Science History Institute Launches New Season of ‘Distillations’ Podcast

The Science History Institute is pleased to announce the launch of a new season of Distillations, our critically acclaimed flagship podcast. New episodes will drop weekly on Tuesdays starting June 4, 2024. You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

In a nod to our BOLD: Color from Test Tube to Textile exhibition, this season explores several surprising stories about color, including how elusive it can be and why some people claim it can heal us. Other episodes dive deep into new weight loss drugs like Ozempic and the controversial history of the DSM (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), the publication dubbed psychiatry’s “bible.”

The new season of Distillations also shares fascinating stories about the Ames test used for detecting cancerous chemicals, how ALS patients demanded access to an unproven treatment for an incurable disease, and the discovery of cancer-causing retroviruses like HIV.

Learn more about these topics and be featured on a future episode of Distillations by visiting our podcast team during Curious Histories Fest: Color Your World, a free event taking place on Saturday, June 8 from 11am to 3pm. The show’s hosts and producers will be on hand to record people’s memories, reactions, and observations on color that will be included in a bonus episode for the new season.

About Distillations Podcast

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.