Episode 20: Dr. Helmut Cölfen on the Applications of Biologically-Based Materials

Have you ever stepped on a sea urchin? If you have, you were probably too busy thinking about the pain in your foot rather than how these unique creatures get to be so sturdy and sharp. Would you ever imagine that these creatures could have insight into creating almost indestructible buildings? On this episode of the ChemTalk Podcast, host Olivia Lambertson interviews Dr. Helmut Cölfen, Professor of Physical Chemistry at University Konstanz. We discuss how physical chemistry can create more natural tooth fillings, how a sea urchin’s skeleton can show us how to make new concrete, and how calcium disappearing from an experiment led to the possibility of liquid painkillers. We hope you enjoy! If you would like to know more about Dr. Helmut Cölfen you can check out his research, or reach him by email at helmut.coelfen@uni-konstanz.de.