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PODCAST

Chemical Curiosities

John Knight, PhD

Chemical Curiosities is an audio companion to John Knight’s Substack, featuring pieces that explore the molecules behind everyday life, with a touch of organic chemistry. From historical pigments and natural dyes to the chemistry of smells, flavors, and unusual phenomena, each episode reveals a small but fascinating piece of the chemical world. https://johnknightphd.substack.com/ johnknightphd.substack.com

science chemistry

All Episodes

16:26

Bananas, Bee Stings, and Fake Flavor

Chemical Curiosities ·

2026/08/10

The Myth of Bananas and BeesImagine you’re watching a movie. On the screen, some kids are walking down the sidewalk in a typical American neighborhood. They’re eating bananas, and, like all suburban kids on summer vacation, they’re laughing and having fun. Little do they know that there’s danger! Unfortunately, there’s a large honey bee colony tucked up in a nearby tree cavity. At first the bees are calm, but as soon as the kids walk under the tree with half-eaten bananas in their hands, things

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11:14

You've Been Smelling the Ocean in Your Kitchen This...

Chemical Curiosities ·

2026/07/14

Two Experiences, One MoleculePicture this. You’re sitting at a picnic table on a hot summer’s day. Your friend hands you a cold beer - something light and refreshing. The perfect “lawnmower beer.” You pop the cap, bring it to your mouth, and your nose is immediately hit with the smell of malted grain and a hint of sweet corn. It’s a great combination!Next, imagine you’re standing in a friend’s kitchen. There’s a pot of cabbage on the stove. Unfortunately, your friend has overcooked the greens

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16:24

A Tea that Tastes Like Cherry Blossoms

Chemical Curiosities ·

2026/05/12

Full post can be read at: https://johnknightphd.substack.com/IntroImagine a beautiful spring morning. The trees are stunning with new, bright green growth and colorful blossoms. Songbirds fill the air with their melodies. Above, small white clouds drift by across the blue sky.Now imagine feeling the warmth of a mug in your hands as you take in this scene. What’s in the cup? For some, it might be a nice cup of coffee. Others might prefer something herbal or fruity. Still others would drink tea -

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9:50

How a Byproduct of Winemaking is Helping to Recycle...

Chemical Curiosities ·

2026/03/21

The Battery ParadoxWe live in a world of batteries. They are in our smartphones, laptops, wearables, tablets, and speakers - all the devices we surround ourselves with every day. But it’s not just the things we use or wear that have batteries. They are increasingly being found in things that help us move, too. In 2025, for example, 25% of all new cars sold globally were electric vehicles, powered by rather large lithium-ion batteries. Batteries, though, are just complex chemical reactions that are

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10:20

A 30-year Dream: How Chemists Finally Made an...

Chemical Curiosities ·

2026/02/27

A DreamHas there ever been something that you've spent your whole life trying to prove - something that’s lived in the back of your mind for decades? Although Hollywood might want us to think otherwise, many chemists don’t spend their lives staring at flasks or holding beakers of colorful liquids. Their goals are the same as those of other people: get that degree, start a career, publish, and make a name for themselves along the way. Some chemists, though, really do have chemical goals in mind. For

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9:48

Chocolate Chemistry Myths: Stimulants, Love Potions,...

Chemical Curiosities ·

2026/02/13

IntroRecently on Substack, I wrote about one of the world’s favorite indulgences: chocolate. Humans have been eating chocolate for at least four thousand years. From the moment it was introduced to the world outside Mesoamerica, it embarked on a journey where it not only became popular but also changed form. Today, chocolate is everywhere. At the store, it’s in the candy section, the baking section, the frozen food section, and even the health food section.Despite all this time spent with chocolate,

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9:58

Knowing Enough to be Wrong

Chemical Curiosities ·

2026/01/30

The Storm that Trended AwayOn Sunday, January 18th, 2026, social media accounts in the United States began to chatter about an upcoming weather event for the following weekend. Along with intense arctic air coming down from Canada, a storm system seemed poised to develop and track across the southern United States. There was a high chance of a significant snow and ice event in areas not accustomed to severe winter weather. By Monday, computer model guidance maps were being shared across platforms

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10:10

The Chemistry of a Crowded Gym

Chemical Curiosities ·

2026/01/14

Note from author: This is one of my shorter, more audio-focused posts that I make between my long-form articles. If you’re interested in my most recent audio post on Hangxiety, click the link below!Did you know that when you’re working out at the gym, your breath is changing the air chemistry of the room for everyone else?…You walk into the gym for the first time in the new year. Perhaps you made a New Year’s resolution, and this is your first visit - hopefully, the first of many. Or maybe you’re a

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4:17

Why Your Brain Panics After Drinking

Chemical Curiosities ·

2026/01/07

Transcript:If you’ve ever woken up at 4:00 AM after a night out with a racing heart and a sense of embarrassment, you’ve probably experienced ‘hangxiety.’ In the main article I wrote on my Substack about the chemical causes of hangovers, I discussed ethanol and the metabolic crisis it creates as your body tries to remove it. That’s not the only crisis happening, though!Hangxiety is your nervous system struggling to regain balance after being disrupted by ethanol. To understand where this anxiety

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9 results

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