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Inflection Point: Daily Summaries Delivered
by C&EN
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.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Jul 1, 202644 min
Sorting out the controversial history of plastics recycling
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 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. Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Jun 17, 202638 min
Nuclear fusion stumped us for a century. Can it fuel the future?
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 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. Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Jun 3, 202645 min
Can we carbon-capture our way out of climate change?
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 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. Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- May 20, 202632 min
Retinol: The magical molecule's bizarre history
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 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. Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- May 4, 20261 min
Inflection Point: A time-traveling science history podcast
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. Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Mar 23, 202630 min
Bonus: Celebrating 1 year of Inflection Point!
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 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. Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Dec 17, 202537 min
The electric innovations that brought lithium-ion batteries online
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 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.
- Dec 3, 202537 min
The ancient, 'juicy' origins of antibiotic resistance
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Inflection Point covers topics including Science, Chemistry. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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