Autumn is a time of beauty and bounty. Leaves turn rich browns, reds, and yellows; fruit ripens on the trees and grains on the stalk.  In this episode of Distillations, we take a look at the chemical processes behind leaf changes. Then we look at some time-honored practices in the growing of beans, squash, and corn, traditionally known as the three sisters. And lastly, come with us on a visit to an apple orchard, where heritage apples are fermented into cider. Chemical Agent: Senescence.

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Show Clock

00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:07 Chemical Agent: Senescence
03:43 Tools of the Trade: The Three Sisters
06:27 Feature: Apple Cider
10:52 Closing Credits

Credits

This show was written and researched by Hilary Domush and Erica Stefanovich.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from the PodSafe Music Network. Additional music includes “MorningStar Rise,” by Joseph FireCrow, “Cockroaches..Ready…Set..Lights On!,” by Ricky Hana, and “Work,” by Naughty Jack.

Image courtesy Micha L. Reiser.

After several long, cold, months baseball season has finally begun! From Philadelphia, the home of 2008 World Series Champions, we bring you a show straight from the ballpark. We’ll take a look at the preservatives that make a classic hot dog last and last, and we’ll explore the chemistry behind performance-enhancing drugs. Producer Ari Daniel Shapiro wraps up the show with a piece on how baseball bats are making use of nanotechnology. Chemical Agent: Anabolic steriods.  (For more on the science of sport, check out Episode 26 and Episode 59.)

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Show Clock

00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:02 Chemical Agent: Anabolic Steriods
03:24 Chemistry in Your Cupboard: Hot Dogs
06:04 Feature: Is That Nanotechnology in Your Bat?
10:40 Closing Credits

Credits

This show was written and researched by Jennifer Dionisio.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from the PodSafe Music Network and archive.org. Additional music includes  ”Hot Doggin,” by Deerfoot (PodSafe) and “Who Cares,” by Bob Thorp (archive.org).

This week’s image is “There are 108 Stitches in a Baseball,” uploaded to flickr.com by B Tal.

Happy holidays to all our listeners!

Thanks to J. J. Thomson’s plum pudding model of the atom, chemistry will be forever associated with 19th-century British Christmas traditions. His model was soon discarded, but it remains a staple of high school chemistry textbooks. On today’s episode, we introduce a new segment, “Tools of the Trade,” that looks at the  models, instruments, and artifacts—whether still in use or long discarded—that help scientists do their jobs. We also visit with Emilio Mignucci, one of the owners of Philadelphia’s famous DiBruno Brothers gourmet foods shop, to find out the story behind ham, that favorite holiday food. Element of the Week: Tin.

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Show Clock

00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:10 Element of the Week: Tin
02:47 Tools of the Trade: Plum Pudding
05:41 Feature: Ham
10:47 Closing Credits

Resources and References

Learn more about J. J. Thomson and other atomic theorists at the Chemical Heritage Foundation’s Chemical Achievers site.
Explore historic recipes, like this one for plum pudding, at Michigan State University’s Feeding America online cookbook project.
We found about the history of toys from this charming site from the Hampshire County Council.
The ever-useful Web Elements site has basic information on all the elements, including tin.

Credits

Special thanks go to Hilary Domush, Anke Timmermann, and Eleanor Goldberg for researching the show.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from the PodSafe Music Network. Additional music is “Little Drummer Dude,” by Charlie Crowe, “Carol of the Bells,” by Doug Astrop, and  ”Joy-Kinda Holiday-ish,” by Charlie Crowe.

The illustration is a stylized model of J. J. Thomson’s plum pudding model. John Woodcock© Dorling Kindersley. (Please note this image will be removed in 30 days.)

The truth behind the fake—this week Distillations explores the science of forgery. Some forgery is known and expected, such as fake meat products for vegetarians, while other fakes are meant to deceive…think imitated artists. First we learn about cubic zirconia, which has long been used to pass for diamonds. Turns out CZ is an interesting stone in its own right! Next up is TVP, or textured vegetable protein. This Chemistry in your Cupboard tells us all about soy as a meat substitute. And finally, producer Rebecca Sheir visits the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and their Scientific Research Laboratory. While there Rebecca finds out how forgery in art can be detected. Element of the Week: Zirconium.

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Show Clock

00:00 Opening Credits
00:32 Introduction
01:22 Element of the Week: Zirconium
03:36 Chemistry in your Cupboard: Soy as Sirloin
06:32 Feature: Detecting Forgery in Art
11:26 Closing Credits

Resources and References

Find out more about cubic zirconia on the Geology Rocks web site.
The Los Angeles Times ran an informative article, “Cubic’s Rubes,” on 18 December 1981.
We also found the January 2003 issue of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods quite helpful, with an entire section dedicated to Soy Solutions.

Credits

Special thanks go to Erin McLeary and Audra Wolfe for researching the show.

Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from the PodSafe Music Network. Additional music is “A Lot Like Diamonds,” by A Beautiful Curse, “blackbeans,” by Francisco Daum, and “detective double bass,” by lastfuture.

This week’s photo was taken by Julianna Tilton and was downloaded from 123RF.com.