The 3 Best Distillations | Science History Institute Podcast Episodes
1) The Fraud that Transformed Psychiatry
In 1973 a bombshell study appeared in the premier scientific journal Science. It was called “On Being Sane in Insane Places.” Its author, a Stanford psychology professor named David Rosenhan, claimed ...Show More
2) Sex(ism), Drugs, and Migraines
Egyptian scriptures from 1200 BCE describe painful, migraine-like headaches, so we know the disorder has afflicted people for at least three thousand years. Still, the condition continues to mystify u...Show More
3) Collecting Monstrosity
We’ve long been fascinated by the mysteries of reproduction. But that curiosity is piqued most intensely when something unexpected happens. The study of such “monstrous births,” as scientists once cal...Show More
4) IVF: An Interview with Robin Marantz
Our producer Rigoberto Hernandez spoke with Robin Marantz, the author of Pandora’s Baby: How the First Test Tube Babies Sparked the Reproductive Revolution. She tells us about the history of IVF, from...Show More
5) Gene Therapy’s Families
When Rebekah and Evan Lockard’s daughter, Naomi, was diagnosed with a devastating ultra-rare genetic disease, they didn’t know where to turn. Then they found Terry Pirovolakis, an IT professional who ...Show More
6) Gene Therapy’s Dark Ages
Gene therapy is based on a simple-sounding, yet deceptively complicated premise: adding or replacing faulty genes to fix medical problems. A compelling idea that came out of breakthroughs in DNA resea...Show More
7) 'The Andromeda Strain': An Interview with Luis Campos
Producer Mariel Carr talks to historian of science and former Science History Institute fellow, Luis Campos, about his article “Strains of Andromeda: The Cosmic Potential Hazards of Genetic Engineerin...Show More
8) The People vs. Recombinant DNA
In 1976, Harvard University wanted to build a specialized lab for recombinant DNA research. But first, it had to get permission from the city of Cambridge. The resulting city council hearings drew TV ...Show More
9) New Season Trailer! Coming August 5th.
Check out our new season, dropping weekly on Tuesdays, starting August 5th.
10) The History of the School Lunch
Feeding kids a healthy lunch every school day is a feat of science and logistics. Molded into shape by nutrition scientists who wanted to optimize children’s health, the school lunch has endured war, ...Show More