Distillations Episode 151: Tears
From: Chemical Heritage Foundation
Series: Distillations - Blood, Sweat, and Tears
Length: 15:05
Dry your eyes: Distillations has returned with the final episode of our three-part series Blood, Sweat, and Tears. These vital fluids are more than just bodily emissions—they can also be considered the purest expressions of our humanity, at least metaphorically speaking. But of course, our focus is science, so for our third installment we parse the chemistry of tears. First reporter Douglas Smith talks to a friend who lost the ability to make tears. She can't cry even when her body clearly desires that catharsis. Then executive producer Jennifer Dionisio gets to the bottom of those pesky onion tears—including how one scientist is trying to bioengineer a no-cry version.
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Piece Description
Dry your eyes: Distillations has returned with the final episode of our three-part series Blood, Sweat, and Tears. These vital fluids are more than just bodily emissions—they can also be considered the purest expressions of our humanity, at least metaphorically speaking. But of course, our focus is science, so for our third installment we parse the chemistry of tears. First reporter Douglas Smith talks to a friend who lost the ability to make tears. She can't cry even when her body clearly desires that catharsis. Then executive producer Jennifer Dionisio gets to the bottom of those pesky onion tears—including how one scientist is trying to bioengineer a no-cry version.
Broadcast History
Podcast on July 6, 2012
Timing and Cues
00:00 Opening Credits
00:42 Introduction
01:33 Emotional Tears
09:35 Onion Tears
13:24 Closing Credits
Additional Credits
Special thanks to Jennifer Dionisio for researching this show.
Music from the Free Music Archive includes "Le Songe d'Hacolhii," by Sunhiilow, "The Soul Leaves The Body In Eternal Glory," by Jozef van Wissem, "Woody Allen," by Evgeny Grinko, and "Bridging and Mending," by Jared C. Balogh. This episode also features "First Appearance By Angel," from the production of Misterman, "This Is Our Science," by Astronautalis, "More And More," by Blood, Sweat & Tears, and "Tears on My Pillow," by Little Anthony.
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