, Jeremy Barr

Episode artwork: Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Music: Commercial Flow, Shutterstock

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org

In this bonus episode of Stereo Chemistry, we are featuring a panel discussion from this year's ACS Spring Meeting. Our panelists, Mohamed Ateia Ibrahim, Ann Lee-Jeffs, Juliana Vidal, and Adelina Voutchkova-Kostal discuss the future of chemistry designing out chemistry pollution, outlining key opportunities and challenges and share how all chemists can advance a more sustainable, less wasteful enterprise. Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Credits Executive producer: David Anderson Hosts: Christine Dell'Amore, Liam Conlon Panelists: Mohamed Ateia Ibrahim, Ann Lee-Jeffs, Juliana Vidal, Adelina Voutchkova-Kostal Audio Producer: Jeremy Barr Episode artwork: American Chemical Society Music: Shutterstock Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, host Craig Bettenhausen speaks with C&EN Editor, Fionna Samuels, about her featured article detailing a recent breakthrough coming from the Hanford Site: nuclear waste vitrification. Together, they delve into the history of one of the most notorious nuclear production facilities as well as look forward to the future of nuclear energy, waste management, and public transparency. You can find the link to the article here.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Executive producer: David Anderson

Host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Fionna Samuels

Video + Audio Producer: David Anderson, Jeremy Barr

Episode artwork: Robley L. Johnson

Music: Commercial Flow, Shutterstock

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, host Craig Bettenhausen speaks with C&EN Editor, Chris Gorski, as well as graphic artist and freelance illustrator, Ryan Inzana, about their collaborative efforts to make one of C&EN's most innovative articles to date. This illustrative and immersive article dives into the funds behind some of the chemical industry's most impactful discoveries throughout the centuries. Spanning from early records of Alchemical Experiments to the modern day innovations powered by Artificial Intelligence. You can find the link to the article here.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Executive producer: David Anderson

Host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Chris Gorski

Video + Audio Producer: David Anderson, Jeremy Barr

Episode artwork: Ryan Inzana

Music: Commercial Flow, Shutterstock

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Little was publicly known about the first Black scientist to codiscover an element.

Chemists may know James Harris as the first Black scientist to be credited with codiscovering an element. In fact, we referenced this in a previous episode of Stereo Chemistry about making superheavy elements. But beyond this memorable factoid, details about this accomplished nuclear chemist are scarce, and most sources repeat the same superficial information. Kristen Frederick-Frost, curator of modern science at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, wants to change that. After discovering that the museum's database lacked material on Harris, she scoured archival records and sought out former colleagues, friends, and family members to fill in details of his life and career. In this bonus episode of Stereo Chemistry, host Kerri Jansen and special guest Darryl Boyd join Frederick-Frost to explore Harris's story beyond the discoveries that made him famous. And we even get an unexpected peek into his lab, courtesy of the US National Archives.

Boyd, a polymer chemist, previously researched James Harris while writing a short article for C&EN's "Black Chemists You Should Know About."

Listen to our April 2019 Stereo Chemistry episode "If You Want to Change the Element, You Have to Change the Nucleus."

Read the Ebony magazine profile about James Harris.

Read about James Harris's experiments with element 104.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, host Craig Bettenhausen speaks with C&EN Policy and Regulation reporter, Delger Erdenesanaa, about her article talking about the trials and takeaways of the 30th annual United Nations climate summit. Check out Delger's story on COP30 and the proposed biobased climate solutions and how they may impact the future of the chemical industry and the world.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Executive producer: David Anderson

Host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Delger Erdenesanaa

Video + Audio Producer: David Anderson, Jeremy Barr

Episode artwork: Andre Penner/Associated Press

Music: Commercial Flow, Shutterstock

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.

In the third episode of our second season, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three historical moments that ultimately led to our current understanding of antibiotic resistance. They also bring in C&EN reporter Rowan Walrath to offer a glimpse into a doomsday-scenario future when antibiotics are no longer effective.

Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.

In this episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale charge up the time machine to relive three historical moments that led to the lithium-ion battery. They also bring in C&EN reporter Prachi Patel to discuss the shortcomings of lithium-ion batteries, whether we're facing a lithium shortage, and new battery chemistry still on the horizon. Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.

In the second episode of our second season, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three historical moments that ultimately led to scientists being able to edit genes. They also bring in C&EN reporter Max Barnhart to offer a glimpse into the future of gene editing technology.

Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In the first episode of our second season, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three historical moments that led to blockbuster drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. They also talk with C&EN reporter Aayushi Pratap about how future GLP-1 drugs may expand on the current slate of options.

C&EN's latest podcast, Inflection Point, leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this new show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.

Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, Uncovered hops back to the first episode of C&EN's StereoChemistry, which delved into the materials that won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Reporter Matt Davenport spoke with now-laureate Omar Yaghi and a handful of other researchers in and around this exciting subfield of chemistry. For more from C&EN on MOFs, check out our MOF topic page. Similarly, to read more about this year's Nobel Prizes, and look back at other years, we have a topic page for that as well. Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Credits Executive producer: David Anderson Host: Craig Bettenhausen Reporters: Matt Davenport, Mitch Jacoby Audio Producer: David Anderson, Jeremy Barr, Matt Davenport Episode artwork: H2MOF Music: 'Commercial Flow', Shutterstock ––– 'Inflection', Jeremy Barr Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

The 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded on Oct. 8 to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for their work on metal organic frameworks (MOFs). Senior editor Prachi Patel joins a bonus episode of Stereo Chemistry to discuss what MOFs are, why they are so useful, and how they were discovered.

Check out Prachi's story on how MOFs won this year's prize at cenm.ag/chemnobel2025.

Listen to our 2018 Stereo Chemistry episode on MOFs here: http://cenm.ag/moftalk

Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Executive producer: David Anderson

Host: Gina Vitale

Reporter: Prachi Patel

Audio editor: Jeremy Barr

Music: Shutterstock

Episode artwork: Lingmei Liu et al.

Episode artwork source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42004-020-00361-6

Will Skeletal Editing revolutionize the way we see chemical interactions?

In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, host Craig Bettenhausen speaks with C&EN associate editor, Brianna Barbu, about her article diving into the new and exciting frontier of Skeletal Editing. Check out Brianna's story on Skeletal Editing and how it may impact the future of the chemical industry.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Signal Awards Voting (Inflection Point)

Limited Series & Specials, Best Co-Host Team: Click here to check out and vote for the finalists

Limited Series & Specials, Science & Education: Click here to check out and vote for the finalists

Executive producer: David Anderson

Host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Brianna Barbu

Video + Audio Producer: David Anderson, Jeremy Barr

Episode artwork: Christian Gralingen

Music: 'Commercial Flow', Shutterstock ––– 'Inflection', Jeremy Barr

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

In this bonus episode of Stereo Chemistry, we are featuring a panel discussion from this year's ACS Fall Meeting. Our panelists, Stefan France, Glory Onajobi-Lee, Victor Olet, and John Gavenonis discuss the future of chemistry degrees, the importance of collaboration, and the fluidity of tech-based skills in the chemical industry at large.

We are actively seeking new topics, discussions, and formats for 2026 ACS Future of Chemistry Events. Please use this link to tell us how we're doing and make some recommendations for next year's events. Thank you!

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Executive producer: David Anderson

Host: Laura Howes

Panelists: Stefan France, Glory Onajobi-Lee, Victor Olet, John Gavenonis

Audio Producer: Jeremy Barr

Episode artwork: American Chemical Society

Music: Commercial Flow, Shutterstock

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Can the world's top 50 chemical firms bounce back from a global economic downturn?

In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, host Craig Bettenhausen speaks with C&EN senior correspondent, Alexander Tullo, about his coverage of C&EN's Global Top 50 Chemical Firms list. Uncovered offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories pulled from the pages of Chemical & Engineering News. Check out Alex's story on the world's top 50 chemical firms.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Executive producer: David Anderson

Host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Alexander Tullo

Video + Audio Producer: Jeremy Barr

Episode artwork: Will Ludwig

Music: Commercial Flow, Shutterstock

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three historical moments that were meaningful to the development of quantum computers. They also bring in C&EN reporter Mitch Jacoby to discuss scientific advances enabled by quantum chemistry.

C&EN's Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this new show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.

Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Are we on the cusp of a new era of Biochemical discovery?

In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, host Craig Bettenhausen speaks with C&EN reporter Max Barnhart about his recent C&EN cover story on the frontiers of bioprospecting for new antibiotics. Uncovered offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories pulled from the pages of Chemical & Engineering News. Check out Max's story on the recent advancements of Bioprospecting.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Executive producer: David Anderson

Host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Max Barnhart

Video + Audio Producer: Jeremy Barr

Episode artwork: Madeline Monroe

Music: Commercial Flow, Shutterstock

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Inflection Point leans on C&EN's 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this new show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.

In our second episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three events that ultimately led to the proliferation of PFAS. They also bring in C&EN reporter Britt Erickson to analyze how these 'forever chemicals' could shape our future.

Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Can climate catastrophe be stymied by tweaking seawater chemistry?

In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, host Craig Bettenhausen speaks with C&EN reporter Fionna Samuels about her recent C&EN cover story concerning Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) as a method to combat climate change by increasing ocean alkalinity to absorb more CO2. Uncovered offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories pulled from the pages of Chemical & Engineering News. Check out Fionna's story on engineering our oceans to mitigate the effects of Climate Change.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Executive Producer: David Anderson

Host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Fionna Samuels

Video + Audio Producer: Jeremy Barr

Episode artwork: Michael Sswat

Music: Commercial Flow, Shutterstock

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

The drug industry may finally phase out using horseshoe crab blood. What took so long?

In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, host Craig Bettenhausen speaks with C&EN assistant editor Laurel Oldach about the use of horseshoe crab blood in pharmaceutical endotoxin testing, the challenges of transitioning to synthetic alternatives, and the regulatory hurdles involved.

Stereo Chemistry offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories pulled from the pages of Chemical & Engineering News. Check out Laurel's story on the fight over horseshoe crab blood at https://cen.acs.org/safety/drug-safety/Turning-tides-endotoxin-testing/102/i34.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The new podcast Inflection Point leans on C&EN's 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this new show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.

In our first episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three events that ultimately led to the development of green hydrogen. They also bring in C&EN reporter Craig Bettenhausen to analyze how this emerging technology could shape our future.

Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A transcript of this episode can be found here.

The COVID-19 pandemic put the importance of indoor air quality in stark relief. The air in schools was of particular concern, and that concern spurred collaboration between researchers and school staff to find interventions to improve air quality to safeguard the health of students and staff. Data from indoor air monitors revealed that filter-based portable air cleaners were effective at removing airborne particulates. Ongoing research and monitoring will determine whether this effort is making a beneficial health impact and will be used to decide how to manage indoor air quality going forward. C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories. Check out the full story about air quality monitoring in schools at cenm.ag/airqualityinschools.

Cover photo: Undergraduate student Ricardo Reyes collects air quality measurements from the back of a classroom in Colorado.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A transcript of this episode will be available soon at cen.acs.org.

Credits

Executive producer: David Anderson

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Fionna Samuels

Audio editor: Ted Woods

Copyeditor: Brian Vickers

Episode artwork: Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado Boulder

Music: "Hot Chocolate," by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

On Oct. 9, the 2024 Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John M. Jumper for their work in prediction and design of protein structures. C&EN's executive editor for life sciences, Laura Howes, joins a special episode of Stereo Chemistry to discuss why the trio won, the significance of their work around proteins, and how she accurately predicted the win in C&EN's annual "Who Will Win?" webinar.

Stereo Chemistry offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories pulled from the pages of Chemical & Engineering News. Check out Laura's story on how these computational chemists won this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry at cenm.ag/chemnobel2024.

In the 20th century, corporate powerhouses like Bell Labs and DuPont Central Research funded R&D from their balance sheets, creating a clear path for postdoctoral scientists to innovate beyond their university research. In 2024, with the decay of corporate laboratories, graduates are taking the commercial start-up route more and more. C&EN, business reporter Matt Blois discusses several such start-ups, exploring how the founders are making the transition from PhD to CEO and mapping the various routes they've taken to secure funding to continue their research.

C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories. Check out Matt's story on how PhDs are learning to become CEOs at cenm.ag/chementrepreneurs

Cover photo: Laura Stoy inside a laboratory at Rivalia Chemical

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A transcript of this episode is available at cen.acs.org.

Credits

Executive producer: David Anderson

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Matt Blois

Audio editor: Ted Woods

Copyeditor: Bran Vickers

Episode artwork: Jim Prisching

Music: "Hot Chocolate," by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

On average, from 2011 to 2021, academic labs generated around 4,300 metric tons of hazardous waste each year. One of the largest lab-used solvents discarded is dichloromethane and more than half of that waste ends up burned. In today's episode, policy reporters Krystal Vasquez and Leigh Krietsch Boerner dive into the processes academic labs use to dispose of said waste, the consequences of new EPA regulations around dichloromethane, and what solutions academic institutions are coming up with to accommodate these new rules.

C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories. Check out Krystal's story on the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations regarding dichloromethane at https://cenm.ag/dcmregs and check out Leigh's story about solvent waste disposal in academic laboratories at https://cenm.ag/wastedisposal.

Cover photo: Lab solvents C&EN July 15th cover photo

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A transcript of this episode will be available soon at cen.acs.org.

Credits

Executive producer(s): Gina Vitale, David Anderson

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter(s): Krystal Vasquez, Leigh Krietsch Boerner

Audio editor: Ted Woods

Copyeditor: Bran Vickers

Episode artwork: Will Ludwig

Music: "Hot Chocolate," by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org

Tragedies in the communities of Flint, Michigan, and East Palestine, Ohio, continue to affect residents 10 years and 1 year on, respectively, from the initial events. Residents of both cities continue to rebound and rebuild despite ongoing issues revolving around the toxic chemicals that were introduced to their towns through human decisions.

C&EN physical sciences reporter Priyanka Runwal traveled to both Flint and East Palestine to speak with residents about how they are recovering, how the actions of their representatives have fallen short, and their hopes to return to something of a "normal" existence in the future.

C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories. Check out Priyanka's cover story on Flint after 10 years at cenm.ag/flint; Check out Priyanka's cover story on East Palestine at cenm.ag/eastpalestine

Cover photo: Residents of Flint, Michigan, march arm in arm as they demand justice and accountability for their community 10 years from the beginning of the water crisis.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A transcript of this episode will be available soon at cen.acs.org.

Credits

Executive producer: Gina Vitale

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Priyanka Runwal

Audio editor: Ted Woods

Copyeditor: Bran Vickers

Story editor: Laura Howes

Episode artwork: Brittany Greeson

Music: "Hot Chocolate," by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of chemicals known as PFAS, are often called "forever chemicals" because of how long they persist in the environment. They are prevalent in drinking water and have been linked to negative health outcomes.

A slew of cleantech start-ups are cropping up with the aim of breaking down and destroying PFAS molecules. In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, reporter Britt Erickson explores the technologies behind these companies and the competition among them.

C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories. Check out Britt's cover story on the destruction techniques for these "forever chemicals" at cenm.ag/foreverchemicals.

Cover photo: Argon gas plasma, which can break down PFAS, on the surface of liquid water

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A transcript of this episode is available now at cen.acs.org.

Credits

Executive producer: Gina Vitale

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Britt Erickson

Audio editor: Ted Woods

Copyeditor: Bran Vickers

Story editor: Michael McCoy

Episode artwork: Courtesy of Selma Mededovic Thagard/Clarkson University

Music: "Hot Chocolate," by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

As the science of drug discovery has grown in scale and gotten more complicated, so have the drug molecules themselves. But there's a promising class of drugs made of just a handful of atoms that punch above their weight by leveraging the natural chemistry of the cell.

Recent discoveries have opened up a new era of pharmaceutical chemistry that some people are calling a golden age. In this episode of C&EN Uncovered, reporter Laura Howes explains this exciting field of research and its implications for the drugs of the future.

C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories. Check out Laura's cover story on small-molecule drugs at cenm.ag/smallmol.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A transcript of this episode is available at cenm.ag/smallmolpod.

Credits

Executive producer: Gina Vitale

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Laura Howes

Audio editor: Brian Gutierrez

Copyeditor: Bran Vickers

Story editor: Mitch Jacoby

Episode artwork: Chris Gash

Music: "Hot Chocolate," by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Resting on the bottom of the ocean are potato-sized nodules of valuable minerals that are more or less up for grabs. Multiple corporations and some nations are racing to build deep-sea drones that can withstand the extreme conditions at the seafloor and bring these 1-20 cm nodules to eager buyers on the surface.

Many of the metals in these nodules are critical for green technologies like batteries. But these nodules are also an important part of ecosystems we are just beginning to understand. In this episode, C&EN reporter Priyanka Runwal chats with host Craig Bettenhausen about this complex issue.

C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories. Check out Runwal's full story at cenm.ag/seafloormine.

For more about mining the oceans, check out this episode of Stereo Chemistry from earlier this year about filtering minerals directly out of the water: cenm.ag/ocean

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A transcript of this episode is available at cenm.ag/deapsea.

Credits

Executive producer: Gina Vitale

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Priyanka Runwal

Audio editor: Brian Gutierrez

Copyeditor: Bran Vickers

Story editor: Laura Howes

Episode artwork: Diva Amon/Craig Smith/University of Hawaii

Music: "Hot Chocolate," by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

The Nobel Prize announcements are big events at Chemical & Engineering News. But we find out the winners at the same time as everyone else.

Then, the race is on for our reporters.

This year, staffers Laurel Oldach and Mitch Jacoby took on the task of covering the science prizes. In this episode, they reflect on this year's winning research in chemistry and medicine and share what it's like covering the most prestigious prizes in science.

C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories. Check out our reporting on the 2023 Nobel Prizes at https://cen.acs.org/magazine/101/10133.html.

Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A transcript of this episode is available at cenm.ag/nobelpod23

Credits

Executive producer: Gina Vitale

Host: Gina Vitale

Reporters: Mitch Jacoby and Laura Oldach

Audio editor: Brian Gutierrez

Copyeditor: Bran Vickers

Story editor: Chris Gorski

Episode artwork: Milad Abolhasani/NCSU

Music: "Hot Chocolate," by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

The first issue of C&EN was published in 1923 with the stated purpose of "the promotion of research, the development of the chemical industry, and the welfare of the chemist."

The world of chemistry has grown a lot since then, and the magazine has been there to report on it all.

To celebrate our 100th anniversary, C&EN reporter and informal historian Alex Tullo has sifted through thousands of issues of the magazine, and in this episode, he guides our host Craig Bettenhausen on a tour through the magazine's history from the industrialization of plastics, to the environmental movement, to the modern era of digital publication.

When this episode was recorded, Tullo was preparing the From the Archives feature for the 1980s, which is now published.

C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories. Read Alex's entire series about the C&EN archives at cenm.ag/fromthearchives.

A transcript of this episode can be found at http://cenm.ag/100yearspod.

Credits

Executive producer: Gina Vitale

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Alex Tullo

Audio editor: Brian Gutierrez

Copyeditor: Bran Vickers

Story editor: Manny I. Fox Morone

Episode artwork: Shutterstock/Kay Youn/Will Ludwig/C&EN

Music: "Hot Chocolate" by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Early-career scientists are increasingly gravitating toward science policy, but the transition from the research bench to the policy office can be a tricky one. What can that path look like, and how can chemistry knowledge translate into a successful science policy career? In this bonus episode of C&EN's Bonding Time, Mark Feuer DiTusa sits down with recent science PhD graduates and science policy professionals Jennifer DiStefano and Jared Mondschein to hear about their intertwined journeys, what science policy looks like for them, and how they think policy is shaping the direction of chemistry in the US.

You can find the episode where we spoke with six chemists about their yearlong science policy fellowships in Washington, DC, at http://cenm.ag/lessons.

You can connect with Jennifer DiStefano and Jared Mondschein at their LinkedIn pages.

A transcript of this episode can be found at http://cenm.ag/scipolicy

Credits

Executive producer: Gina Vitale

Writer: Mark Feuer DiTusa

Audio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusa, Brian Gutierrez

Story editor: Ariana Remmel

Copyeditor: Sabrina Ashwell, Michael McCoy

Show logo design: William A. Ludwig

Episode artwork: William A. Ludwig

Music (in order of appearance): "The Beat Detector" by Novembers, "Sugar Cubes" by Avner Kelmer

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Hydrogen might be the key to a clean energy future, but only if it can be made without fossil fuels. Most hydrogen today is made from methane.

With generous government tax credits and enthusiasm for sustainable technology, the race is on for green hydrogen.

Craig Bettenhausen, our usual host, guides C&EN associate editor Gina Vitale through the hydrogen rainbow and how the periodic table's number 1 element could become the number 1 fuel.

C&EN Uncovered, a new project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent cover stories. Read Bettenhausen's July 3, 2023, cover story about hydrogen electrolyzers at cenm.ag/hydrolyzers.

A transcript of this episode is available at cenm.ag/greenhydrogen.

Credits

Executive producer: Gina Vitale

Host: Gina Vitale

Cover story reporter: Craig Bettenhausen

Audio editor: Brian Gutierrez

Story editor: Michael McCoy

Copyeditor: Sabrina Ashwell

Show logo design: William A. Ludwig

Episode artwork: Nel

Music: "Hot Chocolate" by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

The modern world runs on electronic devices and energy systems that are powered by valuable elements such as lithium and uranium. There are a limited number of terrestrial mines that produce energy-critical elements, which makes the supply of these materials prone to disruption. So researchers are looking to an unconventional source: seawater. Almost every element on the periodic table can be found in global oceans–but most are dissolved in ultralow concentrations. In this episode of Stereo Chemistry, we'll hear from scientists in the United States and European Union about why they're interested in extracting metals and minerals from seawater and how they're using chemistry to do it.

A transcript of this episode will be available soon at cen.acs.org.

Download the Chemistry News by C&EN mobile app for iOS and Android.

Learn more about lithium mining from our September 2022 episode.

Credits

Producers: Ariana Remmel, Kerri JansenWriter: Mitch JacobyAudio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusaStory editors: Gina Vitale, Craig BettenhausenCopyeditor: Sabrina AshwellShow logo design: William A. LudwigEpisode artwork: Shutterstock/C&EN StaffMusic (in order of appearance): "Daydream" by Ikoliks, "Distance" by Daniel BrownSound effects (in order of appearance): "Small waves, rocks and beach" from BigSoundBank.com

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Be they powered by fossil fuels, batteries, or hydrogen, cars are here to stay. So what can be done to make tires greener? In this episode of Stereo Chemistry, C&EN reporters Alex Scott and Craig Bettenhausen look at where the rubber meets the road, literally. Scott examined efforts to make tires more sustainable in a recent cover story for C&EN. He found people working on the movement and fate of tiny specks of tire-and-asphalt dust in the environment as well as large-scale efforts to shift to biobased and recycled raw materials when making new tires.

C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers another look at subjects from recent cover stories. Read Scott's May 29th, 2023, cover story about how the tire industry is pushing to become more sustainable at https://bit.ly/42MMseA.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Kw5gID.

Credits

Executive producer: Gina Vitale

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Cover story reporter: Alex Scott

Audio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusa

Story editor: Michael McCoy, Ariana Remmel, Laura Howes

Copyeditor: Sabrina Ashwell

Show logo design: William A. Ludwig

Episode artwork: Pyrum Innovations

Music: "Hot Chocolate" by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

When two wastewater treatment facilities in Baltimore, Maryland, broke down in early 2021, the surrounding waterways began filling up with sewage. In this episode of Stereo Chemistry, C&EN business reporter Craig Bettenhausen takes the pod to visit the Back River Plant and Patapsco Plant in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to demystify how these facilities treat wastewater and take a deep dive into the chemistry behind enhanced nutrient removal systems. Chemical engineers, environmental advocates, and infrastructure experts explore what happens to aquatic ecosystems when wastewater treatment systems fail–and share their perspectives on reimagining wastewater as a chemical treasure trove in the future.

Listen to our bonus episode with Kerri Jansen here: cenm.ag/jansen-podcast

A transcript of this episode is available at https://cenm.ag/treatment.

Credits

Producers: Ariana Remmel, Kerri Jansen; Writer: Craig Bettenhausen; Audio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusa; Story editors: Ariana Remmel, Gina Vitale, Chris Gorski, Mike McCoy; Copyeditor: Sydney Smith; Show logo design: William A. Ludwig; Episode artwork: Craig Bettenhausen; Music (in order of appearance): "Refuge" by Walz, "Lunch Time" by Avner Kelmer

Stereo Chemistry's longtime host Kerri Jansen is stepping down from her role as executive producer of the podcast. Jansen has been with Stereo Chemistry since it began in 2018, and has played an integral role in the production of C&EN's flagship podcast. In this bonus episode, Jansen talks with C&EN's interim coeditors for audio & video, Ariana Remmel and Gina Vitale, about some of her favorite episodes from the Stereo Chemistry archives.

A transcript of this episode is now available at https://cenm.ag/jansen-podcast.

Listen to some of Kerri's favorite Stereo Chemistry episodes:

How helium shortages have changed science

Lithium mining's water use sparks bitter conflicts and novel chemistry

Nobel laureates Frances Arnold and Jennifer Doudna on prizes, pandemics, and Jimmy Page

A world without Rosalind Franklin

Why chemists are excited by exascale computing

There's more to James Harris's story

Credits Producers/hosts: Ariana Remmel, Gina Vitale; Audio editor: Ariana Remmel, Mark Feuer DiTusa; Story editor: Michael McCoy, Krystal Vasquez; Copyeditor: Brianna Barbu; Logo design: William A. Ludwig; Episode artwork: Shutterstock/C&EN Staff; Music (in order of appearance): "Deer Dance" by Ian Post, "Hot Chocolate" by Aves, and "Sunbeam" by EFGR. Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Carbon capture and sequestration is the trapping of CO2 emitted by industrial processes and depositing it beneath the Earth's surface. Spurred on by tax credits offered by recent federal legislation, companies are racing to implement the technology in geologically suitable locations such as in Louisiana.However, the community around Lake Maurepas, Louisiana, has resisted efforts by Air Products to greenlight such a project under the lake. In this episode, C&EN reporters Craig Bettenhausen and Rick Mullin discuss the fears of the community around the implementation of carbon capture and sequestration around Lake Maurepas and the response from Air Products.C&EN Uncovered, a new project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers another look at subjects from recent cover stories. Read Mullin's April 2nd, 2023, cover story about carbon capture and sequestration around Lake Maurepas at https://bit.ly/3W4lbCE.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/uncoveredlakemaurepas.

Credits

Executive producer: Gina Vitale

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Cover story reporter: Rick Mullin

Audio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusa

Story editor: Michael McCoy, Ariana Remmel

Copyeditor: Michele Arboit

Show logo design: William A. Ludwig

Episode artwork: Julie Dermansky

Music: "Hot Chocolate" by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

UPDATE The episode description was updated on May 18, 2023, to include words that were accidentally omitted in the sentence about geologically suitable locations. The example location of Louisiana was originally missing.

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries are cheaper, safer, and longer lasting than batteries made with nickel- and cobalt-based cathodes. In China, the streets are full of electric vehicles using this technology. But LFP never caught on as a chemistry for electric vehicle batteries in North America. In this episode, C&EN reporters Craig Bettenhausen and Matt Blois talk about the promise and risks of bringing lithium iron phosphate to a North American market.C&EN Uncovered, a new project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers another look at subjects from recent cover stories. Read Blois's Jan. 30, 2023, cover story about lithium iron phosphate at http://bit.ly/3nbMkpK.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3lzGtKy.

Credits

Executive producer: Kerri Jansen

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Cover story reporter: Matt Blois

Audio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusa

Story editor: Michael McCoyCopyeditor: Sabrina Ashwell

Show logo design: William A. Ludwig

Episode artwork: David Girai Photography

Music: "Hot Chocolate" by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Researchers reported finding microplastics in drinking water nearly 5 years ago, prompting California lawmakers to require monitoring of the state's drinking water for the tiny particles. But in 2018, there were no standard methods for analyzing microplastics. So California regulators reached out to chemists and toxicologists from all sectors to develop those methods. They also sought assistance in developing a health-based limit to help consumers understand what the monitoring results mean for their health. In this episode of Stereo Chemistry, we will hear from some of the scientists leading those groundbreaking efforts.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/41g6uPa.

Credits

Executive producer/host: Kerri Jansen

Writer: Britt Erickson

Audio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusa

Story editors: Jyllian Kemsley, Michael McCoy, Ariana Remmel

Audience editor: Dorea I. Reeser

Copyeditor: Sabrina Ashwell, Heather Holt

Logo design: William A. Ludwig

Episode artwork: Shutterstock

Music (in order of appearance): "The Process" by Kevin Graham, "Goodness Gracious" by Louis Adrien

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a supercomputer named Frontier has broken the exascale computing barrier, meaning it can calculate more than a million trillion floating-point operations per second. In this episode, C&EN reporters Craig Bettenhausen and Ariana Remmel discuss how Frontier works and what that kind of power could mean for computational chemistry.C&EN Uncovered, a new project from C&EN's podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent cover stories. Read Remmel's Sept. 5, 2022, cover story about exascale computing at https://bit.ly/3RkPjr6.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HNK1S0.

Credits

Stereo Chemistry executive producer: Kerri Jansen C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen Audio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusa Copyeditor: Sabrina J. Ashwell Additional review: Dorea Reeser, Manny I. Fox Morone, Michael Torrice Episode artwork: Matt Chinworth Music: "Hot Chocolate" by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

In this bonus episode of C&EN's Bonding Time, we hear from 2022 chemistry Nobel laureates Carolyn Bertozzi and K. Barry Sharpless, who shared the prize along with Morten Meldal for their work on click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry. After a November symposium honoring the US-based Nobel awardees at the Embassy of Sweden in Washington, DC, the two chemists discussed their long history of collaboration, how winning the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has changed their lives, and how they hope to use the spotlight to break down barriers within science.

A transcript of this episode is available at bit.ly/3BiU3GZ.

To learn even more about this year's Nobel-winning science, listen to our October bonus episode about the prize at bit.ly/3iJ1iSc.

Credits Executive producer/host: Kerri Jansen Writer: Gina Vitale Audio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusa Story editor: Michael Torrice Copyeditor: Sabrina Ashwell Logo design: William A. Ludwig Episode artwork: Laura Morton (Bertozzi); Sandy Huffaker (Sharpless)/C&EN Music: "Street Dreams" by Julian Hartwell

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

The 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Carolyn Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and K. Barry Sharpless for their development of click and bioorthogonal chemistry which are used by chemists around the world to track biological processes and produce pharmaceuticals. In this special episode of Stereo Chemistry, hosts Gina Vitale and Ariana Remmel delve into the science behind the prize and talk with organic chemist Antoni Riera to discuss the applications of the award-winning chemistry. C&EN contributor Mark Peplow also joins the Stereo Chemistry crew to talk about his conversation with Nobel Laureate Carolyn Bertozzi.

Read more about this award-winning science in Mark Peplow's article about the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: https://cen.acs.org/people/nobel-prize/Click-and-biorthogonal-chemistry-win-2022-Nobel-Prize-in-Chemistry/100/web/2022/10

A transcription of this episode is available at https://cenm.ag/nobelpod22.

CORRECTION: On Oct. 6, 2022, part of this episode was rerecorded to correct an error at 0:48 about when the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was announced. It was announced Oct. 5, not Oct. 6. The episode description was also updated to remove Heather Holt as copyeditor. She did not copyedit this episode.

Credits

Executive producer/host: Kerri Jansen

Writer: Ariana Remmel, Gina Vitale

Audio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusa

Story editors: Jessica Marshall

Production assistance: Mark Peplow, Krystal Vasquez

Audience editor: Dorea I. Reeser

Logo design: William A. Ludwig

Episode artwork: Laura Morton (Bertozzi), University of Copenhagen (Meldal), Sandy Huffaker (Sharpless)

Press conference recordings: Courtesy of ©The Nobel Foundation

Music: "Rising Tide" by C.K. Martin.

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Replacing gas cars with electric ones is a main pillar of plans to fight climate change. But the lithium-ion batteries used in electric cars come with a cost. Communities near the Salar de Atacama in Chile, where about a quarter of the world's lithium is extracted from salty aquifers, say mining companies pose a serious threat to the local environment and their access to water. Mining companies strongly dispute those claims. In this episode of Stereo Chemistry, we'll explore the environmental factors at play in the salar and the differing perspectives on how best to measure impact. And we'll hear from a new group of mining start-ups that claim they can use chemical methods—as yet unproven—to extract lithium without the same impact on water.

This is the first episode in a new series exploring the future of water.

A transcript of this episode, along with English translations of all Spanish dialogue, is available at bit.ly/3QGlQpu. Sign up for C&EN's email series "Advancing in the Art of Science Communication" at bit.ly/scicommadvanced. Credits Executive producer/host: Kerri Jansen Writer: Matt Blois Audio editor: Mark Feuer DiTusa Story editors: Michael McCoy, Manny I. Fox Morone, Ariana Remmel Sensitivity editor: Sofía Jarrín Audience editor: Dorea I. Reeser Copyeditor: Heather Holt Translator: Fernando Gomollón Bel, Juan José Sáenz de la Torre Logo design: William A. Ludwig Episode artwork: SQM Music (in order of appearance): "Tinker Toys" by Colton Dewberry, "Pebbles Dance" by Roie Shpigler, "Earth & Heavens" by Sémø and Ian Post, "Street Dreams" by Julian Hartwell, "There's No One Else Just Like Me" by Shahar Guttman, "Eternal Sunshine" by Stanley Gurvich Contact Stereo Chemistry: Tweet at us @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.

Famed lithium-ion-battery pioneer and Nobel Prize–winner John Goodenough has achieved yet another milestone—a century on Earth. Goodenough celebrates his 100th birthday on July 25, 2022. In honor of the occasion, Stereo Chemistry host Kerri Jansen and C&EN reporter Mitch Jacoby revisit their 2019 interview with the renowned scientist, recorded at his office at the University of Texas at Austin just prior to his Nobel win. In the expansive and candid conversation, Goodenough tells Stereo Chemistry about childhood adventures, infernal exams with Enrico Fermi, and his path to the innovation that enabled an electronics revolution.

A transcript of this episode is available at bit.ly/3otFrh3.

Music credit: "Happy Birthday To You (Orchestral)" by beanstalkaudio/Pond5.com

Image credit: Mitch Jacoby/Robert Bryson/C&EN/Milano M/Shutterstock

This month, Stereo Chemistry is sharing an episode of the podcast ChemConvos featuring an interview with materials scientist, self-described "Raman spectroscopy enthusiast," and prolific Wikipedia editor Jess Wade. On ChemConvos, hosts Henry Powell-Davies and Medina Afandiyeva seek to uncover the story behind the scientist. In this episode, the trio discusses not only Jess's work as a research fellow at Imperial College London but also how she manages burnout and the importance of a supportive lab culture. And, of course, they dig into the origins of her Wikipedia project, which has resulted in Wade creating more than 1,400 biographies on Wikipedia aiming to highlight women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ scientists and engineers.

Follow ChemConvos on Twitter at @ChemConvosPod. Find new episodes at anchor.fm/chemconvospod or on your favorite podcast platform.

A transcript of this episode is available at bit.ly/3yb4lb8.

Image credit: Courtesy of ChemConvos/C&EN

Our bodies need sugar to survive. But most of us consume way more than we actually need, and many foods and beverages pack a dose of added sweeteners. So why are we eating all of this extra sugar? This month, Stereo Chemistry is sharing an episode of the podcast Tiny Matters that examines that question. In the episode, hosts Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti explore sugar's impact on our bodies and trace how a genetic mutation that helped our distant ancestors survive is influencing our health today. And they dig into the debate around whether sugar can fairly be called addictive.

Note: This episode contains discussion of addiction and eating disorders.

Listen to Tiny Matters on the American Chemical Society's website at https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/tiny-matters.html or on your favorite podcast platform.

ACS also publishes Chemical & Engineering News, which is the independent news outlet that powers Stereo Chemistry.

More on sugar from C&EN: The sugar wars are about to change your food label. Here's why.https://cen.acs.org/business/specialty-chemicals/sugar-wars-change-food-label/97/i41

The case against sugar https://cen.acs.org/articles/92/i31/Case-Against-Sugar.html

Image credit: Courtesy of Tiny Matters/C&EN

Chemists may know James Harris as the first Black scientist to be credited with codiscovering an element. In fact, we referenced this in a previous episode of Stereo Chemistry about making superheavy elements. But beyond this memorable factoid, details about the accomplished nuclear chemist are scarce, and most sources repeat the same superficial information. Kristen Frederick-Frost, curator of modern science at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, wants to change that. After discovering that the museum's database lacked material on Harris, she scoured archival records and sought out former colleagues, friends, and family members to fill in details of his life and career. In this bonus episode of Stereo Chemistry, host Kerri Jansen and special guest Dr. Darryl Boyd join Frederick-Frost to explore James Harris's story beyond the discoveries that made him famous. And we even get an unexpected peek into his lab, courtesy of the US National Archives. Boyd, a polymer chemist, previously researched James Harris while writing a short article for C&EN's "Black Chemists You Should Know About." A transcript of this episode is available at bit.ly/37P0qpY.

Image credit: Steve Gerber/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory © 2010 The Regents of the University of California, through the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Music credit: "Just Enough for a Heartbeat" by Roy Young Contact Stereo Chemistry by emailing cenfeedback@acs.org.

Helium shortages can derail research and threaten expensive instruments that depend on the gas to operate safely. In late 2020, analysts predicted—and we reported—that pressures on the global helium market were likely to ease as new production capacity came online. Today, helium users are again facing price spikes and limited supplies, driven by a variety of factors including political instability in Europe and technical malfunctions at key suppliers. In this bonus episode of Stereo Chemistry, C&EN industrial gas reporter Craig Bettenhausen explains how we ended up here again and how the outlook for the global helium market has evolved. A transcript of this episode is available at bit.ly/3tBSGzF.

For more background about where helium comes from, why it's so important to science, and what happens when you can't get enough of it, check out our October 2020 podcast episode, How helium shortages have changed science. Image credit: Boris Steinberg, Johns Hopkins Chemistry Music credit: "How Did I Get Here" by Sean Solo Contact Stereo Chemistry by emailing cenfeedback@acs.org.

Being a chemistry professor is a juggling act. But sometimes professors have too many balls in the air. How do they know which ones to grab and which to let drop? In this episode of Stereo Chemistry, C&EN's Leigh Krietsch Boerner sits down with organic chemists Sarah Reisman and Melanie Sanford to hear how they decide what projects to work on, what sparks joy for them in the lab, and what being an organic chemist really means to them.

A transcript of this episode will be available soon at cen.acs.org.

Sign up for C&EN's Selling Your Science: The Art of Science Communication at cenm.ag/sciencecommunication. Contact Stereo Chemistry by emailing cenfeedback@acs.org. Image credit: Will Ludwig/C&EN/Lance Hayashida/University of Michigan