Secretly Incredibly Fascinating - BONUS SHOW 167: "The Two Bloodiest Stories About Baking Soda"
This is the bonus show for Episode 167! (Baking Soda)
Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore two obviously incredibly fascinating stories: the tragic beginnings of baking soda manufacturing (during the French Revolution), and an early Internet myth about exploding cockroaches.
RESEARCH SOURCES:
A revolutionary casualty: In 1789 Nicolas Leblanc was lauded for developing an industrial process that turned salt into soda. Then the French revolution stripped him of everything he had worked for. (Royal Society Of Chemistry)
Revolutionary Science: Transformation and Turmoil in the Age of the Guillotine by Steve Jones
The Chemistry Book: From Gunpowder to Graphene, 250 Milestones in the History of Chemistry by Derek B. Lowe
Encyclopedia Britannica entry for The Louvre, museum, Paris, France
Inaccurate posts about baking soda and cockroaches from This Old House (preserved by CNN) and from Hunker.com (repeating those claims in present day).
Current resources from This Old House about how to get rid of cockroaches and German cockroaches.
Photo Ark: Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (National Geographic)
Using Diatomaceous Earth on Ants: Complete DIY Guide (Today's Homeowner)
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