Distillations | Science History Institute

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Chemistry
**Distillations | 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.

Latest Episodes:

Episode 71: Breakfast Jun 19, 2009

Show notes

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 Jun 05, 2009

Show notes

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 chemheritage.org/distillations.

Episode 69: Lab Safety May 22, 2009

Show notes

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

10:45 Closing Credits

CREDITS

Special thanks to Robin Sussingham, Anke Timmerman , and Hilary Domush for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.

Episode 68: Integrated Circuits May 08, 2009

Show notes

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 researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.

Episode 67: Baseball Apr 24, 2009

Show notes

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 researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.

Episode 66: Cleaning Green Apr 10, 2009

Show notes

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 this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.

Episode 65: Going to the Dogs Mar 27, 2009

Show notes

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

Special thanks to Jori Lewis and Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.

Episode 64: sLowlife Mar 13, 2009

Show notes

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! Tropisms

11:10 Closing Credits

CREDITS

Special thanks to Audra Wolfe for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.

Episode 63: Biofuel Feb 27, 2009

Show notes

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 Fuel

11:00 Closing Credits

CREDITS

Special thanks to Catherine Girardeau for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.

Episode 62: Chemical Romance Feb 13, 2009

Show notes

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/distillations.