Out of Our Elements

Latest Episode

The Key To Seeing (And Saving) Priceless Art - To find out how science and art are intertwined, Arlo Pérez Esquivel talks to Harvard Art Museums’ Narayan Khandekar, about the tools he uses to scientifically analyze paintings. Then, art conservator Liza Leto-Fulton demonstrates how to make paint using pigment and a binding medium, and explains why the human touch is still an important part of conservation.

All Episodes

The Key To Seeing (And Saving) Priceless Art

Can chemistry help us save precious art?

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We Tested Our COVID Immunity Every Month

Will antibodies be the heroes of the COVID pandemic?

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Why Does Metal Rust? (And Why Should We Care?)

What can we do to keep our infrastructure—and yes, our cars—running smoothly?

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How Did a Plane Find the First Molecule in the Universe?

How did the molecules that make our world—and us—come to be?

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Can Turning CO2 to Stone Help Save the Planet?

Can we turn atmospheric carbon dioxide into stone to help slow global warming?

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Is Biodegradable Plastic Actually Possible?

We have a plastic waste dilemma. Will innovative biodegradable plastics offer a solution?

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Glass Is Making Your Internet Faster

Explore the properties of glass and how it forms the basis of the fiber optic network.

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This Explosive Gas is Heating our Planet. Can we Capture it?

Methane—the potent molecule we use to heat our homes—is also seriously heating our planet

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What Does Sweat Have to do with the Global Water Crisis?

Why is water so crucial to us—and to all life on Earth? The clues lie in our sweat.

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About Out of Our Elements

Across the series, hosts Arlo Pérez and Caitlin Saks meet with a diverse set of chemistry experts to explore the surprising molecular connections of the everyday world we experience. By investigating the sub-atomic stories underpinning our natural world, they discover how chemistry shapes the society we live in.