Kate the Chemist Crushes Your Chemistry Questions

What are chemical reactions like in space? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice team up with Kate the Chemist to explore how cesium helps us tell time, the elusive quest for the periodic table’s “island of stability,” how AI is revolutionizing chemistry, and more! We kick things off with a bang as we explore cesium, one of the most reactive elements on the periodic table. Why does it react so violently with oxygen and water? Kate breaks down the atomic structure of this heavy Group 1 metal, explains how its loose electrons contribute to its volatility. Plus, learn why it’s used for telling time and the history of how we defined a second. We break down the chemistry behind the famous Diet Coke and Mentos eruption, and why your nose might just be your most underrated scientific instrument. From nucleation sites to the role of hydrogen sulfide in early evolution, we explore the elements in our world that go boom—and the ones that quietly shape our lives. Then it’s on to more mind-bending questions: Are there stable superheavy elements hiding in the “island of stability”? Can quantum entanglement lead to entangled molecules? What happens to chemical reactions in zero gravity? Plus, we ask: Should graduate-level science be taught like a kid’s experiment? Why is science communication more important than ever? And what’s the next big thing in applied chemistry? Thanks to our Patrons moe shannon, Shaye S, Nic Chappell, Brandon Gibson, Ernest Carducci, Andrew Kidder, Aidan Beaney, Maurice, Erin Murphy, Robin Guo, Szymon Środa, Richard Brounstein, Jayant Dhawan, Ernesto Medina, Javier Lee, micheal stucker, Leslie Ekker, Steven, Ramkumar Agnihotram, Andrew Carl, Takashi H, Jasper, Lacie, and Linda, Kevin Contreras, ScarlettMoose, Sophia & Nick Sestrac, Earl Gleason, Jabari, the Dark and Not-All-That-Powerful Wizard, Bostjan Pisler, Rich Culbertson, Jeroen Allebé, Jack Black, Lauren New, Kevin Curry, Zs_cience94, Rich Dercheimer, Ned, Charles Davenport, Jenna Noeller, Nick Dragan, Simon Coulson, Andrii Pronkin, Andrew Coffey, D G, sai, and Ben Barzilay for supporting us this week. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Kate the Chemist Communicating Science 11:20 - Why Cesium Helps Us Tell Time 16:57 - Why Do Mentos and Diet Coke Explode? 20:26 - Smelling in Chemistry 24:30 - Transition Metals & Electron Configuration 28:27 - Making Chemistry Easier to Understand 31:28 - The Hunt for “The Island of Stability” 37:34 - Chemistry in Space 45:43 - An Experiment to Do with Your Family 49:18 - Chemistry’s Future with AI 52:39 - A Cosmic Perspective Check out our second channel, @StarTalkPlus Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson