Distillations: Science + Culture + History

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.

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

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.

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.

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/distillations.

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

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 at chemheritage.org/distillations.

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

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/distillations.

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 chemheritage.org/distillations.

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.

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.org/distillations.

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 chemheritage.org/distillations.

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 Eyring 13:59 Closing Credits CREDITS Special thanks to James Voelkel, Peter O'Dowd, and Esther D'Amico for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.

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. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.

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.

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 available at chemheritage.org/distillations.

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.

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.

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.