Distillations

Series produced by Distillations

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Science + Culture + History

Each episode of Distillations takes a deep dive into a moment of science-related history in order to shed light on the present. Produced by the Science History Institute.


170 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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In honor of National Poetry Month, Distillations looks at Lord Byron and his classic Don Juan. Also, opium and The Age of Wonder.

  • Added: Apr 09, 2010
  • Length: 11:41
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Inside every kid is a scientist just waiting to get out and play.

Bought by KAWC / Border Radio - KOFA


  • Added: Apr 30, 2010
  • Length: 13:05
  • Purchases: 1
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On this episode Distillations looks back to the future. We compare what people thought the modern world would look like with today's reality.

Bought by Radio Catskill


  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 12:18
  • Purchases: 1
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Oil spills and how getting your hair cut could help to clean them up.

  • Added: May 20, 2010
  • Length: 10:12
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Innovation can be messy work, and sometimes outright disastrous. In this episode of Distillations we look at some of the 20th century’s most infamo...

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 11:46
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If you could live forever, would you? Though most believe this to be a hypothetical question, there are some scientific processes that impart etern...

Bought by WTJU


  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 10:57
  • Purchases: 1
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As atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, does the world have to get hotter? Controlling the earth’s weather and climate is the topic of this episode.

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 11:54
Caption: BBQ Inferno, from Flickr user Frederic Poirot.
In this episode, a celebration of meat: segments on an all-natural meat tenderizer, BBQ'ed carcinogens, and the history of steak.

Bought by KPIK-LP and WTJU


  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 11:55
  • Purchases: 2
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Distillations marks our 100th episode! To celebrate, we revisit segments from some of our past shows and bring you new developments.

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 13:33
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Distillations takes a step back to bring you some of our favorite segments from past episodes: Glenn Seaborg, the Three Sisters, and Living with Il...

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 12:12
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We continue to bring you some of our favorite segments from past episodes of Distillations: Senescence, Richard Holmes, and Boy Rocketeer.

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 14:06
Caption: Foxglove photographed in Bestwood Country Park, Nottinghamshire., Credit: Image courtesy of Flickr user DaveKav.
Before pharmaceuticals existed, all medicines had to come from natural sources—like plants. On this episode, we focus on such remedies.

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 13:15
Caption: Periodic Table of Cupcakes at CHF’s museum’s first anniversary., Credit: Photo by Rosanne Cook.
In this episode we pay tribute to the periodic table. We talk to Sam Kean, author of the best-selling book The Disappearing Spoon; hear an excerpt ...

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 14:04
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This episode will have your skin crawling… literally. In honor of Halloween we bring you a show revealing a scarier (and squirmier) side of science.

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 15:30
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In this episode we learn about yoga and acupuncture.

Bought by WTJU


  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 09:10
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Scrooge and his third visitor. Illustration by John Leech, 1843.
In 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...

Bought by WTJU


  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 13:46
  • Purchases: 1
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In this episode we learn about the history and future of nuclear power, in the U.S. and abroad.

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 11:12
Caption: Billy Evans turns in some old rubber to the Atlantic filling station of L. E. Wadman, 1603 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, DE.  June 15, 1942., Credit:  Image courtesy of the Delaware Public Archives.
Rubber has played a shockingly dramatic role in our political and military history. In this episode we revisit the consequences of the natural rubb...

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 12:36
Caption: Segment of Dove Bradshaw's Song of Which (Evelina kneeling, looking left), 2004.
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.

  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 12:00
Caption: George Washington Carver., Credit:  Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
In honor of Black History Month, we reveal the lesser known accomplishments of George Washington Carver, and also pull from our oral history collec...

Bought by WKSU, Radio Catskill, and WETD


  • Added: Jan 16, 2012
  • Length: 11:57
  • Purchases: 3