Distillations | Science History Institute
Science History Institute
Distillations is the Science History Institute’s critically acclaimed flagship podcast. We take deep dives into stories that range from the serious to the eccentric, all to help listeners better understand the surprising science that is all around us. Hear about everything from the crisis in Alzheimer’s research to New England’s 19th-century vampire panic in compelling, sometimes-funny, documentary-style audio stories.
Science, Interrupted: Part 2
Genetic engineering breakthroughs in the late 1960s and early 1970s came with a lot of promise—and peril too. Fears about what could happen with recombinant DNA experiments put scientists in the middle of a moral dilemma. Did they have a responsibility to consider how others might use their work? Or was their place simply to be on the lab bench? In this two-part episode, we’ll share the story about the first time scientists stopped and considered the ramifications of their work, with a self-imp
Science, Interrupted: Part 1
Genetic engineering breakthroughs in the late 1960s and early 1970s came with a lot of promise—and peril too. Fears about what could happen with recombinant DNA experiments put scientists in the middle of a moral dilemma. Did they have a responsibility to consider how others might use their work? Or was their place simply to be on the lab bench? In this two-part episode, we’ll share the story about the first time scientists stopped and considered the ramifications of their work, with a self-imp
ALS Patients Take on the FDA
ALS is a fatal neurological disease that kills motor neurons. Even though it was first described more than 150 years ago, there is no cure, and the few drugs available only dampen the symptoms or slow the progression by a few months. In recent years new drugs have emerged. However, there is one problem: the life expectancy is just two to five years after diagnosis. This timeline is incompatible with the FDA drug approval process, which takes years and even decades. This has created a tense situa
The Fraud that Transformed Psychiatry
In 1973 a bombshell study appeared in the premier scientific journal Science. It was called “On Being Sane in Insane Places.” Its author, a Stanford psychology professor named David Rosenhan, claimed that by faking their way into psychiatric hospitals, he and eight other pseudo-patients had proven that psychiatrists were unable to diagnose mental illness accurately. Psychiatrists panicked, and, as a result, re-wrote what’s known as “psychiatry’s bible”—the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Cancer Virus Hunters: An Interview with Gregory J. Morgan
For more than 100 years, biologists who suggested that some cancers may be caused by viruses were the pariahs of genetics. However, they persevered and incrementally built their knowledge, leading to the discovery of retroviruses, the development of a test to diagnose HIV, and the creation of the HPV vaccine. Join us as we interview Gregory J. Morgan about his book Cancer Virus Hunters: A History of Tumor Virology. Credits Host: Alexis Pedrick Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Her
The Ames Test
In 1973 biochemist Bruce Ames created a simple test that showed if chemicals had the potential to cause cancer. The Ames test made him a hero of the emerging environmental movement. But then he completely changed course and said concerns about chemicals were overblown. So what happened? Did Ames change? Or did our understanding of what causes cancer change? Featured Oral History Bruce N. Ames, "Bruce N. Ames: The Marriage of Biochemistry and Genetics at Caltech, the NIH, UC Berkeley, and CHORI,
Is Ozempic Different?
Ozempic and others in this family of drugs are nothing short of miraculous. Meant to treat Type 2 Diabetes, the drug exploded in popularity after researchers found that patients were reporting losing 15-21% of their body weight in clinical trials. There were some side effects, but none so severe that it raised concerns. Doctors began prescribing it to people who weren't diabetic but could benefit from weight loss, and now, our only problem seems to be getting enough of it for all the people who
Traffication: An Interview with Paul Donald
The impact of cars on wildlife extends beyond roadkill, affecting species that never venture near roads. Car noise disrupts bird communication and behavior, and tire and brake dust from pollutes waterways with microplastics. In this wide-ranging interview, we talk to the author of Traffication: How Cars Destroy Nature and What We Can Do About It, Paul Donald about how he coined the term "traffication," the history of road ecology, and what we can do about the problem. Credits Host: Alexis Pedric
Dyes, Drugs, and Psychosis
In 1856, Henry Perkin's attempt to synthesize quinine led to something very different: a vibrant purple dye. Perkin’s mauve revolutionized the fashion industry when Queen Victoria wore a dress of the color to her daughter's wedding. And in an ironic twist, synthetic fabric dyes ultimately led to synthetic drugs, including the first antipsychotic. This drug, known by its trade name Thorazine, was a gamechanger. “Nobody thought there could be a drug that would treat schizophrenia effectively,” say
Pink: An Interview with Dominique Grisard
The color pink has long been in vogue, and when Barbie hit theaters in 2023, its appeal only increased. But its popularity dates back much further than the Mattel doll. In this bonus episode, Dr. Dominique Grisard, a gender studies professor at the University of Basel, discusses the hue and its ties to femininity, class, and Whiteness, as well as how pink has been used to subdue men in detention centers. This episode was inspired by our museum exhibition, BOLD: Color from Test Tube to Textile, o
Can Color Heal Us?
For centuries people have been drawn to the potential healing powers of colored light. From a civil war general to a Thomas Edison wannabe, people have touted it as a medical miracle. Despite claims to the contrary, though, colored light won’t regrow limbs or heal burns. And yet, we are still drawn to the idea that somehow it can fix us. Today there are actual medical studies investigating the health benefits of colored light. So is there any validity to the claims of the past? Can color really
The Word for Blue
In his epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer mentions the colors black, white, red, and yellow. But despite numerous mentions of the brilliant Greek sea and sky, the word blue never makes an appearance. This omission set off a debate between perception and language that would repeat itself over and over again throughout history: was there something wrong with the ancient Greek’s eyes? If they didn’t name blue, did that mean they couldn’t see it? We treat color like it's a clear measure of whether or no
New Season Trailer! Coming June 4th
Check out our new season, dropping weekly on Tuesdays, starting June 4th.
Exploring 'Health Equity Tourism'
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a new public interest in health inequities research. With this new focus, there also has come new funding with many researchers and institutions clamoring to receive lucrative funding and recognition in the field, but there are no official guidelines to distinguish a health equity expert. In this episode we sit down with Dr. Elle Lett who coined the term "health equity tourism" to describe when privileged and pre
The Mothers of Gynecology
Of all wealthy countries, the United States is the most dangerous place to have a baby. Our maternal mortality rate is abysmal, and over the past five years it’s only gotten worse. And there are huge racial disparities: Black women are three times more likely to die than white women. Despite some claims to the contrary, the problem isn’t race, it’s racism. In this episode we trace the origins of this harrowing statistic back to the dawn of American gynecology—a field that was built on the bodies
Correcting Race
Certain medical instruments have built-in methods of correcting for race. They’re based on the premise that Black bodies are inherently different from White bodies. The tool that measures kidney function, for example, underestimates how severe some Black patients’ kidney disease is, and prevents them from getting transplants. Medical students and doctors have been trying to do away with race correction tools once and for all. And they’re starting to see some success. About Innate: How Science In
"That Rotten Spot"
When the plague broke out in San Francisco in 1900 the public health department poured all of their energy into stopping its spread in Chinatown, as if Chinatown were the problem. This episode reveals why they did it, what it has to do with race science, and what it tells us about the history of public health. Credits Host: Elisabeth Berry Drago Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Associate Producer: Padmini Raghunath Audio Engineer: Jonathan Pfeffer “Innate Theme” compose
Black Pills
In 2005 the FDA approved a pill to treat high blood preassure only in African Americans. This so-called miracle drug was named BiDil, and it became the first race-specific drug in the United States. It might sound like a good a good thing, but it had the unintended consequence of perpetuating the myth that race is a biological construct. Credits Hosts: Alexis Pedrick and Elisabeth Berry Drago Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Associate Producer: Padmini Raghunath Audio
Bad Blood, Bad Science
The word “Tuskegee” has come to symbolize the Black community’s mistrust of the medical establishment. It has become American lore. However, most people don’t know what actually happened in Macon County, Alabama, from 1932 to 1972. This episode unravels the myths of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Syphilis Study (the correct name of the study) through conversations with descendants and historians. Credits Hosts: Alexis Pedrick and Elisabeth Berry Drago Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Produce
The African Burial Ground
In 1991, as crews broke ground on a new federal office building in lower Manhattan, they discovered human skeletons. It soon became clear that it was the oldest and largest African cemetery in the country. The federal government was ready to keep building, but people from all over the African diaspora were moved to treat this site with dignity, respect, and scientific excellence. When bioarchaeologist Michael Blakey took over, that's exactly what they got. But it wasn't easy. Credits Host: Alexi
Return, Rebury, Repatriate
In 2019, Abdul-Aliy Muhammad, a community organizer and journalist, learned that the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology had a collection of skulls that belonged to enslaved people. As Muhammad demanded that the university return these skulls, they discovered that claiming ownership over bodies of marginalized people is not just a relic of the past—it continues to this day. Credits Host: Alexis Pedrick Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Associate Producer: Padmi
The Vampire Project
In the 1990s a liberal population geneticist launched the Human Genome Diversity Project. The goal was to sequence the genomes of “isolated” and “disappearing” indigenous groups throughout the world. The project did not go as planned—indigenous groups protested it, and scientists and anthropologists criticized it. This episode examines what went wrong and asks the question: can anti-racist scientists create racist science? About Innate: How Science Invented the Myth of Race “The Vampire Project
Keepers of the Flame
In the 1970s Barry Mehler started tracking race scientists and he noticed something funny: they all had the same funding source. One wealthy man was using his incredible resources to prop up any scientist he could find who would validate his white supremacist ideology—and make it seem like it was backed by a legitimate scientific consensus. About Innate: How Science Invented the Myth of Race “Keepers of the Flame” is Episode 3 of Innate: How Science Invented the Myth of Race, a podcast and magaz
Calamity in Philadelphia
In 1793 a yellow fever epidemic almost destroyed Philadelphia. The young city was saved by two Black preachers, Richard Allen and Absalom Jones, who organized the free Black community in providing essential services and nursing the sick and dying. Allen and Jones were assured of two things: that stepping up would help them gain full equality and citizenship, and that they were immune to the disease. Neither promise turned out to be true. About Innate: How Science Invented the Myth of Race “Cala
BONUS EPISODE: Cheddar Man
In 2018 ancient DNA researchers revealed their analysis of a 10,000 year old skeleton called Cheddar Man. He was the oldest complete skeleton ever discovered in England, and the revelation that he had dark skin challenged assumptions many people had about what the earliest people in Britain looked like.
Origin Stories
It might seem as though the way we think about race now is how we’ve always thought about it—but it isn’t. Race was born out of the Enlightenment in Europe, along with the invention of modern western science. And it was tied to the politics of the age—imperialism and later slavery. This episode traces the origins of race science to the Enlightenment, examines how the Bible influenced racial theories, and considers how we still have a hard time letting go of the idea of race. About Innate: How Sc
New Season Trailer! Innate: How Science Invented the Myth of Race
Our new season, Innate: How Science Invented the Myth of Race, drops on February 7th.
Mechanochemistry
What comes to mind when you think of a chemistry lab? Maybe it’s smoke billowing out of glassware, or colorful test tubes, or vats of toxic substances. Chemistry and hazardous solvents just seem to go hand in hand. But chemists like James Mack think there’s a greener way: It’s called mechanochemistry, a kind of chemistry that uses physical force to grind materials instead of solvents. And it’s getting the attention of such huge corporations as Exxon Mobil. Still, some chemists are not ready to g
Mechanochemistry
"I thought they were married to the molecules, little did I know they were actually married to the flask." Host: Elisabeth Berry Drago Reporter, Producer, and Audio Engineer: Jonathan Pfeffer Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Associate Producer: Padmini Raghunath
Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius as Written by Our Genetic Code
The Disappearing Spoon, a podcast collaboration between the Science History Institute and New York Times best-selling author Sam Kean, returns for its third season on March 8, 2022. To celebrate, our producer, Padmini Parthasarathy, sat down with Kean to talk about his book The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code. This interview is a great companion piece for the new season of The Disappearing Spoon, which tackles all sorts of strange
The Sinister Angel Singers of Rome
In this episode of The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean talks about Alessandro Moreschi, the so-called Angel of Rome. His voice earned him fame and money. So what's the secret behind the voice? What was his trick? It turns out that his trick can also make you taller and prevent baldness. The only catch: it requires castration. Credits Host: Sam Kean Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Audio Engineer: Jonathan Pfeffer
Disappearing Spoon: The Murderous Origins of the American Medical Association
In this episode of The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean talks about the strange origin story of the American Medical Association. The creation of this powerful medical society can be traced back to a duel between two doctors at Transylvania University in Kentucky. Credits Host: Sam Kean Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Audio Engineer: Jonathan Pfeffer
The Big ‘What If’ of Cancer
In this episode of The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean talks about Hermann Muller, a geneticist who in the 1920s discovered that radiation causes genetic mutations. This discovery happened around the same time that other geneticists were starting to link cancer with genetic mutations. Had both of these parties communicated they would have gotten a 50-year head start in cancer research. So why didn't scientists make this realization sooner? It turns out that Muller was a real jerk. Credits Host: Sam
Disappearing Spoon: The Harvard Medical School Janitor Who Solved a Murder
On this episode of The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean talks about a murder mystery that rocked Boston in 1849. Harvard University alum and physician George Parkman had gone missing. The last place he was seen alive was at the Harvard medical building, which had plenty of bodies, but police couldn't find Parkman’s there. That is until a janitor intervened and implicated a medical school professor. The ensuing murder trial was a media circus equivalent to the O. J. Simpson trial. And just like that
Disappearing Spoon: Burn After Watching
In this episode of The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean breaks down the history of nitrocellulose. This thick, transparent liquid was the world’s first plastic and could be shaped into anything, including billiard balls and photography film. With nitrocellulose film, you could run reels of pictures together quickly, which gave birth to the first movies. The only fatal flaw with this plastic is that it’s also extremely combustible—so much so that it can burn underwater once it gets going. This led to
History’s First Car Crash Victim
In this episode of The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean talks about Mary Ward, a budding naturalist and astronomer from Ireland. She spent a lot of time observing plants and animals through a microscope and published a book of detailed sketches that dazzled readers and colleagues in the 1800s. However, her career was cut short by a strange curiosity of that time period: the automobile. They weren’t the same cars that are around today, but her death was the first car death recorded in history, and it
Real Life Zombies
In this episode of The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean talks about memory fugues, a psychological disorder that wipes out biographical information from people’s brains. It is estimated that roughly 1 in 100,000 people seeking help for mental disorders have them. This disorder happens worldwide and it usually afflicts people in their 20s. Scientists have only recently started to piece together what is going on in the brains of those impaired by it. Credits Host: Sam Kean Senior Producer: Mariel Carr
How Climate Change Will Remake the Human Body
On this episode of The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean delves deep into the science behind the evolution of animal and human bodies. Like animals, human bodies have also evolved to adhere to the demands of ever-changing climates. This raises a question: how will human bodies respond to climate change? Credits Host: Sam Kean Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Audio Engineer: Jonathan Pfeffer
The ‘Mary Poppins’ Cancer
In this episode of Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean discusses the horrors of a particular genetic disease that was, literally, sweeping through London in the 1700s. In 1666, the Great Fire of London consumed about 13,000 homes and caused the modern equivalent about $1.3 billion in damage. After the Great Fire, London officials made chimneys mandatory in all homes and buildings. All these new chimneys meant there was a big demand for sweepers. Who did they employ to clean these narrow, soot-filled ch
Disappearing Spoon: Kangaroo (and Pig and Monkey and Dog and Donkey) Courts
Animal trials have always been part of society, but we are not talking about the ones with lab mice. In medieval times dozens of animals were tried in human courts for committing human crimes. It sounds silly, but the practice raises an uncomfortable question that we are still grappling with today: if we hold animals accountable in court, doesn’t that mean that they deserve some sort of legal protection? We kill them for food and skin them for leather after all. What about medical and product tr
Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science
The Disappearing Spoon, a podcast collaboration between the Science History Institute and New York Times best-selling author Sam Kean, returns for its second season on October 5, 2021. To celebrate, our producer, Rigoberto Hernandez, sat down with Kean to talk about his new book The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science. This interview is a great companion piece for The Disappearing Spoon series since some of the stories in
What Causes Alzheimer's?
The human brain is mysterious and complicated. So much so, one might be tempted to argue that it only makes sense that we still don’t have a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, despite decades of research. But this isn’t the whole story. We’ve partnered with Vox’s Unexplainable science podcast to talk about how Alzheimer’s researchers have been stubbornly pursuing a single theory for decades. The Amyloid Hypothesis is the reigning champ amongst pharmaceutical companies and scientific scholars and it h
What the All Souls Trilogy Teaches Us about Alchemy, Family, and Knowledge Hierarchy
Ever since the book A Discovery of Witches debuted in 2011, the All Souls franchise has taken on a life of its own with devoted fans all over the world. The TV show and annual All Souls Con—which the Science History Institute occasionally hosts—is based on the trilogy of books about witches, vampires, and demons by author Deborah Harkness. Distillations sat down with Jen Daine and Cait Parnell, the hosts of the All Souls podcast, Chamomile and Clove; art historian Stephenie McGucken; and mediev
Chasing Immortality
Since humans have been living we’ve also been dying—best case scenario: after eight or nine decades and plenty of good times. But we’re not wholly content with that. Never have been, probably never will be. In fact, working on how not to die is one of the most human things about us. It’s occupied the minds of everyone from ancient Chinese emperors and medieval European alchemists to now, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. They think it’s within sight and completely different from how this quest was a
Interview with Jeremiah McCall
Jeremiah McCall is a history teacher at Cincinnati Country Day School and the author of Gaming the Past: Using Video Games to Teach Secondary School. He talked to Distillations about what it's like to use video games in his history classes, the criteria he uses in choosing games, and why he likes his students to question the media they are consuming. Credits Hosts: Alexis Pedrick and Elisabeth Berry Drago Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Audio Engineer: Jonathan Pfeffer
Learning History with Video Games
The pandemic made gamers out of many Americans, including our producer, Rigoberto Hernandez. He played a lot of historical video games and it got him thinking: can you learn history from video games even though they are obviously fiction? Throughout history there have been many moral panics about people consuming historical fiction and taking what they read and watch as fact, so how do video games stack up? It turns out that they can empower players in better ways than TV shows, films, and books
Ladies Talking to Ladies about Ladies (in Science)
Anna Reeser is a historian of technology and Laila McNeil is a historian of science. Together they co-founded and are editors-in-chief of Lady Science, an independent magazine about women, gender, history, and popular culture of science. Now the duo has a new book titled Forces of Nature: The Women Who Changed Science. They talked to us about moving beyond biographies, how women who had knowledge about the natural world are suspect, and reintegrating women’s history into the mainstream.
Paradise Is Burning
For decades, the official fire policy of the Forest Service was to put out all fires as soon as they appeared. That might seem logical, but there is such a thing as a good fire, the kind that helps stabilize ecosystems and promotes biodiversity. Native American communities understood this and regularly practiced light burning. So why did the Forest Service ignore this in favor of unabated fire suppression? In 1910 a massive fire known as “the big blow up” or “the big burn” devastated northern Id
Interview with Colin Dickey
Ghost hunters on television all seem to have a common goal: to prove that ghosts are real using sophisticated, yet inexact technology. Colin Dickey, the author of Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places, says this is not an accident. The relationship between technology and ghosthunters is as old as the telegraph. But Dickey is not interested in proving they are real; he is fascinated with what the ghost stories we tell reveal about our society. Credits: Hosts: Alexis Pedrick and Elisab
Ghost Hunting in the 19th Century
The 19th century was a time of rapid technological leaps: the telegraph, the steam boat, the radio were invented during this century. But this era was also the peak of spiritualism: the belief that ghosts and spirits were real and could be communicated with after death. Seances were all the rage. People tried to talk to their dead loved ones using Ouija boards and automatic writing. Although it might seem contradictory, it's not a coincidence that this was all happening at the same time. There h
Vampire Panic
In the 19th century a mysterious illness afflicted rural New England. Often called the Great White Plague for how pale it made its victims, it was also called “consumption” because of the way it literally consumed people from the inside out, gradually making them weaker, paler, and more lifeless until they were gone. Today we know it as tuberculosis, an infectious bacterial disease that attacks the lungs and causes a hacking cough, a wasting fever, and night sweats. But back then the main suspec
We're Back! Distillations Summer Season Preview
This summer leave reality behind and join Distillations for an entire season about fantasy! We're talking vampires! Ghosts! Witches! And we promise, it all has to do with the history of science. Season launches on June 29.
Interview with Stéphane Bancel
Last year Distillations talked to people who have special insight into the coronavirus crisis—biomedical researchers, physicians, public health experts, and historians. In this episode we talk to Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, a biotech company that developed one of the three emergency-approved COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. The Moderna vaccine is unique in that it uses a new technology that has been decades in the making called messenger RNA, or mRNA. Bancel reflects on the developm
The Disappearing Spoon: The Anatomy Riots
In the 1700s human dissection was a big taboo—people feared that it would leave their bodies mangled on Judgment Day, when God would raise the dead. As a result, government officials banned most dissections. This led to some unintended consequences, most notably a shortage of bodies for anatomists to dissect. To meet the heightened demand, a new profession emerged: grave-robbers. These so-called resurrectionists dug up the bodies of poor people to sell to anatomists, which led to riots in the st
When a Hole in the Head is a Good Thing
Credits Host: Sam Kean Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Audio Engineer: Jonathan Pfeffer Music: "Trois Gnossiennes 3," "Stately Shadows," "Darklit Carpet," "Vernouillet," and "Tossed" by Blue Dot Sessions. "Conjunto Sol del Peru," by Pockra (Vol. 2: Musica de los Andes Peruanos). "Conjunto Sol del Peru," by Wuaylias Tusy (Vol. 2: Musica de los Andes Peruanos). "Conjunto Sol del Peru," by Ckashampa (Vol. 2: Musica de los Andes Peruanos) Image courtesy of the Wellcome Col
The Disappearing Spoon: When Mosquitoes Cured Insanity
How an early 20th century doctor pitted one scourge (malaria) against another (syphilis). Credits Host: Sam Kean Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Audio Engineer: Jonathan Pfeffer Music: “Delamine” by Blue Dot Sessions. All other music composed by Jonathan Pfeffer.
The Death of the Lord God Bird
The ivory-billed woodpecker is sometimes called the Lord God bird, a nickname it earned because that’s what people cried out the first time they ever saw one: “Lord God, what a bird.” Even though the last confirmed sighting was in the 1930s, birders have been claiming they have seen the Lord God bird throughout the years, turning it into a myth. The sad part is it didn’t need to be this way. And it’s all Hitler’s fault. As crazy as it sounds, the ivory-billed woodpecker was one of last victims o
Disappearing spoon: Chewing it Over—and Over and Over and Over
If Ted Talks were around in the early 1990s, Horace Fletcher would have given his fair share of them. Fletcher was a health reformer who thought people didn’t chew their food nearly enough. He believed that most swallowed food way too quickly. This had all sorts of detrimental health consequences, he said, including nasty bowel movements. So he over-chewed his food. He once chewed a green onion 722 times before he let himself swallow it. His idea became such a sensation that it became a moveme
The Disappearing Spoon: What's the Longest Word in the English Language?
Shakespeare had a go at at the longest word in the English language with “honorific-abilitude-in-i-tat-i-bus.” If you play the game of stacking suffixes and prefixes together, you can get “antidisestablishmentarianism,” one letter longer for a total of 28 letters. But the longest word by far appeared in 1964 in Chemical Abstracts, a dictionary-like reference for chemists. The word describes a protein in what’s called the tobacco mosaic virus, and it runs 1,185 letters long. Besides being too lon
The Disappearing Spoon: Why Don’t We Have a Male Birth Control Pill Yet?
The debut of the female birth control pill in 1960 was revolutionary. The combination of progesterone and estrogen allowed women to control their reproductive lives much more easily and effectively. But the pill had many unpleasant and even dangerous side effects. In fact, some doctors argue that it wouldn’t win government approval today. So why haven’t scientists tried to create a birth control pill for men? It turns out they have. In the 1950s scientists created a really good one. But it had o
The Disappearing Spoon: Crowdfunding Radium
From the Disappearing Spoon, our new podcast! Radium was once the trendiest element in the world. It glowed alluringly in the dark and was hailed it as a medical panacea. It was also the basis of Marie Curie’s research—for which she won her second Nobel Prize in 1911. But by 1920 radium was scarce and its cost was eye-popping: one hundred thousand dollars per gram. When Curie’s research ground to a halt because of the expense, thousands of American women stepped in to raise money for the preciou
The Disappearing Spoon: Parking lot or Peking lot?
From our new podcast, the Disappearing Spoon: The so-called “Peking Man” fossils are some of the first ancient human remains discovered in mainland Asia. So when they disappeared during World War II, it was called one of the worst disasters in the history of archaeology. Now some archeologists claim to have tracked them down. The only problem is they’re underneath a parking lot. Credits Host: Sam Kean Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Audio Engineer: Jonathan Pfeffer Ori
The Disappearing Spoon: Orphan Vaccines
The Science History Institute has launched a second podcast! We've teamed up with New York Times best-selling author Sam Kean to bring you even more stories from our scientific past. Don’t worry, Distillations podcast isn’t going anywhere; we’re still producing the in-depth narrative-style episodes you know and love! We’ve just doubled your history of science listening pleasure. For the next 10 weeks we’ll bring you stories from the footnotes of the history of science, from the saga of the male
Tales of Love and Madness from the Periodic Table
Did you know that Gandhi hated iodine? Or that Silicon Valley was almost called Germanium Valley? Our producer Rigoberto Hernandez talked about these stories and more with Sam Kean, author of The Disappearing Spoon, a book about the stories behind the periodic table. The New York Times best-selling author and regular Distillations magazine contributor described how Dmitri Mendeleev’s publisher accidentally shaped the periodic table, why gallium is a popular element for pranksters, and what inspi
Predicting the Pandemic: An interview with Wendy Zukerman, Host of "Science Vs." Podcast
Distillations is hard at work on our next season. It’s not quite ready, but we have a treat for you in the meantime. We interviewed Wendy Zukerman, the host and executive producer of one of our favorite podcasts, Science Vs. In normal times the show pits facts against fads—they talk about everything from detox diets to the supposed benefits of Cannabidiol, or CBD. Since early 2020, however, they’ve been reporting about the Coronavirus pandemic. But they actually started even earlier than that—in
COVID's Hidden Toll on Nurses
As the pandemic began raging again this fall we talked with nurse Linda Ruggiero about what it's like to be on the front lines for a second wave. She talks about how treatment has changed, what we still don't know about the disease, and how every nurse she knows is suffering from PTSD. Host: Elisabeth Berry Drago Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Music by Blue Dot Sessions. Photograph of Linda Ruggiero by Kyle Cassidy.
Between Us and Catastrophe
We've collaborated with Philadelphia photographer Kyle Cassidy to tell the stories of our city's essential workers. This fall his large-scale portraits of nurses, sanitation workers, Instacart shoppers, mask-makers, and delivery drivers will be on display on the exterior of the Science History Institute, in Old City Philadelphia. Find out more at sciencehistory.org/pandemic. Hosts: Alexis Pedrick and Elisabeth Berry Drago Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Music by Blue D
Space Junk
Outer space is crowded. Satellites, pieces of rocket, and stuff that astronauts left behind, such as cameras and poop, are just floating around. This space junk can pose a threat to our communication systems. In this episode we talk with Lisa Ruth Rand, a fellow at the Science History Institute, about her upcoming book on space junk. She tells us how space weather—that’s right, there’s space weather—can have an effect on what falls on Earth. She also talks about how our views on space debris rev
Who Owns Outer Space?
Outer space belongs to everyone and no one, at least that’s what the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 says. On its face, this seems like an uncontroversial statement. But in the 1970s a group of equatorial countries challenged this idea. Only the richest and most powerful countries can afford to reach outer space in the first place, they argued, so in principle these nations controlled it. The protesting countries were ignored at the time, but to some their warnings seem more urgent now that it isn’t
The Alchemical Origins of Occupational Medicine
Worldwide nearly 3 million workers die on the job each year. U.S. workers experience roughly that same number of injuries and illnesses each year. Work is hard and dangerous, and we have the data to prove it. But who started collecting that data? The answer takes us back to Paracelsus, an early modern physician and alchemist who noticed that the miners he lived among often became very ill or died. His inquiries laid the foundation for occupational health and the workplace safety standards we hav
Bonus Episode: Doing Science with an Invisible Disability
Earning a PhD can be grueling for the healthiest student. But what is it like for a student with widespread pain and fatigue? Is it even possible? Marine geologist and geophysicist Gabriela Serrato Marks tells us that academia was not set up for people like her, and she wants to change that. Hosts: Alexis Pedrick and Elisabeth Berry Drago Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Audio Engineer: Jonathan Pfeffer Original Music by Zach Young
Science and Disability Part 2
There’s a common assumption that to be a scientist you must also be a genius, someone who excelled at school and learns easily and quickly. But are these really the qualities necessary to produce new scientific knowledge? Collin Diedrich is a research scientist with a doctorate in molecular virology and microbiology. On paper he might seem to be the archetypal smart scientist, but the reality is more complicated. Collin has multiple learning disabilities, and he has struggled to overcome the sti
Bonus Episode: A Short History of Disability in the United States
July 26th, 2020 marked the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. But the history of disability in the United States goes back much further. Historian Kim Nielsen tells us that disability has always been part of American life, from precolonial times to today. Our producer Rigoberto Hernandez talked with Nielsen about her book A Disability History of the United States.
Science and Disability
Everyone knows that observation is a key part of the scientific method, but what does that mean for scientists who can’t see? Judith Summers-Gates is a successful, visually impaired chemist who uses a telescope to read street signs. If the thought of a blind scientist gives you pause, you’re not alone. But stop and ask yourself why. What assumptions do we make about how knowledge is produced? And who gets to produce it? And who gets to participate in science? In this episode we go deep into the
Collecting Monstrosity
We’ve long been fascinated by the mysteries of reproduction. But that curiosity is piqued most intensely when something unexpected happens. The study of such “monstrous births,” as scientists once called them, propelled forward our understanding of how embryos and fetuses develop. And the key to unlocking this knowledge was found gathering dust in the basement of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in a macabre collection assembled by Czar Peter the Great. The story behind this collection reveals a
Preview: New Season Coming August 4th!
Our new season starts August 4th!
BONUS EPISODE: Pandemic Perspectives with Magda Marquet
Over the past few weeks Distillations has been talking to people who have special insight into the coronavirus crisis—biomedical researchers, physicians, public health experts, and historians. In this episode we talk with Magda Marquet, a biochemical engineer and an entrepreneur. Marquet has spent decades working on DNA vaccines, one of the many techniques being used to create a vaccine for Covid-19. She also sits on the board of Arcturus Therapeutics, which is developing a vaccine for the disea
BONUS EPISODE: Pandemic Perspectives with Robert Langer
We talk about COVID-19 with Robert Langer, a chemical engineer and an entrepreneur, who runs the largest biomedical engineering research laboratory in the world at MIT. He has also started numerous biotech companies, including Moderna Therapeutics, a company that’s been making headlines for the COVID-19 vaccine they’re developing. Langer told us about his work with the Gates Foundation to develop a way for vaccines to self-boost in the body, his work with the sneaker company New Balance to creat
BONUS EPISODE: Pandemic Perspectives with Mark Stevenson
Over the next several weeks Distillations will be talking to people who have special insight into the coronavirus crisis—biomedical researchers, physicians, public health experts, and historians. In this episode we talk to Mark Stevenson, the chief operating officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific, an instrumentation company that has designed a diagnostic test for the novel coronavirus. The company is also working on a serology test, which will determine who has already had the virus. He tells us ho
BONUS EPISODE: Pandemic Perspectives with John Maraganore
Our senior producer, Mariel Carr, talks with John Maraganore, the CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, a company developing an antiviral medication for COVID-19. When news broke in January about the new coronavirus, John Maraganore made the decision to pause other drugs in development and pivot to working on an antiviral medication for this new and alarmingly infectious virus. He says it was a difficult decision, but this virus had all the ingredients to become a pandemic. “And when you have a public
BONUS EPISODE: Pandemic Perspectives with Katrine Bosley
Over the next several weeks Distillations will be talking to people who have special insight into the coronavirus crisis—biomedical researchers, physicians, public health experts, and historians. In this episode our producer Rigberto Hernandez talks with Katrine Bosley, who has worked in the biotech industry for more than 30 years. Until recently she was the CEO of Editas Medicine, a company that focuses on a gene-editing technology known as CRISPR. She’s now on the board of the Massachusetts Ey
BONUS EPISODE: Pandemic Perspectives with William Haseltine
We talk to William Haseltine, a scientist, entrepreneur, and author who has lived through three epidemics (polio, HIV/AIDS, and now COVID-19). He tells us how his lab in the 1980s was better prepared to deal with HIV/AIDS than we are now for COVID-19 and what he thinks lies ahead for us with this pandemic. Over the next several weeks Distillations will be talking to people who have special insight into the coronavirus crisis—biomedical researchers, physicians, public health experts, and histor
BONUS EPISODE: Pandemic Perspectives with Susan Weiss
Over the next several weeks Distillations will be talking to people who have special insight into the coronavirus crisis—biomedical researchers, physicians, public health experts, and historians. In this episode we speak with Susan Weiss, a microbiology professor at the University of Pennsylvania and the director for the Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Emerging Pathogens. She’ll talk about her 40-years of experience researching coronaviruses, how her field reacted to the 2002 SARS an
BONUS EPISODE: Pandemic Perspectives with Sue Desmond-Hellmann
Over the next several weeks Distillations will be talking to people who have special insight into the coronavirus crisis—biomedical researchers, physicians, public health experts, and historians. In this episode we speak with Sue Desmond-Hellmann, an oncologist who worked with HIV patients in San Francisco in the 1980s during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. She was also the CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation up until December 2019. Desmond-Hellmann tells us about her experiences working as a d
BONUS EPISODE: Pandemic Perspectives with John C. Martin
Over the next several weeks Distillations will be talking to people with special insight into the coronavirus crisis—biomedical researchers, physicians, public health experts, and historians. In this episode we speak with John C. Martin, a biomedical researcher and former CEO of Gilead Sciences. Gilead is a pharmaceutical giant best known for its antiviral therapies for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, but it’s also the company behind remdesivir, an antiviral drug that has recently made headlines as a po
BONUS EPISODE: Spit Spreads Death
The historical curator of a new exhibition at the Mütter Museum discusses the eerie parallels between the 1918-1919 flu pandemic and the coronavirus. In the fall of 1918 the (misnomered) Spanish flu ravaged much of the world. Philadelphia was hit especially hard: it had the highest death rate of any major American city. Over the course of six weeks 12,000 people in the city died. Hospitals were overcrowded and bodies piled up. When the Mütter Museum embarked on the multiyear exhibition and publi
BONUS EPISODE: The Blooper Reel
Over the past few years our producers have been saving all the raw tape from our tracking sessions (maybe to blackmail us at some point?) But because we all need some levity these days, we dug it out for your listening pleasure. We hope these outtakes (improvised songs about the history of science, complaints about squeaky chairs, and musings about various forms of a dystopian future) amuse you as much as they amused us. "Climbing the Mountain" by Podington Bear.
Preview: We're moving to seasons!
Stay tuned for our upcoming season, dropping in summer 2020!
How Philadelphia's Water Pollution Problems Shaped the City
Philadelphia just had the wettest decade on record, and all that precipitation has wreaked havoc on the city’s waterways. Like most old cities, Philadelphia has a combined sewer system—that is, one pipe is used to carry both sewage and stormwater. When it rains a lot, the system gets overwhelmed, forcing the water department to send raw sewage into rivers and creeks. City officials and engineers knew this was going to be a problem when they built the sewer system in the 1800s. The reason why the
BONUS EPISODE: Jane Hodgson
In 1970 Jane Hodgson became the only person in the United States ever convicted for performing an abortion in a hospital. A patient came to her St. Paul, Minnesota OB/GYN practice seeking an abortion. She had two kids, was pregnant with her third, and had rubella. Minnesota's abortion law was one of the strictest in the country, but Jane Hodgson broke it. Then she called her local DA and turned herself in. This is a bonus episode exploring one part of the story from our last episode: Roe v. Wad
Roe v. Wade v. Rubella
The story of how abortion became legal in the United States isn’t as straightforward as many of us think. The common narrative is that feminist activism and the sexual liberation movement in the 1960s led to Roe v. Wade in 1973. But it turns out the path to Roe led over some unexpected and unsettling terrain, and involves a complicated story involving culture, society, disease, and our prejudices and fears about disability. In the 1960s a rubella epidemic swept the United States and panicked eve
Preview: Roe v. Wade v. Rubella
Tune in to our next episode on December 17th.
Promo: LIVE Halloween show!
Come see Distillations LIVE for our Halloween Spooktacular! The show is Wednesday, October 30th at 7pm at the Science History Institute in Old City Philadelphia.
The Alzheimer's Copernicus Problem, Part 1
Almost six million people in the United States have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. And with baby boomers getting older, those numbers are only expected to rise. This disease, despite being studied by scientists for more than 100 years, has no cure. In our two-part series we first dive into the personal lives of the people at the heart of this disease: the patients and their caregivers. Then we uncover why effective treatments for Alzheimer’s lag so far behind those for cancer, heart di
The Alzheimer’s Copernicus Problem, Part 2
Almost six million people in the United States have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. And with baby boomers getting older, those numbers are only expected to rise. This disease, despite being studied by scientists for more than 100 years, has no cure. In our two-part series we first dive into the personal lives of the people at the heart of this disease: the patients and their caregivers. Then we uncover why effective treatments for Alzheimer’s lag so far behind those for cancer, heart di
Preview: The Alzheimer's Copernicus Problem
Listen to The Alzheimer's Copernicus Problem on October 22nd.
Science on TV
For almost as long as there have been television networks, science shows have been part of the TV landscape. But science programming didn’t begin by accident. At first it was a way for TV stations to build trust with their audiences; then it was used as a ploy to get families to buy more television sets. But as the world changed, so did science on TV. Distillations interviewed Ingrid Ockert, a fellow at the Science History Institute and a historian of science and media, about five key contributo
Preview: Fall 2019
We're in the thick of producing episodes for our fall season! Here's a taste of what's coming.
Rare Earths: The Hidden Cost to Their Magic, Part 2
The 17 rare earth elements are often called the spices or vitamins of industry. While we don’t need much of them, they’re sprinkled in small amounts through our most powerful, futuristic, and dare we say it, magical tools. They power our iPhones and computers; they’re in wind turbines and hybrid cars. They’re in dental implants, X-ray machines, and life-saving cancer drugs. They have unusual magnetic and electrical properties that make our gadgets faster, stronger, and lighter. And we've all bee
Rare Earths: The Hidden Cost to Their Magic, Part 1
The 17 rare earth elements are often called the spices or vitamins of industry. While we don’t need much of them, they’re sprinkled in small amounts through our most powerful, futuristic, and dare we say it, magical tools. They power our iPhones and computers; they’re in wind turbines and hybrid cars. They’re in dental implants, X-ray machines, and life-saving cancer drugs. They have unusual magnetic and electrical properties that make our gadgets faster, stronger, and lighter. And we've all bee
Preview: Rare Earths
Rare earths power our modern world. They make the magic happen. But at what cost? Tune in to our next episode on June 25th.
The Myth of the Cuyahoga River Fire
In the summer of 1969 the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, defied the laws of nature and caught fire. Time covered the event and cemented the fire’s place in national lore. The story that followed says this fire captured the country’s attention and brought to light the environmental hazards not only in Cleveland but in the country as a whole. And it went on to spark the modern environmental movement. This all sounds like such a nice, tidy story. But in reality things were much more complicated
Preview: The Myth of the Cuyahoga River Fire
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High Steaks at the Border
When we think about the U.S.-Mexico border, it’s hard not to think about the current immigration conflict and the contentious idea to build a wall. But the concept of a border wall isn’t new: proposals for walls have been made for more than 100 years. Our story starts in 1947, when a group of Texas ranchers demanded a fence along their state’s border with Mexico. Their motivation, though, was to stop an outbreak of a disease that struck farm animals. The response to the crisis was complicated an
Preview: High Steaks at the Border
When Mexico and the United States resolved their beef.
Making the Deserts Bloom
In the late 1950s a Texas town on the Gulf of Mexico was suffering from a devastating, decade-long drought. But while the wells ran dry, the ocean lapped at the town’s shore, taunting the thirsty residents with its endless supply of undrinkable water. Undrinkable, that is, until President John F. Kennedy stepped in to save the day with the promise of science. The evolving technology of desalination wouldn’t just end droughts: it would give us as much water as we wanted. It would allow us to inha
Preview: Making The Deserts Bloom
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Love, Hate, and Sex from the History of Science
This Valentine’s Day we could have just brought you some sappy love stories from science’s past. But instead we offer you three tales of lust, loneliness, betrayal, pettiness, and not one, but two beheadings. Credits Hosts: Alexis Pedrick and Elisabeth Berry Drago Senior Producer: Mariel Carr Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez Reporters: Alexis Pedrick and Elisabeth Berry Drago Audio Engineer: James Morrison Photo illustration by Jay Muhlin Additional audio production by Dan Drago Music Music courtes
Sex(ism), Drugs, and Migraines
Egyptian scriptures from 1200 BCE describe painful, migraine-like headaches, so we know the disorder has afflicted people for at least three thousand years. Still, the condition continues to mystify us today. Anne Hoffman is a reporter, a professor, and a chronic migraine sufferer. She spent the past year tracing the history of migraines, hoping to discover clues about a treatment that actually works for her. The journey took her in some interesting directions. One common theme she found? A whol
Preview: Happy Holidays from Distillations!
Happy holidays from all of us here at Distillations. This holiday season our gift to you is a sneak peak at some of the stories we have in the works for 2019.
The Mouse That Changed Science: A Tiny Animal With a Big Story
In April 1988 Harvard University was awarded a patent that was the first of its kind. U.S. Patent Number 4,736,866 was small, white, and furry, with red beady eyes. His name was OncoMouse. The mouse, genetically engineered to have a predisposition for cancer, allowed researchers to study the disease in an intact living organism. It promised to transform cancer research, but not everyone was happy. Most critics were wary of patenting life forms at all. But academic scientists were also worried ab
Preview: The Mouse that Changed Science
Tune in to the next episode of Distillations on November 20th!
Treating America's Opioid Addiction Part 3: Searching for Meaning in Kensington
“We should never, ever forget that addiction treatment is a search for meaning in a place other than using drugs.” —Nancy Campbell, historian of drug addiction (This is the third and final chapter of a three-part series. See Part 1 and Part 2.) In the final chapter of this series we travel to the heart of our modern opioid crisis. In what is now a notorious Philadelphia neighborhood called Kensington, we meet two victims of the epidemic and follow them on two distinct paths toward recovery. Our
Treating America’s Opioid Addiction Part 2: Synanon and the Tunnel Back to the Human Race.
Our current devastating opioid crisis is unprecedented in its reach and deadliness, but it’s not the first such epidemic the United States has experienced or tried to treat. In fact, it’s the third. Treating America’s Opioid Addiction is a three-part series that investigates how we’ve understood and treated opioid addiction over more than a century. Through the years we’ve categorized opioid addiction as some combination of a moral failure, a mental illness, a biological disease, or a crime. An
Preview: Treating America's Opioid Addiction, Part 2
In our next episode we’re continuing our three-part series on the history of opioid addiction treatment in the United States. And we’re going back to the early 1960s, when the foundations for our modern opioid addiction treatment system were being built--starting with a controversial drug rehabilitation program called Synanon. Tune in to our next episode, Synanon and the Tunnel Back to the Human Race, on September 18.
Treating America’s Opioid Addiction Part 1: The Narcotic Farm and the Promise of Salvation
Our current devastating opioid crisis is unprecedented in its reach and deadliness, but it’s not the first such epidemic the United States has experienced or tried to treat. In fact, it’s the third. Treating America’s Opioid Addiction is a three-part series that investigates how we’ve understood and treated opioid addiction over more than a century. Through the years we’ve categorized opioid addiction as some combination of a moral failure, a mental illness, a biological disease, or a crime. An
Preview: We're hard at work on our next season!
We're hard at work on our next season. Listen to the first episode on August 21st!
Fighting Smog in Los Angeles
If you live in Los Angeles, or even if you’ve just visited, you know about smog. But what might surprise you is that a half-century ago the city’s air quality was more unbearable, even though the city had far fewer cars. In the final installment of our three-part series on environmental success stories, we tell you about Los Angeles’s caveat-filled triumph over smog. The battle started in the 1940s and continues today, but along the way crucial pieces of technology and legislation helped clear t
Preview: Smog in Los Angeles used to be way worse
Tune in to the next episode of Distillations on June 26!
Whatever Happened to Acid Rain?
Remember acid rain? If you were a kid in the 1980s like our hosts were, the threat of poison falling from the sky probably made some kind of impression on your consciousness. But thanks to the work of scientists, government, the media, and the pope—that’s right, the pope—the problem was fixed! Well, mostly fixed is probably more accurate. This complicated story spans 27 years, six U.S. presidents, and ecologist Gene Likens's entire career. Discover the insidious details in the second chapter of
Preview: Whatever Happened to Acid Rain?
Tune in to the next episode of Distillations on May 22!
Whatever Happened to the Ozone Hole?
If you were around in the 1980s, you probably remember the lurking fear of an ominous hole in the sky. In the middle of the decade scientists discovered that a giant piece of the ozone layer was disappearing over Antarctica, and the situation threatened us all. The news media jumped on the story. The ozone layer is like the earth’s sunscreen: without it ultraviolet rays from the sun would cause alarming rates of skin cancer and could even damage marine food chains. And it turns out we were causi
The Man, the Myth, the Laser
They’re at the grocery checkout. They kill cancer cells. They’re in pointers that drive cats crazy and in the fiber networks that connect us to the internet. Lasers are so ubiquitous it’s hard to imagine a world without them. So you’d think we would know who the inventor was, right? Turns out it’s not so easy. There’s the guy who wrote down the initial idea, two other guys who got a patent for it, and then another guy who actually built the first laser. We spoke to Nick Taylor, author of Laser:
The Yoga Pant Problem
Yoga pants are having a moment. And while they’re not new, they’ve moved beyond the gym and yoga studio into nearly every corner of our lives. This so-called athleisure wear trend has made a lot of people happy. “Once I wore [yoga pants], I never wore jeans again if I could help it,” says Sage Roundtree, a yoga instructor from North Carolina. But as comfy as the trend is, it has made a lot of people very unhappy—including the entire cotton industry. That’s because performance athletic wear isn’t
The Almost Forgotten Story of Katherine Jones, Lady Ranelagh
Every aspiring chemist has heard of Boyle’s law—the equation that relates the pressure of a gas to its volume. But even if you know about Robert Boyle himself, it’s not likely you’ve heard of his sister, even though she probably talked him through many of his ideas. Katherine Jones, Lady Ranelagh (1615–1691), had a lifelong influence on her famous younger brother, natural philosopher Robert Boyle. In her lifetime she was recognized by many for her scientific knowledge, but her story was almost l
Sci-Fi Radio Drama: A Cautionary Tale of Technology Run Riot
As you ponder which shiny new gadgets to put in your children’s stockings this holiday season, beware of the story of the Abbott family, whose lives were forever changed after a little too much screen time. Distillations brings you a live performance of Ray Bradbury’s short story “The Veldt.” Originally titled “The World the Children Made,” it’s a science-fiction tale about the dangers of our growing overdependence on technology. “People ask me to predict the future when all I want to do is prev
Butter vs. Margarine: one of America's most bizarre food battles
It’s one of the most bizarre episodes in American food history: when butter and margarine were at war. What you choose to spread on your toast might seem like a boring subject, but it turns out to be fascinating and sometimes hilarious. Margarine’s history began with French emperor Napoleon III, a French chemist, and some sheep’s stomachs, and went on to include heated courtroom debates, our first federal laws regulating food, and outlaws smuggling faux butter across state lines. The spreads hav
Grandmothers Matter: Some surprisingly controversial theories of human longevity
Baby horses and giraffes walk soon after they’re born, and they can feed and take care of themselves pretty quickly, too. A one-year-old person, on the other hand, is basically helpless. But humans go on to live much longer than most other mammals, and scientists have long been trying to piece together why this is the case. One theory, called the grandmother hypothesis, claims that grandmas are the key to why humans live so long. Unlike most other species, human females live long past their chil
Refugee Doctors: Escape is only the first challenge
Though they lived decades apart, Adolphe Dessauer and Abdelwahhab Azzawi share similar stories. They were both esteemed physicians who faced violence and persecution in their home countries. They both sought refuge abroad and found safety, only to find themselves facing a new struggle—getting permission to practice medicine in their new homes. Dessauer, a Jewish doctor, fled Germany for the United States in 1938. Azzawi, a 36-year-old ophthalmologist from Syria, found asylum in Germany in 2015.
High-Tech and Amish: Using 21st-century medicine to maintain a 300-year-old way of life.
There are no parents in the world who want to see their child sick. Often the illness is no big deal—you follow doctor’s orders and your kid gets better soon. But what do you do when your child is really sick, and it’s because of decisions the founders of your religion made more than 300 years ago? And what do you do when the medical solutions seem to run counter to that very same religion? This is the dilemma faced by many Amish and Mennonite parents in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, whose chi
Political Science: Out of the Lab and into the Streets
On April 22, 2017, more than one million people in 600 cities around the world took to the streets in the name of science. Many were scientists themselves, and quite a few donned lab coats. Some were protesting for the first time. It was an unusual sight perhaps, but science has never been immune to politics. “If we could imagine angels doing science maybe it wouldn’t be political,” says Liz Lopatto, science editor of the technology site the Verge, “But since it’s humans, it’s inescapable.” Thr
Rethinking Ink: Lasers, Tattoo Removal, and Second Chances
There was a time when tattoos were taboo, and you thought long and hard before getting one. Today 20 percent of American adults are inked. Tattoos just don’t carry the stigma they once did—unless it’s a particular kind of tattoo, in a particular place on the body. Fortunately, as our penchant for getting tattoos has grown, so has our ability to get rid of them. In the 1960s researchers started experimenting with lasers to remove tattoos, and since then the technology has dramatically improved. N
Making Senses: How Biohackers Are Using Artificial Perceptions to Enhance Reality
Most of us are content to use our existing five senses to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch our way through the world. But an increasing number of people called biohackers are not satisfied with watching the everyday brilliance of a sunset or petting a silky kitten. They want infrared vision and electromagnetic fingertips. “Why wouldn't I want to add one more sense to the ones I already have and enjoy so much? The ability to feel just a little bit more?” Nic Fox asked reporter Catherine Girarde
The Smell of Shame: How Deodorant Became Omnipresent in America
For as long as humans have been around they’ve worried about their smell. “That’s why we’ve had perfumes for as long as we’ve had people,” says Cari Casteel, a CHF research fellow studying the history of deodorant. But, Casteel says, "it wasn't until the late 19th, early 20th century that the technology and the chemistry catches up to what people want." Today most Americans don’t give a second thought to using deodorant. In fact, some 90% of the population slathers the stuff on. But in the late
Fizzy Water: The Unnatural History of a Carbonated Drink
We all know hydration is important to health, but many people find water boring to drink. Juice and Coke aren’t boring, but they aren’t very healthy either. One way to transform water into a more exciting drink is to add bubbles. For centuries carbonated water from natural springs was used as a medicine. Now lifestyle and health concerns have combined to drive fizzy water’s renewed popularity. Join us as we unpack the long history of carbonated water, from natural mineral springs, to the inventi
Second Skin: The Unexpected Origin of the Sports Bra
The sports bra is omnipresent in today’s sports landscape. But the current iteration of this nifty item is less than 40 years old, and it arrived with a serendipitous origin story. For this episode of Distillations we talked to Lisa Lindahl, an entrepreneur from Vermont, who in 1979 patented what was to become the modern-day sports bra. It’s a story about a runner who wanted running to be more comfortable. “It was the right product at the right time. It really struck a chord for so many women,”
(Natural) Childbirth
Our producer is pregnant. For the past nine months people have asked what her birth plan is, which to her seems like asking what kind of weather she had planned for her wedding day. “All of a sudden my life was full of these terms: natural, medicated, doula, epidural, and it quickly became clear that there was a great debate—and I was supposed to choose a side.” We wanted to know when this controversy started, and why comedian Amy Schumer is joking about sea-turtle births. So we talked to Lara
Best of 2016: Insiders vs. Outsiders in Medicine
Over the past year we’ve brought you stories about tacos, taxidermy, and DDT. But at the same time we’ve been thinking about and researching medicine—specifically, how outsiders to the field have helped change the ways doctors practice. Join us to find out how philosophers, transgender patients, and Jehovah’s Witnesses have influenced health care in the United States over the past few decades. Show Clock 00:04 Intro 01:41 Transgender and intersex patients 06:51 Bioethicists 09:55 Jehovah's Witn
Human-Centered Therapy . . . with Robots
Now that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes post-traumatic stress disorder as a significant issue among veterans, they’ve uncovered another problem—there aren’t enough therapists to go around. Virtual reality experts at the University of Southern California have a solution: robots. Reporter Anna Stitt explains how advocates see these “therapy bots” as enhancing the field of therapy; they don’t tire out, they don’t need a salary, and patients are often more honest with them than h
This Is Not Your Great-Grandfather’s Taxidermy
Have you noticed any antlered rabbits mounted on the wall of your local coffee shop? Or maybe some geese with butterfly wings? That’s because taxidermy has made a comeback. Our producer, Mariel Carr, wanted to know why, so she spent a few months exploring the alternative—or rogue—taxidermy scene in Philadelphia. Rogue taxidermy takes an artistic approach to the traditional craft. It combines materials, and even animals, in unconventional ways. And it seems to involve a fair amount of glitter. Me
Babes of Science, a Guest Episode
We’re guessing you know who Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton are, and maybe you’re even familiar with Linus Pauling or Roald Hoffmann. But it turns out that a lot of people can’t name a single female scientist besides Marie Curie. Exasperated by this fact, radio producer Poncie Rutsch made a podcast she titled Babes of Science. The show profiles accomplished scientists from history who also happened to be women. We became such fans of the show that we decided to create a special Babes of Science
The Ancient Chemistry Inside Your Taco
When you bite into a taco, quesadilla, or anything else involving a traditionally made corn tortilla, your taste buds get to experience the results of an ancient chemical process called nixtamalization. The technique dates to around 1500 BCE and involves cooking corn kernels with an alkaline substance, like lime or wood ash, which makes the dough softer, tastier, and much more nutritious. Only in the 20th century did scientists figure out the secret of nixtamalization—the process releases niacin
Power in the Blood: When Religion and Medicine Meet in Your Veins
Everyone knows blood is powerful. The ancient Greeks realized it, Jesus understood it, Dracula certainly recognized it, and your doctor still knows it today. And everybody knows, says hematologist and historian of medicine Jacalyn Duffin, that if we lose a lot of blood, we’re going to die.
Jehovah’s Witnesses’ beliefs have led them to refuse blood transfusions—to the consternation of many inside the medical profession. But the religious group still wants medical care, says reporter Alex Ashley,
Do You Need That Kidney? Rethinking the Ethics of Organ Transplants
Scientists experimented with skin and organ transplants for a long time before they finally met with success in the mid-20th century. Now surgeons are expert at performing transplants. The only problem? There aren’t enough organs to go around, which creates some serious ethical dilemmas.
First, reporter Dalia Mortada takes us to Tel Aviv, Israel, where a dialysis patient waiting for a new kidney is running out of patience. Conflicting religious interpretations have prevented many Israelis from s
DDT: The Britney Spears of Chemicals
Americans have had a long, complicated relationship with the pesticide DDT, or dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, if you want to get fancy. First we loved it, then we hated it, then we realized it might not be as bad as we thought. But we’ll never restore it to its former glory. And couldn’t you say the same about America’s once-favorite pop star?
We had a hunch that the usual narrative about DDT’s rise and fall left a few things out, so we talked to historian and CHF fellow Elena Conis. She has
Is Space the Place? Trying to Save Humanity by Mining Asteroids
2015 was a good year for outer space. Star Wars: Episode VII came out, NASA started hiring astronauts again, SpaceX successfully launched and returned a rocket, and the U.S. Congress passed the SPACE Act of 2015—a bill that gives any American who extracts resources from an asteroid legal rights to the bounty they reap. Since no one has yet mined an asteroid this legislation might seem premature, but it’s essential to the future of two Silicon Valley asteroid mining companies. That’s right, they
Sex and Gender: What We Know and Don’t Know
Several years ago historian of medicine Alice Dreger found herself in a room full of intersexed people, individuals with reproductive or sexual anatomy that is neither typically female nor male. Dreger noticed something strange: many of them had teeth that were in bad shape. She soon learned that many of them had endured such traumatic experiences with doctors that they wouldn’t go near anyone in a white coat, including dentists. We were astonished by this story, so we asked Dreger to tell us mo
Stealing Industry Secrets: Not as Easy as You Think
Hackers. Spies. Secrets. This is the menacing language of industrial espionage. But how easy is it to plunder a company for its ideas? Not very, says our guest, Douglas O’Reagan, a historian of science and technology. Throughout history, O’Reagan argues, stealing trade secrets has proven more complicated than lifting a blueprint or section of computer code. What makes a company successful is usually much harder to grasp.
But first we look at how one company is trying to pass on the skills and se
Genetic Engineering and Organic Farming: An Unexpected Marriage
Celebrities, politicians, and scientists have fiercely debated the safety of using genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, in food. It remains to be seen whether GMO labeling becomes mandatory in the United States, but there’s no doubt that the “GMO-free” sticker is garnering the prestige and premium prices already reaped by the labels “organic” and “gluten-free.” But what’s the big fuss? And how did this great GMO debate begin?To find out Distillations goes to the soy and corn fields of Iowa w
Where Have All the FEMA Trailers Gone?
Ten years ago Hurricanes Katrina and Rita tore into the Gulf Coast and displaced more than one million residents. For many of these people, trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency became their homes.
But many of the new occupants soon found it hard to breathe, suffering flulike symptoms, stinging eyes, and nosebleeds. The culprit was formaldehyde, which emanated from the hastily assembled, substandard materials used to make the trailers.
A decade after the storms Distillatio
Science and the Supernatural in the 17th Century
Most of us are familiar with the achievements of Galileo and Newton, but who were their peers? And what was it like to practice science in the 16th and 17th centuries? Come geek out with us as we travel back in time and explore what the world was like when science and the supernatural were not so far apart.
We talk to two historians of science, Deborah Harkness and James Voelkel. Harkness is the author of The Jewel House: Elizabethan London and the Scientific Revolution as well asthe All Soul’s
Distillations Turns 200
This is Distillations’s 200th episode, and we’re celebrating! We pored through hundreds of shows and pieced together some of the funniest, grossest, and most surprising moments in Distillations history.
Still chuckling from episode 166, "Alchemy After Dark," where CHF’s rare book curator Jim Voelkel cries from laughter while reading a steamy alchemical passage from yesteryear? Still trying to forget the body-cheese experiment from episode 156, "Hard to Stomach"? Or maybe you’re still perplexed a
Acts of God, Acts of Men: When We Turn Nature into a Weapon
Mother Nature can do a lot of damage. Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and droughts destroy landscapes and ruin lives. But what happens when humans are the ones creating these disasters? This episode of Distillations explores the many ways humans have provoked nature’s destructive forces purposefully and inadvertently through history.
Our journey begins in Oklahoma, a state that now has more earthquakes than California. Reporter Anna Stitt talks to the people affected by these new quakes and finds
Old Brains, New Brains: The Human Mind, Past and Present
The early days of neuroscience relied on tragedy to strike—a rabies infection, a botched lobotomy—before doctors could peek inside the brains of humans. Today advanced technology, such as the functional MRI, helps scientists study brains (and healthy ones at that) far more easily. The revelations they’re making call into question conventional ideas of maturity and our capacity for free will.
The story begins at a unique laboratory at Michigan Technological University, called the Mind Music Machi
Fads and Faith: Belief vs. Fact in the Struggle for Health
In 2014 the United States had 650 reported cases of measles, a disease made preventable by a vaccine introduced 30 years ago. The majority of these measles victims were children whose parents chose not to vaccinate them. Meanwhile at least 85,000 dietary supplements line the shelves of GNC and other “big box” chains, as well as smaller health food stores. Even though the FDA cannot assure the safety or effectiveness of any of these products before they're sold, they enjoy widespread popularity
Innovation and Obsolescence: The Life, Death, and Occasional Rebirth of Technologies
Some technologies flash in the pan so quickly they hardly leave a trace (Google Glass anyone?); while others seem to stick around long past their use by date. And still other creations appear to be gone for good, only to make a comeback within a niche—and likely nostalgic—community. We set out to explore the rhymes and reasons behind these ebbs and flows of technological innovation and obsolescence.
First we go to a place where digital nostalgia is alive and well: a vintage video arcade outside
Trash Talk: The Persistence of Waste
In case you hadn’t noticed, during our short time on Earth we humans have created a lot of stuff. Some of it is life-altering, like the device you’re looking at right now, and some of it is pretty silly, like those plastic, banana-shaped containers made for holding bananas. Regardless of their value, these objects all have one thing in common: one day they will become trash. For all the time we spend creating these wonders, we don’t devote much energy to thinking about what happens when their in
Life with HIV: Success without a Cure?
Thirty years ago an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence. Today, sophisticated drug cocktails known as highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART, have dramatically changed the fates of people with the disease. They can now live with a chronic manageable disease instead of dying from a fatal one. Yet in many ways we’re treading water: each year the U.S. sees around 50,000 new HIV cases, and estimates show that 20-25% of these people don’t know they’re infected. And, while the drugs are effecti
Babies on Demand: Reproduction in a Technological Age
At the beginning of the 19th century women in the United States had an average of seven or eight children. By 1900 they had only three or four, and today 35% of Americans have exactly two children. How did this happen? This episode of Distillations explores the role technology has played in reproduction, and how it has affected the ethical and moral landscape that surrounds it.
First, reporter Allison Quantz talks to her sister to find out what she plans to do with her extra frozen embryos. Alon
Fogs of War: The Many Lives of Chemical Weapons
Chemical weapons have played a chilling role in human history, ever since they were first used in World War I. As reports of more recent use continue to cycle through the news, we decided to take a deeper look. We wanted to understand why chemical weapons were created in the first place, the ethical dilemmas inherent in their use, and the complicated process of getting rid of them.
The story begins in Belgium, where reporter Helena de Groot visits a farm in Flanders Fields—the frontline during
Wake up and Smell the Story: Sniffing out Health and Sickness
If you asked people which of their senses they most feared losing, they'd probably say sight or hearing. But what about the ability to smell? This episode of Distillations examines what is perhaps our most underrated sense, and ponders what life would be like without it.
We hit the streets of South Philadelphia to understand how a pervasive odor troubled neighborhood residents in the summer of 2014. Then we hear the story of Mario Rivas, a man who has lived his whole life without a sense of smel
The Teeth Beneath Your Feet: Oddities in Urban Archaeology
Where can you find a teacup, the molar of a goat, and an arrowhead all in one place? At an urban archaeology site, that’s where. This episode of Distillations goes underground, and reveals the fascinating worlds beneath our city shoes.
First, we visit an artifact processing lab where volunteers are dusting off thousands of objects from a historic street in Philadelphia. Then we stop in on an excavation site alongside Interstate 95.
Then, we'll talk to Doug Mooney, a senior archaeologist at URS c
Intoxication and Civilization: Beer's Ancient Past
This show takes on the frothy subject of beer, and explores the science, culture, and history behind the suds. First, Bob and Michal go back to school--beer school--and they learn a few things about what makes beer so tasy. Then we talk to Patrick E. McGovern, a beer and wine archaeologist, and Roger Barth, a chemist, professor, and home brewer. They discuss the science behind beer, how modern craft breweries can help us understand ancient beers, and how technology has allowed us to drink like
Alchemy's Rainbow: Pigment Science and the Art of Conservation
This episode explores the colorful (and sometimes risk-filled) history of pigments and painters, and the conservators who save paintings from the ravages of time and accidental chemistry.
First we take an art field trip around Philadelphia as art historian and CHF fellow Elisabeth Berry Drago tries to paint like it's 1699. We visit a butcher shop, a tile store, and an art supply store to try to get what we need.
Then we talk to art conservator Mark F. Bockrath and Elisabeth Berry Drago. They te
Meet Joe Palca: A Radio Story About Making Radio Stories
Joe Palca is one of the best science storytellers out there. In his 20 years as an NPR science correspondent he’s covered all sorts of obscure topics, from soccer-playing robots and oyster glue to turtle paleontology. He finds the humor in the serious and the thoughtful in the funny, usually by focusing on the human elements of stories.
“Stories are usually about people, those are the ones we remember. We don’t remember stories about transuranic elements,” Palca says.
We took this episode of Dis
Drawing History: Telling the Stories of Science through Comics and Graphic Novels
How do you show what the inside of an atom looks like? Or how a scientist feels in the moment of discovery? We decided to approach the human stories of science in a new way: by visualizing them.
First we visit author and illustrator Jonathan Fetter-Vorm in his studio. Then we stop in on a college animation class and hear from students creating cartoons about chemistry and fairies.
Then we talk to historian Bert Hansen and author and Jonathan Fetter-Vorm. They tell us how the comics of the 1930s,
Why the Chicken Became a Nugget and Other Tales of Processed Food
Have you ever wondered how chicken nuggets are made? Or what propylene glycol monostearate, monocalcium phosphate, or other listed ingredients are doing in your favorite packaged snacks? Distillations hosts Michal Meyer and Robert Kenworthy certainly did, and they went to the corner deli to inspect some processed food themselves.
They also spoke with experts Bryant Simon, a historian, and David Schleifer, a sociologist, about how trans fats and chicken nuggets arrived on the food scene as the he
Digging Up the Bodies: Debunking CSI and Other Forensics Myths
Thanks to modern technology most crimes these days can be neatly solved in under an hour. At least that's what fictional TV shows like CSI seem to suggest.
We wanted to address the so-called "CSI Effect," caused by the simplification of forensic science in popular culture. CSI and likeminded TV shows–with their heroic investigators solving crimes in mere minutes–mislead viewers and affect real court cases. The reality of investigation is much slower and more complex, but no less fascinating.
H
Zombies! How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Zombie Apocalypse
What can zombies teach us about our fears of survival? CHF's Michal Meyer and Bob Kenworthy talk to Deanna Day, a CHF fellow, and Robert Hicks, director of the College of Physicians’ Mütter Museum about what zombies can tell us about apocalyptic diseases and medical cures.
With the popularity of post-apocalyptic storytelling at an all-time high, CHF decided to look into the science, history, and sociology behind these fears.
SHOW CLOCK:
00:20 Introduction
01:55 Interview with Deanna Day and Rob
Atomic Power and Promise: What's Become of Our Nuclear Golden Age?
Some say we are on the verge of a bright future in which nuclear power will play a major role in responding to climate change. Others say that we should expect more Fukushimas. Whichever way our nuclear future goes, there will be tradeoffs between energy and the environment.
Hosts Michal Meyer and Robert Kenworthy speak with nuclear historians Alex Wellerstein and Linda Richards. They discuss how our turbulent nuclear past has shaped, for better and for worse, our current attitudes.
Episode 181: Chemotherapy
Ancient Greek doctors knew about it, but could do nothing about the scourge we know as cancer. Producer Ed Prosser interviews historian Viviane Quirke about the development of chemotherapy drugs in the 20th century, drugs that for the first time offered hope to cancer patients. Next up producer Christine Laskowski goes on a very personal journey. Last year her father was among the more than 1 million Americans diagnosed with cancer. Along with radiation, his treatment included a drug called cisp
Episode 180: Best of Distillations #12
It’s that time of year again where we dive into our archives and bring back some of our favorite segments from the past year. First, meet Ian MacLeod from our show Shipwrecks, a man who spends much of his time with sunken ships and who knows about the chemistry that eats at them. Next, a 19th-century Philadelphia church designed by Frank Furness is crumbling. Can it be saved? Find out in this feature from our show Neighborhood Preservation.
Show Clock
00:00 Opening Credits 00:31 Introduction 01:
Episode 179: Best of Distillations #11
It’s that time of year again where we dive into our archives and bring back some of our favorite segments from the past year. First we travel to Austin’s South by Southwest Festival from the show Hard to Stomach. Producer Lindsay Patterson takes a sniff at a public science experiment in which participants donated a few things they could do without. Say human cheese! Next, Mary Harris discovers that taste cells don’t just live on tongues. What do these cells get up to in the rest of the human bod
Episode 178: In the Air
It’s hard to make decisions without information, that’s why some researchers in the San Francisco area are collecting carbon dioxide data at the neighborhood level. As producer Andrew Stelzer discovers, the BEACON project does more than gather data; it also brings home the effects of small-scale events, such as rush hour, and allows researchers to track pollution to its source. Then Eileen Fleming discusses DIY monitoring with Shannon Dosemagen from the Public Laboratory for Open Technology and
Episode 177:The Old Show
Join us for the third installment of The Stages of Life, spotlighting the chemistry found in childhood, adulthood, and old age. We start by looking at what happens to the brain as we move into old age, and then we investigate how some tiny technology can help as hearing fades.
Episode 176: The Adult Show
Today’s episode centers on adulthood. First, Pennsylvania State University’s Suzy Scherf tells us what’s going on in the brains of adolescents. Then, Katrina Roi takes a look at a common consumer product, the condom, and those who want to make it better.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:26 Introduction
01:09 Interview: Inside the Brain
05:38 The Chemistry Behind the Condom
14:10 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Tori Indivero for interviewing the scientists in this series. Additional
Episode 175: The Kid Show
Today we begin a three-part series, The Stages of Life, spotlighting the chemistry found in childhood, adulthood, and old age. First, a look at the brains of children, followed by the colorful world of the crayon.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:27 Introduction
01:13 Interview: Inside the Brain
06:14 Colorful Chemistry, the World of Crayons
16:15 Closing Credits
CREDITS
The Three Stages of Life is part of CHF’s Thanks to Chemistry project, sponsored by BASF Corporation, The Camille and Hen
Episode 174: Water Webs
On today's show we look at how delicate desert ecosystems are affected by climate change. Then the impact of toxic metals on Rocky Mountain streams.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:33 Introduction
01:10 Feature: Water Webs
09:10 Interview: Johanna Kraus
14:48 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Diane Hope and Jody Roberts for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 173: Power Up
On today's show we look at the modern power grid, on the brink of a new era. First, why the smart grid matters. Then, the critical mission of Caltech's Solar Army.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:34 Introduction
01:09 A Smarter Grid
10:11 The Solar Army
16:23 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Charlie Mintz and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Video produced by Josh Kurz. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 172: On Beauty
On today's show we look at questionable appearance enhancers. First The Beauty Historian shares some shocking beauty rituals of yore. Then a look at how Brazilian Blowouts are making salon workers sick.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:38 Introduction
01:10 Interview: The Beauty Historian
06:22 Brazilian Blowouts
14:48 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Stephanie Coleman, Audrey Quinn, Mia Lobel, and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemher
Episode 171: Underground Worlds
On today's show we investigate the science beneath our streets. First how a team of amateur speleologists is keeping Howe Caverns safe for future generations. Then a look at Philadelphia's historic sewer system.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:39 Introduction
01:24 Howe Caverns' Annual Cleanup
09:30 Interview: Adam Levine
16:02 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Amy Kraft,Adam Levine, Mia Lobel, and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemher
Episode 170: Urban Agriculture
On today's show we learn how advances in urban agriculture are providing new access to fresh food. First how hundreds of tons of fishbones are cleaning up Oakland soil. Then tips on how to create your own backyard garden.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:30 Introduction
01:23 Fishbone Remediation
10:24 Interview: Alex Jones and Alice Edgerton
17:48 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Charlie Mintz, Alex Jones, Alice Edgerton, and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional
Episode 169: Neighborhood Preservation
On today's show we see old bones made new again. First the ongoing restoration of Philadelphia's 19th Street Baptist Church. Then a discussion about what makes some old buildings greener than new ones.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:28 Introduction
01:20 The 19th Street Baptist Church
09:31 Interview: Heather Blakeslee
16:35 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Alex Lewis, Heather Blakeslee, and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage
Episode 168: So Argon Walks Into a Bar...
On today's show chemistry takes center stage. First, why science and comedy make gut-busting bedfellows. Then the history of science as popular entertainment.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:36 Introduction
01:20 Science Comedy
08:51 Interview: Rebecca Onion
20:43 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Deanna Day, Rebecca Onion, and Daisy Rosario for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 167: Cold War Chemistry
During decades of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union over the course of the Cold War, both sides wielded science as a weapon. Find out how on today's show.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:31 Interview (Part I): Audra Wolfe
05:41 Oral History: Leslie Vadasz
10:36 Interview (Part II): Audra Wolfe
14:34 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush, Mat Savelli, and Audra Wolfe for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheri
Episode 166: Alchemy After Dark
Just in time for Valentine's Day we explore the sexier side of alchemy. Historian Joel Klein explains how alchemists used passionate prose to disguise the details of their secret experiments.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:44 Introduction
02:07 Interview: Joel Klein
13:28 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Joel Klein for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 165: In Good Taste
Today your taste buds take center stage. First,how super-tasters' genetic gift might afford them better health. Then the art of imitation flavors.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:41 'A World of Pure Imagination'
01:23 Super-Tasters
08:04 The Art of Imitation Flavors
15:40 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Mary Harris and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 164: Bones
On today's show we peel back our skin. First, an innovative technology that could provide early detection of osteoporosis. Then, a look at stone man syndrome–a rare disease that causes the body's connective tissue to turn into bone when damaged.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:27 Introduction
01:09 Written In Your Bones?
09:43 Harry Eastlack
16:00 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Diane Hope and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemherita
Episode 163: A Day in the Life - Night
We wrap up the three-part series A Day in the Life, spotlighting the common chemistry of morning, noon, and night. Today, how popular insomnia treatments work and the science behind our body's unique sleep cycles.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:35 Fight Club
01:01 Interview: Sleep Aids
05:33 The Midnight Sun
14:31 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Louisa Jonas, Mia Lobel, Jennifer Dionisio, and Joe Rucker for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/
Episode 162: A Day in the Life - Noon
We continue the three-part series A Day in the Life, spotlighting the common chemistry of morning, noon, and night. Today, a look at the mysterious ingredients in many kitchen staples and the reason why even so-called healthy sweeteners can be toxic.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:36 The Breakfast Club
01:18 Interview: Kitchen Staples
07:41 The Trouble With Fructose
14:27 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Gretchen Kuda Croen, Mia Lobel, Jennifer Dionisio, and Joe Rucker for resear
Episode 161: A Day in the Life - Morning
Today we begin the three-part series A Day in the Life, spotlighting the common chemistry of morning, noon, and night. First, a look at what's lurking in our bathroom products and what experts say about the controversy over fluoridated water.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:36 Pee-wee's Big Adventure
01:06 Interview: Bathroom Products
04:06 The Fluoridation Debate
13:05 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Mia Lobel, Joe Rucker, and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additio
Episode 160: Teflon
Treasure or toxin? Today we follow Teflon's rise from happy accident to indispensable tool at work, home, and even war.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:42 Introduction
01:24 The Origins of Teflon
08:46 Interview: Post-War Teflon
14:36 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Bob Kenworthy, Hilary Domush, Sarah Hunter-Lascoskie, and Amy Kraft for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 159: Kean on Genes
Today we welcome back author Sam Kean to discuss the secrets and surprises contained in our DNA. He talks to Distillations’ executive producer Jennifer Dionisio.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:33 Interview: The Violinist’s Thumb
11:44 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 158: The Alchemical Quest
On today's show a special conversation between two alchemy experts: James Voelkel, who curated CHF's exhibit The Alchemical Quest, and Lawrence Principe, author of The Secrets of Alchemy.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:36 Introduction
01:40 Interview: The Alchemical Quest
13:20 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to James Voelkel for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 157: Smoke and Mirrors
On today's show we track the evolution of smog from symbol of industrial progress to public health catastrophe.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:39 Introduction
01:23 Interview: A Sign of Progress
05:08 Donora
14:16 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Daniel Tkacik, Ellis Robinson, and Jacqueline Boytim for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 156: Hard to Stomach
On today's show we test your gag reflex. First an exploration of rank, funky cheeses made from your own body's bacteria. Then the history of how distaste evolved into disgust.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:50 Introduction
01:41 South By South Swab
11:40 Distaste and Disgust
14:45 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Lindsay Patterson and Jacqueline Boytim for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 155: Shipwrecks
Ahoy, mateys. Join us on the ocean floor. On today's show we look at sunken ships: how they are preserved, and what they can tell us about civilizations from the past.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:50 Introduction
01:35 Wrecked!
10:10 Undersea Time Capsules
14:49 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Diane Hope, Michal Meyer, and Anne Fredrickson for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 154: Fast and Slow
Good science takes time... or not? On today's show we explore the extremes. First the longest-running experiment in the world; then the near-instant chemical reaction that helps airbags protect you in a crash.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:50 Introduction
01:26 The Pitch-Drop Experiment
10:22 Airbags
15:05 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Michael Rhee and Stephanie Coleman for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 153: Best Of Distillations #10
We bring you some of our favorite segments from past Distillations episodes this week: attempts to contact aliens in space and the secret behind the sweet sound of Stradivari violins.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:01 The Interstellar Rosetta Stone
08:02 Strad Secrets?
14:58 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Andrew Stelzer and Anne Fredrickson for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 152: Best of Distillations #9
We bring you some of our favorite segments from past Distillations episodes this week: animal communication in the Sonoran Desert and the toll of asbestos waste on a small Pennsylvanian town.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:15 Future of the Wild: Desert Communication
09:28 The Ambler Asbestos Waste Piles
14:21 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Diane Hope and Bob Kenworthy for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 151: Tears
Today we wrap up the three-part series Blood, Sweat, and Tears. First how it feels to lose your ability to cry; then why onions bring on the waterworks.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:42 Introduction
01:33 Emotional Tears
09:35 Onion Tears
13:24 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Douglas Smith and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. A Distillations Explainer produced by Josh Kurz. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 150: Sweat
Today we continue the three-part series Blood, Sweat, and Tears. First the history of deodorants; then experiments on how perspiration might diagnose diseases like schizophrenia.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:43 Introduction
01:54 Antiperspirants
07:48 Sweat Diagnostics
15:40 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Gretchen Cuda-Kroen and Anne Fredrickson for researching this show. A Distillations Explainer produced by Josh Kurz. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distill
Episode 149: Blood
Today we begin the three-part series Blood, Sweat, and Tears. First how one man solved the mystery of blood function; then how researchers will bust blood-doping athletes at the Olympic games.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:48 Introduction
02:10 Blood Puzzle
07:34 Blood Doping
19:19 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hannah Hoag and James Voelkel for researching this show. A Distillations Explainer produced by Josh Kurz. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillation
Episode 148: Across the Pond
On today's episode we cross the Atlantic to learn what makes a perfect cuppa. Then we learn about the surprising health benefits of Marmite, a spreadable food item people love to hate.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:20 The Perfect Cuppa
09:40 Marmite
14:46 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Nina Perry and Rachel Dornhelm for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 147: Babies
Big eyes, soft skin, squeezable cheeks. No doubt, babies are adorable. But on today's show we take a break from our cooing to examine some more serious aspects of parenthood. First how formula has waxed and waned in popularity. Then how embryos wreak havoc in the womb.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:26 Introduction
02:19 Breast vs. Bottle
05:47 Parasitic Babies
13:12 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Sabiha Kahn and Audrey Quinn for researching this show. Additional credits availa
Episode 146: Something in the Air
Sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose? We all know what that means: allergies. On today's show we look at pet dander, a common cause. Then we talk to a researcher dissecting the makeup of dust.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:26 Introduction
02:19 Allergen-Free Pets
05:47 Parasitic Babies
13:12 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Sarah Hunter-Lacoskie and Gretchen Kuda-Croen for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 145: Asbestos
Asbestos, once a miracle product, is now a plague on the aging infrastructure to which it's bound. Today we explore a Pennsylvania town where a wide swath of asbestos-contaminated land stands capped and unusable. Then we visit a historic high school that is now dormant due to the expense of asbestos remediation.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:53 The Ambler Asbestos Waste Piles
05:33 Schenley High School
13:22 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Bob Kenworthy and L
Episode 144: Mystery of Mass (Spec)
On today's episode we look at the diverse history of mass spectrometry, starting with a single question: exactly what is it? Then we dip into our oral history collection to show the breadth of mass spec's reach, including the Manhattan Project.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:33 Introduction
01:12 What is Mass Spec?
04:22 Oral History: Alfred Nier
12:18 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Sarah Hunter-Lascoskie and Mia Lobel for researching this show. Additional credits available at
Episode 143: Fairyland of Chemistry
On today's episode we travel back in time to the Victorian era, when innovative teachers used fairies to convey complicated ideas in chemistry. We adapted one of these whimsical lessons into Distillations' first-ever podcast play.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:35 Introduction
01:11Fairies and Victorian Science
03:41 Podcast Play: The Fairyland of Chemistry
09:22 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Megan Slater, Gigi Naglak, and Michal Meyer for researching this show. Additional cre
Episode 142: Midcentury Mutants
On today's episode we look at the real and imagined implications of genetic modification in the middle of the 20th century. First, the early promise of plant modification. Then how this science inspired classic sci-fi films.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:42Interview with Helen Curry
09:48 Hollywood and the Atomic Age
13:40 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Andy Mangravite and Michal Meyer for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.o
Episode 141: Disaster Recovery
On today's episode we look at how environments recover after natural and manmade disasters. First, we hear about how ecosystems repair themselves after hurricanes. Then we see how the Gulf of Mexico is faring after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:18 Ecological Succession
04:13 Interview with Helen White
12:56 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jeff Guin and Bob Kenworthy for researching this show. Additional credits available at ch
Episode 140: Swapping Spit
Pucker up! On today's episode we investigate the kiss. First, what's in the saliva we share with each other? Then we interview Sheril Kirshenbaum, author of The Science of Kissing, to find out why our ancestors starting locking lips in the first place.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:29 Saliva
04:33 Interview with Sheril Kirschenbaum
12:03 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.o
Episode 139: The Brain on Sports
On today's episode of Distillations we're gearing up for this weekend's playoff games with a look at the science of sports. First, we learn how athletes go the distance. Then we look into the brain of a fan.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:30 Introduction
01:00 An Athlete's Chemistry
07:31 The Science of Watching Sports
10:57 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Lindsay Patterson, Mia Lobel, and Ryan Carty for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/dis
Episode 138: Your Genome
On today's episode of Distillations we go straight to the source ... your DNA. First, we learn how technological advances are putting the dream of a $1,000 genome within reach. Then we discuss the implications of having genetic information at our fingertips.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:36 The $1,000 Genome
04:56 Interview with Michael Christman
12:57 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at
Episode 137: Cocktails
Cheers! On today's episode of Distillations we belly up to the bar to learn about distilled spirits. Then we look ahead to the next morning to determine if our tried-and-true hangover cures have any scientific merit.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:30 Introduction
01:06 Tour of St. George Spirits
09:06 Hangover Science
12:47 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Catherine Girardeau and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distill
Episode 136: Good Vibrations
On today's episode of Distillations we investigate if there's science behind the sweet sounds of a Stradivari violin and learn how chemistry influences the work of sound artist Susan Alexjander.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:33 Introduction
01:18 Strad Secrets?
08:13 Interview with Susan Alexjander
16:41 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Anne Fredrickson and Mia Lobel for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 135: Black Friday
Step away from the sale rack! On today's episode of Distillations we examine your brain under the influence of shopping, as well as a potential health hazard found in receipts.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:17 Your Brain on Shopping
07:32 BPA in Receipts
11:02 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Sheri Quinn and Lindsay Patterson for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 134: Is Anybody Out There?
How did we get here and who else is out there? These questions have nagged at humans for centuries. On today's episode of Distillations we explore early debate over the Big Bang Theory and find out what tools researchers are using to greet aliens.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:33 Introduction
01:19 Debating the Big Bang Theory
03:48 The Interstellar Rosetta Stone
11:35 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Andrew Stelzer and James Voelkel for researching this show. Additional credits
Episode 133: Halloween Candy
Trick or treat! On today's episode of Distillations we give you a taste of both. First, try to choke back our explanation of a Dutch candy that features ammonium chloride and carbon black. Then follow producer Mia Lobel on a tour of the Culinary Institute of America's candy kitchen.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:34 Introduction
01:39 Salt Licorice
05:29 Making Candy Corn at the CIA
12:46 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Mia Lobel and Ryan Carty for researching this show. Additio
Episode 132: Harvest
Today's show explores two very different ways people hope to protect future harvests. First, follow us to the Doomsday Vault, which protects 700,000 seed families. Next, join farmer Miguel Santistevan as he revives his ancestors' agricultural practices.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:18 Doomsday Vault
05:12 Desert Harvest
11:37 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Sabiha Kahn, Bob kenworthy, and Mia Lobel for researching this show. Additional credits available at c
Episode 131: Dinosaurs
Today's show goes back in time to try to pinpoint what exactly the dinosaurs were like. First, we reveal evidence that the oldest known bird might actually be a dinosaur. Then we follow a researcher attempting to reclassify many familiar dinosaurs.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:33 Introduction
01:36 Dinosaur Feathers
04:26 Dinosaur Sinking
11:04 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Lindsay Patterson, Andy Mangravite, and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credit
Episode 130: Our Chemical Landscape – The Wild
Today we wrap up the four-part series: Our Chemical Landscape. These shows look at how science has shaped the city, the suburb, the farm, and the wild. This episode is about the wild, and how its species-in-residence use chemistry to communicate..
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:32 History of the Wild: Lightening Bugs
04:26 Future of the Wild: Desert Communication
11:04 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Diane Hope, Hilary Domush, and Jennifer Dionisio for researc
Episode 129: Taste
Today's show explores one of our favorite senses: taste. First, revist the tongue map you may have studied as a kid. Next, learn how a natural sweetener might benefit waistlines—and even the world.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:11 The Tongue Map Myth
05:02 Stevia: Sweeter than Sugar
12:17 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Audrey Quinn and Andrew Stelzer for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 128: Our Chemical Landscape – The Farm
Today we continue the four-part series: Our Chemical Landscape. These shows look at how science has shaped the city, the suburb, the farm, and the wild. This episode is about the farm, and how crop production has evolved in response to exploding global population growth.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:49 History of the Farm: Guano
06:11 Future of the Farm: Genetically Modified Crops
14:43 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Julia Botero and Jennifer Dionisio for r
Episode 127: Best of Distillations #8
We bring you some of our favorite segments from past Distillations episodes this week: mesmerism, the impacts of climate change, and why its chic to be a geek..
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
00:44 Mesmerism
04:30 Extreme Effects: Chad and Bangladesh
08:42 Upping STEM's Cool Factor
14:21 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Michal Meyer, Jennifer Dionisio, and Esther D'Amico for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 126: Best of Distillations #7
We bring you some of our favorite segments from past Distillations episodes this week: Palmer the Poisoner, medicinal maggots, and the placebo effect.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
00:49 Palmer the Poisoner
04:15 Maggots
07:09 Modern Placebos: A Necessary Hoax?
12:31 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jim Voelkel, Margaret E. Wood, and Josh Kurz for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 125: Chem-moo-stry
Today the Distillations team delves into the weird and wonderful world of its favorite barnyard animal: the cow. First find out why so few populations are lactose tolerant. Then take a literal peek inside the body of one of these creatures.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:41 Introduction
01:31 Lactose Intolerance
05:40 Porthole Cows
12:50 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Zoe Sullivan and Sarah Hunter for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/disti
Episode 124: Our Chemical Landscape – The Suburb
Today we continue the four-part series: Our Chemical Landscape. These shows look at how science has shaped the city, the suburb, the farm, and the wild. This episode is about the suburb, and how its residents' transportation needs have evolved in the past century.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
01:00 Introduction
02:10 History of the Suburb: Electric Cars
05:54 Future of the Suburb: Mass Transit in Austin, TX
13:50 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Lindsay Patterson and Anne Fredrick
Episode 123: Under the Sea
Today Distillations welcomes guest producer Ari Daniel Shapiro, host of the podcast Ocean Gazing, who takes us on a tour of the ocean, revealing how optics can evaluate long-term changes in the oceanic environment and the effects of carbon dioxide on coral reefs.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:40 Introduction
01:22 CO2 vs. Coral Reefs
07:16 Using Optics on Oceans
11:50 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Ari Daniel Shapiro for guest producing this show. Additional credits available
Episode 122: Our Chemical Landscape – The City
In honor of the International Year of Chemistry, today we begin the four-part series Our Chemical Landscape. These shows look at how science has shaped the city, the suburbs, the farm, and the wild. Today's episode is about the city, and the role of energy in shaping its past and future.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:40 History of the City: Gas Lighting
06:04 Future of the City: Energy Efficiency
16:16 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Kimberly Haas and Michal
Episode 121: Geek Chic
Today's show wonders if it's becoming chic to be a geek. First, we see how pop culture portrayals of scientists have boosted their reputations with teenagers. Next, we look at the state of science education in the U.S.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
00:57 Upping STEM's Cool Factor
06:58 Science Education in the U.S.
10:51 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Esther D'Amico and Tom Tritton for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/dist
Episode 120: Nuclear Medicine
In the midst of Japan's nuclear crisis, it's easy to forget that radioactive isotopes are often employed to save human lives. This week we look at diagnostic and therapeutic applications of nuclear medicine.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:10 Radioiodine
03:59 Interview with Abass Alavi and Andrew Newberg
10:51 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush, Michal Meyer, and Anne Fredrickson for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritag
Episode 119: Climate Change
One of this century's great challenges will be mitigating the effects of our steadily warming planet. In today's episode we explore the consequences of our changing climate.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:11 Extreme Effects: Chad and Bangladesh
05:13 Interview with Susan Solomon
12:24 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 118: Placebos
This week, we celebrate April Fools' Day with a little medical trickery. First, we learn about Franz Mesmer's questionable 18th-century cures. Next we hear how fooling the brain is sometimes the only way to get accurate scientific results.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:08 Mesmerism
05:06 Modern Placebos: A Necessary Hoax?
10:27 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Michal Meyer and Josh Kurz for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.or
Episode 117: Women's History Month
TIn this episode we learn about lesser-known women in the sciences. We start with Dorothy Hodgkin, the third woman to win a Nobel Prize in chemistry, and end with a tour spotlighting important females whose stories are told in CHF's museum.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:54 Dorothy Hodgkin
03:49 CHF Museum Tour
11:23 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio, Gigi Naglak, and Anne Fredrickson for researching this show. Additional credits available at c
Episode 116: Crime Fighters
From primetime to print, forensic scientists are usually depicted as courtroom heroes, but their real-life work makes for more than a thrilling story. On today's episode we look at how one such scientist sealed the fate of Palmer the Poisoner in the 19th century. Then we speak with forensic scientist Mike Eyring, whose team helped solve the biggest serial murder case in U.S. history.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:17 Palmer the Poisoner
04:59 Interview with Michael Eyrin
Episode 115: Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, we reveal the lesser known accomplishments of George Washington Carver, and also pull from our oral history collection the stories of two African-American women fighting to make their way in the chemistry field.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
00:57 George Washington Carver
04:01 Oral History: Reatha Clark King and Linda Meade-Tollin
13:59 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks toHilary Domush and Sarah Hunter for researching this show. Addi
Episode 114: Elements of Expression
In this episode we learn about how the mass production of oil paints spawned a new artistic movement and get a tour of artist Dove Bradshaw's studio.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:43 The Evolution of Oil Paints
04:21 Interview with Dove Bradshaw
11:27Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio and Ashley Milne-Tyne for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 113: Burning Rubber
Rubber has played a shockingly dramatic role in our political and military history. In today's episode we revisit the consequences of the natural rubber shortage during WWII, and how a similar shortage might affect us today.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:00 Natural vs. Synthetic Rubber
04:12 Interview with Mark Finlay
12:03 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio, Sarah Hunter, and Hilary Domush for researching this show. Additional credits availabl
Episode 112: Nuclear Power
On this episode we learn about the history and future of nuclear power, in the U.S. and abroad.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:08 History of the Nuclear Power Industry
04:13 Interview with Keith Moser
10:38 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 111: A Distillations Carol
On this episode we are visited by the ghosts of chemistry's past, present, and future, who teach us about Greek fire, red sludge, and the future of the sun.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:30 Introduction
00:44 Greek Fire
03:14 Hungarian Red Sludge
09:46 Death of the Sun
13:13 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Stefan Bos, Michal Meyer, and Dana Ricci for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 110: Essential Elements - Air
This week we continue our four-part series about earth, air, water, and fire. Today’s episode is about air and how the gases in it have been changing ever since Day 1.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:11 A Brief History of Air
05:14 Breathing Toxic Soup
12:45 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Bob Kenworthy and Jim Burress for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 109: East Meets West
On today's show we look at the Western perspective of Eastern medicine. First yogic breathing; then acupuncture.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:27 Introduction
00:59 Acupuncture
03:29 Yogic Breathing
08:25 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Gretchen Cuda and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 108: Essential Elements - Fire
This week we continue our four-part series about earth, air, water, and fire. Today’s episode is about fire and how humans have tried to protect themselves from it.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:12 Flame Retardants
03:54 Third Degree Burns
12:36 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Anna Boiko-Weyrauch and Victoria Indivero for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 107: Medical Gross Out
Today’s show will have your skin crawling… literally. In honor of Halloween we bring you a show revealing a scarier (and squirmier) side of science.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:27 Introduction
00:54 Forensic Anthropology
04:06 A Conversation with Robert Hicks and His Leeches
11:47 Maggots
14:39 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Margaret E. Wood and Michal Meyer for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 106: Essential Elements – Water
This week we continue our 4-part series about earth, air, water, and fire. Today’s episode is about water and the many ways to ensure it is potable.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:28 Portable Water Purification
05:24 Desalination Plant on the River Thames
14:01 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Nina Perry and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 105: Periodic Table Contents
In this week’s episode we pay tribute to the periodic table. We talk to Sam Kean, author of the best-selling book The Disappearing Spoon and hear an excerpt from Primo Levi’s book The Periodic Table.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:21 Interview with Sam Kean
09:28 "Carbon," from The Periodic Table by Primo Levi
12:57 Competition - Elemental Memoir
13:31 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Michal Meyer and Mia Lobel for researching this show. Additional credits avai
Episode 104: Essential Elements – Earth
This week we begin our four-part series about earth, air, water, and fire. Today’s episode is about earth and the Marcellus Shale.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:40 The Geologic History of the Marcellus Shale
06:04 The Marcellus Shale Today
13:31 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Michal Meyer and Susan Phillips for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 103: Herbal Remedy
Before pharmaceuticals existed, all medicines had to come from natural sources—like plants. On this week’s show we focus on such remedies.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:24 Digitalis, aka Foxglove
03:45 Visiting Lancaster Farmacy
12:42 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio and Joel Rose for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 102: Best of Distillations #6
We continue to bring you some of our favorite segments from past Distillations episodes this week: Senescence, Richard Holmes, and Boy Rocketeer.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:57 Chemical Agent: Senescence
03:32 A Conversation with Richard Holmes
07:53 Boy Rocketeer
13:34 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush, Michael Meyer, and James Voelkel for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 101: Best of Distillations #5
This month Distillations takes a step back to bring you some of our favorite segments from past episodes: Glenn Seaborg, the Three Sisters, and Living with Illness.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:57 Chemical Agent: Glenn Seaborg
03:30 Tools of the Trade: The Three Sisters
06:22 Living with Ilness
11:39 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio, Andy Mangravite, and Erica Stefanovich for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritag
Episode 100: Birthday Episode
Distillations marks its 100th episode this week! To celebrate, we revisit segments from some of our past shows and bring you new developments on electric car batteries, hair mats cleaning up oil spills, and the Obama administration's environmental policies post-election.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:31 Update: The Electric Car
03:49 Update: Cleaning Up Oil Spills
09:27 Update: A Planet in Peril
13:00 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Devin Browne, Jody Roberts
Episode 99: Summer BBQ
Halfway through July, we are just about in the middle of summer. So we thought it would be appropriate to talk about meat and barbecuing in this week’s episode of Distillations.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:01 Chemical Agent: Papain
03:51 Conversation with Roger Horowitz
09:17 Carcinogens and Grilled Meat
11:22 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Victoria Indivero, Michal Meyer, and James Voelkel for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemher
Episode 98: Climate Engineering
As atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, does the world have to get hotter? Controlling the earth’s weather and climate is this week’s topic.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:26 Introduction
01:11 Chemical Agent: Silver Iodide
03:02 Interview: James R. Fleming on Climate Engineering
07:47 Storing Carbon with Phytoplankton
11:19 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Michal Meyer and Hilary Domush for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 97: Immortality
If you could live forever, would you? Though most believe this to be a hypothetical question, there are some scientific processes that impart eternal life, or something like that, to actual creatures on earth.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:10 Chemical Agent: Animal Antifreeze
03:25 Feature: Immortal Jellyfish
07:03 Comte de Saint-Germain
10:24 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Aries Keck, James Voelkel and Michal Meyer for researching this show. Additional cred
Episode 96: Infamous Science
Innovation can be messy work, and sometimes outright disastrous. This week on Distillations we’re looking at some of the 20th century’s most infamous scientific missteps.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:12 Chemical Agent: Thalidomide
03:35 Conversation with Professor Judith Walzer Leavitt
08:18 Cold Fusion
11:10 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio and Michal Meyer for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distilla
Episode 95: Cleaning Up -- Retro Edition
This week we’re digging into our archives and looking back at one of our first episodes of Distillations.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:59 Commentary: Trash Island
03:21 Element of the Week: Mercury
05:11 Cleaning Up Oil Spills
09:36 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jody Roberts for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 94: Scientific Visions
The future is now. Distillations, therefore, is pausing to compare what people once predicted the modern world would look like to the actual reality on the ground—and in the air.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:16 Chemical Agent: Magic Bullet
03:02 Feature: Fembots
08:37 Space Colonization
11:44 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Aries Keck, Jennifer Dionisio, Hilary Domush, and Mia Lobel for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/
Episode 93: Kids’ Science
In honor of National Lab Day in May this episode focuses on the scientist in every kid.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:54 Chemical Agent: Bangsite
02:32 Feature: Kids Doing Science
06:51 Boy Rocketeer
12:15 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Mia Lobel and James Voelkel for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 92: Scientific Collaborations
April is National Poetry Month and Distillations is celebrating by looking at the connections between science and literature.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:26 Chemical Agent: Opium
03:41 Conversation with Richard Holmes
08:08 Poetry and Science with Lord Byron
11:09 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio and Michal Meyer for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 91: Marvels and Ciphers
In early March 2010 the Chemical Heritage Foundation’s museum opened its newest temporary exhibit, Marvels and Ciphers: A Look Inside the Flask.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:40 Introduction
01:05 Chemical Agent: Viagra
04:30 Secrets of the Alchemical Tree
08:43 19th-Century Political Cartoons
09:47 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and James Voelkel for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 90: Useful Waste
What’s better than recycling? Reducing waste! OK, maybe not better, but equally important. In this week’s episode of Distillations we learn about industrial-waste reduction.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:11 Chemical Agent: Carbon Black
03:04 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Vaseline
05:49 Conversation with Roger Horowitz
10:55 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Victoria Indivero, Michal Meyer, and Maggie Wood for researching this show. Additional credits available at
Episode 89: Plastic World
Love it or hate it, plastic is hard to avoid. This week we take a look at plastic made from corn and find out just how biodegradable it really is.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:21 Polylactic Acid
03:32 Plastic Leaching
06:35 Conversation with a Chemist: Keeping Meat Fresh
11:30 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Michal Meyer for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 88: A Sense of Scent
On this week’s episode of Distillations we’re talking about what the nose knows. First up we learn about the nose itself—how it works and how losing your sense of smell can affect your day-to-day life.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:08 The Nose
03:19 Scent Identification
05:53 Feature: Perfume Vinyl
11:27 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush, Victoria Indivero, Michal Meyer and Douglas Smith for researching this show. Additional credits available at c
Episode 87: Scientific Journeys
Scientific discoveries can be dramatic tales of unexpected adventure. They can also be personal explorations of intuition and faith.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:02 Chemical Agent: The Wolf Trap
03:22 A Conversation with Bill Brock
08:46 Mystery Solved! The Unknown Continent
11:48 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Michal Meyer and Victoria Indivero for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 86: In Sickness and in Health
Whether it’s preventing illness by vaccines or avoiding germs, this episode is about getting sick and staying healthy.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:22 Chemical Agent: Meningitis Vaccine
03:27 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Hand Sanitizer
06:04 Feature: Living with Illness
11:36 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Maggie Wood and Erica Stefanovich for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 85: International Year in Review
Another year has come and gone, but the impact of scientific discoveries made and concerns raised will be felt in 2010 and beyond.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:20 Asia: Water Management in a Changing Climate
04:02 Europe: Large Hadron Collider
07:15 A Conversation with The Scientist's Alla Katsnelson
11:26 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Michal Meyer and Anke Timmerman for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 84: Crystals
There are many different types of crystals we encounter, ranging from tiny to extremely large in size.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:11 Chemical Agent: Sodium Chloride
03:34 Tools of the Trade
06:15 A Conversation with Karen Allen
11:27 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Victoria Indivero, Michal Meyer, Anke Timmermann, and Maggie Wood for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 83: Fellows in Action
What do Isaac Newton, yeast, and Harold Urey have in common? They all come under the research microscope of Chemical Heritage Foundation fellows.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:10 Chemical Agent: Yeast
03:28 Tools of the Trade: Backyard Acids from Early Chemistry
07:18 A Conversation with Matthew Shindell on Harold C. Urey
11:51 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 82: Food Myths
In this episode of Distillations we clarify common misconceptions about food.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:18 Chemical Agent: Sucralose
03:30 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Detox Diets
06:04 A Conversation with David Schleifer on Trans Fats
11:33 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio, Sky Kalfus, and Erica Stefanovich for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 81: Light
Let there be light! Whether it comes from the sky or a bulb, we’d be lost without it.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:01 Chemical Agent: Organic Solar Cells
03:54 Mystery Solved! Seasonal Affective Disorder
06:42 Feature: The History of Lightbulbs
11:21 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jim Burress, Hilary Domush, Michal Meyer, and Erica Stefanovich for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 80: Autumn
Autumn! Learn about leaf changes, the three sisters, and apple cider. Chemical Agent: Senescence.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:07 Chemical Agent: Senescence
03:43 Tools of the Trade: The Three Sisters
06:27 Feature: Apple Cider
10:52 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Erica Stefanovich for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 79: Changing Phases
Everything falls into one of three phases of matter: solid, liquid, or gas. Or does it?
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:11 Chemical Agent: Dry Ice
03:34 A Conversation with Michal Meyer
08:11 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Glass
11:04 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 78: Public Science
Science isn’t some exalted ideal confined to labs and classrooms—it’s all around us. In this episode we share different ways that scientists have reached out to educate and enlighten the masses.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:00 Chemical Agent: Glenn Seaborg
03:43 Tools of the Trade: The Air Pump
06:07 Feature: Science in the City
11:08 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Andy Mangravite and Erin McLeary for researching this show. Additional credits available at c
Episode 77: Innovations and Inventions
Every year the Chemical Heritage Foundation holds Innovation Day—an event for people to get together to discuss and learn about science’s exciting new technologies. In this episode we take a look at innovations—the natural kind and the man-made kind.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:13 Chemical Agent: Thermoregulation
03:34 Tools of the Trade: GoreTex Stents
06:25 A Conversation with Richard Silverman
11:22 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Chi Chan for researchin
Episode 76: Working Class Chemistry
In honor of Labor Day this episode of Distillations looks at how chemistry has affected the work of a variety of professionals—for better or worse.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:59 Chemical Agent: Polybenzimidazole
02:58 History Lesson: Origins of Occupational Health
06:01 Feature: The Chemistry of Welding
10:40 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Mia Lobel, Andy Mangravite and Jody Roberts for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.o
Episode 75: Best of Distillations #4
Distillations is sharing more of our favorite episodes this week: free radicals, art forgery, and snoring.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:48 Chemical Agent: Free Radicals
02:42 Feature: Detecting Forgery in Art
07:35 Mystery Solved! Snoring
10:51 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Anke Timmermann for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 74: Best of Distillations #3
It’s almost the end of the summer; so the Distillations crew is taking a look back at some of our favorite episodes this week: panspermia, umami, and pheromone perfumes.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:40 Introduction
00:59 Chemical Agent: Panspermia
03:04 Mystery Solved! Umami
07:14 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Pheromone Perfumes
09:59 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Aries Keck, Audra Wolfe, and Jen Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.
Episode 73: Brave New Worlds
Birth, once nature's miracle, is increasingly manipulated by humans and regulated by society. In this week’s episode we look at a range of reproductive technologies and the implications of their use. Chemical Agent: Luteinizing Hormone.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:30 Introduction
01:16 Chemical Agent: Luteinizing Hormone
03:54 Conversation with Joanna Radin
09:01 Review: Reproduction in Dystopian Novels
11:39 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Erica Stefanovich and Hilary Domush
Episode 72: Space and Place
Location, location, location! In this week’s episode we talk about why and how certain spaces are chosen and used. Chemical Agent: Bromine.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:07 Chemical Agent: Bromine
03:13 Mystery Solved! Brownfields
06:31 Conversation with Jim Hutchison
11:16 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush, Jennifer Dionisio, and Jody Roberts for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 71: Breakfast
Rise and Shine! Today we look at some of the most essential elements of a satisfying breakfast.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:21 Chemical Agent: Pectin
03:34 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Butter vs. Oil
06:37 Feature: Making Sourdough Bread
11:00 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Rebecca Sheir and Audra Wolfe for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 70: The Chemistry of Dentistry
Distillations takes a look at the history and chemistry of dentistry. We find out how baking soda cleans your teeth and lidocaine numbs your gums.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:15 Chemical Agent: Sodium Bicarbonate
03:15 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: DIY Dental Care
06:00 Feature: Lidocaine to Numb the Pain
10:32 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Ari Daniel Shapiro, Anke Timmermann, and Audra Wolfe for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemhe
Episode 69: Lab Safety
Laboratory science can be a risky business. While some of these substances’ dangers are easily mitigated by following proper safety procedures, others have risks that increase with extended exposure—a lesson unfortunately learned by many chemists in previous centuries, which we explore on today’s show. Chemical Agent: Lead.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:02 Chemical Agent: Lead
03:31 Tools of the Trade: Safety Goggles
06:23 Feature: High School Chemistry Demonstrations
1
Episode 68: Integrated Circuits
This year is the 50th anniversary of the integrated circuit! The IC is an important part of many electronic technologies we use today, from your iPod to your GPS. Chemical Agent: Chemically Amplified Photoresists.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:15 Chemical Agent: Chemically Amplified Photoresists
03:43 Mystery Solved! Crystal Puller
06:27 A conversation with Hyungsub Choi
10:46 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Chi Chan, Eleanor Goldberg, and Audra Wolfe for res
Episode 67: Baseball
After several long, cold months baseball season has finally begun! From Philadelphia, the home of 2008 World Series Champions, we bring you a show straight from the ballpark. Chemical Agent: Anabolic steroids.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:02 Chemical Agent: Anabolic Steroids
03:24 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Hot Dogs
06:04 Feature: Is That Nanotechnology in Your Bat?
10:40 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Ari Daniel Shapiro and Jennifer Dionisio for researchi
Episode 66: Cleaning Green
It is officially spring — time to open the windows, let the fresh air in, and sweep those winter blues away! Learn about acetic acid and its cleaning power. Then find out how hard water can make cleaning more difficult, and what you can do about it.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
00:59 Chemical Agent: Acetic Acid
03:05 Mystery Solved! Hard Water
06:05 Feature: Green Dry Cleaning
11:12 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Rene Gutel and Eleanor Goldberg for researching
Episode 65: Going to the Dogs
Nearly 60% of American households have at least one pet, and nearly two-thirds of pet owners had more than one. That’s a lot of dogs, cats, turtles, birds, hamsters and iguanas. On today’s episode we turn our scientific lens to the relationship between humans and their furry friends.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:51 Chemical Agent: Histamines
03:04 Mystery Solved! Cancer-sniffing Dogs
05:45 Feature: Pet-friendly Extermination Methods
10:11 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Speci
Episode 64: sLowlife
Plants are not the silent, stationary creatures we imagine them to be. They drift, stretch, and dance in search of nutrients, water, and sunlight. Inspired by sLowlife, a dynamic multimedia exhibit now on display in the Clifford C. Hach Gallery at the Chemical Heritage Foundation, today’s show looks at the chemistry behind plant growth and movement.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:00 Chemical Agent: Photosynthesis
03:02 A conversation with Amy Stewart
08:19 Mystery Solved
Episode 63: Biofuel
Fossil fuel has gotten us into all sorts of trouble lately. Gas production and consumption has caused international conflict, wrecked havoc on our planet, and lightened our wallets at the gas pump. Why not turn to plants? They get their energy from the sun; and with a little smart science, they can pass on their clean green energy to our cars.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:24 Chemical Agent: Cellulose
04:01 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Biodiesel
06:52 Feature: Algae as F
Episode 62: Chemical Romance
It’s Valentine’s Day this weekend, and love is in the air. Let’s learn how atoms find each other with an examination of chemical bonds. Chemical Agent: Free Radicals.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:05 Chemical Agent: Free Radicals
02:56 A conversation with Alan Rocke
08:19 Mystery Solved: The Ozone Hole
11:19 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Eleanor Goldberg for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillati
Episode 61: Space Science
Space, the Final Frontier! Mention the chemistry of space and you’re likely to hear bad jokes about Tang or the behavior of liquids in zero gravity. But it turns out that there’s an entire field—astrochemistry—dedicated to understanding the chemistry of the universe. Chemical Agent: Panspermia.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:56 Chemical Agent: Panspermia
03:11 A conversation with Stefanie Milam
08:11 Tools of the Trade: Radio telescopes
11:15 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Spe
Episode 60: Professional Networks
Today Distillations is finding out more about professional networks—particularly in the field of chemistry.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:12 Chemical Agent: Sodium Cyanide
03:21 Tools of the Trade: Imaging Software
06:13 A conversation with Michael Gordin
10:58 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio, Hilary Domush, and Eleanor Goldberg for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 59: Winter Sports
We’re hitting the slopes—and tending our wounds—on today’s episode of Distillations. We start off with the science behind sports gels. Next, find out more about the synthetic fabrics. Finally, learn about the latest advances in fake snow.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:58 Chemical Agent: Menthol
03:05 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Synthetic Fibers
06:30 Feature: Snowflex
11:16 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Erin McLeary, Eleanor Goldberg, and Lydia Wilson for r
Episode 58: Presidents & Policy
Distillations is taking a look at the presidential side of chemistry. First we learn about stem cells and the controversy surrounding their research. Next we find out why 21-gun salutes are safe and not so smoky in Mystery Solved!
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:01 Chemical Agent: Stem Cells
03:30 Mystery Solved! Smokeless Gunpowder
06:32 Commentary: A Planet in Peril
11:05 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio, Nicole Rietmann, and Jody Roberts for
Episode 57: Library & Information Services
Let’s go to the library! This week we take a field trip to that venerable institution where great reading abounds and shushing up is de rigueur.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:04 Chemical Agent: Water
03:43 Tools of the Trade: The Chemical Abstract Service
06:44 Feature: Book Printing and Binding
11:18 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Audra J. Wolfe for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 56: New Year's Resolutions
What do you resolve to do in 2009? Get in shape? Improve your eating habits? Stop smoking? We cover them all on this week’s show.Our Mystery Solved! segment investigates why fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants, like the pomegranates pictured here, are being credited with all sorts of health-saving powers.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:06 Chemical Agent: Nicotine
03:52 Mystery Solved! Antioxidants
07:00 Feature: Aching Muscles
11:22 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Specia
Episode 55: Anniversary
We are marking the one year anniversary of Distillations this week! To celebrate we’re looking back at the year 2008 and its noteworthy occasions: first, boron, whose 200th birthday was this year, then, the Nobel Prize.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:07 Element of the Week: Boron
03:20 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
06:49 The Most Significant Chemical Moment of 2008
10:20 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Eleanor Goldberg and Chi Chan for researching this show. A
Episode 54: Holiday Greetings 2008
Thanks to J. J. Thomson‘s plum pudding model of the atom, chemistry will be forever associated with 19th-century British Christmas traditions. His model was soon discarded, but it remains a staple of high school chemistry textbooks.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:10 Element of the Week: Tin
02:47 Tools of the Trade: Plum Pudding
05:41 Feature: Ham
10:47 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush, Anke Timmermann, and Eleanor Goldberg for researching this sh
Episode 53: Faking It
The truth behind the fake—this week Distillations explores the science of forgery. Some forgery is known and expected, such as fake meat products for vegetarians, while other fakes are meant to deceive…think imitated artists.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:31 Update: The Electric Car
03:49 Update: Cleaning Up Oil Spills
09:27 Update: A Planet in Peril
13:00 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Erin McLeary, Audra Wolfe, and Rebecca Sheir for researching this show.
Episode 52: Wine
Americans are still relatively new to consuming wine—but they do so with gusto during the holiday season. On today’s show we take a look at the chemistry of this intoxicating substance: its aroma, its flavor, and its sometimes unwanted side effects.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:52 Element of the Week: Oxygen
02:54 Mystery Solved! Sulfites and Hangovers
05:35 Feature: Organic Wines
10:11 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Eric Mack for research
Episode 51: Global Health
Monday, December 1, is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. In honor of this campaign, Distillations is considering global health.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
00:58 Element of the Week: Silver
02:59 A Conversation with Seema Shah
07:54 Mystery Solved! Affordable Vaccines
11:27 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Dominique Tobbell for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 50: Children's Health
Nothing is more important to parents than the health of their children, and advances in chemistry and pharmaceuticals have made it possible for children to receive the best care that science has to offer. However, chemical hazards in everyday life still pose hidden risks to children.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:33 Introduction
00:58 Element of the Week: Lithium
02:49 A Conversation with Sandra Steingraber
08:38 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Bisphenol A
11:18 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Speci
Episode 49: Eating
Eating is one of life’s simple pleasures, but the chemical process behind it is actually quite complex. Balancing the right minerals with good taste is no easy matter.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:50 Element of the Week: Magnesium
02:56 Mystery Solved: Umami
07:14 Poetry Reading: “A General Description of the West-Indian Islands.”
11:17 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Audra Wolfe for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/dis
Episode 48: Alchemy
Alchemy is about a lot more than turning lead into gold or making the philosopher’s stone. Until the 17th century, alchemists worked hard in their laboratories to produce medicines, develop metal- and glass-working techniques, and uncover the quintessential essence of all earthly and celestial matter.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:09 Element of the Week: Quintessence
02:54 Review of Tara Nummedal’s Alchemy and Authority in the Holy Roman Empire
06:34 Alchemy at the Corn
Episode 47: Making Up
Happy Halloween from Distillations! This week we’re looking at the world of cosmetics, which seems fitting for a day when many people wear makeup who might not normally.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:08 Element of the Week: Lead
03:02 Conversation with Rodger Curren
07:12 Cosmetics Database Report
11:23 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jen Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 46: Charging Up
The first cars didn’t run on gas—they ran on electricity. Over a century later, the high cost of fuel has finally forced automakers to take the possibility of battery-powered cars seriously. On today’s show we look at three kinds of batteries that have been proposed as transportation solutions.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:13 Element of the Week: Nickel
03:08 Mystery Solved! Hydrogen fuel-cell cars
06:38 GM’s lithium-ion battery lab
11:13 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Speci
Episode 45: Making Modernity
This week we celebrate the opening of the Chemical Heritage Foundation’s new museum!
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:04 Element of the Week: The Periodic Table
03:06 Tools of the Trade: Technicon Autoanalyzer
06:13 Tour of new Making Modernity exhibit
11:18 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Erin McLeary for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 44: Sweet Dreams
There’s nothing quite like a good night’s rest to recharge the body and restore the spirits. Today’s show looks at the science of sleep—and insomnia.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:28 Element of the Week: Helium
03:15 Mystery Solved! Snoring
06:44 Caffeine and Wakefulness
10:38 Quote: C. S. Lewis
11:02 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Catherine Giradeau and Anke Timmermann for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations
Episode 43: Cause and Effect
According to Newton’s third law, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In this week’s episode we explore causes and their effects in several different ways.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:16 Element of the Week: Francium
03:10 Chemistry in your Cupboard: Pheromone Perfumes
06:11 Feature: The Chemistry of Ripe Apples
10:38 Quote: Ralph Waldo Emerson
10:57 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio and Lara Ratzlaff for researching
Episode 42: Women in Chemistry
Breaking through the glass ceiling can be tough, especially when you are a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field. This week’s episode takes a look at women in chemistry.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:30 Introduction
01:19 Element of the Week: Meitnerium
03:21 A Conversation with Donna Nelson
07:30 Feature: The Career of Helen B. Brown
11:31 Quote: Abigail Adams
11:43 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Catherine Girardeau for researching this show. Additio
Episode 41: Self-Experimentation
This week we delve into the world of experimenting on oneself. Many scientists have both knowingly and unknowingly used themselves as guinea pigs in the lab.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:23 Element of the Week: Radium
03:03 Conversation with Rebecca Herzig
08:04 Chemistry in your Cupboard: Home DNA Test Kits
10:51 Quote: Edwin Emory Slosson
11:14 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Dominique Tobbell for researching this show. Additional credits available at chem
Episode 40: Agriculture
All over the Midwest, farmers are cranking up their combines for the corn harvest. Modern agriculture depends on science and technology at every step of the way, from genetically modified crops, to the fertilizer on the fields, to the fuel in the tractor.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:21 Introduction
01:21 Element of the Week: Nitrogen
03:27 Feature: Biodiesel and glycerine
08:06 Mystery Solved! Compost
10:43 Quote: Walt Whitman
11:16 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Amy Coombs
Episode 39: Photography
In the eleventh century the first camera obscura was invented, helping artists draw. It would be another eight centuries before people figured out how to capture images directly onto film.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:10 Element of the Week: Selenium
03:13 Commentary: Objectivity vs. Subjectivity
06:04 Science and Photography at SFMOMA
10:50 Quote: Terrence Donovan
11:15 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to David Caruso and Emily Wilson for researching this show.
Episode 37: Best of Distillations #1
This week we’re looking back at some of our favorite Distillations episodes.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
00:50 Element of the Week: Platinum
03:03 Making Mauvine
08:30 Mystery Solved! Damascus Steel
11:17 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Chi Chan for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 38: Best of Distillations #2
We continue to look back at some of our favorite episodes this week at Distillations.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:48 Element of the Week: Black Bile
02:12 A Conversation with Jackie Duffin
06:44 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Pop Rocks
08:52 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Erin McLeary, Robert Hicks, and Chi Chan for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 36: Olympics
Addicted to the Olympics? Take a break from too much video with 12 minutes of audio. On today’s show, we investigate Olympic mysteries, from the flame of the torch to the composition of those so-called gold medals. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:31 Introduction 01:12 Element of the Week: Gold 03:13 Mystery Solved! The Olympic Torch 06:01 Citizen Air Quality Monitoring 10:43 Quote: Albert Camus 11:03 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Andrew Stelzer for researchi
Episode 35: Things We Wear
This week we discuss the chemistry behind what we wear. Many modern fabrics include synthetic materials, and these synthetics would not be possible without chemistry.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:00 Element of the Week: Aluminum
03:20 Leather Tanning in India
08:18 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Pantyhose
11:02 Robert’s Farewell
11:20 Quote: Mark Twain
11:33 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Erin McLeary, Jean Parker, and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this sh
Episode 34: Criminal Chemistry
We’re rather fond of chemistry here at Distillations, but even we have to admit that not everyone who’s interested in chemistry is inspired purely by a love of science. On today’s show we explore the uses of chemistry on either side of the law.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:08 Element of the Week: Arsenic
03:12 A Conversation with Jay Aronson
07:34 Review: Breaking Bad
10:58 Quote: Emma Goldman
11:09 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio for resea
Episode 33: Molecular Gastronomy
The term molecular gastronomy can sound pretentious, but food writer Harold McGee describes it as “the science of deliciousness.” Learn more about the science of food (and deliciousness) in this week’s episode.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:30 Introduction
01:14 Element of the Week: Bismuth
03:39 Mystery Solved! The Perfect Egg
06:28 Chemistry in the Kitchen: Making Mousse Without Dairy
11:04 Quote: Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
11:19 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Chi Chan fo
Episode 32: Religious Experience
There’s an old stereotype that portrays science and religion as inevitably mired in conflict. On today’s show we look past the clichés—evolution and Galileo and all that—for some areas where the two have something constructive to say to each other.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:01 Element of the Week: Pneuma
03:00 A Conversation with Jackie Duffin
07:55 Mystery Solved! Zombies
10:42 Quote: Albert Einstein
11:02 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Robert Hicks for
Episode 31: Motherhood
What makes motherhood scientific? This week, we try to answer, with a look at motherhood, pregnancy, and science.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:06 Element of the Week: Curium
03:43 A Conversation with Janet Golden
07:55 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Home Pregnancy Tests
11:07 Quote: Katharine Whitehorn
11:29 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Erin McLeary for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 30: American Chemistry
Chemistry has been part of the American experience ever since the settlers at Jamestown built a lab for blowing glass and assaying metal (you can learn more on our Jamestown episode). Today we celebrate the 4th of July with a tribute to American scientific and technological achievements—and we’ve thrown in some fireworks, just for fun.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:57 Element of the Week: Americium
03:03 A Conversation with Dale Keairns
07:22 Mystery Solved! Fireworks
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Episode 29: Left Behind
Matter can neither be created nor destroyed. So when you take your garbage out to the curb every week, do you ever stop to think about where it’s going? In this week’s episode, Jori Lewis explores how New York City is trying to make it easier for residents to recycle their electronic waste.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:15 Element of the Week: Cadmium
03:25 Conversation with Demir Hamami
07:16 Recycling Electronics
11:23 Quote: Chinese proverb
11:32 Closing Credits
CRE
Episode 28: Summer
Summer 2008 officially begins today, June 20, at 7:50 EDT (at least in the Northern Hemisphere). Here at Distillations, we’re celebrating with a show dedicated to poolside lounging.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:58 Element of the Week: Titanium
02:57 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Chlorination
05:22 Mystery Solved! Why do we float?
07:42 Quote: Henry James
08:00 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to David Caruso for researching this show. Additional credits available
Episode 27: Illumination
Illumination has been a quest of humans for centuries now—both in terms of the cerebral and the physical. In today’s episode we focus on the physical type of illumination.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:14 Element of the Week: Sodium
04:09 Chemistry of Bioluminescence
09:10 Mystery Solved: Glowing in the Dark
11:08 Quote: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
11:24 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Ann Dornfeld for researching this show. Additional credit
Episode 26: Performance
Baseball, track, swimming, biking—is there any sport that hasn’t suffered a scandal in the past few years? It turns out that the obvious culprits—performance enhancing drugs—are just the tip of the iceberg for how chemistry can alter athletic competition. In today’s show we look at some of the chemistry going on both inside and outside athletes’ bodies.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:10 Element of the Week: Potassium
02:56 A Conversation with John Hoberman
07:28 Chemistr
Episode 25: The Chemistry of Time
There are four fundamental qualities: time, length, mass, and temperature. All other units can be derived from them, but these four can’t be broken down any further. This week we focus on time—the measurement that orders our lives.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:30 Element of the Week: Ruthenium
03:59 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Pressure Cooker
06:20 The Atomic Clock
10:37 Quote: William Faulkner
10:51 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Eric Mack and Audra Wolfe
Episode 24: Beer and Brewing
What do Isaac Newton, yeast, and Harold Urey have in common? They all come under the research microscope of Chemical Heritage Foundation fellows.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:04 Element of the Week: Calcium
02:57 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Hops
05:44 A Visit to Dogfish Head Brewery
09:57 Quote: Ben Franklin
10:10 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Joel Rose for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillati
Episode 23: Preservation
Entropy is defined as the degree of disorder in a system, and according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics entropy is always increasing. Preservation is a way that humans are trying to beat entropy, and this week we look at why and how we preserve.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:08 Element of the Week: Argon
03:24 Conversation with Ronn Wade
07:29 Frozen Dead Guy Days
11:28 Quote: Neil Rollinson
11:44 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Eric Mack and Audra Wolfe
Episode 22: Virtual Classrooms
Blogs, YouTube, Facebook, and wikis are just a few of so-called Web 2.0 technologies that are transforming the look and feel of science on the Web.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:04 Conversation with John Horrigan
05:00 Element of the Week
08:01 Science Education in the Era of No Child Left Behind
10:58 Quote: Mary Shelley
11:16 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Audra Wolfe for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations
Episode 21: Sound
Sound is often thought to be a science of physics, but on today’s show we consider its chemistry.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:11 Element of the Week: Neodymium
03:03 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Pop Rocks
05:43 Sonic Art: Experimental Musical Instruments
10:43 Quote: Ludiwg van Beethoven
11:08 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to Chi Chan and Catherine Girardeau for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.
Episode 20: Spring Cleaning
Tuesday, April 22 was Earth Day. Amid all the hubbub about “going green,” it’s a fair question to ask how much power individual consumers have to reduce their environmental impact. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 01:18 Element of the Week: Fluorine 02:48 REACH: A New Approach to Chemical Regulation 07:44 A Conversation with John Mullins, Sun and Earth 10:38 Quote: Francis Bacon 10:54 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to Jori Lewis and Jody Roberts for researching thi
Episode 18: Beyond the Chip
Semiconductors are at the heart of countless electronic devices. Although we often think of Silicon Valley as being built on computer chips, the companies that make the chips often depend upon materials and equipment manufacturers who build the component parts. On today’s show we explore some of the unheralded companies that have made the Digital Revolution possible. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 01:20 Element of the Week: Silicon 02:46 Conversation with Griff Resor 06:26
Episode 19: Jamestown
Jamestown celebrated its 400th anniversary last year. Many people may know that it was the first permanent English settlement in North America, but less commonly known is that Jamestown was also the birthplace of the American chemical enterprise. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 01:16 Mystery Solved 04:00 Element of the Week: Strontium 06:24 Visiting Josh Simpson’s Glassblowing Studio 10:13 Quote: Captain John Smith 10:23 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to Robert Hi
Episode 17: Dual Use
Science has long been a component of warfare, and in this week’s episode we look at how it has played a part in both destruction and preservation during times of war.
SHOW CLOCK
00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:19 Conversation with Jeffrey Johnson
07:35 Element of the Week: Chlorine
09:35 Review of This Republic of Suffering
11:46 Quote: William Jennings Bryan
11:56 Closing Credits
CREDITS
Special thanks to David Caruso for researching this show. Additional credits available at chem
Episode 16: Vitamania!
In today’s show we take a closer look at vitamins, the tiny substances that are vital to our health. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:31 Introduction 01:39 Mystery Solved: Rickets 04:35 Element of the Week: Iron 06:41 Making Vitaming C 10:18 Quotation: George Bernard Shaw 10:38 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to Jocelyn Ford and Anke Timmermann for researching this show. Additional credits available at distillations.org.
Episode 15: The Art of Science
While chemistry often plays a silent role in art, such as synthetic additives in acrylic paints, both artists and scientists have consciously chosen to intersect the two. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 01:09 Element of the Week: Neon 03:37 Commentary: Self-Grown Pictures 06:54 ChemArtists 10:51 Quote: Bo Malmstrom 11:04 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to Erin McLeary and Audra Wolfe for researching this show. Additional credits available at distillations.org.
Episode 14: Blockbuster Science
Is science on the silver screen any less real than science in the lab? A crew from CHF attempts to answer this question with a visit to a new Star Wars exhibit at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 00:50 Element of the Week: Krypton 02:28 Commentary: Cartoons as Science? 06:15 Exhibit Review: Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination 11:10 Quote: Lex Luthor 11:30 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to Jody Roberts, Jennifer Landry,
Episode 13: The Nanoscale
You’ve heard the hype—but what’s nanotechnology really all about? Today’s show is an investigation into the current reality and the future potential of nanotechnology. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:31 Introduction 01:32 Element of the Week: Carbon 03:08 Conversation with George Whitesides 07:51 Mystery Solved! Damascus Steel 10:49 Quote: Richard Smalley 11:08 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to Chi Chan for researching this show. Additional credits available at distillations.org.
Episode 12: Chemistry as Technology
In today’s world, technology is seemingly ubiquitous. Chemistry plays a role in many technologies and may be obvious in some products, but is quite invisible in others. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 01:39 Element of the Week: Uranium 04:13 Mystery Solved: Liquid Crystal Displays 06:51 Hydrogenation 10:59 Quote: Karl Compton 11:19 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to Victoria Indivero, Jody Roberts, and Catherine Girardeau for researching this show. Additional credi
Episode 11: Wonder Drugs
From antibiotics to chemotherapy, modern pharmaceuticals have transformed the experience of illness in the 20th century. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, the founder and chairman of Biocon, Ltd., joins us for a discussion of how the global business of pharmaceuticals is changing the culture of science in India. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:31 Introduction 01:14 Element of the Week: Sulfur 02:44 A Conversation with Kiran Mazumdar Shaw 07:50 The Complicated Legacy of Modern Pharmaceuticals 10:44 Quot
Episode 10: Color
Color literally fills our world, and it plays a dominant role in how we perceive our surroundings. Scientists have been fascinated with the question of what color is ever since Isaac Newton discovered that white light contains the entire color spectrum. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 01:09 Element of the Week: Chromium 02:54 Chemistry in Your Cupboard 05:12 Making Mauvine 10:47 Quote: Claude Monet 11:06 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to Hilary Domush for research
Episode 9: The Love Show
Please note: In today’s episode we have included more mature content than a typical show. A Valentine for our listeners, this show is dedicated to the chemistry of love. In today’s show, we explain why passion has always been associated with fire and how the stars can influence your love life. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 00:54 Element of the Week: Fire 02:45 Mystery Solved: Aphrodisiacs 05:46 Precise as Pastry 10:03 Quote: Robert Burton 10:31 Closing Credits CREDITS S
Episode 8: Chemistry in the Classroom
Today’s show takes a look at how scientists and educators are reinventing American science education. We chat with Tom Tritton, former president of Haverford College and CHF’s new president and CEO, about how to introduce liberal arts students to science—and just as importantly, vice versa. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 01:23 Interview with Tom Tritton 04:45 Element of the Week: Hydrogen 07:22 Chemistry in Second Life 11:02 Quote: John Mason Brown 11:15 Closing Credits
Episode 7: Electronics
We don’t normally think of computers, radios, and cell phones as products of chemistry, but none of these devices would be possible without specialized chemical manufacturing components and techniques. The integrated circuits at the heart of these tools depend on the unique electrical properties of certain inorganic elements such as silicon, germanium, and gallium. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:31 Introduction 01:30 Element of the Week: Germanium 03:25 Conversation with Henry Kressel 07:
Episode 6: The Chemistry of Texts
Creating ink for both the printed and handwritten page, as well as preserving it, has a long history in which chemistry plays an integral part. Some historic inks have started to destroy the pages they’re printed on. Other books and manuscripts have been damaged as a result of older conservation practices that place more emphasis on looks than historic accuracy. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:31 Introduction 01:22 Element of the Week: Copper 03:09 Rare book tour with Ronald Brashear and G
Episode 5: The Body Chemical
Western medicine has always looked at the body as a system in balance. Today’s show looks at how ideas about the body’s equilibrium have changed over the past few centuries, from humoral theory to the discovery of vitamins and the role of trace elements in human health. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 01:12 The Element of the Week: Black bile 02:52 Mystery Solved: Pellagra 05:39 Trace elements, or why do we need selenium and nickel, anyway? 08:55 Quote of the Week: Albert S
Episode 4: Measurement
Chemistry has always been a science of measurement. In this episode, we look at several cases of how measurements affect scientific research and practice as well as daily life. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 01:09 The Element of the Week: Platinum 03:34 Interview with Norm Holden, Brookhaven National Laboratories, on changing atomic weights 07:21 Stoichiometry: Featuring Robert Wolke, author of What Einstein Told His Cook 11:28 Quote of the Week: Robert Weber 11:46 Closing
Episode 3: Happy Holidays from CHF!
This week, in honor of the holiday season, we’re offering a toast to chemistry. We’ll explain what makes champagne bubble, and why size matters when you’re talking about carbonation. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 01:03 Element of the Week: Phosphorus 02:48 The Science behind Champagne Bubbles 05:57 Quote of the Week: Graham Greene 06:16 Closing Credits CREDITS Additional credits available at distillations.org
Episode 2: Cleaning Up
After the recent oil spills in the San Francisco Bay and the Kerch Strait, Distillations delves into the reality of cleaning up human-made messes. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:32 Introduction 00:55 Commentary by Jody Roberts 02:55 Element of the Week: Mercury 04:44 Cleaning up the San Francisco oil spill 09:12 Quote of the Week: Barry Commoner 09:44 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to Jody Roberts for researching this show. Additional credits available at distillations.org.
Episode 1: Communicating Chemistry
How do scientists explain what they do to the larger public, and how can historians help? In this first episode of Distillations, we explore this question by looking at phlogiston, an obsolete element once thought to explain combustion. SHOW CLOCK 00:00 Opening Credits 00:42 The periodic table 01:52 Element of the Week: Phlogiston 04:02 Interview with Paul Smith, director of lecture demonstrations in the department of chemistry, Purdue University 09:16 Quote of the week: Primo Levi 09:43 Closi