Ask a Chemist #64

Melissa and Jam delve into intriguing chemistry questions posed by their listeners. They explore whether all salts are salty, the chemistry of gunshot residue and fingerprinting, and the reactions between chemicals and sound waves. Special guest Maison, Melissa's husband, joins to discuss sourdough starter cultures and answer sourdough-related queries. The episode concludes with insightful comments from their Chemmunity members and reassurances about their well-being amid late-night recordings.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
01:45 First Listener Question: Gunshot Residue and Fingerprinting
02:46 Is All Salt Salty?
15:28 Chemistry and Sound Waves
18:28 Sourdough Questions Begin
21:32 Sourdough Myths: Stainless Steel Debate
23:36 Acidity and Metal Reactions
27:47 Sourdough and Gluten-Free Misconceptions
29:40 Starting a Sourdough Business
31:22 Sourdough Starter Names and Maintenance
33:39 Maison's Sourdough Journey
42:06 Late Night Recording Concerns
44:41 Community Shoutouts and Closing Remarks

References from this episode:

1. https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/full/10.1021/acs.joc.1c00805
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7919833/

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