Science Goes to the Olympics
From: Chemical Heritage Foundation
Series: Distillations - The Chemistry Podcast
Length: 11:44
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- Science Goes to the Olympics
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- Chemical Heritage Foundation
Addicted to the Olympics? Take a break from too much video with 12 minutes of audio. On today's show, we investigate Olympic mysteries, from the flame of the torch to the composition of those so-called gold medals. Next, we turn to one of the side stories at this year's games: pollution. Of course, China isn't the only country that has a problem with pollution. Production Andrew Stelzer takes us to San Francisco to see how one group of citizens is taking air quality monitoring into their own hands. Element of the Week: Gold.
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Piece Description
Addicted to the Olympics? Take a break from too much video with 12 minutes of audio. On today's show, we investigate Olympic mysteries, from the flame of the torch to the composition of those so-called gold medals. Next, we turn to one of the side stories at this year's games: pollution. Of course, China isn't the only country that has a problem with pollution. Production Andrew Stelzer takes us to San Francisco to see how one group of citizens is taking air quality monitoring into their own hands. Element of the Week: Gold.
Broadcast History
Podcast posted online 8/15/08.
Transcript
0:00 UP THEME MUSIC
Hello, and welcome to Distillations ? weekly extracts from the past, present and future of chemistry. I?m your new host, Meir Rinde. Each week we bring you stories on all things chemical ? from propane to platinum. In this week?s show we?re talking about the Olympics. We?ll learn about the secret behind gold medals and what keeps the Olympic torch burning for so long.
That?s all coming up on today?s episode of Distillations.
MONOLOGUE
The Olympic Games have existed in their modern form for more than a century. Over the years many things have changed, from the events themselves, to the athletes? record-setting performances, to the prizes they win. The ancient Olympics awarded a crown of olive leaves to the winner of the games. In the first modern Olympic games in 1896, the winner got a silver medal and the runner up got a copper one. It wasn?t until 1912 th...
Read the full transcript
Timing and Cues
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:12 Element of the Week: Gold
03:13 Mystery Solved! The Olympic Torch
06:01 Citizen Air Quality Monitoring
10:43 Quote: Albert Camus
11:03 Closing Credits
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