The Chemistry of Sourdough Crumpets
Unlock the chemistry that makes sourdough crumpets airy, tangy, and loaded with those iconic tunnels. In this episode of Chemists in the Kitchen, we break down how fermentation gases, gluten structure, and heat transfer team up to create the crumpet’s signature texture — and why sourdough behaves differently from traditional batters.
Whether you’re a curious home baker or just here for the kitchen science, this video dives into the real chemical reactions behind every rise, bubble, and bite.
A Plant Biologist Inspiring The Next Generation
“When you don’t have a path in your mind, the question is, how do you progress? For me, it was always one step at a time.”
In this episode of I Was Born, Sue Wessler, Professor of Genetics at UC Riverside, shares her story of growing up in the Bronx, where neither of her parents went to college and both hoped she would become a doctor. She reflects on high school during 1966–1970, at the height of the Vietnam War protests and women’s rights demonstrations—including a small but powerful protest to wear pants to school.
I Was Born is a collaboration between LabX and The Science and Entertainment Exchange highlighting the lives of all different kinds of scientists 🧬
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LabX is a public engagement testbed at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that boldly experiments with a variety of creative—sometimes even unorthodox—approaches designed to reach diverse audiences. Like all experiments, some of them fail. Some of them succeed! Either way, it will be interesting … dare we say fun?