Krulwich makes a bet he can find tools that have gone extinct but it turns out old technology doesn’t disappear like you’d think. Tools from centuries ago are still being made and used, by more people than you’d think.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/02/02/133188723/tools-never-die-waddaya-mean-never
Tom Standage is the business editor of The Economist. He started his career as the Science and Technology Editor at the Guardian, and has written several books which merge popular science and history including Victorian Internet, The Neptune File and The Mechanical Turk and A History of the World in 6 Glasses.
His latest book is An Edible History of Humanity, an account of the key role food has played in our history.
http://skeptic.org.uk/podcasts/little-atoms/564-tom-standage-an-edible-history-of-humanity
Secret Science: Alchemy! — Many think of alchemy as a fool’s pursuit, but alchemy has a rich history closely tied to medicine and metallurgy. Additionally, techniques developed by alchemists strongly influenced chemistry. So how come we don’t call chemistry alchemy?
September 12 2008 - In this discussion with D.J. Grothe, Andrew Fraknoi explains the history of the atoms in our bodies, and how we are literally made of "star stuff." He details how scientists know the history of these atoms, and explores the implications of this "simple but profound fact," and how some people derive mystical meaning from it, while others find it humbling. He talks about the compatibility of religion with astronomy, and the proper role of skepticism in the science classroom. He describes current threats to science education. And he makes a case for popularizing science and astronomy, and how this benefits society.