Can’t Read This Headline? It’s Written in Invisible Ink
23:23 minutes
Think invisible ink is kids’ stuff? Science historian Kristie Macrakis’ new book Prisoners, Lovers, & Spies: The Story of Invisible Ink from Herodotus to al-Qaeda tells a different tale. Macrakis argues that for prisoners, lovers, and spies throughout history, communicating secretly was a matter of life and death. She reveals the secrets of invisible writing, from the simple (lemon juice) to the complex (microdots).
For more information about Kristie Macrakis’ “Egg Challenge” click here.
And for a recipe for invisible ink using starch, read an excerpt from the book.
Segment Guests
Kristie Macrakis
Kristie Macrakis is author of Prisoners, Lovers, & Spies: The Story of Invisible Ink from Herodotus to al-Qaeda (Yale, 2014) and professor of history, technology, and society at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia.
Heard on the Air
Read an excerpt from Prisoners, Lovers, and Spies.
Related Links
Meet the Producer
About Annie Minoff
@annieminoffAnnie Minoff is a producer for The Journal from Gimlet Media and the Wall Street Journal, and a former co-host and producer of Undiscovered. She also plays the banjo.