Illumination has been a quest of humans for centuries now—both in terms of the cerebral and the physical. In today’s episode we focus on the physical type of illumination.

SHOW CLOCK

00:00 Opening Credits

00:32 Introduction

01:14 Element of the Week: Sodium

04:09 Chemistry of Bioluminescence

09:10 Mystery Solved: Glowing in the Dark

11:08 Quote: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

11:24 Closing Credits

CREDITS

Special thanks to Hilary Domush and Ann Dornfeld for researching this show. Additional credits available at chemheritage.org/distillations.