Distillations podcast

Deep Dives into Science Stories, Both Serious and Eccentric

ALS Patients Take on the FDA

Research on the deadly disease progressed dramatically after the 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge, but a huge blow came when the most recent treatment was taken off the market.

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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 our world. 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. Don’t miss the new season, dropping June 4, 2024.

Lithograph of a view of the Fairmount Water Works with the Schuylkill River in the distance, 1838.
Environment

How Philadelphia’s Water Pollution Problems Shaped the City

The way the city tackled its water pollution problems has made it an unexpected pioneer.  

Black and white photograph of adults and children waiting to get inside a building. A sign reads "Danbury German measles vaccination clinic".
Health & Medicine

Roe v. Wade v. Rubella

The virus that made America talk about abortion.

Health & Medicine

The Alzheimer’s Copernicus Problem

Thirty years of research have failed to solve the Alzheimer’s riddle. Is the problem a blind embrace of scientific dogma?

"Mr. Wizard" does an experiment with two children watching.
Arts & Culture

Science on TV: An Interview with Ingrid Ockert

Historian of science and media Ingrid Ockert discusses the exact moment Carl Sagan began wearing turtlenecks, how NOVA changed television, and the key to any successful show: respect the audience.

Color illustration of a rare earths mine, with people looking distressed.
Environment

Rare Earths: The Hidden Cost to Their Magic

Rare earth elements are essential to modern life. Luckily the world has plenty of them; unfortunately, getting them out of the ground leaves behind massive environmental damage.

Black and white photograph of a boat on fire in a river and a small hose attempting to extinguish it.
Environment

The Myth of the Cuyahoga River Fire

The blaze that sparked the modern environmental movement . . . or did it?

Collage illustration of a cow, a fence, and a map.
Environment

High Steaks at the Border

When the United States and Mexico resolved their beef.

Collage illustration showing desalination technology and face of John F. Kennedy Jr.
Environment

Making the Deserts Bloom

Harnessing nature to deliver us from drought.

Science history photo collage
People & Politics

Love, Hate, and Sex from the History of Science

This is not just another sappy love story from science’s past.

Photo illustration of woman with migraine
Health & Medicine

Sex(ism), Drugs, and Migraines

We know migraines have afflicted people for at least three thousand years. Still, the condition continues to mystify us today.

Lab mouse in red Harvard sweater/bowtie
Inventions & Discoveries

The Mouse That Changed Science

A tiny animal with a big story.

Photo illustration of poppy flowers and opioid addict
Health & Medicine

Treating America’s Opioid Addiction

Part 3: Searching for Meaning in Kensington.

Photo illustration of poppy flowers and meeting chairs
Health & Medicine

Treating America’s Opioid Addiction

Part 2: Synanon and the Tunnel Back to the Human Race.

Photo illustration of poppy flowers and prison-hospital for addicts
Health & Medicine

Treating America’s Opioid Addiction

Part 1: The Narcotic Farm and the Promise of Salvation.

Woman irritated by smog in LA in the 1950s
Environment

Fighting Smog in Los Angeles

And how California’s car emission standards continue to influence the rest of the country.

Man walking in forest of fall leaves
Environment

Whatever Happened to Acid Rain?

It’s complicated.

A group of about 14 Adelie penguins on an iceberg in Antarctica
Environment

Whatever Happened to the Ozone Hole?

An environmental success story.

Black and white photograph of a young Gordon Gould looking down at a machine. He is wearing glasses and a white button down shirt.
Inventions & Discoveries

The Man, the Myth, the Laser

The disputed origin story of one of the 20th century’s most important inventions.