Distillations podcast

Deep Dives into Science Stories, Both Serious and Eccentric

People & Politics

Science in a world of rules, regulations, and war

Collage of images on blue background
People & Politics

The Ames Test

Environmentalists championed biochemist Bruce Ames for his test’s ability to weed out potential cancer-causing chemicals. Then he seemingly turned his back on them.

Headshot of woman
People & Politics

Pink: An Interview with Dominique Grisard

In this bonus episode, the gender studies professor discusses the popular color and its history, including ties to prison experiments.

Collage with multiple color components, man in uniform, and spectrochrome
Health & Medicine

Can Color Heal Us?

For centuries people have been fascinated by the potential healing powers of color, but is there any truth to it?

Arts & Culture

The Word for Blue

From Homer’s Odyssey to the internet’s great dress debate, our perception of the color blue has both fascinated and frustrated us.

Collage illustration showing map of African Burial Ground in Manhattan, human skull illustration, man's face wearing mask, MOVE bombing in West Philadelphia.
People & Politics

The African Burial Ground

A seminal archaeology project proves it is possible to study human remains ethically.

Collage illustration showing map of African Burial Ground in Manhattan, illustration of human skull, man wearing a mask, and a photograph of the MOVE bombing in West Philadelphia
People & Politics

Return, Rebury, Repatriate

Anthropological museums were built on the bodies of marginalized, non-consenting people. Can they ever exist ethically?

Collage illustration showing news clipping from Neo-Nazi publication, academic article about race science, and image of Barry Mehler and Philipe Rushton.
People & Politics

Keepers of the Flame

For decades, nearly all race science was funded by one man. His goal? To ensure the intellectual continuity of a dubious field.

Photograph of Wendy Zukerman standing on a stage, wearing a t-shirt that says "Science isn't here to make you feel better."
People & Politics

Predicting the Pandemic

An interview with Wendy Zukerman, host of Science Vs podcast.

Black and white photograph of nurse Sara Cohen in full PPE.
People & Politics

Between Us and Catastrophe

Stories from the pandemic’s essential workers.

Photograph of scientist Gabriela Serrato Marks wearing a headlamp in a cave, surrounded by samples in plastic bags.
People & Politics

Bonus Episode: Interview with Gabriela Serrato Marks

The marine geologist and geophysicist talks about doing science with an invisible disability.

1920s black and white photograph of children learning geography in a classroom. Girls and boys are seated on different sides of the room.
People & Politics

Science and Disability: Part 2

What is intelligence?

Black and white photograph of US president Franklin Roosevelt in wheelchair, holding a dog in his lap, with a young girl next to him.
People & Politics

Bonus Episode: Interview with Kim Nielsen

A short history of disability in the United States.

Illustration of three microscopes.
People & Politics

Science and Disability: Part 1

Is seeing believing?

Science history photo collage
People & Politics

Love, Hate, and Sex from the History of Science

This is not just another sappy love story from science’s past.

Vintage ad for margarine featuring a knife spreading margarine on one piece of bread out of the loaf. The ad copy talks about the benefits of margarine.
People & Politics

Butter vs. Margarine

One of America’s most bizarre food battles.

Painting of a older man with a white beard standing in front of shelves of medicine. He appears to be wearing an early 20th century suit.
People & Politics

Refugee Doctors

Escape is only the first challenge.

Logo for the March for Science featuring one illustrated hand raised in a fist. It is red. the other hand is white and clenching a Erlenmeyer flask.
People & Politics

Political Science

Out of the lab and into the streets.