How did a tree bark from Sri Lanka become one of the essential flavours of the festive season? We explore the history of cinnamon and the compound that gives it its distinctive taste and aroma  

How did a tree bark from Sri Lanka become one of the essential flavours of the festive season? We explore the history of cinnamon and the compound that gives it its distinctive taste and aroma

Cinnamaldehyde: Chemistry in its element

A compound so explosively unstable that nobody has been able to measure how sensitive it is without it, well, exploding.

A compound so explosively unstable that nobody has been able to measure how sensitive it is without it, well, exploding.

Azidoazide azide: Chemistry in its element

How one of mankind's oldest pigments helped shepherds secure their sheep and inspired one of the most popular songs of the twentieth century

How one of mankind's oldest pigments helped shepherds secure their sheep and inspired one of the most popular songs of the twentieth century

Ochre: Chemistry in its element

A sweet compound that provides ample energy for extreme endurance events – find out how maltodextrin helped Anna Ploszajski swim the English channel

A sweet compound that provides ample energy for extreme endurance events – find out how maltodextrin helped Anna Ploszajski swim the English channel

Maltodextrin: Chemistry in its element

Liquid salts, ionic melts, fused salts, or ionic glasses – call them what you like, these much-hyped solvents show great promise. Katrina Krämer speaks to chemical engineer Jason Bara about ionic liquids.

Liquid salts, ionic melts, fused salts, or ionic glasses – call them what you like, these much-hyped solvents show great promise. Katrina Krämer speaks to chemical engineer Jason Bara about ionic liquids.

Ionic liquids: Chemistry in its element

An antimicrobial compound that kills bacteria and viruses quickly – found in some of the most colourful antiseptic solutions 

An antimicrobial compound that kills bacteria and viruses quickly – found in some of the most colourful antiseptic solutions

Chlorhexidine: Chemistry in its element

Does asparagus give you foul-smelling urine? Helen Arney investigates asparagusic acid, and the lavatorial genetic lottery that controls whether or not you can smell its distinctive aroma

Does asparagus give you foul-smelling urine? Helen Arney investigates asparagusic acid, and the lavatorial genetic lottery that controls whether or not you can smell its distinctive aroma

Asparagusic acid: Chemistry in its element

A sweet treat with a deadly trick for Halloween – glycyrrhizic acid, or glycyrrhizin, is found in black liquorice and sweeter than sucrose, but can cause heart problems and even prove fatal if consumed in excess

A sweet treat with a deadly trick for Halloween – glycyrrhizic acid, or glycyrrhizin, is found in black liquorice and sweeter than sucrose, but can cause heart problems and even prove fatal if consumed in excess

Glycyrrhizic acid: Chemistry in its element

Also known as 'milk of amnesia', propofol helps to prevent perception of pain in surgery – just don't forget its dangerous side

Also known as 'milk of amnesia', propofol helps to prevent perception of pain in surgery – just don't forget its dangerous side

Propofol: Chemistry in its element

Hepatitis C drug sofosbuvir made waves when first launched – quicker to work and with fewer side effects than existing drugs, but it came with a hefty price tag

Hepatitis C drug sofosbuvir made waves when first launched – quicker to work and with fewer side effects than existing drugs, but it came with a hefty price tag

Sofosbuvir: Chemistry in its element

A weekly tour of the periodic table, from Chemistry World, the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Meera Senthilingam makes a welcome return to the podcast with a drug that gives hope to the many sufferers of drug-resistant TB – still one of the world's biggest killers

Meera Senthilingam makes a welcome return to the podcast with a drug that gives hope to the many sufferers of drug-resistant TB – still one of the world's biggest killers

Bedaquiline: Chemistry in its element

This summer's extreme weather prompts Katrina Krämer to investigate the history of sunblock and the ingredient blamed by some for bleaching coral reefs

This summer's extreme weather prompts Katrina Krämer to investigate the history of sunblock and the ingredient blamed by some for bleaching coral reefs

Oxybenzone: Chemistry in its element

From Lavoisier’s experiments with plaster of paris to the the ‘Sistine Chapel of crystals’ in Mexico, Mike Freemantle explores the history of gypsum

From Lavoisier’s experiments with plaster of paris to the the ‘Sistine Chapel of crystals’ in Mexico, Mike Freemantle explores the history of gypsum

Gypsum: Chemistry in its element

Originally developed to treat flu and marketed in Japan as Avigan, promising Covid-19 trial results have seen countries stockpiling this medication by the millions

Originally developed to treat flu and marketed in Japan as Avigan, promising Covid-19 trial results have seen countries stockpiling this medication by the millions

Favipiravir: Chemistry in its element

Tannic acid in green acorns can kill wild animals and livestock, but in this podcast Mike Freemantle makes plain that you can prevent poisoning with pannage pigs.

Tannic acid in green acorns can kill wild animals and livestock, but in this podcast Mike Freemantle makes plain that you can prevent poisoning with pannage pigs.

Tannic acid: Chemistry in its element

Common in the US but banned in the EU, this animal feed additive makes for muscular pigs and beefy international trade disputes. 

Common in the US but banned in the EU, this animal feed additive makes for muscular pigs and beefy international trade disputes.

Ractopamine: Chemistry in its element

Brian Clegg discovers what a six-membered silicon ring can tell us about alien life

Brian Clegg discovers what a six-membered silicon ring can tell us about alien life

Hexasilabenzene: Chemistry in its element

Frances Addison on the aromatic compound found in both buttered popcorn and the bearcat’s scent glands, and responsible for the distinctive smell of both

Frances Addison on the aromatic compound found in both buttered popcorn and the bearcat’s scent glands, and responsible for the distinctive smell of both

2AP (2-acetyl-1-pyrroline): Chemistry in its element

News that this cheap, ubiquitous steroid drug may reduce deaths in Covid-19 cases has been greeted with cautious optimism. Ben Valsler looks at the history of dexamethasone and the promising Recovery trial results.

News that this cheap, ubiquitous steroid drug may reduce deaths in Covid-19 cases has been greeted with cautious optimism. Ben Valsler looks at the history of dexamethasone and the promising Recovery trial results.

Dexamethasone: Chemistry in its element

Mike Freemantle on the art, history and science of this delicate, translucent ceramic material

Mike Freemantle on the art, history and science of this delicate, translucent ceramic material

Porcelain: Chemistry in its element

Podcast is great. New theme song is terrible. Bring back the original, please.

Theme song woes.

For the love of god, please bring back the old-time fiddle intro.

Content so good, 2020 intro so bad

Chemistry in its element

Lars Öhrström on phosphoric acid: Crucial for crops and DNA's backbone, it's the energy currency of the biological world

Phosphoric Acid: Chemistry in its element

Josh Howgego prepares to socialise - and tells us why 'cuddle chemicals' are too good to be true

Oxytocin: Chemistry in its element

Can a compound in red wine protect against heart attack and cancer? Phillip Broadwith investigates resveratrol

Resveratrol: Chemistry in its element

Brian Clegg introduces gallium arsenide – the supercar of the semiconductor scene

Brian Clegg introduces gallium arsenide – the supercar of the semiconductor scene

Gallium arsenide: Chemistry in its element

Blue flashes and metallic water are just some of the tricks the smallest possible anion has up its sleeve

Blue flashes and metallic water are just some of the tricks the smallest possible anion has up its sleeve

Solvated electrons: Chemistry in its element

The whitest smile, the blondest blonde, the clearest complexion – all from one essential compound. Fernando Gomollón-Bel introduces benzoyl peroxide

The whitest smile, the blondest blonde, the clearest complexion – all from one essential compound. Fernando Gomollón-Bel introduces benzoyl peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide: Chemistry in its element

Brian Clegg explains how bath salts may actually be more than just relaxing

Magnesium sulfate: Chemistry in its element

Brian Clegg introduces a crystalline hydrocarbon that isn't as tough as it sounds, but is the basis of a wide range of medicines

Brian Clegg introduces a crystalline hydrocarbon that isn't as tough as it sounds, but is the basis of a wide range of medicines

Adamantane: Chemistry in its element

Kat Arney explains how a protein that repairs broken DNA holds the key to killing cancer cells – but only if you stop it from doing its job

Kat Arney explains how a protein that repairs broken DNA holds the key to killing cancer cells – but only if you stop it from doing its job

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP): Chemistry in its element

From medicine to the military, this compound makes lasers for a range of applications. Brian Clegg discovers neodymium chloride

From medicine to the military, this compound makes lasers for a range of applications. Brian Clegg discovers neodymium chloride

Neodymium chloride: Chemistry in its element

With thoughts turning to our festively-expanded waistlines, Kit Chapman looks at a poster child in the battle against obesity

With thoughts turning to our festively-expanded waistlines, Kit Chapman looks at a poster child in the battle against obesity

Orlistat: Chemistry in its element

Ben Valsler with the story of Charlotte Figi, Dravet syndrome and the cannabis compound controlling her condition.

Ben Valsler with the story of Charlotte Figi, Dravet syndrome and the cannabis compound controlling her condition.

Cannabidiol: Chemistry in its element

This week, Neil Withers examines a compound with the 'wrong' number of bonds: Diborane

This week, Neil Withers examines a compound with the 'wrong' number of bonds: Diborane

Diborane: Chemistry in its element

Kat Arney investigates the biological pigment that links sun tanning, squid ink and browning bananas

Kat Arney investigates the biological pigment that links sun tanning, squid ink and browning bananas

Melanin: Chemistry in its element

Simon Cotton looks at the rocket propellant that causes environmental problems

Nitrogen dioxide: Chemistry in its element

Kit Chapman explains how a 'daft' pharmacy mix up led to a series of poisonings in Victorian Britain

Kit Chapman explains how a 'daft' pharmacy mix up led to a series of poisonings in Victorian Britain

Arsenic trioxide: Chemistry in its element

Brian Clegg has a sniff at the bitterest substance known to science

Denatonium benzoate: Chemistry in its element

Katrina Krämer investigates the sad case of Christopher McCandless, who some believe consumed the poison swainsonine in the Alaskan wilderness

Katrina Krämer investigates the sad case of Christopher McCandless, who some believe consumed the poison swainsonine in the Alaskan wilderness

Swainsonine: Chemistry in its element

A 1960s breakthrough in pain relief that now fuels the opioid crisis

A 1960s breakthrough in pain relief that now fuels the opioid crisis

Fentanyl: Chemistry in its element

Acetylcysteine is a versatile drug, helping manage lung conditions and treat paracetamol overdose. But, as Ben Valsler discovers, it has found itself at the centre of a cycling controversy

Acetylcysteine is a versatile drug, helping manage lung conditions and treat paracetamol overdose. But, as Ben Valsler discovers, it has found itself at the centre of a cycling controversy

Acetylcysteine: Chemistry in its element

The best podcasts on investing. For anyone interested in the stories in the investing industry, whether it's an interview with Ray Dalio or Ed Thorp to the writer of The Big Short. This topic includes the most fascinating stories from all the best investors. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

OwlTail

 Rahul Moodgal has spent 20 years as a fund raiser across long only strategies, hedge funds, fund of funds, customized solutions, start-ups, and non-profits.  Collectively, Rahul has raised and helped raise $60 billion for firms since 2005.  He started his career in the industry at powerhouse TT International, and later joined The Children’s Investment Fund (TCI) where he led the marketing effort that raised $20 billion in just 3½ years.  Within TCI’s affiliate model, Rahul also was responsible for the largest India fund raise in history ($1 billion for TCI New Horizon Fund), and the largest sector fund launch in history ($1.1 billion for Algebris Investments).  Our conversation covers capital raising lessons learned from teaching, the value of transparency, the gold rush before 2008, the lean times afterwards, modern fee structures, the three key points to effective marketing, the three traits that will kill you, the two biggest issues start-up funds face, the best questions asked by leading allocators, and some of the worst horror stories in attempted capital raising. We close comparing by fund raising for charities and investment firms.   Learn More   Discuss show and Read the Transcript    Join Ted's mailing list at CapitalAllocatorsPodcast.com    Join the  Capital Allocators Forum   Write a review on   iTunes   Follow Ted on twitter at  @tseides    For more episodes go to CapitalAllocatorsPodcast.com/Podcast

Capital Allocators

Rahul Moodgal has spent 20 years as a fund raiser across long only strategies, hedge funds, fund of funds, customized solutions, start-ups, and non-profits.  Collectively, Rahul has raised and helped raise $60 billion for firms since 2005.  He started his career in the industry at powerhouse TT International, and later joined The Children’s Investment Fund (TCI) where he led the marketing effort that raised $20 billion in just 3½ years.  Within TCI’s affiliate model, Rahul also was responsible for the largest India fund raise in history ($1 billion for TCI New Horizon Fund), and the largest sector fund launch in history ($1.1 billion for Algebris Investments). Our conversation covers capital raising lessons learned from teaching, the value of transparency, the gold rush before 2008, the lean times afterwards, modern fee structures, the three key points to effective marketing, the three traits that will kill you, the two biggest issues start-up funds face, the best questions asked by leading allocators, and some of the worst horror stories in attempted capital raising. We close comparing by fund raising for charities and investment firms.  Learn More <a href="http://capitalallocatorspodcast.com/transcripts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discuss show and Read the Transcript</a> Join Ted's mailing list at <a href="http://capitalallocatorspodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CapitalAllocatorsPodcast.com</a> Join the <a href="http://capitalallocatorspodcast.com/forum" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Capital Allocators Forum</a> Write a review on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/capital-allocators-with-ted-seides/id1223764016" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> iTunes</a> Follow Ted on twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/tseides" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> @tseides</a> For more episodes go to <a href="http://capitalallocatorspodcast.com/podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CapitalAllocatorsPodcast.com/Podcast</a>

Rahul Moodgal - Master Fund Raiser (Capital Allocators, EP.87)

Bloomberg Opinion columnist Barry Ritholtz interviews Joseph H. Davis, global chief economist at The Vanguard Group. Davis is also head of Vanguard's investment strategy group and a member of the senior portfolio management team for Vanguard's fixed income group, which oversees more than $500 billion in assets under management. He earned his doctorate in macroeconomics and finance at Duke University.

Masters in Business

Bloomberg Opinion columnist Barry Ritholtz interviews Joseph H. Davis, global chief economist at The Vanguard Group. Davis is also head of Vanguard's investment strategy group and a member of the senior portfolio management team for Vanguard's fixed income group, which oversees more than $500 billion in assets under management. He earned his doctorate in macroeconomics and finance at Duke University.

Vanguard's Joe Davis Discusses Global Economics (Podcast)

Best Investing Podcasts

What is this?
1 quote, 3 ideas & 1 question from a carefully curated podcast episode.
Every Monday & Wednesday.

Want a 3rd insight and episode every week? Email me at curation@owltail.com.

How our mind explains things:[topic-start]
“The way that the mind works, very frequently, is that we start from a decision, or we start from a belief, and then the stories that explain it come to our mind. Conclusions come first, and rationalizations come later.”[topic-end]
How we come to believe things:[topic-start]
"The real cause of your belief in a political position, the real causes are rooted in your personal history. They’re rooted in who are the people that you trusted and what they seemed to believe in, and it has very little to do with the reasons that come to your mind, why your position is correct and the position of the other side is nonsensical."[topic-end]
Who is Daniel Kahneman:[topic-start]
Nobel prize winning psychologist and economist who helped created the field of behavioural economics.

The Nobel Prize-winning psychologist on why we think and act the way we do — and why facts matter less than we think in forming our beliefs.
With his book Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman emerged as one of the most intriguing voices on the complexity of human thought and behavior. He is a psychologist who won the Nobel Prize in economics for helping to create the field of behavioral economics — and is a self-described “constant worrier.” It’s fun, helpful, and more than a little unnerving to apply his insights into why we think and act the way we do in this moment of social and political tumult.
Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.

On Being with Krista Tippett

Daniel Kahneman — Why We Contradict Ourselves and Confound Each Other

Real scenarios of a hospital during a war:[topic-start]
“... we were hand squeezing his ventilator as we ran out of oxygen" and when we finally found the physician to get more oxygen, he said "We don't have any oxygen left, you're going to have to let him go"[topic-end]
Who is Sheri Fink:[topic-start]
An investigative journalist who won the Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of Memorial Hospital (the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina).

Sheri Fink on the tragedy of being forced to choose who's life to save

When people are dying and you can only save some, how do you choose? Maybe you save the youngest. Or the sickest. Maybe you even just put all the names in a hat and pick at random. Would your answer change if a sick person was standing right in front of you? In this episode, we follow New York Times reporter Sheri Fink as she searches for the answer. In a warzone, a hurricane, a church basement, and an earthquake, the question remains the same. What happens, what should happen, when humans are forced to play god? Produced by Simon Adler and Annie McEwen. Reported by Sheri Fink.  In the book that inspired this episode you can find more about what transpired at Memorial Hospital during Hurricane Katrina, Sheri Fink’s exhaustively reported Five Days at Memorial You can find more about the work going on in Maryland at: www.nytimes.com/triage Very special thanks to Lilly Sullivan.  Special thanks also to: Pat Walters and Jim McCutcheon and Todd Menesses from WWL in New Orleans, the researchers for the allocation of scarce resources project in Maryland - Dr. Lee Daugherty Biddison from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Howie Gwon from the Johns Hopkins Medicine Office of Emergency Management, Alan Regenberg of the Berman Institute of Bioethics and Dr. Eric Toner of the UPMC Center for Health Security.  Support Radiolab by becoming a member today at Radiolab.org/donate.    

Radiolab

When people are dying and you can only save some, how do you choose? Maybe you save the youngest. Or the sickest. Maybe you even just put all the names in a hat and pick at random. Would your answer change if a sick person was standing right in front of you? In this episode, we follow New York Times reporter Sheri Fink as she searches for the answer. In a warzone, a hurricane, a church basement, and an earthquake, the question remains the same. What happens, what should happen, when humans are forced to play god? Produced by Simon Adler and Annie McEwen. Reported by Sheri Fink.  In the book that inspired this episode you can find more about what transpired at Memorial Hospital during Hurricane Katrina, <a href="http://www.sherifink.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sheri Fink’s</a> exhaustively reported <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Five-Days-Memorial-Storm-Ravaged-Hospital/dp/0307718972/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1471783956&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=five+days+at+memorial" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Five Days at Memorial</a> You can find more about the work going on in Maryland at: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/triage" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.nytimes.com/triage</a> Very special thanks to Lilly Sullivan.  Special thanks also to: Pat Walters and Jim McCutcheon and Todd Menesses from WWL in New Orleans, the researchers for the allocation of scarce resources project in Maryland - Dr. Lee Daugherty Biddison from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Howie Gwon from the Johns Hopkins Medicine Office of Emergency Management, Alan Regenberg of the Berman Institute of Bioethics and Dr. Eric Toner of the UPMC Center for Health Security. Support Radiolab by becoming a member today at <a href="https://pledge3.wnyc.org/donate/radiolab-it/onestep/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=radiolab-redirect&amp;utm_campaign=pledge&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Radiolab.org/donate</a>.

Chemistry in its element

Weekly hand curated podcast episodes for learning