Inflection Point traces emerging ideas in science to their surprising roots. With help from C&EN's vast, 100-year archive, we find the origins of modern breakthroughs, and tease out three different pieces of the puzzle that lead to our current moment.
In this bonus episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale take the time machine all the way back to -ahem- August …for a trip to the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society. David and Gina meet with chemists from all over the globe to hear about their favorite science history moments, current chemistry discoveries they think have bright futures, and personal inflection points from their own lives and careers.
C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots.
1 Jul 2026
Sorting out the controversial history of plastics recycling
In this episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale take the time machine back to the colonial US and also relive the revolutionary 1970s to understand the origins of plastics recycling. They also bring in C&EN reporter Alex Tullo to explain the different types of plastics recycling, how much plastic actually gets recycled, and the consequences of just tossing something in your recycling bin and hoping for the best.
C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.
Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
17 Jun 2026
Nuclear fusion stumped us for a century. Can it fuel the future?
In this episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale take the time machine as far back as it will go to understand the primordial origins of nuclear fusion. They also bring in C&EN reporter Prachi Patel to untangle the current state of fusion technology and predict whether fusion will power our future.
C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.
Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
3 Jun 2026
Can we carbon-capture our way out of climate change?
In this episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to understand how we are capturing carbon at the source and removing existing CO2 from our atmosphere. They also bring in C&EN reporters Alex Scott and Fionna Samuels to explain how CO2-scrubbing technology from a 19th-century submarine is still basically used today and how making the ocean more basic might help us mitigate our emissions.
C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.
Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
20 May 2026
Retinol: The magical molecule's bizarre history
In this episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel as far back as ancient Egypt to unearth the wide-ranging uses of retinol. They also bring in C&EN reporter Craig Bettenhausen to discuss why retinol is such a powerhouse molecule for skin care, and they hear from a contraceptives researcher about how an early candidate for a birth control pill for men affected the retinol pathway.
C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.
Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
4 May 2026
Inflection Point: A time-traveling science history podcast
Take a trip through chemical space and time with C&EN's award-winning podcast: Inflection Point. Our show leans on C&EN's 100-year archive to trace today's headline topics back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, David and Gina explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.
Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
23 Mar 2026
Bonus: Celebrating 1 year of Inflection Point!
Exactly one year ago, co-hosts David and Gina embarked on their time-traveling journey thorugh science history. Along the way they've traced the unlikely origins of microplastics, relived the nauseating experiment behind the first battery, and fished for the surprising creatures that helped scientists develop GLP-1 drugs. Join them as they surprise each other with their favorite moments from the show's first year.
C&EN's award-winning podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.
Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
17 Dec 2025
The electric innovations that brought lithium-ion batteries online
Hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale interview C&EN reporter Prachi Patel about the historical moments leading to lithium-ion batteries, their current shortcomings, and the future of battery chemistry.
3 Dec 2025
The ancient, 'juicy' origins of antibiotic resistance
Hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale explore the historical origins of antibiotic resistance, joined by C&EN reporter Rowan Walrath, who examines the potential future implications of ineffective antibiotics in this interview.
19 Nov 2025
The era-spanning epiphanies that enabled gene editing
Hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale discuss historical scientific moments that enabled gene editing, featuring C&EN reporter Max Barnhart, to understand the evolution and future of this technology in this interview episode.
5 Nov 2025
How under-appreciated critters inspired GLP-1 drugs
Hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale discuss the historical scientific moments that inspired GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, while Aayushi Pratap explores future options for these drugs in this interview episode.
3 Oct 2025
Vote for Inflection Point in the Signal Awards!
This episode discusses the podcast's nomination for two Signal Awards and encourages listeners to vote for them in the Limited Series & Specials and Science & Education categories.
6 May 2025
The many materials that made microplastics possible
This episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three historical moments that were pivotal in the evolution of microplastics. They also bring in C&EN reporter Bri Barbu to discuss how biodegradable plastics, if employed responsibly, may offer a glimmer of hope.
C&EN’s Inflection Point, leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this new show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.
Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
22 Apr 2025
The mind-bending innovations that built quantum computing
In this episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three historical moments that were meaningful to the development of quantum computers. They also bring in C&EN reporter Mitch Jacoby to discuss scientific advances enabled by quantum chemistry.
C&EN’s Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this new show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.
Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
7 Apr 2025
The serendipitous origins of ‘forever chemicals’
C&EN’s latest podcast Inflection Point leans on our 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to current-day breakthroughs. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this new show examines how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.
In our second episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three events that ultimately led to the proliferation of PFAS. They also bring in C&EN reporter Britt Erickson to analyze how these ‘forever chemicals’ could shape our future.
Subscribe to Inflection Point now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
24 Mar 2025
Inflection Point: The strange history of green hydrogen
Inflection Point is a podcast that leans on C&EN's 100-year archive to trace headline topics in science today back to their disparate and surprising roots. In each episode, we explore three lesser-known moments in science history that ultimately led us to breakthroughs like quantum computing and green hydrogen. With help from expert C&EN reporters, this new show will examine how discoveries from our past have shaped our present and will change our future.
In our first episode, hosts David Anderson and Gina Vitale travel back in time to relive three events that ultimately led to the development of green hydrogen. They also bring in C&EN reporter Craig Bettenhausen to analyze how this emerging technology could shape our future.
Who has been a guest on Inflection Point
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Prachi Patel
Rowan Walrath
Max Barnhart
Aayushi Pratap
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
3.7 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 16 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
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