Distillations podcast
The Mothers of Gynecology
Why are Black women in America three times more likely to die during childbirth than White ones?
Distillations is the Science History Institute’s critically acclaimed flagship podcast. We take deep dives into stories that range from the serious to the eccentric, all to help listeners better understand our world. Hear about everything from the crisis in Alzheimer’s research to New England’s 19th-century vampire panic in compelling, sometimes-funny, documentary-style audio stories.
Interview with Mark Stevenson
The Thermo Fisher Scientific executive tells us what it took for his instrumentation company to design a diagnostic test for the novel coronavirus.
Interview with John Maraganore
“When you’ve got a public health crisis like this, you’ve got no choice but to deploy all of your resources toward finding a solution.”
Interview with Katrine Bosley
The longtime biotech executive talks to us about how CRISPR can be used to make a faster diagnostic test for COVID-19 and how she’s advising a hospital in creating a vaccine.
Interview with William Haseltine
The scientist, entrepreneur, and author has lived through three epidemics. He tells us how this pandemic compares with his earlier experiences: “It is a tragedy that never needed to happen.”
Interview with Susan Weiss
The University of Pennsylvania microbiology professor talks about her 40 years of experience researching coronaviruses.
Interview with Sue Desmond-Hellmann
The former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recalls the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the Ebola pandemic: “Early pandemic science is filled with uncertainty.”
Interview with John C. Martin
The former CEO of Gilead Sciences tells us about remdesivir, an older drug showing promise in the fight against COVID-19.
Spit Spreads Death
Mütter Museum historical curator Jane E. Boyd discusses the parallels between the 1918–1919 flu pandemic and the coronavirus.
How Philadelphia’s Water Pollution Problems Shaped the City
The way the city tackled its water pollution problems has made it an unexpected pioneer.
Roe v. Wade v. Rubella
The virus that made America talk about abortion.
The Alzheimer’s Copernicus Problem
Thirty years of research have failed to solve the Alzheimer’s riddle. Is the problem a blind embrace of scientific dogma?
Science on TV: An Interview with Ingrid Ockert
Historian of science and media Ingrid Ockert discusses the exact moment Carl Sagan began wearing turtlenecks, how NOVA changed television, and the key to any successful show: respect the audience.
Rare Earths: The Hidden Cost to Their Magic
Rare earth elements are essential to modern life. Luckily the world has plenty of them; unfortunately, getting them out of the ground leaves behind massive environmental damage.
The Myth of the Cuyahoga River Fire
The blaze that sparked the modern environmental movement . . . or did it?
High Steaks at the Border
When the United States and Mexico resolved their beef.
Making the Deserts Bloom
Harnessing nature to deliver us from drought.
Love, Hate, and Sex from the History of Science
This is not just another sappy love story from science’s past.
Sex(ism), Drugs, and Migraines
We know migraines have afflicted people for at least three thousand years. Still, the condition continues to mystify us today.