When we enjoy a cold drink on a hot summer’s day, we don’t realise that the phenomenon of coldness itself was the subject of scientific scrutiny or that this clear cold crystal was once the focus of international trade. It was the “fifth element”, considered vital to the palate, comfort and social status of anyone who could get it. In this programme, Laura Durnford explains how this once prestigious commodity has for most of us become part of everyday life.
Producer: Laura Durnford