AlphaGenome & the RNA world hypothesis | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
Release Date: 02/11/2026
Thermo Fisher antibody data manipulation & the shrinking chemical recycling industry | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
In this episode, we breakdown the controversy behind a collection of altered images in the online catalogue of one of the largest laboratory suppliers, and discuss the complexity behind chemical recycling of plastics with Frankie Macpherson and Phillip Broadwith. Multinational laboratory supplier Thermo Fisher Scientific has been criticized after hundreds of doctored images of validation Western blots were found on their online antibody reagent catalogue. We discuss the latest reactions from the scientific community. And, why hasn’t chemical recycling been as successful with plastics? We...
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50 years after Seveso & changing the way we separate hydrocarbons | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
In this episode, we reflect on the lessons learned and the impacts of the Seveso chemical disaster of 1976, and discuss the latest membrane materials that could slash the energy required to refine crude oil with Jamie Durrani and Mason Wakley. Fifty years ago, a major accident at an Italian chemical plant released a cloud of dioxin that spread across 18 square kilometres, exposing 35,000 residents to the toxin. We discuss the legacy of Seveso and its impact on chemical regulation. And, a new method of separating hydrocarbons using membranes could replace fractional distillation in crude oil...
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An update on the Strait of Hormuz & potential explosives at an Antarctic base | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
In this episode, we bring the latest from the recent temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and discuss the presence of potential explosives at the historic Antarctic bases of explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Scott with Phillip Broadwith and Frances Briggs. The US and Iran have recently signed a form of agreement to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping. But will this be enough to ease costs of resources, or has too much damage already been done? And, representatives from New Zealand have warned about the possible presence of explosive materials inside the Antarctic...
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A warning for US science & wool’s chemical versatility | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
This week, we discuss the latest challenges facing US science outlined by president of the US National Academy of Sciences Marcia McNutt in her outgoing address as well as the unique chemistry underpinning wool’s incredible properties with Neil Withers and Rebecca Trager. Marcia McNutt gave her final address as president of the US National Academy of Sciences earlier this month, warning of turmoil for science in the wake of further proposals by the White House to restrict funding. We discuss highlights from the event. And, how does the chemical composition of wool contribute to its...
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Click chemistry marks 25 years & covalent bonding in the actinides | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
This week, we look back at how far click chemistry has come in the last 25 years and discuss the strange bonding behaviour of some of the largest elements on the periodic table with Mason Wakley and Frances Briggs. It started as a review paper in 2001 that has since been cited almost 20,000 times, becoming one of the most influential chemistry papers ever written. Click chemistry has revolutionised the way we build molecules. But what defines a click reaction, and what does the future hold? And, new research has revealed experimental evidence of how covalent bonding affects the 5f orbital in...
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Quantum computing & a mysterious contaminant in microplastics research | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
This week, we discuss the latest milestone in quantum computational modelling and reveal the common laboratory item causing strange readings in microplastics research with Frankie Macpherson and Patrick Walter. A new hybrid workflow involving two IBM quantum computers and two powerful supercomputers has allowed researchers to model a protein–ligand system containing up to a record 12,635 atoms. What does this mean for the future of quantum computing? And, a recent study has found an unsuspecting source of contamination in microplastics research, distorting measurements of atmospheric...
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Battery week 2026: The EV cathode race & battery-recycling | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
This week, we are celebrating Chemistry World’s Battery Week with a special battery-themed episode! We discuss the race between cathode materials for electric vehicles and a new photocatalyst capable of turning plastic waste into hydrogen and value-added chemicals, with Neil Withers and Patrick Walter. A race between competing battery cathode materials is heating up, the winner of which will shape the future of electric vehicles. But which will come out on top? And, we discuss a new photocatalyst that could change the way we recycle plastics and battery acid, demonstrating how waste streams...
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Vanadium-based medicines & sustainable labs | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
This week, we discuss vanadium’s potential in the medical field and the changes you can make in our lab to reduce your carbon footprint, with Jennifer Newton and Emma Pewsey. Many are familiar with vanadium’s role in metal production, but did you know that it has a history of research as a potential medicine? We explore the little-known story of vanadium’s medical potential. And, how can your lab contribute to a more sustainable world? We discuss the areas where you can make a meaningful change.
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Inert materials & the Mary Celeste | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
This week, we discuss how to ensure experimental instruments are truly inert and chemistry’s answer to the fate of the Mary Celeste, with Phillip Broadwith and Mason Wakley. A new study has demonstrated how unexpected results can arise from experiments using seemingly inert materials. How do we avoid the effects of these accidental reagents? And, scientists may have found the answer behind what happened to the crew of the infamous ship the Mary Celeste. We explain how chemistry may fill the gaps.
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The two states of water & science sleuths | The chemical breakdown podcast
The chemical breakdown & Chemistry in its element
This week, we discuss the peculiarities of water's behaviour and how science sleuths are fighting disinformation with Philip Robinson and Emma Pewsey. A recent study from researchers at Stockholm University has found the existence of a critical point in supercooled water, which could prove the existence of two types of water. How did they do it, and what does this mean for our understanding of this fundamental substance? And, in the growing age of disinformation, how can we equip ourselves to discern fact from false data? We discuss the latest wave of science sleuths aiming to...
info_outlineWelcome to our latest podcast series, The chemical breakdown. Each week, we dive deeper into two stories we've covered here at Chemistry World, providing insight into the facts, why you should care, and what it means for the chemistry community. We also give you that week’s headlines to keep you up to date with what’s happening in the chemistry community. And finally, we’ll end each episode with a brief section on what was happening this week in chemistry history.
This week, we discuss the new deep learning model AlphaGenome and visit the very beginning of life on Earth with Mason Wakley and Neil Withers.
Google DeepMind has released a new deep learning model that can predict the effect of small changes to DNA sequences up to one million base pairs in length. What does this new tech mean for our understanding of the human genome?
And, how did life start on Earth, before the first cell came to be? We discuss the RNA world hypothesis and breakdown the chemistry it’s built on.
You can find more episodes of The chemical breakdown on the Chemistry world podcast feed. We would love to hear your feedback on this new podcast, so if you have any questions or comments please get in touch.
This week's stories: