WHYY: Exhibition Traces a 200-Year History of Water Pollution in Philadelphia

Local public media outlet features Institute’s new ‘Downstream’ exhibition.

September 13, 2021

Downstream, the Science History Institute’s new exhibition that explores 200 years of water analysis and protection, is featured on WHYY as part of its Watershed series. The public media outlet spoke to research curator Jesse Smith, who explains how people could see, smell, and taste contaminants in the waterways throughout Philadelphia in the late 1700s.

“It was biological,” said Smith. “Waste from industries like tanning, like brewing, animals that were left to rot in waterways, and also vast amounts of human waste.”

Read more on WHYY.org >>


Above: Research curator Jesse Smith stands in front of a Downstream display in the Institute’s museum. Kimberly Paynter/WHYY

More News

People gathered in a museum looking at paintings
news

New Alchemy Exhibition Draws Sold-Out Crowd to Opening Celebration

Attendees take an up-close look at paintings and rare books from the Institute’s Fire and Gold exhibit while enjoying a curator’s talk, activities, and light bites.

Rosalind Franklin's x-ray camera
news

New Research Challenges Misconceptions about Rosalind Franklin’s Famed ‘Photo 51’ and the Discovery of DNA’s Double Helix

Paper by the Science History Institute’s Alistair Sponsel and King’s College London’s Brian Sutton uncovers the significance of her previously captured Photo 49.

red fire hydrant shooting out water
news

Science History Institute Launches New Season of ‘Distillations’ Podcast

American Vice takes listeners from cigarettes and alcohol, to fireworks and LSD with weekly episodes starting September 15.

    Republish

    Copy the above HTML to republish this content. We have formatted the material to follow our guidelines, which include our credit requirements. Please review our full list of guidelines for more information. By republishing this content, you agree to our republication requirements.