Atomic radii & synthetic food dyes | The chemical breakdown podcast

Marianna Kneppers· Host0:00

[gentle music] The atomic radius of an atom is a concept we are taught from early in our chemistry careers, but for such an important value, its definition remains ambiguous. Why is there no single answer to the size of an atom? And US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced last year that the US will phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes in foods. But what are these chemicals, and what concerns exist around their consumption? I'm Marianna Kneppers, Chemistry World's science media producer, and this is the Chemical Breakdown. We'll be diving deeper into these stories shortly, but first, let's take a look at this week's news from the Chemistry World website. [gentle music] The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz last week has halted exports of chemicals and hydrocarbons from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Gas prices have already surged in some places and shortages of nitrogen fertilizer are expected to cause food prices to inflate as well. Chemists have created the first-ever half Möbius molecule. The orbitals of the 13 carbon ring twist by only a quarter turn with each circumnavigation, rather than the half twist of regular Möbius aromatics. It's also the first example of a molecule that becomes more aromatic as it becomes less