Distillations now has a new home. Come check out our new Web site at chemheritage.org/distillations.

Distillations marks our 100th episode this week! To celebrate, we revisit segments from some of our past shows and bring you new developments. First we check in with producer Devin Browne, who in October 2008 brought us on an exclusive visit to GM’s battery lab in Michigan. Today she discusses the latest in research concerning electric- and battery-powered cars. Then producer Catherine Girardeau updates us on the hair mats used to clean up oil spills. Catherine first reported on hair mats during the inaugural month of our show, in December 2007. Finally we present a reevaluation of CHFer Jody Roberts’s wish list for the new administration, which aired in January 2009. Now 18 months into Barack Obama’s presidency, where does Jody feel environmental policies stand? Find out in our 100th episode!

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Show Clock

0:00 Opening Credits
0:32 Introduction
1:31 Update: The Electric Car
3:49 Update: Cleaning Up Oil Spills
9:27 Update: A Planet in Peril
13:00 Closing Credits

Credits

This show was written and researched by Jody Roberts and Erica Stefanovich.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from Music Alley and Magnatune. Additional music includes “Mama’s Cookin’ – Aquarius Skies,” by Ariels CyberPR, “Day 4 The Happy Birthday Rhapsody,” by Eric Strom, and “Change (The Barack Obama Song),” by Manze Dayila & The Nago Nation.

Image courtesy of Flickr user jessica.diamond.

Halfway through July, we are just about in the middle of summer. So we thought it would be appropriate to talk about meat and barbecuing in this week’s episode of Distillations. First, our own James Voelkel tells us about papaya and pineapple as natural meat tenderizers. Then we welcome historian Roger Horowitz back to our show, this time to talk about the history of steak. Finally, learn how to safely grill meat—without adding carcinogens to it. Chemical Agent: Papain.

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Show Clock

0:00 Opening Credits
0:31 Introduction
1:01 Chemical Agent: Papain
3:51 Conversation with Roger Horowitz
9:17 Carcinogens and Grilled Meat
11:22 Closing Credits

Credits

This show was written and researched by Victoria Indivero, Michal Meyer, and James Voelkel.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from Music Alley and Magnatune. Additional music includes “Caribbean Sun Shower,” by ATL Producers, “Bach on the Beach,” by The Tsunami Experiment, and “robotvoicegetdown,” by deceptakahn.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Frederic Poirot.

As atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, does the world have to get hotter? Controlling the earth’s weather and climate is this week’s topic. But is it a dangerous game played by deluded fools or a solution to our planet’s problems? First we look at attempts to increase rainfall by using silver iodide. Next up, historian of science James R. Fleming discusses the checkered past of climate engineering and offers some thoughts for the future. Finally, we look at attempts to use ocean plants to reduce carbon dioxide. Chemical Agent: Silver Iodide.

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Show Clock

0:00 Opening Credits
0:26 Introduction
1:11 Chemical Agent: Silver Iodide
3:02 Interview: James R. Fleming on Climate Engineering
7:47 Storing Carbon with Phytoplankton
11:19 Closing Credits

Credits

This show was written and researched by Michal Meyer and Hilary Domush.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from Music Alley and Magnatune. Additional music includes “Frogs in the Seine,” by The Jackass-Penguin Show and “schiza,” by d-alternative.

Image courtesy of the State Library of New South Wales Collection.

If you could live forever, would you? Though most believe this to be a hypothetical question, there are some scientific processes that impart eternal life, or something like that, to actual creatures on earth. First we look at how some animals’ bodies produce a kind of anti-freeze that allows them to survive suspended animation. Next up, producer Aries Keck introduces us to a kind of jellyfish that can live forever. Finally, we wrap up this episode with the story of an alchemical adept fabled to roam Europe for centuries. Chemical Agent: Animal Anti-Freeze.

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Show Clock

0:00 Opening Credits
0:31 Introduction
1:10 Chemical Agent: Animal Anti-Freeze
3:25 Feature: Immortal Jellyfish
7:03 Comte De Saint-Germain
10:24 Closing Credits

Credits

This show was written and researched by James Voelkel and Michal Meyer.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from Music Alley and Magnatune. Additional music includes “Something Like Jellyfish,” by K.M.Krebs, “The Opening–Olivia’s diegetic Baroque,” by Film Composer–David Beard, “Bach’s Invention 13–Commodore 129,” by aprigliano, and “Bach Bach Bgawk!,” by Jeremy Jacobs.

Image courtesy of Flickr user nurpax.

Here in Philly, where most of the Distillations crew resides, we are celebrating Philly Beer Week. But wherever you are, the summer season is underway and nothing beats enjoying a cold one on those warm summer evenings. So we thought we would dig back into the Distillations archives and listen to our episode about Beer and Brewing again, which was originally aired in May 2008. Cheers!