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EPISODE · May 8, 2026 · 13 MIN

The Molecule That Shouldn't Exist

from The Breaking Point · host Podcaster

In 1985, three scientists accidentally created a soccer ball-shaped molecule that defied everything chemistry textbooks said about carbon. The discovery of buckminsterfullerene—or 'buckyballs'—happened during what was supposed to be a completely different experiment about space dust, launching the entire field of nanotechnology and earning a Nobel Prize along the way. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What this episode covers

In 1985, three scientists accidentally created a soccer ball-shaped molecule that defied everything chemistry textbooks said about carbon. The discovery of buckminsterfullerene—or 'buckyballs'—happened during what was supposed to be a completely different experiment about space dust, launching the entire field of nanotechnology and earning a Nobel Prize along the way.

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The Molecule That Shouldn't Exist

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This episode is 13 minutes long.

When was this The Breaking Point episode published?

This episode was published on May 8, 2026.

What is this episode about?

In 1985, three scientists accidentally created a soccer ball-shaped molecule that defied everything chemistry textbooks said about carbon. The discovery of buckminsterfullerene—or 'buckyballs'—happened during what was supposed to be a completely...

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