Ranked #1
Episode 144: Mystery of Mass (Spec)
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... Read more
30 Mar 2012
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Ranked #2
Episode 78: Public Science
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 ... Read more
25 Sep 2009
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11mins
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Episode 149: Blood
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Today we begin the three-part series Blood, Sweat, and Tears. First how one man solved the mystery of blood function; th... Read more
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Ranked #4
The Ancient Chemistry Inside Your Taco
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 ge... Read more
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(Natural) Childbirth
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Our producer is pregnant. For the past nine months people have asked what her birth plan is, which to her seems like ask... Read more
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Episode 115: Black History Month
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In honor of Black History Month, we reveal the lesser known accomplishments of George Washington Carver, and also pull f... Read more
18 Feb 2011
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Ranked #7
Science and the Supernatural in the 17th Century
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Most of us are familiar with the achievements of Galileo and Newton, but who were their peers? And what was it like to p... Read more
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Ranked #8
Episode 114: Elements of Expression
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 a... Read more
4 Feb 2011
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Episode 181: Chemotherapy
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Ancient Greek doctors knew about it, but could do nothing about the scourge we know as cancer. Producer Ed Prosser inter... Read more
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Ranked #10
Why the Chicken Became a Nugget and Other Tales of Processed Food
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Have you ever wondered how chicken nuggets are made? Or what propylene glycol monostearate, monocalcium phosphate, or ot... Read more
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Power in the Blood: When Religion and Medicine Meet in Your Veins
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Everyone knows blood is powerful. The ancient Greeks realized it, Jesus understood it, Dracula certainly recognized it, ... Read more
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Genetic Engineering and Organic Farming: An Unexpected Marriage
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Celebrities, politicians, and scientists have fiercely debated the safety of using genetically modified organisms, or GM... Read more
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Episode 4: Measurement
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Chemistry has always been a science of measurement. In this episode, we look at several cases of how measurements affect... Read more
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Ranked #14
Digging Up the Bodies: Debunking CSI and Other Forensics Myths
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Thanks to modern technology most crimes these days can be neatly solved in under an hour. At least that's what fictional... Read more
3 Dec 2013
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Ranked #15
Episode 137: Cocktails
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 ... Read more
23 Dec 2011
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Ranked #16
Episode 172: On Beauty
Episode 172: On Beauty
On today's show we look at questionable appearance enhancers. First The Beauty Historian shares some shocking beauty rit... Read more
29 Apr 2013
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Episode 141: Disaster Recovery
Episode 141: Disaster Recovery
On today's episode we look at how environments recover after natural and manmade disasters. First, we hear about how eco... Read more
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Ranked #18
Episode 152: Best of Distillations #9
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We bring you some of our favorite segments from past Distillations episodes this week: animal communication in the Sonor... Read more
23 Jul 2012
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Ranked #19
Episode 173: Power Up
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, th... Read more
14 May 2013
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Ranked #20
Alchemy's Rainbow: Pigment Science and the Art of Conservation
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 wh... Read more
5 May 2014
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