About this podcast
SUBSTANCE is a podcast about the discoveries and innovations in chemistry and beyond helping us to develop sustainable solutions. Host Joe Hanson exchanges ideas with international guests and presents visionary projects and exciting innovations.
Episodes
- Light · 29 min · Episode 14Light is all around us – from fireflies glowing in the garden to the screens in our pockets. In this illuminating episode of SUBSTANCE, host Joe Hanson explores how scientists…
- Enzymes · 38 min · Episode 13Enzymes are among nature’s most powerful catalysts and are helping scientists and industry tackle some of the world’s biggest sustainability challenges. In this episode of…
- Clay · 36 min · Episode 12Clay is one of the oldest materials humans have ever used, from early pottery to the walls of homes. In this episode, host Joe Hanson explores how this ancient material can…
- Sulfur · 27 min · Episode 11Sulfur might evoke matches, volcanic gases, or that yellow rock from chemistry class – but it’s far more powerful than you probably think. In this episode of Substance, host Joe…
- Fiber · 28 min · Episode 10In this episode of SUBSTANCE, host Joe Hanson explores the unique capabilities of fibers like hemp or coconut and where they can be used sustainably: From the automotive industry…
- Salt · 31 min · Episode 9Salt may be one of the most familiar substances in everyday life, but in this episode of SUBSTANCE, host Joe Hanson explores how a special class of salts could help decarbonize…
- CO2 · 27 min · Episode 8CO₂ is one of the gases most closely linked to global warming, but it is also deeply embedded in how modern industry and cities function. In this episode of SUBSTANCE, host Joe…
- Fabric · 35 min · Episode 7Fabrics and fashion are deeply tied to sustainability – not least because the scale of production and consumption means huge volumes end up as waste or pollution. This episode of…
- Water · 32 min · Episode 6In this episode, our host Joe Hanson discusses a SUBSTANCE that is literally vital: water. Former NASA expert, now entrepreneur Diana Yousef and BASF scientist Ligia Azevedo make…
- Fungi · 35 min · Episode 4In this episode of SUBSTANCE, host Joe Hanson explores the surprising power of fungi with artist-turned-entrepreneur Phil Ross and BASF scientist Dr. Birgit Hoff. Far from being…
- Plastics - Part 2 · 27 min · Episode 5Plastics are everywhere – but can they ever be truly sustainable? In this episode, host Joe Hanson asks how plastics fit into a circular economy – a system designed to minimize…
- Plastics - Part 1 · 21 min · Episode 3Plastic is one of the most transformative materials of the modern age. It’s in our cars, our homes, and our clothes. Lightweight, durable, and endlessly moldable, plastic has…
- Hydrogen · 46 min · Episode 2Researchers and companies around the globe are racing to tap into an invisible resource seen as a beacon of hope for achieving climate neutrality—hydrogen. Could the key to a…
- Trailer · 2 min · Episode 1SUBSTANCE is a monthly podcast exploring the materials that shape our world. From hydrogen and plastic to fabric and fungi, each episode unpacks one essential substance —…
