Distillations | Science History Institute

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 smell, and the great lengths he went to gain one. Then, we'll talk to two smell experts, Pamela Dalton, a psychologist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, and David Barnes, a professor of the history of medicine and public health at the University of Pennsylvania. Our guests discuss the connection between smelling, odors, and emotions, as well as the history of odors, germs, and public health crises. SHOW CLOCK: 00:01 Introduction 01:10 South Philadelphia's Great Stink of 2014 05:31 The Man Who Couldn't Smell 15:45 Interview with Pamela Dalton and David Barnes CREDITS: Hosts: Michal Meyer and Bob Kenworthy Guests: Pamela Dalton and David Barnes Reporters: Mariel Carr and Jocelyn Frank Producer & Editor: Mariel Carr Music courtesy of the Audio Network. Check out Distillations magazine at distillations.org, where you'll find articles, videos, and our podcast.

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 corporation and the president of the Philadelphia Archaeological Forum, and Deirdre Kelleher, an archaeologist finishing her doctorate at Temple University. They describe their experiences with public archaeology, debunk a few of the field’s myths (no dinosaurs here, folks) and describe the unique process of digging in cities. SHOW CLOCK: 00:03 Introduction 01:05 After the dig: Artifact processing at Temple University 05:40 During the dig: Uncovering history along I-95 09:41 Interview with Deirdre Kelleher and Doug Mooney CREDITS: Hosts: Michal Meyer and Bob Kenworthy Guests: Deirdre Kelleher and Doug Mooney Reporter, Producer & Editor: Mariel Carr MUSIC: “Quirky Sleuth” Philip Guyler, Audio Network “Actual Reality” Lucky Dragons “Nature Kid” Podington Bear “Hallon” Christian Bjoerklund “What Is Its Vessel?” Dave Merson Hess “Fisherman” Dave Merson Hess “I Like Dogs” Dave Merson Hess “Dream” (instrumental) Chan Wai Fat “The Bear’s Just for Show” Krackatoa “Healing Sleep” Infinite Third “Orange Juice” Podington Bear “Starling” Podington Bear All songs courtesy of the Free Music Archive, freemusicarchive.org Check out Distillations magazine at distillations.org, where you'll find articles, videos, and our podcast.

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 an ancient king. They also discuss the spiritual side of beer and the role beer has played in human evolution. SHOW CLOCK 00:07 Introduction 00:57 Bob and Michal go to beer school 07:12 Interview with Patrick E. McGovern and Roger Barth CREDITS Hosts: Michal Meyer and Bob Kenworthy Guests: Patrick E. McGovern and Roger Barth Reporter, Producer & Editor: Mariel Carr MUSIC: "Take Me Higher," Jahzzar "Green Lights," Jahzzar "Bill Pickett," Robodub "Portasound Dub" Robodub "Watch the Road Bub," All Urban Outfield "Seconde Introspection," Horten V3 "Devil with the Devil," Underscore Orkestra "Foods that start with Q," All Urban Outfield "The Plaintive Heating Griddle," Ergo Phizmiz "Elephant," Moana "Sunny Day," The Rabbits "Nia," Dubh Thrian "Sonstiges," Podington Bear All songs courtesy of the Free Music Archive, freemusicarchive.org Check out Distillations magazine at distillations.org, where you'll find articles, videos, and our podcast.

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 tell us about the messy and occasionally dangerous process of making paints from pigments and talk about the transition to using paint from tubes. They also explain the conservation process and tell us why alchemists were so important to painters in early modern times. CREDITS: Hosts: Michal Meyer and Bob Kenworthy Guests: Mark F. Bockrath and Elisabeth Berry Drago Reporter, Producer & Editor: Mariel Carr MUSIC: "Pensacola Twilight," Lee Rosevere - freemusicarchive.org "Do What You Can," Lee Rosevere - freemusicarchive.org "Backtime," Lee Rosevere - freemusicarchive.org "Stardust," Phonotrash - freemusicarchive.org "Sunny Day," The Rabbits - freemusicarchive.org "Wonder Cycle," Chris Zabriskie - freemusicarchive.org "Nia," Dubh Thrian - freemusicarchive.org "Tragic," Semyon - freemusicarchive.org "Converge to Some Centre," We Are All Alone - freemusicarchive.org "First," Overlake - freemusicarchive.org "The Plaintive Heating Griddle," Ergo Phizmiz - freemusicarchive.org "Stabbings," Moby - mobygratis.com Check out Distillations magazine at distillations.org, where you'll find articles, videos, and our podcast.

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 Distillations on the road and visited Palca at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., where we got a behind-the-scenes tour of his program, Joe’s Big Idea. CREDITS: Hosts: Michal Meyer and Bob Kenworthy Reporter, Producer & Editor: Mariel Carr MUSIC: “Converge To Some Centre”- We Are All Alone “Where the Magic Happens”- THERE “Teletransportation” - Coma Stereo “Elsewhere” - Phonotrash “Solutions” - Lee Rosevere “Tragic”- Semyon All songs from the Free Music Archive, freemusicarchive.org Check out Distillations magazine at distillations.org, where you'll find articles, videos, and our podcast.

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, 40s and 50s relayed stories of “real heroes”—including doctors, chemists and physicists, and how new graphic genres are engaging readers and sparking their interest in history and science. They both suggest that surprise, emotion, and showing the impossible all work to engage readers in ways that written words alone cannot. SHOW CLOCK: 00:04 Introduction 01:15 Studio visit #1: Jonathan Fetter-Vorm in Brooklyn 03:54 Studio visit #2: University of the Arts in Philadelphia 07:00 Interview with Bert Hansen and Jonathan Fetter-Vorm 15:06 Reflections from Bob and Michal LINKS TO CONTENT: "Heroism in Medical Science" from Dupont's radio drama, Cavalcade of America "Now I am become Death" Robert Oppenheimer speech RELATED VIDEOS: "Drawing Stories of Science with Jonathan Fetter-Vorm" "How the Public Became Interested in Medical Science" "Science for Artists: University of the Arts Students Reflect on Animating Objects from CHF's Collection" CREDITS: Hosts: Michal Meyer and Robert Kenworthy Guests: Jonathan Fetter-Vorm and Bert Hansen Reporter, Producer & Editor: Mariel Carr MUSIC: “Stabbings”- Moby, mobygratis "Isolate"- Moby, mobygratis “The Plaintive Heating Griddle”- Ergo Phizmiz, Free Music Archive “Awake in the Dream”- Infinite Third, Free Music Archive "Sunny Day"- The Rabbits, Free Music Archive "Do What You Can"- Lee Rosevere, Free Music Archive "My Friends"- Quiet Orchestra, Free Music Archive “Tragic”- Semyon, Free Music Archive Check out Distillations magazine at distillations.org, where you'll find articles, videos, and our podcast.

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 healthier options, but have since turned into villains. Both Simon and Schleifer suggest that when it comes to deciding what we eat, we might have less choice than we think. Class, geography, and convenience (for both food makers and food eaters) all play a role. SHOW CLOCK: 00:03 Introduction 00:36 Michal Meyer tries her first Tastykake 03:39 Interview with Bryant Simon and David Schleifer LINKS TO CONTENT: "Afternoon Snack" - A video starring Michal Meyer and Bob Kenworthy. CREDITS: Hosts: Michal Meyer and Robert Kenworthy Guests: David Schleifer and Bryant Simon Producer & Editor: Mariel Carr MUSIC: “Run Up”- Moby, mobygratis “Stabbings”- Moby, mobygratis “Christmas All Alone”- Candlegravity, Free Music Archive “Elsewhere”- Phonotrash, Free Music Archive “Tragic”- Semyon, Free Music Archive “Dragon’s Lair”- Thiaz Itch, Free Music Archive “The Spirit”- Waylon Thornton, Free Music Archive “Heroines”- Diablo Swing Orchestra, Free Music Archive Check out Distillations magazine at distillations.org, where you'll find articles, videos, and our podcast.

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. Hosts Michal Meyer and Robert Kenworthy speak with experts Anna Dhody, a physical and forensic anthropologist, and Lisa Rosner, a historian. They discuss the early days of solving crime and the on-going chemistry of the human body throughout life and death. SHOW CLOCK: 00:03 Introduction 02:03 Past and present: the "CSI Effect" 05:00 Forensic science: its beginnings 06:40 Burke and Hare: the not-quite body snatchers 09:34 Digging up the bodies: mass murder in Peru 11:11 The chemistry of bodies 12:44 Skulls, phrenology, and race CREDITS: Hosts: Michal Meyer and Robert Kenworthy Guests: Anna Dhody and Lisa Rosner Producer & Editor: Mariel Carr "Stabbings" by Moby, courtesy of Mobygratis.com check out Distillations magazine at distillations.org, where you'll find articles, videos, and our podcast.

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 Robert Hicks 28:48 Reflections with Michal Meyer and Bob Kenworthy 34:48 Closing Credits CREDITS: Hosts: Michal Meyer and Bob Kenworthy Guests: Deanna Day and Robert Hicks Editor: Mariel Carr Check out Distillations magazine at distillations.org, where you'll find articles, videos, and our podcast.

Linda Richards, a scholar of social justice and uranium mining impacts, and Alex Wellerstein, a historian of nuclear science and secrecy. They trace early awe and cultural ambivalence toward radiation. They discuss bombs-to-reactors history, uranium mining’s harms to Indigenous communities, medical and industrial uses of isotopes, and debates about nuclear’s role in cutting emissions and politics shaping energy choices.