Raise your glass, and your curiosity.
In this Math! Science! History! Flashcard Friday, Gabrielle Birchak takes you into a haunted pub where chemistry and folklore share the same barstool. You'll uncover how distillation mirrors transformation, why vapor behaves like a ghost, and how the energy that fuels both whiskey and legend never truly disappears.
This is science told by firelight, a story of matter, energy, and the invisible bonds that tie us to everything that changes form.
Three Ponderable Things
- How spirits are born: The chemistry of distillation, evaporation, condensation, and the poetic process of capturing a "spirit." Why nothing truly disappears: The physics of latent heat and energy conservation that mirror our fascination with ghost stories. How aroma tells a story: The role of volatile compounds that give whiskey its scent, and make chemistry feel almost supernatural.
Resources & References
- Hornsey, Ian S. A History of Beer and Brewing. Royal Society of Chemistry, 2003. Forbes, R. J. Short History of the Art of Distillation. Brill, 1970. Atkins, P. W., and Julio de Paula. Atkins' Physical Chemistry. Oxford University Press, 2018. Royal Society of Chemistry – The Chemistry of Distilling Spirits American Chemical Society – How Distillation Works
If this episode left you thinking differently about what lingers after a toast, follow Math! Science! History! wherever you listen to podcasts, and share it with a friend who loves science, storytelling, or a good glass of whiskey.
For transcripts, references, and more stories that mix curiosity with chemistry, visit MathScienceHistory.com.
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Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers
Until next time, carpe diem!