Distillations magazine
People & Politics
Science in a world of rules, regulations, and conflict
Percy Julian and the False Promise of Exceptionalism
Reflecting on the trailblazing chemist’s fight for dignity and the myths we tell about our scientific heroes.
Georg Bredig: Scientist, Humanist, and Holocaust Survivor
Restoring the legacy of a physical chemistry pioneer.
American Fevers, American Plagues
How yellow fever outbreaks in the early United States anticipated much of what we lament about the COVID-19 era.
Confronting America’s Food Emergencies
Can a White House conference muster the political will to address the nation’s food insecurity and obesity crises? A summit from 1969 offers clues.
Mouse Heaven or Mouse Hell?
Biologist John Calhoun’s rodent experiments gripped a society consumed by fears of overpopulation.
The Dark Stars of Marietta Blau
A scientist pitted hard work and ingenuity against the constraints she faced as a Jewish woman.
Why Did Annie Dookhan Lie?
Forensic science can be a powerful crime-fighting tool, but misdeeds, dubious methodologies, and bogus claims threaten its reputation—and the reputation of science as a whole.
Lou Henry Hoover, Lost in Translation
Though often celebrated, the adventurous First Lady never received full credit for her scientific accomplishments.
For the Sake of Science
Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner navigated a life of science through war and peace.
The High-Flying, Death-Defying Discovery of Helium
During the War of 1870, astronomer Jules Janssen risked his life for scientific prestige and French patriotism.
Escape from Nazi Terror
Chemist Max Bredig’s race to save family and friends from catastrophe.
Leo Alexander’s Unflinching Pursuit
In the waning days of World War II, a psychiatrist raced across Germany to uncover the harrowing abuses of Nazi doctors.
How History Keeps Ignoring James Barry
After 150 years of scrutiny, scholars still misrepresent the British doctor’s life and gender.
A Seat at the Table
A recent collection showcases the famous and not-so-famous women who have left their mark on the periodic table.
The Dual Legacies of Henry Moseley
After transforming the periodic table should the promising young scientist have been allowed to fight in World War I?
Spying in Plain Sight: Scientific Diplomacy during the Cold War
The covert politics behind American efforts to establish scientific freedom around the world.
Choosing a Better High-Tech Future
Rare earth elements make modern devices faster, brighter, and lighter, but it will take the creaky gears of government to make their production cleaner and more equitable.
The Transfermium Wars: Scientific Brawling and Name-Calling during the Cold War
The transfermium elements—the fleeting, lab-made substances that populate the end of the periodic table—have a history built on pride and acrimony.