We continue to look back at some of our favorite episodes this week at Distillations. First, we look back at the four humors featured in our body chemical episode. Our former host, Robert Hicks, tells us about black bile. Then Jackie Duffin, of Queen’s University in Ontario, and Audra Wolfe talk about the scientific proof needed to verify a miracle, as indicated by the Vatican. Finally Jen Dionisio explains how sound is created by Pop Rocks in Chemistry in Your Cupboard. Element of the Week: Black Bile.

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Show Clock

00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
00:48 Element of the Week: Black Bile
02:12 A Conversation with Jackie Duffin
06:44 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Pop Rocks
08:52 Closing Credits

Credits

Thank you to Erin McLeary, Robert Hicks, and Chi Chan who researched the shows we featured this week.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from the PodSafe Music Network.

This week we’re looking back at some of our favorite Distillations episodes. First, we return to one of our first shows with the element of the week. Audra Wolfe explains the standards that make precise measurement possible. Next we visit CHF’s kitchen as Erin McLeary and Integral Molecular’s Joe Rucker try their hand at making mauvine, originally featured on our color show. Finally we revisit our nanotechnology show with a medieval application of carbon nanotubes. Jen Dionisio tells us about Damascus steel in Mystery Solved! Element of the Week: Platinum.

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Show Clock

00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
00:50 Element of the Week: Platinum
03:03 Making Mauvine
08:30 Mystery Solved! Damascus Steel
11:17 Closing Credits

Credits

Thank you to Hilary Domush and Chi Chan who researched the shows we featured this week.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from the PodSafe Music Network.

Addicted to the Olympics? Take a break from too much video with 12 minutes of audio. On today’s show, we investigate Olympic mysteries, from the flame of the torch to the composition of those so-called gold medals. Next, we turn to one of the side stories at this year’s games: pollution. Of course, China isn’t the only country that has a problem with pollution. Producer Andrew Stelzer takes us to San Francisco to see how one group of citizens is taking air quality monitoring into their own hands. Element of the Week: Gold.

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Download (11.2 MB MP3 file)

Show Clock

00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:12 Element of the Week: Gold
03:13 Mystery Solved! The Olympic Torch
06:01 Citizen Air Quality Monitoring
10:43 Quote: Albert Camus
11:03 Closing Credits

Resources and References

For everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Olympic protocol, and more, read the IOC Olympic Charter.
You can find pictures of this year’s medals here.
For more information on the fuels used in the torch, see this helpful article in National Geographic.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has produced a How-To Guide for Community Air Screening.

Credits

A special thanks to Hilary Domush for researching the show.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from the PodSafe Music Network. Additional music is “Mr. Smith Goes to Hillsborough,” by Podcast Troubadour, “Stuff Thief,” by The Walking’ Walkers, and “Coloring Outside the Lines,” by Psykosoul.

Photo by Andrew Stelzer.

If you missed last week’s episode, you’ll be in for a surprise tomorrow. Robert Hicks, our erstwhile host, has left Distillations for the greener pastures of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, where he is now the Director of the fabulous—and fabulously creepy—Mütter Museum. Our new host is Meir Rinde, a graduate of the Columbia University School of Journalism and a staff writer for the Trenton Times. We’re delighted to have him on board. You can wish Meir welcome, or send him comments or questions, by writing to distillations@chemheritage.org.