# Is Chemistry the Same Throughout the Universe? With Kate the Chemist

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Would aliens use the same periodic table as us? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Negin Farsad sit down with Kate Biberdorf, aka Kate the Chemist, to tackle fan questions about the chemistry of life, diamonds, how fire works, and spontaneous combustion.

Is there such a thing as a liquid diamond and could you swim in a pool of it? Kate walks through the phase chemistry of carbon, why melting a diamond means it's no longer a diamond, and what the difference actually is between a crystal and a liquid crystal. Do crystals actually influence energy? We discuss crystal shops, the science behind why crystals are the lowest energy state of their atoms, and why "diamonds are forever" is really just a statement about molecular stability.

Could life on other planets be built from completely different chemistry? Kate and Neil explore silicon as a carbon alternative, the case for methane as a solvent on Titan, amino acids found on asteroids, and the biggest open question in astrobiology: is DNA inevitable, or just one solution among many that the universe stumbled upon? Would intelligent aliens organize a periodic table the same way we do or could they sort by stability, conductivity, or cosmic abundance instead?

What is the fire triangle? Learn about the chemistry of fire and the lesser-known Pentagon of dust explosions, explaining how sugar factory explosions happen. We discuss ATP in the body and its role in transferring and storing energy. The episode closes on a series of spectacular chemistry demonstrations — dry ice vortex pools, exploding paint cans, acid base reactions with glitter and food coloring — and Kate's upcoming live science stage tour. Keep Looking Up!

Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Kate the Chemist 06:20 - Could You Have Liquid Diamond? 11:32 - Do Crystals Have Energy? 16:33 - The Chemistry of Life in the Universe 20:49 - Do Aliens Have the Same Periodic Table? 23:29 - Is Water Necessary for Life? 25:47 - The Fire Triangle 28:55 - ATP: Our…

- What it is: Film
- Length: 43 min
- Rights holder: [StarTalk by Neil deGrasse Tyson](http://www.startalkradio.net/) (its site links the channel: https://startalkmedia.com/)
- Channel: [StarTalk](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoAEDirJPjEUFcF2FklnBA)
- Plays: Wherever YouTube plays: its rights holder sets no limit
- Who can watch here: Adult profiles and older (no rating is recorded on YouTube, so adults only)
- Made for kids: No, as YouTube designates it
- On YouTube: [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDbM7Oa-0T8)

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