Distillations magazine

Do cats mess with your brain?

Through fame, controversy, and peril Josiah Wedgwood and Joseph Priestley’s bond endured.

An illustration of a biochemist connects two British political icons.

The story behind a rare work by the father of the periodic table.

About half of the 1,100 instruments made by master luthier Antonio Stradivari have been lost or destroyed in the past 300 years. Should the instruments that remain be played or preserved?

A memento reveals how the demand for cheap copies of famous paintings helped democratize art ownership in the 19th century.

Can artificial intelligence help us decipher smell?

William Herschel had a conflicted relationship with his biggest creation.

Can science tell us what makes a Stradivarius so special?

Making eco-friendly cement is easy; the hard part comes later.

Many tragic accidents have provided unexpectedly valuable information for scientists.

Why would anyone visit a radioactive ghost town or the remnants of a nuclear reactor?

Candy stores in the 19th century sold sweets as deadly as they were delicious.

A globe-hopping doctor and a weird amphibian produce a fast, inexpensive pregnancy test.

Scientists with disabilities have frequently faced intolerance and prejudice in their careers.

A painting bears the mark of Nazi brutality but also speaks to our capacity for kindness and bravery.

Is the mayonnaise substitute Just Mayo the future of food or just another product from the hype machine?

GMOs are one of the great success stories of the postwar era. So why do many find this technology so distasteful?