Science

Science History Podcast

by Frank A. von Hippel

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Latest episodes

Psychiatry at Nuremberg: Jack El-Hai

October 11, 2026 · 1 hr 7 min

How did the psychiatrist Douglas Kelley end up evaluating high-ranking Nazis at the 1945-1946 International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg? Who were Kelley's patients on trial for war crimes? How did Kelley interpret the responses that he…
The Space Race: Leroy Chiao

September 10, 2026 · 2 hr 44 min

Those of us who grew up during the Cold War were keenly aware of the space race between the US and USSR. With us to relive the victories and tragedies of the space race is Leroy Chiao. Leroy is a former NASA astronaut and International…
Curie's Elements: Dava Sobel

August 10, 2026 · 58 min

Marie Curie was one of the most remarkable scientists in history. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win two, and the only person ever to earn Nobel awards in separate fields of science. Today we explore the…
Pugwash: John Holdren

July 11, 2026 · 2 hr 17 min

On July 9, 1955, mathematician and philosopher Bertrand Russell announced the Russell-Einstein manifesto, which warned the world of the dangers posed by nuclear weapons. The 11 signatories included Albert Einstein, who signed it just…
Astronomy: Sarah Alam Malik

June 16, 2026 · 1 hr 6 min

What did the ancient world discover about the cosmos? What were the contributions of Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo? How did the science of astronomy advance under Newton? And how did everything change again with the discoveries of…

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Chemicals & Children's Health: Tracey Woodruff

May 14, 2026 · 1 hr 18 min

Chemical exposures in the womb can lead to what biologists call organizational effects - that is, impacts on the developing child that are irreversible. How were developmental problems associated with chemical exposures during pregnancy…
Longitude: Emily Akkermans

April 10, 2026 · 1 hr 23 min

The age of exploration altered the course of human history, but how did early explorers find their way? Calculating their latitude at sea was a relatively straightforward proposition, but calculating longitude presented a vexing problem…
Bohr's Legacy: Tomas Bohr

March 11, 2026 · 1 hr 53 min

Today we explore the life and legacy of the physicist Niels Bohr through the reflections of his grandson Tomas Bohr. Tomas is an Emeritus Professor at the Technical University of Denmark. He studies fluid dynamics, biophysics, chaos…
Rapa Nui's Collapse: Mike Pitts

February 11, 2026 · 1 hr 55 min

Often in the history of science, myths overrun scientific findings and take hold with such force that they are difficult or nearly impossible to dislodge from public understanding. Perhaps no example of this phenomenon is more pronounced…
Retrospective: Tom Lehrer's Mathematics

January 10, 2026 · 1 hr 12 min

The Science History Podcast, now in its 9th year, has spanned Trump's first term in office, four years of the Biden Administration, and a year of the second Trump Administration, not to mention a global pandemic, horrific wars around the…
Forever Chemicals: Sharon Udasin

December 10, 2025 · 57 min

Today's episode is a discussion on the history of PFAS, or forever chemicals, including their accidental development, incorporation into commercial products, concerns about health effects, and environmental contamination and remediation…
The Weather: Simon Winchester

November 11, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min

The weather has always been a critical element of the human experience - deadly during storms and droughts, sustaining when aligned with the harvest schedule, beautiful and frightening, and integrated into the myths and religions of all…