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PODCAST

Inflection Point

Inflection Point traces emerging ideas in science to their surprising roots. With help from C&EN"s vast, 100-year archive, we find the origins of modern breakthroughs, and tease out three different pieces of the puzzle that lead to our current moment.

science chemistry

All Episodes

14:49

Bonus: On the ground with the chemistry community

Inflection Point ·

2026/09/26

In this bonus episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale take the time machine all the way back to -ahem- August …for a trip to the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society. David and Gina meet with chemists from all over the globe to hear about their favorite science history moments, current chemistry discoveries they think have bright futures, and personal inflection points from their own lives and careers. C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to

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44:06

Sorting out the controversial history of plastics...

Inflection Point ·

2026/07/01

In this episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale take the time machine back to the colonial US and also relive the revolutionary 1970s to understand the origins of plastics recycling. They also bring in C&EN reporter Alex Tullo to explain the different types of plastics recycling, how much plastic actually gets recycled, and the consequences of just tossing something in your recycling bin and hoping for the best. C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive

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38:32

Nuclear fusion stumped us for a century. Can it fuel...

Inflection Point ·

2026/06/17

In this episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale take the time machine as far back as it will go to understand the primordial origins of nuclear fusion. They also bring in C&EN reporter Prachi Patel to untangle the current state of fusion technology and predict whether fusion will power our future. 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

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45:01

Can we carbon-capture our way out of climate change?

Inflection Point ·

2026/06/03

In this episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to understand how we are capturing carbon at the source and removing existing CO2 from our atmosphere. They also bring in C&EN reporters Alex Scott and Fionna Samuels to explain how CO2-scrubbing technology from a 19th-century submarine is still basically used today and how making the ocean more basic might help us mitigate our emissions. C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace

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32:49

Retinol: The magical molecule's bizarre history

Inflection Point ·

2026/05/20

In this episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel as far back as ancient Egypt to unearth the wide-ranging uses of retinol. They also bring in C&EN reporter Craig Bettenhausen to discuss why retinol is such a powerhouse molecule for skin care, and they hear from a contraceptives researcher about how an early candidate for a birth control pill for men affected the retinol pathway. C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in

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01:33

Inflection Point: A time-traveling science history...

Inflection Point ·

2026/05/04

Take a trip through chemical space and time with C&EN's award-winning podcast: Inflection Point. Our show leans on C&EN's 100-year archive to trace today's headline topics back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, David and Gina 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.

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30:42

Bonus: Celebrating 1 year of Inflection Point!

Inflection Point ·

2026/03/23

Exactly one year ago, co-hosts David and Gina embarked on their time-traveling journey thorugh science history. Along the way they've traced the unlikely origins of microplastics, relived the nauseating experiment behind the first battery, and fished for the surprising creatures that helped scientists develop GLP-1 drugs. Join them as they surprise each other with their favorite moments from the show's first year. C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace

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37:35

The electric innovations that brought lithium-ion...

Inflection Point ·

2025/12/17

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 last episode of our second season, hosts David Anderson and Gina

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37:44

The ancient, 'juicy' origins of antibiotic resistance

Inflection Point ·

2025/12/03

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

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32:50

The era-spanning epiphanies that enabled gene editing

Inflection Point ·

2025/11/19

Hosts David and Gina explore how scientists over the centuries unlocked the ability to edit our genes 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

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36:32

How under-appreciated critters inspired GLP-1 drugs

Inflection Point ·

2025/11/05

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

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0:47

Vote for Inflection Point in the Signal Awards!

Inflection Point ·

2025/10/03

Inflection Point has been nominated for two Signal Awards and we need your help! Your support means the world to us—you can vote for us in both categories here: Limited Series & Specials, Best Co-Host Team: Vote now Limited Series & Specials, Science & Education: Vote now More exciting news: the next season of Inflection Point is coming soon. New episodes will drop in November!

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28:27

The many materials that made microplastics possible

Inflection Point ·

2025/05/06

This episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three historical moments that were pivotal in the evolution of microplastics. They also bring in C&EN reporter Bri Barbu to discuss how biodegradable plastics, if employed responsibly, may offer a glimmer of hope. 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

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27:13

The mind-bending innovations that built quantum...

Inflection Point ·

2025/04/22

In this episode, 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

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24:48

The serendipitous origins of ‘forever chemicals’

Inflection Point ·

2025/04/07

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. In our second episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back

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22:23

Inflection Point: The strange history of green hydrogen

Inflection Point ·

2025/03/24

Inflection Point is a podcast that 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 breakthroughs like quantum computing and green hydrogen. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this new show will examine how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future. In our first episode, hosts David Anderson

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16 results

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