Distillations magazine

In the 19th century, chemical oblivion replaced liquor, opiates, and bleeding as the numbing agent of choice for surgeons.

Susan Solomon led expeditions in Antarctica and proposed the now-accepted theory about the role of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in creating the ozone hole.

Gutta percha, a natural plastic found in tree sap, allowed the expansion of the 19th century’s global communications network.

Mining magazines, newspapers, comic books, and movies to catch a glimpse of science as imagined by earlier generations.

In the 19th century a young Italian outside the chemistry mainstream played a part in the creation of the first periodic table.

David Sarnoff wanted to be a journalist; instead he created commercial broadcasting and helped kick off the color revolution in television.

Insulin was first used to treat diabetes in the 1920s. Since then doctors have used a multitude of tests to screen for the disease.

Absinthe, an alcoholic drink introduced to France in the 1840s, developed a decadent though violent reputation.

In 1856 William Palmer was convicted in Victorian England’s trial of the century, a case that pulled chemical analysis into the courts.

In exile, Navajo created new designs for their rugs and blankets using the new synthetic dyes.

Mildred Cohn fought prejudice to become a successful Jewish female chemist in an less-than-welcoming world.

Famed British caricaturist James Gillray targets famed scientist Joseph Priestley after the devastating Priestley Riots.

With dynamite and cannons, Robert St. George Dyrenforth hoped to end drought in the late 19th century. This vision of weather and climate control seized the imagination of scientists and businessmen.

The science behind a cool, refreshing treat—ice cream.

In the early 19th century people dreamed of using light to paint permanent images.

For brothers William and Lawrence Knox, earning PhDs in chemistry was not enough to overcome discrimination.

When Jane Marcet wrote Conversations on Chemistry she had little idea it would introduce Michael Faraday into the world of science.

From lab accident to wonder drug to chemical has-been, saccharin’s history tracks the rise of consumer consciousness, government regulation, and the uncertainties underlying scientific evidence.