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Behind its modest storefront in Peekskill in New York state, the Early Electrics antique and custom lighting shop doubles as a museum of obsolete medical equipment and scientific models. Amassed by Steve Erenberg over 30 years, the collection is a whirlwind tour of early medical science, with promising prototypes and what Erenberg calls ‘quack devices’ offering a glimpse into the pervasive ailments and the (sometimes snake-oil) remedies of the recent past. But Erenberg appreciates the items more for their aesthetic qualities than their historical significance, finding beauty in the design of the tools, many of which were crafted with extreme care before the age of mass-production.
Video by Science Friday
Producer: Luke Groskin
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Cosmology
Tiny, entangled universes that form or fizzle out – a theory of the quantum multiverse
11 minutes
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Astronomy
The history of astronomy is a history of conjuring intelligent life where it isn’t
34 minutes
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Politics and government
How it looked to Afghan women to see the Taliban return to power
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Metaphysics
Simple entities in universal harmony – Leibniz’s evocative perspective on reality
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Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
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The ancient world
The six priestesses who kept the flame of ancient Rome alight at risk of death
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Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
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Architecture
West Africa was once an architectural laboratory. Is it time for a revival?
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Work
A Swedish expat in the Philippines wonders: what’s up with people sleeping at work?
14 minutes