Distillations podcast
LSD, 60s Counterculture, and the Woman History Forgot
Author Susannah Cahalan talks about her book on the role Timothy Leary’s wife played in our understanding of psychedelics.
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.
Butter vs. Margarine
One of America’s most bizarre food battles.
Grandmothers Matter
Some surprisingly controversial theories of human longevity.
Refugee Doctors
Escape is only the first challenge.
High-Tech and Amish
Using 21st-century medicine to maintain a 300-year-old way of life.
Political Science
Out of the lab and into the streets.
Rethinking Ink
Lasers, tattoo removal, and second chances.
Making Senses
How biohackers are using artificial perceptions to enhance reality.
The Smell of Shame
How deodorant became omnipresent in America.
Fizzy Water
The unnatural history of a carbonated drink.
Second Skin
The unexpected origin of the sports bra.
(Natural) Childbirth
Once upon a time all births were natural. A lot has happened since then.
The Ancient Chemistry Inside Your Taco
Dive into the world of nixtamalization, a chemical process that allowed the Mesoamerican empires to thrive and tacos to taste good.
Power in the Blood: When Religion and Medicine Meet in Your Veins
Blood is powerful, but it can also be dangerous.
DDT: The Britney Spears of Chemicals
We loved it. We hated it. Now we kind of maybe like it again.
Sex and Gender: What We Know and Don’t Know
Society has long had strict ideas about sex and gender binaries, but even nature doesn’t always comply.
Science and the Supernatural in the 17th Century
Travel back in time with us and find out what the world was like when science and the supernatural weren’t so far apart.
Intoxication and Civilization: Beer’s Ancient Past
This episode takes on the frothy subject of beer, and explores the science, culture, and history behind the suds.
Olympics
On today’s show, we investigate Olympic mysteries, from the flame of the torch to the composition of those so-called gold medals.