Light Your Bunsen Burner

Being a completely selfless person sounds like a wonderful thing, until you end up homeless sleeping on the street because you gave away all your possessions. Delusions of Jesus and the pursuit of scientific greatness drove George Price to a tragic fate. But along the way he developed one of the most profound (and poorly understood) equations in evolutionary biology. Join us as we talk about the implications of altruism, how suave vampire bats are and why only true friends will puke blood in your mouth. 

As the lives of these researchers have come together, a race for the DNA structure breaks out. Watson and Crick are seeking to beat Linus Pauling. Maurice Wilkins is trying to surpass Rosalind Franklin. And it seems Rosalind is running against everyone. Join us for the dramatic conclusion of this saga. Maybe you'll fall on the side that thinks Watson and Crick got lucky. Or maybe you'll see them as geniuses. Maybe you can help us cast the Rosalind Franklin in our movie!

On April 25, 1953, three papers appeared in the journal Nature establishing the helical structure of DNA. The authors of the first paper, James Watson and Francis Crick, are most commonly associated with the discovery. But their work heavily borrowed from that of the authors of the other two papers.  Maurice Wilkins received due credit in the form of a Nobel Prize, but Rosalind Franklin... not so much. Join us as we layout the lives of the four people who heralded this discovery. Along the way we'll find what DNA really celebrates, that Crick definitely smoked a lot of weed, and Franklin was so much better than you at everything. 

A frantic mother brings her son to the laboratory of France's most influential bacteriologist. The boy had been bitten by a rabid dog and would certainly die from the dreaded disease. But would the cautious Louis Pasteur use his untested vaccine on the child? From ancient cures to modern protocols, rabies has had a crazy history. So grab some chicken nuggets and a bottle of wine and join us as we lose our minds trying to find the cure for this diabolical virus. 

Jack Parsons was  a man living a double life. By day he was a pioneering rocket scientist but by night he was the leader of a Thelemite sex cult. Little did he know that messing with magic, drugs and teenage sister-in-laws would lead to a fiery demise. Join us as we finish the downward spiral of this rocketeer. With special guest appearances by deadly coffee cans, fire demons, and L. Ron Hubbard!

In the early 20th century, using rocket research was a ludicrous endeavor. Yet, one intrepid amateur rocketeer sought to reach the stars by explosive means. Join us as we conjure up the sordid details in the life of an eccentric scientist. In part one, we find out how a pudgy rich kid blew up toilets at a military academy, helped convict a car bomber and then found himself tangled up with a sex cult. We also have a guest appearance from the neighbor's dog. 

It's episode number 10, and this is a very special topic. The Bunsen burner is emblematic of this podcast and of science itself. But did you know, that the simple redesign of this gas burner opened up the field of chemical spectroscopy? Join us as we explore the career of Robert Bunsen, a beloved teacher who survived arsenic poisoning and explored the geysers in Iceland and finally created the much renowned burner.  Also we tell you how Jonah made his own type of burner and what sound electrons make when they get excited. 

In the late 1800's, a scientist working with cathode tubes observed a bizarre phenomenon: some unknown ray was causing a plate to glow in the dark. His obsessive work ethic and a hand from his wife led to the discovery of X-rays. Join us as we practice our terrible German accents while exposing the history of this revolutionary tool. Also we get a special cameo from a historical hottie. 

Do you like corn? Geneticists Barbara McClintock spent her entire life studying this singular crop and made some significant discoveries along the way. Join us as we delve into the myth of a slightly misunderstood but thoroughly fascinating woman. Also we drop some sad facts about  the Nobel Prizes and share our plans for our future musical careers. 

Humans have had their eyes on the stars since ancient times but the most bizarre member of the Solar System wasn't discovered until one obsessed musician turned his telescope to the heavens. Let's find out how an army deserter and accomplished composer managed to spot the planet that would spawn a million immature jokes. Join us as we gaze into deep space and discover Uranus!