We head to the very far end of the electromagnetic spectrum to tackle one of Dugan's favorite subjects, nuclear resonance spectroscopies. No, not nuclear magnetic resonance - we're talking about gamma ray transitions between nuclear configurations. After a fairly exhaustive discussion of how little we know about nuclear physics, we get into the details of radioisotope Mössbauer spectroscopy, nuclear forward scattering, and even a little bit of nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy. How do nuclear spectroscopists achieve resolution more than thirteen orders of magnitude greater than the nuclear transition energy? You'll have to listen to find out! And be sure to stick around to the end to learn the surprising connection between Vanderpump Rules and the Fiery Furnaces's masterpiece Rehearsing My Choir.
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1:07:38
Episode 17: Astrochemistry with Prof. Nate DeYonker
Prof. Nate DeYonker from the University of Memphis takes us out of this world and into the vast expanse of space as we talk all things astrochemistry. Get ready to hear about molecules that seem like they shouldn't exist, spectra from extraterrestrial telescopes with almost frighteningly good resolution, and the challenges of quantum chemistry using quartic (!!!) force fields. Nate also gives us a primer on "Pauling points" before closing the show out with an incredibly moving tribute to the late Mimi Parker from the band Low.
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1:03:41
Episode 16: Thermal Radiation
We're finally back, and this time we're talking everything thermal! After some brief updates, we dive into blackbody radiation, Planck's law, and selective emitters. Then Jay explains how to use these concepts to design incandescent lightbulbs that are actually twice as efficient as LED bulbs. Then we move on to one of Jay's all-time favorite ideas: passive daytime radiative cooling. And things get even crazier when Jay explains how to use the universe as a really great cold reservoir in a heat engine to get harness solar energy without any photovoltaics.
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1:11:57
Episode 15: Photocycloaddition
We're celebrating Dugan's recent JACS paper on copper-catalyzed photocycloaddition reactions by doing a Back 2 Basics episode on photocycloadditons that is really just an episode on that paper with a little bit of Woodward Hoffmann rules thrown in for good measure. But what is a podcast for besides self-promotion anyway? We return to some of our favorite topics, including X-ray spectroscopy and transient absorption, and discuss how a combination of spectroscopic techniques can be used to deduce photochemical reaction mechanisms involving transition metals. We also ask ourselves how a single methylene group can drastically change the fate of a molecule and how a single pandemic can drastically change the fate of a research project.
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Episode 14: The Stern-Gerlach Experiment
This month is more Back 2 Basics as we discuss the famous Stern-Gerlach experiment. In addition to the classic version, we contemplate thought experiments, photonic analogs, spin pedagogy, cigar smoke, Nobel Prizes, interpretations of quantum mechanics, God, and approximately infinite universes. Did I miss anything?
*The* podcast about light-matter interaction! Jay and Dugan host this monthly podcast about chemistry and physics with a focus on the variety of ways in which scientists study and take advantage of interactions between light and matter.
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