60-Second Science

By Scientific American

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Category: Natural Sciences

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Subscribers: 2015
Reviews: 6

Al
 Jun 17, 2020
Always good information

Stuart Mantel
 Mar 17, 2020
Quick, concise reporting on one recent scientific paper. All in plain language.


 Apr 16, 2019

EB
 Jan 17, 2019
Digestible, informative, often fun science facts.

Anne
 Aug 2, 2018
makes me feel smarter in a short pod.

Description

Leading science journalists provide a daily minute commentary on some of the most interesting developments in the world of science. For a full-length, weekly podcast you can subscribe to Science Talk: The Podcast of Scientific American . To view all of our archived podcasts please go to www.scientificamerican.com/podcast

Episode Date
Election Science Stakes: Environment
00:02:52
Scientific American senior editor Mark Fischetti talks about how this election will affect environmental science and policy.
Oct 30, 2020
Election Science Stakes: Climate
00:04:27
Scientific American associate editor for sustainability, Andrea Thompson, talks about how climate science and policy will be affected by this election.
Oct 29, 2020
Election Science Stakes: Medicine and Public Health
00:03:52
Scientific American's senior medicine editor, Josh Fischman, talks about issues in medicine and public health that will be affected by this election.
Oct 28, 2020
Election 2020: The Stakes for Science
00:02:20
Scientific American's editor-in-chief sets up this week's series of podcasts about how this election could affect science, technology and medicine.
Oct 27, 2020
Why Some Easter Island Statues Are Where They Are
00:02:57
Many of the statues not along the coast are in places that featured a resource vital to the communities that lived and worked there.
Oct 26, 2020
Acorn Woodpeckers Fight Long, Bloody Territorial Wars
00:03:35
More than 40 of the birds, in coalitions of three or four, may fight for days over oak trees in which to store their acorns.
Oct 24, 2020
Funky Cheese Rinds Release an Influential Stench
00:02:18
The volatile compounds released by microbial communities on cheese rinds shape and shift a cheese's microbiome. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 23, 2020
Dinosaur Asteroid Hit Worst-Case Place
00:03:23
The mass extinction asteroid happened to strike a place where the rock contained lots of organic matter, and sent soot into the stratosphere where it could block sunlight for years.  
Oct 22, 2020
River Ecosystem Restoration Can Mean Just Add Water
00:03:15
Planners returned water to Arizona's Santa Cruz River's dry bed in 2019, and various species began showing up the same day.
Oct 20, 2020
3,000-Year-Old Orbs Provide a Glimpse of Ancient Sport
00:01:46
Researchers say three ancient leather balls, dug up from the tombs of horsemen in northwestern China, are the oldest such specimens from Europe or Asia. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Oct 18, 2020
Humans Make Wild Animals Less Wary
00:03:11
From mammals to mollusks, animals living among humans lose their anti-predator behaviors.
Oct 16, 2020
Play Helped Dogs Be Our Best Friends
00:03:16
The ancestors of today’s dogs already exhibited some playfulness, which became a key trait during domestication.
Oct 13, 2020
Neandertal DNA May Be COVID Risk
00:02:20
A stretch of Neanderthal DNA has been associated with some cases of severe COVID-19, but it's unclear how much a risk it poses. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 11, 2020
Nobelist Talks CRISPR Uses
00:03:17
New chemistry Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna talks about various applications of the gene editing tool CRISPR.
Oct 08, 2020
Blue Whale Song Timing Reveals Time to Go
00:03:22
Blue whales off the California coast sing at night until it's time to start migrating when they switch to daytime song.
Oct 07, 2020
New Nobel Laureate Talks Today's Virology
00:03:12
Charles Rice, who today shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus, talked about how rapidly research now occurs compared with his early work.
Oct 06, 2020
Greenland Is Melting Faster Than Any Time in Past 12,000 Years
00:02:12
Researchers determined that Greenland is on track to lose more ice this century than during any of the previous 120 centuries. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Oct 04, 2020
Sloths Slowly Cavort by Day Now
00:03:59
The disappearance of their predators in a disturbed ecosystem has turned Atlantic forest sloths from night creatures to day adventurers.
Oct 03, 2020
Dinosaurs Got Cancer, Too
00:03:21
Researchers seeking evidence for cancer in dinosaurs found it in a collection of bones at an Alberta paleontology museum.   
Sep 29, 2020
Fluttering Feathers Could Spawn New Species
00:02:23
Fork-tailed flycatchers make a fluttering sound with their wings—but separate subspecies have different 'dialects' of fluttering. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Sep 25, 2020
Science News from around the World
00:02:11
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from all over, including one from Israel about what DNA reveals about the Dead Sea Scrolls’ parchment. 
Sep 22, 2020
These Small Mammals Snort to a Different Tune
00:03:34
Hyraxes, which live in Africa and the Middle East, punctuate their songs with snorts. And the snorts appear to reflect the animals’ emotional state. Jason G. Goldman reports. 
Sep 18, 2020
Ice Age Temperatures Help Predict Future Warming
00:02:49
Scientists determined that temperatures were 11 degrees cooler during the last ice age — and that has implications for modern-day warming. Julia Rosen reports. 
Sep 17, 2020
High-Elevation Hummingbirds Evolved a Temperature Trick
00:02:08
Hummingbirds in the Peruvian Andes enter a state of torpor at night to conserve energy, dipping their body temperatures to as low as 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Sep 15, 2020
Why Pet Pigs Are More like Wolves Than Dogs
00:03:54
Given an impossible task, a dog will ask a human for help, but a wolf will not seek help—and neither will a pet pig.
Sep 14, 2020
Bricks Can Be Turned into Batteries
00:02:02
Pumping cheap iron-oxide-rich red bricks with specific vapors that form polymers enables the bricks to become electrical charge storage devices.
Sep 10, 2020
Leftovers Are a Food-Waste Problem
00:02:14
Researchers found that leftovers are likely to end up in the trash, so they advise cooking smaller meals in the first place to avoid food waste. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Sep 10, 2020
Some Dinosaurs Probably Nested in Arctic
00:03:23
The finding of a baby dinosaur fossil in the Arctic implies that some dinos nested there, which was milder than today but not toasty.
Sep 09, 2020
Star Systems Can Be Born Topsy-Turvy
00:02:25
Astronomers observed an odd triple-star system that offers clues about misaligned planetary orbits. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Sep 04, 2020
Death by Lightning Is Common for Tropical Trees
00:02:22
A study estimates that 200 million trees in the tropics are mowed down annually by lightning.
Sep 02, 2020
Science Briefs from around the World
00:02:02
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from all over, including one from Antarctica about how there's something funny about penguin poop.
Sep 01, 2020
Alaska's Salmon Are Shrinking
00:03:08
Every year, Alaska’s big salmon runs feature smaller salmon—climate change and competition with farmed salmon may be to blame. Julia Rosen reports.
Aug 29, 2020
End of 'Green Sahara' May Have Spurred a Megadrought in Southeast Asia
00:02:36
That megadrought may have brought about societal shifts in southeast Asia 5,000 years ago. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Aug 28, 2020
White Rhinos Eavesdrop to Know Who's Who
00:03:08
The finding could potentially help wildlife managers keep better tabs on their herds. Jason G. Goldman reports. 
Aug 26, 2020
Prehistoric Marine Reptile Died after a Giant Meal
00:02:14
Researchers found extra bones within a 240-million-year-old ichthyosaur fossil—which they determined to be the ichthyosaur's last, possibly fatal, meal. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Aug 22, 2020
Cows with Eye Images Keep Predators in Arrears
00:03:05
Butterflies, fish and frogs sport rear end eyespots that reduce predation. Painting eye markings on cows similarly seems to ward off predators.
Aug 19, 2020
Warbler Species Fires Up Song Diversity
00:03:25
Hermit warblers in California have developed 35 different song dialects, apparently as a result of wildfires temporarily driving them out of certain areas.
Aug 18, 2020
Why Lava Worlds Shine Brightly (It's Not the Lava)
00:02:21
Scientists determined that "lava world" exoplanets don't derive their brightness from molten rock, but possibly from reflective, metallic clouds. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 13, 2020
Aardvarks Are Ailing amid Heat and Drought
00:03:21
Climate change is expected to bring more frequent droughts and heat waves to Africa’s Kalahari desert. And aardvarks might not be able to cope. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Aug 12, 2020
The World's Highest-Dwelling Mammal Lives atop a Volcano
00:02:52
Scientists spotted a mouse at the summit of Llullaillaco, a 22,000-foot-tall volcano on the border of Chile and Argentina. Julia Rosen reports. 
Aug 07, 2020
Dampening of the Senses Is Linked to Dementia Risk
00:01:26
Loss of smell was sense most strongly associated with dementia risk. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 05, 2020
Translucent Frog Optics Create Camo Color
00:03:08
Rather than undergoing active chameleon-like color changes, glass frogs' translucency allows light to bounce from their background through them--making their apparent color close to their setting.  
Aug 04, 2020
Paired Comparisons Could Mean Better Witness Identifications
00:02:58
Compared to traditional lineup techniques, a series of two-faces-at-a-time choices led to more accurate identification by study witnesses.
Aug 03, 2020
Foxes Have Dined on Our Leftovers for 30,000 Years
00:02:57
Analysis of fox fossils found evidence that they scavenged from wolf and bear kills until H. sapiens supplied plenty of horse and reindeer remains.
Aug 02, 2020
Mexico Caves Reveal Ancient Ocher Mining
00:03:16
Now-submerged caves in the Yucatán Peninsula contain remains of ochre mining operations that date back at least 10,000 years.
Jul 31, 2020
In Bee Shortage, Bubbles Could Help Pollinate
00:02:22
Soap bubbles are sticky enough to carry a pollen payload and delicate enough to land on flowers without harm.
Jul 28, 2020
Science News Briefs from around the Planet
00:02:05
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from all over, including one about how a lizard population responded to hurricanes by on average developing larger and stickier toe pads. 
Jul 27, 2020
Seismologists Find the World Quieted Down during Pandemic Lockdowns
00:02:01
COVID-19-related lockdowns dampened human activity around the globe—giving seismologists a rare glimpse of Earth's quietest rumblings. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jul 26, 2020
Old Art Offers Agriculture Info
00:02:58
Art museums are filled with centuries-old paintings with details of plants that today give us clues about evolution and breeding practices.
Jul 24, 2020
How COVID-19 Decreases Weather Forecast Accuracy
00:02:33
Meteorologists take advantage of weather data collected by commercial jetliners at difference altitudes and locations. Fewer flights means less data.
Jul 23, 2020
Cricket Avoids Being Bat Food by Doing Nothing
00:03:29
The sword-tailed cricket can discern bats's echolocation signals by only responding to calls of a certain volume, at which point it plummets out of their approach.
Jul 23, 2020
Speaker System Blocks City Noise
00:02:10
The system works like noise-cancelling headphones, but fits over an open window. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jul 22, 2020
Civil War Vaccine May Have Lessons for COVID-19
00:03:10
Vaccination used against smallpox during the Civil War reveals the identity of the distantly related virus used to keep troops disease free.
Jul 20, 2020
Can People ID Infectious Disease by Cough and Sneeze Sounds?
00:02:56
People aren't very good at judging whether someone coughing or sneezing has an infectious condition or is simply reacting to something benign that makes them cough or sneeze.
Jul 17, 2020
Why Some Birds Are Likely To Hit Buildings
00:02:27
Birds that eat insects, are on migrations or that usually live in the woods are most likely to fly into buildings that feature a lot of glass.
Jul 14, 2020
Sparrow Song Undergoes Key Change
00:03:03
White-throated sparrows made a change to their familiar call that quickly spread across Canada.
Jul 11, 2020
Polynesians and Native South Americans Made 12th-Century Contact
00:03:34
Scientists have found snippets of Native South American DNA in the genomes of present-day Polynesians, and they trace the contact to the year 1150. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jul 10, 2020
Animals Appreciate Recent Traffic Lull
00:02:46
Researchers saw a third fewer vehicle collisions with deer, elk, moose and other large mammals in the four weeks following COVID-19 shutdowns in three states they tracked.
Jul 09, 2020
Bat Says Hi as It Hunts
00:02:51
Velvety free-tail bats produce sounds that help them locate insect prey, but that simultaneously identify them to their companions.
Jul 07, 2020
Forests Getting Younger and Shorter
00:02:22
Old, big trees are dying faster than in the past, leaving younger, less biodiverse forests worldwide that store less carbon.
Jul 07, 2020
Young Great White Sharks Eat off the Floor
00:02:23
The stomach contests of young great white sharks showed that they spend a lot of time patrolling the sea floor for meals.
Jul 03, 2020
Tweets Reveal Politics of COVID-19 
00:02:12
Political scientists analyzed congressional tweets and observed how Republicans and Democrats responded differently to the virus. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jul 01, 2020
Nature's Goods and Services Get Priced
00:03:13
The Gross Ecosystem Product, or GEP, tries to take into account the contribution of nature to the economy.
Jul 01, 2020
Animal Migrations Track Climate Change
00:02:51
Many species are known to have changed their migration routes in response to the changing climate, now including mule deer and Bewick's swans.
Jun 30, 2020
Science Briefs from around the World
00:01:50
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from around the planet, including one about a 70-million-year-old mollusc fossil that reveals that years back then had a few more days than we have now.
Jun 25, 2020
Stiffer Roads Could Drive Down Carbon Emissions
00:02:17
By hardening the nation's streets and highways, trucks would use less fuel, and spare the planet carbon emissions. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jun 20, 2020
Unicorns of the Sea Reveal Sound Activities
00:03:16
Narwhals, recognizable by their large single tusk, make distinct sounds that are now being analyzed in depth by researchers.
Jun 19, 2020
Human Speech Evolution Gets Lip-Smacking Evidence
00:03:11
A study of our closest evolutionary relatives finds that the chimp behavior known as lip smacking occurs in the same timing range as human mouths during speech.
Jun 17, 2020
Printed Coral Could Provide Reef Relief
00:02:51
Three-dimensional printed coral-like structures were able to support the algae that live in real corals, which could help restore reefs and grow algae for bioenergy production.
Jun 16, 2020
'Snot Palaces' Reveal Undersea Creature Secrets
00:02:12
Scientists are studying the delicate mucus houses built by creatures called larvaceans, to better understand how they live. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jun 12, 2020
Helping Kids Cope with COVID-19 Worries
00:02:53
The psychological state of children may need special attention during COVID impacts and isolation.
Jun 10, 2020
Ancient DNA Rewrites Dead Sea Scroll History
00:02:40
By sequencing DNA from the dust of dead sea scrolls, scientists were able to glean new clues about the ancient manuscripts. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jun 09, 2020
Whale Protections Need Not Cause Lobstering Losses
00:02:55
Right whales, other whales and turtles get caught in lobster trap lines, but fewer lines can maintain the same lobster catch levels.
Jun 08, 2020
How to Keep COVID-19 Conspiracies Contained
00:02:39
An expert on climate denial offers tips for inoculating against coronavirus conspiracy notions.
Jun 07, 2020
Bioluminescence Helps Prey Avoid Hungry Seals
00:02:37
Prey animals flash biochemically produced light to confuse elephant seals hunting in the dark, but at least one seal turned the tables.
Jun 03, 2020
3 Words Mislead Online Regional Mood Analysis
00:03:26
Analyzing keywords on Twitter can offer a loose measure of the subject well-being of a community, as long as you don't count three words: good, love and LOL.
Jun 02, 2020
COVID Has Changed Soundscapes Worldwide
00:02:42
The Silent Cities project is collecting sound from cities around the planet during the coronavirus pandemic to give researchers a database of natural sound in areas usually filled with human-generated noise.
Jun 01, 2020
Science News Briefs from All Over
00:01:55
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from around the planet, including one about an incredibly well-preserved horned lark ( Eremophila alpestris ), like the one pictured, that lived 46,000 years ago.
May 28, 2020
Colorful Corals Beat Bleaching
00:02:15
Exposed to mildly warmer waters, some corals turn neon, instead of bleaching white. The dramatic colors may help coax symbiotic algae back. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
May 28, 2020
Skinny Genes Tell Fat to Burn
00:02:38
A gene whose mutated form is associated with cancer in humans turns out to have a role in burning calories over a long evolutionary history.
May 23, 2020
Malaria Mosquitoes Are Biting before Bed-Net Time
00:03:19
Mosquitoes that like to bite at night are being thwarted by bed nets, leading to the rise of populations that prefer to bite when the nets are not up yet.
May 22, 2020
We're Being Tested
00:02:09
President Trump pointed out yesterday that if we didn't do any testing for the virus we would have very few cases, which forces us to confront the issues posed by testing in general.
May 15, 2020
Barn Owl Babies Can Be Helpful Hatch Mates
00:03:02
Food sharing is mainly found in adult animals as a part of social bonding. But in a rarely observed behavior in birds, older barn owl chicks will share food with younger ones.
May 15, 2020
Donut Sugar Could Help Stored Blood Last
00:02:56
Dehydrated blood that could be kept at room temperature for years may be possible thanks to a sugar used to preserve donuts—and made by tardigrades and brine shrimp so they can dry out and spring back with water.
May 13, 2020
Lemur Flirting Uses Common Scents
00:02:51
To entice female ring-tailed lemurs, males rub wrist secretions, which include compounds we use in perfumes, onto their tail and then wave it near the gals.
May 11, 2020
Flamingos Can Be Picky about Company
00:03:00
They don’t stand on one leg around just anybody but often prefer certain members of the flock.
May 08, 2020
Horses Recognize Pics of Their Keepers
00:03:00
Horses picked out photos of their current keepers, and even former keepers whom they had not seen in months, at a rate much better than chance.
May 06, 2020
Tapirs Help Reforestation via Defecation
00:03:01
The large herbivores appear to prefer disturbed areas over more intact ones, and spread many more seeds in those places through their droppings.
May 02, 2020
Virus-Infected Bees Practice Social Distancing
00:03:24
Bees infected with a virus cut back on interactions within their hive, but find it easier to get past sentries at neighboring hives.
May 01, 2020
New Data on Killer House Cats
00:03:23
Wild cats kill more animals than do domestics, but pet cats kill many more animals as do similarly-sized wild predators in a small area.
Apr 30, 2020
Science News Briefs from around the World
00:01:48
Here are a few brief reports about science and technology from around the planet, including one about what the eruption of Mount Vesuvius might have done to one ill-fated resident of Herculaneum.
Apr 29, 2020
Birds on Rhinos' Back Help Them Avoid Poachers
00:02:54
Oxpeckers riding on rhinos feast on ticks, and their calls warn the nearsighted herbivores about approaching humans.
Apr 22, 2020
Jane Goodall: We Can Learn from This Pandemic
00:02:48
In a teleconference promoting her participation in Earth Day events on the National Geographic Channel, Jane Goodall talked about what gives her hope during this pandemic, and what she hopes we all learn from it.
Apr 22, 2020
Our 3,000th Episode
00:02:26
Some "highlights" from the last 13.5 years of this podcast.
Apr 20, 2020
How Herbivore Herds Might Help Permafrost
00:03:03
Introducing herds of large herbivores in the Arctic would disturb surface snow, allowing cold air to reach the ground and keep the permafrost frosty.
Apr 17, 2020
Lung Cancer Screen Could Be Easy Pee-sy
00:03:24
In mice, a test for lung cancer involves nanoprobes that recognize tumors and send reporter molecules into the urine for simple analysis.
Apr 16, 2020
Obama Talks Some Science Policy
00:01:38
As he endorsed Joe Biden today, former President Obama touched upon some environmental, economic and science matters.
Apr 15, 2020
Red-Winged Blackbirds Understand Yellow Warbler Alarms
00:03:16
Researchers studying yellow warbler responses to the parasitic cowbird realized that red-winged blackbirds were eavesdropping and reacting too.
Apr 14, 2020
Waiter, What's This Worm Doing in My Sushi?
00:02:35
Well, it's probably there because the odds on it being so have gone way up in the last 40 years. But it's still much more of a health problem for whales and dolphins than for us.
Apr 10, 2020
What's a Narwhal's Tusk For?
00:02:57
Although the tusk can be a weapon, the variation in tusk size among animals of similar body size points to it being primarily a mating status signal.
Apr 09, 2020
Coronavirus Misinformation Is Its Own Deadly Condition
00:02:24
Pulitzer-winning Laurie Garrett, author of The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance, talks about the dangers of politicians offering coronavirus misinformation.
Apr 08, 2020
Coronavirus Can Infect Cats
00:03:23
Tigers and lions at the Bronx Zoo have tested positive for the virus, and studies show that house cats--but apparently not dogs--can become infected.
Apr 07, 2020
Squid's Glowing Skin Patterns May Be Code
00:02:53
Humboldt squid can rapidly change the pigmentation and luminescence patterns on their skin by contracting and relaxing their muscles, possibly to communicate. 
Apr 03, 2020
Bird Fossil Shared Earth with T. rex
00:02:41
Dating back 67 million years, this representative of the group of modern birds has been dubbed the Wonderchicken. [Not an April Fool's Day joke.]
Apr 02, 2020
City Birds: Big-Brained with Few Offspring or Small-Brained with a Lot
00:02:53
To make it in urban areas, birds tend to be either large-brained that produce few offspring or small-brained and extremely fertile. In natural habitats, most birds brains are of average size.
Apr 01, 2020
Coyotes Eat Everything from Fruits to Cats
00:03:16
The diets of coyotes varied widely depending on whether they were living in rural, suburban or urban environments--but pretty much anything is fair game.
Mar 31, 2020
Tiny Wormlike Creature May Be Our Oldest Known Ancestor
00:02:49
The bilateral organism crawled on the seafloor, taking in organic matter at one end and dumping the remains out the other some 555 million years ago.
Mar 30, 2020
Science News Briefs from around the Planet
00:02:18
Here are a few brief reports about science and technology from around the planet, including one about the discovery of an intact chicken egg dating to Roman Britain.
Mar 29, 2020
Help Researchers Track COVID-19
00:02:37
By entering your health status, even if you're feeling fine, at COVIDNearYou.org, you can help researchers develop a nationwide look at where hotspots of coronavirus are occurring.
Mar 27, 2020
Sick Vampire Bats Restrict Grooming to Close Family
00:02:55
When vampire bats feel sick they'll still engage in prosocial acts like sharing food with non-relatives, but they cut back on grooming anyone other than their closest kin.
Mar 26, 2020
Exponential Infection Increases Are Deadly Serious
00:04:26
Listen in as I use two calculators to track the difference in numbers of infections over a short period of time depending on how many people each infected individual on average infects.
Mar 25, 2020
Swamp Wallaby Reproduction Give Tribbles a Run
00:03:02
They're not born pregnant like tribbles, but swamp wallabies routinely get pregnant while pregnant.  
Mar 22, 2020
Ocean Plastic Smells Great to Sea Turtles
00:02:33
Ocean plastic gets covered with algae and other marine organisms, making it smell delicious to sea turtles--with potentially deadly results.   
Mar 20, 2020
Ancient Clam Shell Reveals Shorter Day Length
00:02:28
The growth layers in a 70-million-year-old clam shell indicate that a year back then had more than 370 days, with each day being only about 23.5 hours.
Mar 17, 2020
Snapping Shrimp Make More Noise in Warmer Oceans
00:02:23
As oceans heat up, the ubiquitous noise of snapping shrimp should increase, posing issues for other species and human seagoing ventures.
Mar 12, 2020
Stress from Undersea Noise Interferes with Crab Camouflage
00:02:59
In an example of how sea noise can harm species, exposed shore crabs changed camouflaging color sluggishly and were slower to flee from simulated predators.
Mar 11, 2020
Indigenous Amazonians Managed Valuable Plant Life
00:02:42
Studies on very old vegetation in the Amazon Basin show active management hundreds of years ago on species such as Brazil nut trees and cocoa trees.
Mar 04, 2020
Computers Confirm Beethoven's Influence
00:03:00
By breaking 900 classical piano compositions into musical chunks, researchers could track Ludwig van Beethoven’s influence on the composers who followed him. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Mar 03, 2020
Science News Briefs from around the World
00:02:33
Here are a few brief reports about science and technology from around the world, including one from off the California coast about the first heart rate measurement done on a blue whale.
Mar 02, 2020
Jet Altitude Changes Cut Climate-Changing Contrails
00:02:40
Increasing or decreasing the altitude of aircraft a few thousand feet to avoid thin layers of humidity could make a deep cut to contrails' contribution to climate change.
Feb 26, 2020
Thoroughbred Horses Are Increasingly Inbred
00:02:44
Inbreeding in Thoroughbreds has increased significantly in the last 45 years, with the greatest rise in the last 15 or so years.
Feb 25, 2020
Pablo Escobar's Hippos Could Endanger Colombian Ecology
00:02:51
Hippos that escaped from drug kingpin Pablo Escobar's private zoo are reproducing in the wild, and with increasing numbers could threaten ecosystems.
Feb 20, 2020
Wasp Nests Help Date Aboriginal Art
00:03:01
Art created by Australian Aboriginal people used organic carbon-free pigments, but wasp nests above or below the art can be used for radiocarbon dating that supplies boundaries for the age of artworks.
Feb 20, 2020
Industrial Revolution Pollution Found in Himalayan Glacier
00:03:00
Ice cores from a Tibetan glacier reveal the first deposits of Industrial Revolution pollution starting in layers deposited in about 1780.
Feb 18, 2020
Fight-or-Flight Nerves Make Mice Go Gray
00:02:31
A new study in mice concludes stress can cause gray hair—and credits overactive nerves with the change in hue. Karen Hopkin reports. 
Feb 15, 2020
Espresso May Be Better when Ground Coarser
00:03:30
A very fine grind can actually hamper espresso brewing, because particles may clump more than larger particles will.
Feb 14, 2020
Feral Dogs Respond to Human Hand Cues
00:03:02
Most feral dogs that did not run away from humans were able to respond to hand cues about the location of food, even without training.
Feb 11, 2020
Neandertals Tooled Around with Clams
00:02:36
Neandertals ate clams and then modified the hard shells into tools for cutting and scraping.   
Feb 08, 2020
Fingering Fake Whiskeys with Isotopes
00:02:28
Whiskies claimed to be from the 19th century are revealed to be made with much more recently grown barley thanks to the unique isotopic fingerprint of the nuclear testing era.  
Feb 07, 2020
Having an Albatross around Your Boat
00:02:15
By outfitting 169 albatrosses with GPS data loggers, scientists were able to track fishing boats apparently trying to hide their location. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Feb 06, 2020
Science News Briefs from All Over
00:02:08
A few brief reports about international science and technology from around the world, including one from Congo about a toad that has evolved coloring that makes it look like a deadly snake's head.
Feb 04, 2020
Facts about Groundhogs Other Than Their Poor Meteorology
00:03:06
Groundhogs are less accurate at weather forecasting than are coin flips, but they are nevertheless pretty interesting critters.
Feb 02, 2020
Did Animal Calls Start in the Dark?
00:02:04
One hypothesis says the ability to vocalize arose in nocturnal animals—and a new evolutionary analysis suggests there may be some truth to it. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Feb 01, 2020
Sign Languages Display Distinct Ancestries
00:03:00
Well more than 100 distinct sign languages exist worldwide, with each having features that made it possible for researchers to create an evolutionary tree of their lineages.
Jan 31, 2020
Docs Given Updated Opioid Prescribing Habit
00:02:14
Researchers dialed down the default number of opioids in two hospitals' prescription systems—and doctors ended up prescribing fewer pills. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 27, 2020
Some Wolf Pups Show Innate Fetching Talent
00:01:52
Some wolf pups will play fetch with a stranger, suggesting that an ability to playfully interact with people could have come before, and played a role in, dog domestication.
Jan 26, 2020
Barred Owls Invade the Sierra Nevada
00:02:49
By listening to the sounds of the forest, biologists were able to identify an invasion of barred owls in spotted owl habitat. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 25, 2020
Curiosity Killed the ... Mouse?
00:03:40
The cat parasite Toxoplasma gondii boosts curiosity in mice—which makes them more likely to be caught by cats, thus continuing the parasite’s life cycle. Karen Hopkin reports.
Jan 24, 2020
This Fish Knows How to Stick Around
00:02:15
The remora clings to other fish—and appears to use an unusual sense of touch to do so. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jan 17, 2020
Antarctic Is Ripe for Invasive Species
00:02:10
Mussels and crabs are two of the creatures most likely to invade Antarctica in the next 10 years, a panel of scientists say. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 16, 2020
Bacteria Helped Plants Evolve to Live on Land
00:02:34
Soil bacteria may have taken residence in early algae species, gifting the algae with the ability to withstand drier conditions on land. Annie Sneed reports.
Jan 14, 2020
Meteorite Contains Material Older Than Earth
00:02:25
The Murchison meteorite, which screamed to Earth 50 years ago, carried with it stardust that's seven billion years old. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jan 13, 2020
Loss of Large Mammals Stamps Out Invertebrates, Too
00:03:49
Hunted areas of Gabon have fewer large mammals and a thicker forest understory—but they also have fewer termites. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Jan 12, 2020
Brittle Stars Can "See" without Eyes
00:02:44
The starfish relatives can recognize patterns using photoreceptors on their arms—and their color-changing abilities could have something to do with it. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 10, 2020
Atlantic Puffins Spotted Using Tools
00:01:50
Scientists observed two Atlantic puffins using sticks to scratch themselves—the first known instance of seabirds using tools. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jan 08, 2020
Traffic Cameras Show Why the Yankees Should Suffer Fewer Injuries in 2020
00:02:56
The 2019 New York Yankees’ record number of injuries led to a change in training staff that will almost certainly correlate with, but not necessarily cause, a lower injury rate this coming season.  
Jan 07, 2020
Science News Briefs from around the Globe
00:01:52
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Indonesia to Spain, including one from Brazil about the highest voltage electric eel ever discovered.
Jan 06, 2020
Part of Real Paleo Diet: It's a Tuber
00:01:51
In South Africa archaeologists found the charred remains of a roasted root vegetable. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 04, 2020
You Traveled Far in 2019
00:01:28
Getting around the sun last year was some trip.
Jan 03, 2020
Fido's Human Age Gets New Estimates
00:02:16
By comparing how DNA gets altered over the lifetimes of people and dogs, researchers came up with a new way to compare canine years to human years.
Dec 27, 2019
Gift Wrapping Is Effective Future Trash
00:01:29
Research suggests people value gifts more when they have to unwrap them—but how to avoid all the wasted paper? Christopher Intagliata reports.
Dec 27, 2019
Superstrong Fibers Could Be Hairy Situation
00:02:54
Human hair tested stronger than thicker fibers from elephants, boars and giraffes, providing clues to materials scientists hoping to make superstrong synthetic fibers.
Dec 25, 2019
Flaky Scalps Have a Unique Fungal Microbiome
00:02:10
Certain species of bacteria and fungi seem to proliferate on dandruff-ridden scalps. The reason is a little more mysterious. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Dec 21, 2019
Moths Flee or Face Bats, Depending on Toxicity
00:02:46
Tiger moth species that contain bad tasting and toxic compounds are nonchalant in the presence of bats, while edible moth species evade their predators.
Dec 19, 2019
Ancient Seawall Found Submerged
00:01:54
In shallow waters off the coast of Israel, archaeologists have found entire villages—including one with a sunken seawall. Christopher Intagliata reports.  
Dec 19, 2019
Citizen Scientists Deserve Journal Status Upgrade
00:03:17
Here's an argument that citizen scientists deserve co-authorship on scientific journal papers to which they contributed research.
Dec 15, 2019
Not All Hydropower Is Climate-Considerate
00:02:33
While some hydropower facilities release almost no greenhouse gases, others can actually be worse than burning fossil fuels.
Dec 14, 2019
Certain Zip Codes Pick Losers
00:02:24
People in certain ZIP codes are more likely to purchase products that flop, buy homes that are poor investments, and pick political candidates who lose. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Dec 12, 2019
Linguists Hear an Accent Begin
00:03:04
Residents of an overwintering station in Antarctica provided linguists with evidence of the first small changes in speech that may signal the development of a new accent.
Dec 12, 2019
Romans Would Roam for Wood
00:01:52
Archaeologists unearthed wood from a Roman villa when digging Rome’s subway—and scientists determined the planks came all the way from France. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Dec 10, 2019
When the Bellbird Calls, You Know It
00:02:32
The white bellbird of the Amazon may be the loudest bird in the world.  
Dec 10, 2019
Fishy Trick Lures Life Back to Coral Reefs
00:01:53
Playing the sounds of a healthy reef near damaged corals may help bring the fish community back. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Dec 05, 2019
Rain Forest Dwellers and Urbanites Have Consistently Different Microbiomes
00:02:34
A study done in South America found that with increasing population density humans had more diversity of fungi on the skin but less microbial diversity in the gut.
Dec 04, 2019
Internet Cables Could Also Measure Quakes
00:01:49
The fiberoptic cables that connect the global internet could potentially be used as seismic sensors. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Dec 04, 2019
Science News Briefs from All Over
00:01:54
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Mexico to Tanzania, including one about the need to quarantine bananas in Colombia potentially infected by a fungus.
Dec 03, 2019
Subtle Ancient Footprints Come to Light
00:01:59
Ground penetrating radar can detect tiny density differences that lead to images of ancient footprints impossible to discern by eye.
Nov 30, 2019
Ancient Rock Art Got a Boost From Bacteria
00:02:23
Indigenous artists in what’s now British Columbia created pigments by cooking aquatic bacteria. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Nov 25, 2019
Ick Factor Is High Hurdle for Recycled Drinking Water
00:02:56
Recycled wastewater can be cleaner than bottled water, but people still avoid drinking it because of their disgust over its past condition.
Nov 25, 2019
Bots Outperform Humans if They Impersonate Us
00:02:36
Bots masquerading as humans in a game outperformed their human opponents—but the their superiority vanished when their machine identity was revealed. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Nov 22, 2019
Implanting Memories in Birds Reveals How Learning Happens
00:03:11
Researchers activated specific brain cells in zebra finches to teach them songs they'd ordinarily have to hear to learn.
Nov 21, 2019
Dogs Like Motion That Matches Sound
00:01:53
Pet dogs appeared more interested in videos of a bouncing ball when the motion of the ball matched a rising and falling tone. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Nov 20, 2019
Egyptian Vats 5,600 Years Old Were For Beer Brewing
00:02:55
Archaeologists working in the ancient city of Hierakonpolis discovered five ceramic vats containing residues consistent with brewing beer.
Nov 17, 2019
Famously Fickle Felines Are, in Fact, Clingy
00:02:51
Cats are clingier to their human owners than their reputation would suggest. Karen Hopkin reports. 
Nov 14, 2019
Aversion to Broccoli May Have Genetic Roots
00:01:57
Study subjects with a gene variant that heightened their sensitivity to bitterness tended to eat fewer vegetables than people who didn’t mind bitter flavors. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Nov 13, 2019
Marine Mammal Epidemic Linked to Climate Change
00:02:43
A measles-like virus is ricocheting through marine mammal populations in the Arctic—and melting sea ice might be to blame. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Nov 10, 2019
Ant Colonies Avoid Traffic Jams
00:02:36
Researchers tracked thousands of individual ants to determine how they move in vast numbers without stumbling into gridlock.
Nov 08, 2019
Ranking Rise May Intimidate Opponents
00:02:54
In an analysis of chess and tennis matches, players rising in the rankings did better than expected against higher-ranked opponents and better than similarly ranked players who were not rising.  
Nov 06, 2019
Familiar Tunes Rapidly Jog the Brain
00:03:06
Within just a third of a second of hearing a snippet of a familiar refrain, our pupils dilate and the brain shows signs of recognition. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Nov 06, 2019
Science News Briefs from around the Globe
00:02:15
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Brazil to Hong Kong, including one about male elephants in India exhibiting unusual social behaviors.
Nov 02, 2019
We Owe Our Pumpkins to Pooping Megafauna
00:02:36
The pumpkin's ancestor was an incredibly bitter, tennis-ball-sized squash—but it was apparently a common snack for mastodons. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Oct 31, 2019
Bird Egg Colors Are Influenced by Local Climate
00:01:50
In cold, northern climates, eggs tend to be darker and browner—heat-trapping colors that allow parents to spend a bit more time away from the nest. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 30, 2019
Crabs Do a Maze
00:01:54
Green crabs learned to navigate a maze without making a single wrong turn—and remembered the skill weeks later. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 29, 2019
Odd Bird Migrates Twice to Breed
00:02:55
The phainopepla migrates from southern California to the desert southwest to breed in the spring before flying to California coastal woodlands to breed again in summer.
Oct 24, 2019
Piranha-Proof Fish Gives Inspiration for Body Armor
00:02:31
A gigantic fish from the Amazon has incredibly tough scales—and materials scientists are looking to them for bulletproof inspiration. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Oct 24, 2019
Galloping Ant Beats Saharan Heat
00:02:34
The Saharan silver ant feeds on other insects that have died on the hot sands, which it traverses at breakneck (for an ant) speeds.
Oct 23, 2019
Some Mosquito Repellents Act like Invisibility Cloaks
00:02:01
Synthetic repellents like DEET seem to mask the scent of our "human perfume”—making us less obvious targets for mosquitoes. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 22, 2019
Your Skull Shapes Your Hearing
00:02:33
The resonant properties of your skull can amplify some frequencies and dampen others--and in some cases, affect your hearing. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 18, 2019
Tardigrade Protein Protects DNA from Chemical Attack
00:02:37
The Dsup protein protects DNA under conditions that create caustic free radical chemicals.
Oct 16, 2019
"Mars-quakes" Could Reveal How Mars Was Built
00:02:38
Rumblings on the Red Planet act like x-rays, allowing scientists to probe the hidden interior of Mars. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 16, 2019
Artificial Intelligence Learns to Talk Back to Bigots
00:02:20
Algorithms are already used to remove online hate speech. Now scientists have taught AI to respond—which they hope might spark more discourse. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Oct 11, 2019
Nobel in Chemistry for Lightweight Rechargeable Batteries
00:02:41
The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to John Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino “for the development of lithium-ion batteries.”
Oct 09, 2019
Nobel in Physics for Exoplanets and Cosmology
00:03:11
The 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics goes to James Peebles "for theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology" and to Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz "for the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a solar-type star."
Oct 08, 2019
Nobel in Physiology or Medicine for How Cells Sense Oxygen Levels
00:02:54
The 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine goes to William G. Kaelin Jr, Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe and Gregg L. Semenza “for their discoveries of how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability.” They identified molecular machinery that regulates gene activity in response to changing levels of oxygen.
Oct 07, 2019
Teeth Tell Black Death Genetic Tale
00:03:10
DNA from the teeth of medieval plague victims indicate that the pathogen likely first arrived in eastern Europe before spreading across the continent.
Oct 07, 2019
Tiny Worms Are Equipped to Battle Extreme Environments
00:02:15
Scientists found eight species of nematodes living in California's harsh Mono Lake—quintupling the number of animals known to live there. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Oct 05, 2019
Heat Changes Insect Call, but It Still Works
00:02:10
Tiny insects called treehoppers produce very different mating songs at higher versus lower temperatures, but the intended recipient still finds the changed songs attractive.
Oct 02, 2019
Corals Can Inherit Symbiotic Adaptations to Warming
00:01:56
Adult corals can reshuffle their symbiotic algae species to adapt to warming waters—and, it appears they can pass those adaptations on. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 02, 2019
Brains of Blind People Adapt in Similar Fashion
00:02:27
The brains of blind people repurpose the vision regions for adaptive hearing, and they appear to do so in a consistent way.
Oct 01, 2019
Science News Briefs from around the World
00:02:13
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Hungary to Japan, including one about a wine grape in France that DNA testing shows has been cultivated for almost a millennium.
Sep 29, 2019
Musical Note Perception Can Depend on Culture
00:02:51
Western ears consider a pitch at double the frequency of a lower pitch to be the same note, an octave higher. The Tsimane’, an indigenous people in the Bolivian Amazon basin, do not.
Sep 25, 2019
Nature Docs Avoid Habitat Destruction
00:02:21
BBC and Netflix nature documentaries consistently shy away from showing viewers the true extent to which we've damaged the planet. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Sep 25, 2019
Heat Loss to Night Sky Powers Off-Grid Lights
00:02:56
A slight temperature difference at night between a surface losing heat and the surrounding air can be harnessed to generate electricity to power lights.
Sep 19, 2019
Early Butchers Used Small Stone Scalpels
00:02:09
Homo erectus used hand axes to butcher elephants and other game. But a new study suggests they also used finer, more sophisticated blades. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Sep 18, 2019
Microplastics in Fresh Water Are Mostly Laundry Lint
00:02:05
Microplastic particles are everywhere, but in freshwater systems, 60 percent of particles are clothing lint from laundry.
Sep 17, 2019
Kids Are Not Hurt by Screen Time
00:03:01
A study finds no deleterious effects on mental health when kids spend their leisure time texting and engaging in other online activities.
Sep 16, 2019
Lab-Grown Human Mini Brains Show Brainy Activity
00:02:54
As the little structures grow, their constituents specialize into different types of brain cells, begin to form connections and emit brain waves. They could be useful models for development and neurological conditions.
Sep 13, 2019
Eavesdropping Puts Anxious Squirrels at Ease
00:02:22
Squirrels constantly scan their surroundings for hawks, owls and other predators. But they also surveil for threats by eavesdropping on bird chatter. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Sep 13, 2019
Earth's Magnetic Field Initiated a Pole Flip Many Millennia before the Switch
00:02:47
Lava flow records and sedimentary and Antarctic ice core data show evidence of planetary magnetic field activity 20,000 years before the beginning of the last pole reversal.
Sep 12, 2019
Humpback Whales Swap Songs at Island Hub
00:02:30
At the Kermadec Islands, humpbacks from all over the South Pacific converge and swap songs. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Sep 11, 2019
Food Expiration Dates May Mislead Consumers
00:03:02
Better food labeling could prevent people from throwing away a lot of "expired" food that's still perfectly edible.
Sep 09, 2019
Farmland Is Also Optimal for Solar Power
00:02:29
The conditions of sunlight, temperature, humidity and wind that make cropland good for agriculture also maximize solar panel efficiency.
Sep 05, 2019
Chemical Tweak Recycles Polyurethane into Glue
00:01:43
It’s not easy to recycle polyurethane, so it’s usually tossed out or burned. But a chemical tweak can turn polyurethane into glue. Christine Herman reports. 
Sep 05, 2019
Cholesterol Climbs after Crows Chomp Cheeseburgers
00:02:52
Wild animals that live near humans have higher cholesterol than their rural counterparts - and our food could be to blame. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Sep 03, 2019
How Hurricanes Influence Spider Aggressiveness
00:02:40
As Hurricane Dorian approaches Florida, consider that feeding style means that aggressive tangle-web spider colonies produce more offspring after severe weather, while docile colonies do better in calm conditions.
Aug 30, 2019
Graphene Garment Blocks Blood-Sucking Skeeters
00:02:25
A small patch of graphene on human skin seemed to block the mosquitoes' ability to sense certain molecules that trigger a bite. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 28, 2019
Martian Winds Could Spread Microbe Hitchhikers
00:01:58
Microbes fly tens of miles over Chile’s dry, UV-blasted Atacama desert—and scientists say the same could happen on Mars. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Aug 26, 2019
Including Indigenous Voices in Genomics
00:02:58
A program at the University of Illinois trains Indigenous scientists in genomics—in hopes that future work will be aimed at benefiting those communities. Christine Herman reports. 
Aug 22, 2019
West Point Uniforms Signify Explosive Chemistry
00:03:05
U.S. Military Academy cadets wear the colors black, gray and gold for reasons found in gunpowder's chemistry.
Aug 20, 2019
Secrets of the Universe Trapped in Antarctic Snow
00:02:03
Scientists found an interstellar iron isotope in Antarctic snow samples—which hints that our region of the universe may be the remnant of an ancient exploding star. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Aug 14, 2019
Certain Personality Types Are Likely to Make a "Foodie Call"
00:02:20
Some people go on dates just to score a free meal—a phenomenon known as a ‘foodie call.’ But it takes a certain personality type. Karen Hopkin reports. 
Aug 13, 2019
Artificial Intelligence Sniffs Out Unsafe Foods
00:01:58
Researchers trained machine learning algorithms to read Amazon reviews for hints that a food product would be recalled by the FDA. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 12, 2019
A Computer Tells Real Smiles from Phonies
00:01:51
Slight changes around the eyes are indeed a giveaway as to whether a smile is sincere or faked.
Aug 09, 2019
Stare Down Gulls to Avoid Lunch Loss
00:02:02
Researchers slowed the approach of greedy gulls by an average of 21 seconds by staring at the birds versus looking elsewhere. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 08, 2019
Real Laughs Motivate More Guffaws
00:02:42
Honest, involuntary laughter cued people to themselves laugh more at some really bad jokes than they did when hearing forced laughter.
Aug 08, 2019
Extinction Wipes Out Evolution's Hard Work
00:02:03
By killing off many of New Zealand's endemic birds, humans destroyed 50 million years' worth of evolutionary history. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Aug 06, 2019
London Is Crawling with Drug-Resistant Microbes
00:01:34
Nearly half of bacteria gathered in public settings around the city were resistant to two or more commonly used antibiotics, like penicillin and erythromycin. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 03, 2019
Male Black Widows Poach Rivals' Approaches
00:01:55
Mating is risky business for black widow males - so they hitchhike on the silk threads left by competitors to more quickly find a mate. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 02, 2019
Babies Want Fair Leaders
00:02:56
Babies as young as a year and a half want leaders to fix situations in which they see someone else being treated unfairly.
Jul 31, 2019
Parrots Are Making the U.S. Home
00:02:32
Released or escaped parrots are now living in most states and are breeding in at least 21. For some, it’s a second chance at survival.
Jul 31, 2019
Science News Briefs from All Over
00:02:14
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Guatemala to Australia, including one about the first recorded tornado in Nepal.
Jul 30, 2019
Tourist Photographs Help African Wildlife Census
00:02:15
Photos snapped by safari tourists are a surprisingly accurate way to assess populations of African carnivores. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jul 25, 2019
For Ants, the Sky's the Compass
00:02:03
Computer modeling revealed that insects with a celestial compass can likely determine direction down to just a couple degrees of error. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jul 24, 2019
Why Two Moonships Were Better Than One
00:02:35
Engineer John Houbolt pushed for a smaller ship to land on the lunar surface while the command module stayed in orbit around the moon.
Jul 20, 2019
One Small Scoop, One Giant Impact for Mankind
00:03:46
Just before Neil Armstrong climbed back into the lunar module, he scooped up a few last-minute soil samples--which upturned our understanding of planetary formation. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jul 20, 2019
Investigating the Zombie Ant's "Death Grip"
00:01:44
Researchers dissected the jaws of ants infected with the  Ophiocordyceps  fungus to determine how the fungus hijacks the ants' behavior. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jul 19, 2019
Attractive Young Females May Have Justice Edge
00:02:38
Youths rated as attractive were less likely to have negative encounters with the criminal justice system—but only if they were women. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jul 16, 2019
Tobacco Plants Made to Produce Useful Compounds
00:02:45
A proof-of-concept study got transgenic tobacco plants to make a useful enzyme in their chloroplasts, not nuclei, minimizing chances for transfer to other organisms.
Jul 15, 2019
Rhinos and Their Gamekeepers Benefit from AI
00:03:36
Starting in 2017, an artificial intelligence monitoring system at the Welgevonden Game Reserve in South Africa has been helping to protect rhinos and their caretakers.  
Jul 12, 2019
Backpack Harvests Energy as You Walk
00:01:41
The pack produces a steady trickle of electricity from the swinging motion of your stuff. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jul 11, 2019
Why Baseballs Are Flying in 2019
00:02:50
An analysis of the 2019 edition of the Major League baseball points to reasons why it's leaving ballparks at a record rate.
Jul 09, 2019
Some Hot Dog Histology
00:01:58
A lab analysis found that even an all-beef frankfurter had very little skeletal muscle, or "meat." So what’s in there? Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Jul 04, 2019
Mind and Body Benefit from Two Hours in Nature Each Week
00:02:38
People who spent at least two hours outside—either all at once or totaled over several shorter visits—were more likely to report good health and psychological well-being. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Jul 02, 2019
Scientist Encourages Other Women Scientists to Make Themselves Heard
00:02:35
Geneticist Natalie Telis noticed few women asking questions at scientific conferences. So she publicized the problem and set about to make a change. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jun 30, 2019
Male Bats Up Mating Odds with Mouth Morsels
00:02:14
Males that allow females to take food right out of their mouths are more likely to sire offspring with their dining companions.
Jun 27, 2019
Scientists Fool Flies with "Virtual Tastes"
00:02:18
By switching fruit flies' sensory neurons on and off with light, scientists were able to create the sensation of sweet or bitter tastes. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jun 27, 2019
Wheat Plants "Sneeze" and Spread Disease
00:01:57
Wheat plants' leaves repel water, which creates the perfect conditions for dew droplets to catapult off the leaves—taking pathogenic spores for the ride. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jun 26, 2019
Elite Runners' Microbes Make Mice Mightier
00:03:25
Mice that were fed bacteria isolated from elite athletes logged more treadmill time than other mice that got bacteria found in yogurt.
Jun 25, 2019
Science News Briefs from around the World
00:02:17
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Canada to Kenya, including one about how humans thousands of years ago in what is now Argentina butchered and presumably ate giant ground sloths.
Jun 24, 2019
Antiperspirant Boosts Armpit and Toe-Web Microbial Diversity
00:01:56
Rather than wiping microbes out, antiperspirants and foot powders increased the diversity of microbial flora in armpits and between toes. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jun 22, 2019
Monkey Cousins Use Similar Calls
00:02:10
Two monkey species who last shared a common ancestor 3 million years ago have "eerily similar" alarm calls.
Jun 18, 2019
How Millipedes Avoid Interspecies Sexual Slips
00:03:10
Millipedes, often blind, have come up with clever physical signals to ward off sexual advances from members of wrong species.
Jun 16, 2019
You Contain Multitudes of Microplastics
00:02:37
People appear to consume between 74,000 and 121,000 microplastic particles annually, and that's probably a gross underestimate.
Jun 13, 2019
A Biodegradable Label Doesn't Make It So
00:03:05
At the third Scientific American “Science on the Hill” event, “Solving the Plastic Waste Problem”, one of the issues discussed by experts on Capitol Hill was biodegradability.   
Jun 13, 2019
High School Cheaters Nabbed by Neural Network
00:01:55
Researchers trained a neural network to scrutinize high school essays and sniff out ghostwritten papers. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jun 06, 2019
Preserved Poop Is an Archaeological Treasure
00:01:46
Anthropologists found parasite eggs in ancient poop samples, providing a glimpse of human health as hunter-gatherers transitioned to settlements. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jun 05, 2019
Remembering Murray Gell-Mann
00:02:11
Murray Gell-Mann, 1969 Nobel Laureate in Physics who identified the quark, died May 24th.
Jun 04, 2019
Bonobo Mothers Supervise Their Sons' Monkey Business
00:02:18
Some wild female bonobos introduce their sons to desirable females—then make sure their relations won’t be interrupted by competing males. Karen Hopkin reports. 
May 30, 2019
Music May Orchestrate Better Brain Connectivity in Preterm Infants
00:02:38
Preterm babies who listened to music in the neonatal intensive care unit had brain activity that more closely resembled that of full-term babies. Christopher Intagliata reports.
May 29, 2019
Icy Room Temperatures May Chill Productivity

00:02:06
A new study suggests women's performance on math and verbal tasks increases as room temperature rises, up to about the mid 70s F. Christopher Intagliata reports.
May 24, 2019
Bird Beak Shapes Depend on More Than Diet
00:01:57
A study found that only a small percentage of bird beak shape variation is dependent on diet, with other factors like display and nest construction probably playing parts too.
May 22, 2019
Ancient Gum Gives Archaeologists Something to Chew On
00:02:27
Chewing gums discovered in western Sweden contain the oldest human DNA found in Scandinavia. Christopher Intagliata reports.
May 21, 2019
Nobelist: Harness Evolution as a Problem-Solving Algorithm
00:02:37
Frances Arnold, the CalTech scientist who shared the 2018 Prize in Chemistry, says evolution can show us how to solve problems of sustainability.
May 17, 2019
Unread Books at Home Still Spark Literacy Habits
00:02:45
Growing up in a home filled with books enhances enhances intellectual capacity in later life, even if you don't read them all.
May 16, 2019
Kid Climate Educators Open Adult Eyes
00:02:58
A study finds that kids, especially daughters, are effective at teaching their parents about climate issues.
May 15, 2019
Penguin Poop Helps Biodiversity Bloom in Antarctica
00:01:46
Ammonia from penguin poop gets carried on Antarctic winds, fertilizing mosses and lichens as far as a mile away. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
May 15, 2019
Ancient Whiz Opens Archaeology Window
00:02:58
The residue of ancient urine can reveal the presence of early, stationary herder-farmer communities.
May 13, 2019
U.S. Coral Reefs Do $1.8 Billion of Work Per Year
00:02:00
By dampening the energy of waves, coral reefs protect coastal cities from flooding damage and other economic losses. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
May 09, 2019
Could Air-Conditioners Help Cool the Planet?
00:01:38
Researchers want to outfit air conditioners with carbon-capture technology. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
May 06, 2019
Chemists Investigate Casanova's Clap
00:02:48
In his memoirs, the womanizing writer Giacomo Casanova described suffering several bouts of gonorrhea—but researchers found no trace of the microbe on his handwritten journals. Karen Hopkin reports.
May 03, 2019
Software Sniffs Out Rat Squeaks
00:02:30
Algorithms learned to sift ultrasonic rat squeaks from other noise, which could help researchers who study rodents’ emotional states. Lucy Huang reports. 
May 02, 2019
New Model Aims to Solve Mystery of the Moon's Formation
00:02:08
Scientists propose that the moon could have formed when a Mars-sized object slammed into an Earth covered in magma seas. Christopher Intagliata reports.
May 01, 2019
Cats Recognize Their Names—but May Not Respond
00:02:15
Felines move their ears, heads and tails more when they hear their names compared to when they hear similar words. Jim Daley reports.
Apr 30, 2019
Science News Briefs from All Over
00:02:18
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Liberia to Hawaii, including one on the discovery in Northern Ireland of soil bacteria that stop the growth of MRSA and other superbugs.
Apr 27, 2019
Hurricane Maria Rain Amount Chances Are Boosted by Climate Change
00:03:11
The likelihood of an event like Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, and of its massive precipitation, is five-fold higher in the climate of today than it would have been some 60 years ago.
Apr 26, 2019
Harder-Working Snakes Pack Stronger Venom
00:02:46
Snake venom toxicity depends on snake size, energy requirements and environmental dimensionality more than on prey size.
Apr 26, 2019
River Dolphins Have a Wide Vocal Repertoire
00:01:55
Freshwater dolphins are evolutionary relics, and their calls give clues to the origins of cetacean communication in general. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Apr 25, 2019
Honeybees Can Put Two and Two Together
00:02:02
The tiny brain of a honeybee is apparently able to calculate small numbers' addition and subtraction. Annie Sneed reports.
Apr 24, 2019
4/20 Traffic Accidents Claim Curbed
00:03:23
A deeper data dive calls into question a 2018 study that found a spike in fatal traffic accidents apparently related to marijuana consumption on this date.  
Apr 20, 2019
Hyena Society Stability Has Last Laugh
00:02:28
Female hyenas keep their clans in line by virtue of their complex social networks. Jason G. Goldman reports. 
Apr 20, 2019
Gluten-Free Restaurant Foods Are Often Mislabeled
00:01:38
One in three gluten-free dishes tested at restaurants contained gluten—especially GF pizzas and pastas. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Apr 19, 2019
What Chickens Can Teach Hearing Researchers
00:03:17
At an event honoring Nobel and Kavli Prize winners, neuroscientists James Hudspeth and Robert Fettiplace talked about the physiology of hearing and the possibility of restoring hearing loss.  
Apr 18, 2019
Nobelist Says System of Science Offers Life Lessons
00:03:13
At an event honoring Nobel and Kavli Prize winners, economist Paul Romer talked about how the social system of science offers hope for humanity and for how we can live with each other.
Apr 16, 2019
Squeezed Potassium Atoms Straddle Liquid and Solid
00:01:28
At extreme pressures, potassium atoms can be both liquid and solid at the same time, a phase of matter known as "chain melt." Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Apr 13, 2019
Urban Coyote Evolution Favors the Bold
00:03:04
Coyotes become fearless around people in just a few generations—which isn’t good for their longterm co-existence with humans in cities. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Apr 12, 2019
Computers Turn an Ear on New York City
00:02:09
NYU’s “Sounds of New York City” project listens to the city—and then, with the help of citizen scientists, teaches machines to decode the soundscape. Jim Daley reports. 
Apr 11, 2019
Whitening Strips Alter Proteins in Teeth
00:01:47
Hydrogen peroxide in whitening treatments penetrates enamel and dentin, and alters tooth proteins. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Apr 09, 2019
Infrared Light Offers a Cooler Way to Defrost
00:02:25
Light tuned to a specific frequency warms ice more than water—which could come in handy for defrosting delicate biological samples. Adam Levy reports.
Apr 08, 2019
Spider Monkeys Optimize Jungle Acoustics
00:01:32
The monkeys lower the pitch of their "whinnies" when they're far from the rest of their group, which might help the calls travel further through jungle foliage. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Apr 05, 2019
Tennessee Whiskey Relies on Missing Ingredients
00:02:24
Food chemists precisely measured how charcoal filtration contributes to Tennessee whiskey's smoother flavor. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Apr 03, 2019
There's a Word for Today
00:01:52
English lacks some words that other languages pack with meaning.
Apr 01, 2019
Bumblebee Queens Prefer Layovers to Nonstop Flights
00:02:03
Scientists tracked bumblebee queens with radar when they emerged from hibernation and found the bees take only brief flights en route to a new nest. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Mar 29, 2019
Scenic City Sights Linked to Higher Happiness
00:02:13
Tracking the location and mood of 15,000 people, researchers found that scenic beauty was linked to happiness—including near urban sights like bridges and buildings. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Mar 27, 2019
Tech's Brain Effect: It's Complicated
00:02:22
We don't yet know what the immersion in technology does to our brains, but one neuroscientist says the answer is likely to be that there's good, there's bad, and it's complex.
Mar 26, 2019
Daylight Brings Toxic Beetles Together for Safety
00:02:34
During daylight hours, hundreds of bombardier beetles of multiple species will congregate together to more effectively ward off any predators not afraid of a lone beetle's toxic spray.
Mar 23, 2019
Solar Jets Cause Standing Waves in Earth's Magnetic Field
00:02:58
When jets of charged particles from the sun hit our magnetosphere, some of the ensuing ripples travel toward the northern and southern poles and get reflected back. The resulting interference allows standing waves to form, like on a drumhead.
Mar 19, 2019
Sing Solo for Higher Fidelity
00:02:32
By tracking duetting choir singers, researchers found that when an individual singer's pitch drifts off tune their partner’s tend to too. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Mar 19, 2019
Edible Insect Breeding Led to Larger but Not Necessarily Better Larvae
00:02:09
Researchers aiming to lower the cost of mealworms were able to double the worms' size, but the larger larvae had fewer eggs and weaker offspring. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Mar 15, 2019
Busting Earth-Bound Asteroids a Bigger Job Than We Thought
00:02:21
A new model suggests smashing killer space rocks with insufficient force could let gravity pull the pieces back together. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Mar 12, 2019
Weekday–Weekend Sleep Imbalance Bad for Blood Sugar Regulation
00:02:48
Weekday sleep deprivation with weekend make-up sleeping seems to be worse for blood sugar control than even chronic sleep deprivation alone.
Mar 11, 2019
Warm-Blooded Animals Lost Ability to Heal the Heart
00:02:45
Thyroid hormone, which helps warm-blooded animals regulate body temperature, also appears to put a halt on heart regeneration. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Mar 08, 2019
Animal Migrations Track with Wikipedia Searches
00:02:12
By analyzing nearly 2.5 billion Wikipedia page views, researchers found species searches reflect seasonal animal migrations and plant blooming. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Mar 06, 2019
Baseball Commish Talks Big Data
00:02:23
At a sports technology conference, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred addressed issues including an automated strike zone and advanced analytics.
Mar 05, 2019
Background Music Might Stifle Creativity
00:02:49
Volunteers who listened to music solved fewer word puzzles than others who worked in silence. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Mar 04, 2019
Science News Briefs from around the Globe
00:02:08
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Greenland to Palau, including one on the discovery of a trove of mummified cats in Egypt.
Mar 04, 2019
Budding Yeast Produce Cannabis Compounds
00:02:25
Biologists have taken the genes that produce cannabinoids in weed and plugged them into yeast, making rare and novel compounds more accessible. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Mar 01, 2019
Who Has "the Right Stuff" for Mars?
00:02:43
Humans traveling to Mars will be required to operate with a degree of autonomy human astronauts have never had, due to communication delays. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Feb 26, 2019
Grandma's Influence Is Good for Grandkids
00:02:29
Grandmothers can enhance the survival of grandchildren. That is, unless grandma’s too old or lives too far away. Karen Hopkin reports.
Feb 25, 2019
Should Robots Have a License to Kill?
00:02:44
Artificial intelligence experts, ethicists and diplomats debate autonomous weapons. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Feb 23, 2019
Warming Climate Implies More Flies—and Disease
00:02:20
The incidence of foodborne illness could jump in a warming world, due to an increase in housefly activity. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Feb 21, 2019
Light-Skin Variant Arose in Asia Independent of Europe
00:02:54
A new genetic study of Latin Americans provides evidence that gene variants for lighter skin color came about in Asia as well as in Europe. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Feb 19, 2019
Teach Science Process over Findings
00:02:21
Seismologist and policy advisor Lucy Jones says science education needs to teach how science works more than just what it finds out.
Feb 19, 2019
Human Diet Drugs Kill Mosquitoes' Appetite, Too
00:02:30
When researchers fed mosquitoes a drug used to treat people for obesity, the insects were less interested in hunting for their next human meal ticket. Karen Hopkin reports.
Feb 16, 2019
Grazing Deer Alter Forest Acoustics
00:02:17
Deer populations have exploded in North American woodlands, changing forest ecology—and how sounds, like birdsong, travel through the trees. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Feb 15, 2019
Elephant Weight Cycles with New Teeth
00:03:19
Elephants have six sets of teeth over their lives, sometimes two sets at once. At those times, they can extract more nutrition from food and put on weight.
Feb 15, 2019
Finally Over for Mars Rover
00:01:51
The rover Opportunity has called it quits after working for more than 14 years on Mars.
Feb 13, 2019
Our Brains Really Remember Some Pop Music
00:03:20
Although millennials' memory of recent pop tunes drops quickly, their ability to identify top hits from the 1960s through 1990s remains moderately high. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Feb 12, 2019
Biologists Track Tweets to Monitor Birds
00:02:05
Conservation biologists can track the whereabouts of endangered species by the sounds they make, avoiding cumbersome trackers and tags. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Feb 09, 2019
Desalination Could Cause Ecological Sea Change
00:02:33
An environmental assessment of the nation's largest desalination plant finds mixed results. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Feb 07, 2019
Different Humpback Whale Groups Meet to Jam
00:03:30
Humpback populations from the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet up south of Africa and trade song stylings.
Feb 07, 2019
Targeting Certain Brain Cells Can Switch Off Pain
00:02:24
By turning off certain brain cells, researchers were able to make mice sense painful stimuli—but not the associated discomfort. Karen Hopkin reports.
Feb 04, 2019
Neandertal Spears Were Surprisingly Deadly
00:02:49
Javelin throwers chucking replicas of Neandertal spears were able to hit targets farther away, and with greater force than previously thought to be possible. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 31, 2019
"Rectenna" Converts Wi-Fi to Electricity
00:01:53
Researchers built a small, flexible device that harvests wi-fi, bluetooth and cellular signals, and turns them into DC electricity. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 30, 2019
Science News Briefs from the World Over
00:02:13
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Papua New Guinea to Kazakhstan, including one on the slow slide of Mount Etna in Italy.
Jan 29, 2019
Cod Could Cope with Constrained Climate Change
00:03:22
Cod egg survival stays high with limited warming, but plummets when the temperature rises a few degrees Celsius in their current spawning grounds.
Jan 28, 2019
Intimate Hermit Crab Keeps Shell On
00:02:29
A species of hermit crab appears to have evolved a large penis to enable intercourse without leaving, and thus possibly losing, its adopted shell.
Jan 26, 2019
Ecologists Eavesdrop with Bioacoustics
00:02:27
By coupling audio recordings with satellite data and camera traps, ecologists can keep their eyes—and ears—on protected tropical forests. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 24, 2019
Saturn's Blingy Rings Are a Recent Upgrade
00:02:12
Though Saturn formed about 4.5 billion years ago, its rings were added relatively recently—only 100 million to 10 million years ago. Karen Hopkin reports. 
Jan 24, 2019
Do-Gooders Should Survey Communities First
00:03:29
Detroit residents declined an offer of free street trees—but were more willing to accept them if they had a say in the type of tree. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Jan 23, 2019
Viewing This Weekend's Lunar Eclipse
00:02:50
A total lunar eclipse will grace the skies this Sunday, January 20—and it may or may not be red. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 19, 2019
"Mona Lisa Effect" Not True for Mona Lisa
00:02:01
The Mona Lisa effect is the illusion that the subject of a painting follows you with her gaze, despite where you stand. But da Vinci's famous painting doesn't have that quality. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 18, 2019
Ants Stick to Cliques to Dodge Disease
00:02:31
Ants infected with fungal pathogens steer clear of other cliques within the colony—avoiding wider infection, and allowing for a sort of immunity. Lucy Huang reports. 
Jan 16, 2019
Mistimed Migration Means Bird Death Battles
00:01:57
Climate change is shifting population numbers and nest building by resident and migratory birds in Europe—sometimes leading to deadly conflict. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 13, 2019
Monogamy May Be Written in Our Genes
00:03:18
In animal studies, a set of 24 genes involved in neural development, learning and memory, and cognition, seem to be associated with monogamy. Karen Hopkin reports.
Jan 12, 2019
Seeing Superman Increases Altruism
00:02:57
Subject who saw a Superman poster were more likely to offer help than were people who saw another image.
Jan 10, 2019
Inhaled RNA Might Help Heal Cystic Fibrosis
00:02:03
Scientists are working to correct a genetic defect in cystic fibrosis patients by having them inhale RNA. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 09, 2019
Invisible Killers Hitchhike on Native Plant Seedlings
00:02:17
More than a quarter of the seedlings sampled at native plant nurseries were infected with pathogens—which could hamper restoration work. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 05, 2019
Facebook Users Value the Service More Than Investors Do
00:02:12
Users of the social network said they'd require payment of more than $1,000 to quit the platform for one year. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 03, 2019
Science News from around the Planet
00:02:23
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Germany to Rwanda, including one on the discovery of the world's oldest known brewery, discovered in Israel.
Dec 31, 2018
Turn Xmas Tree into Food and Medicine
00:01:43
Pine needles can easily be broken down into sugars as well as the building blocks of paint, adhesives and medicines. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Dec 30, 2018
Simple Sugars Wipe Out Beneficial Gut Bugs
00:02:01
Fructose and sucrose can make it all the way to the colon, where they spell a sugary death sentence for beneficial bacteria. Karen Hopkin reports.
Dec 27, 2018
Smarter Pricing Could Ease Parking Frustration
00:02:07
A new algorithm raises parking rates in busy neighborhoods and lowers them elsewhere, guaranteeing free parking spots regardless of location. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Dec 27, 2018
"Hunger Hormone" Ghrelin Aids Overindulgence
00:01:59
Ghrelin, the hormone that makes you hungry, also makes food, and food smells, irresistibly appealing. Karen Hopkin reports. 
Dec 25, 2018
Colorful Peacocks Impress Females with Good Vibes
00:02:56
Peafowls' head crests are specifically tuned to the vibrations produced by feather-rattling male peacocks, thus acting as a sort of antenna. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Dec 24, 2018
Measuring the Strength of a Person's Gaze
00:02:05
A new study suggests that, unconsciously, we actually do believe that looking exerts a slight force on the things being looked at. Karen Hopkin reports.
Dec 24, 2018
"Relaxation Music" Works—but So Does Chopin
00:02:22
So-called "relaxation music" is only about as effective as a soothing Chopin piece at lulling listeners into a relaxed state. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Dec 22, 2018
Bone Building Needs Bit of Breakdown First
00:02:32
The hormone irisin encourages bone remodeling, in part by first triggering another substance that encourages some bone breakdown.
Dec 21, 2018
Frog Picks Maternity Ward Like Goldilocks
00:02:36
The Bahia's broad-snout casque-headed tree frog needs a pool to raise its young that's just right.
Dec 20, 2018
You Gotta Scratch That Itch
00:02:16
A particular set of brain neurons may be behind registering itch and inducing us to scratch.
Dec 19, 2018
Join Blue Planet II Live-Tweet
00:01:27
Starting December 16, ocean scientists will live-tweet the BBC documentary series Blue Planet II, available via Netflix.
Dec 14, 2018
Big-Boned Chickens May Be Humans' Geologic Legacy
00:02:21
Millions of years from now, the geologic record of the "Anthropocene" will be littered with plastics, yes, but also chicken bones. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Dec 13, 2018
Ancient Marine Reptiles Had Familiar Gear
00:02:07
Ichthyosaurs had traits in common with turtles and modern marine mammals, like blubber and countershading camouflage. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Dec 12, 2018
Little Aphids Ride Big Ones to Safety
00:02:49
When trouble lurks, juvenile aphids drop off of the plants they're eating and hitch a ride on bigger aphid escapees.
Dec 12, 2018
Utah's Deserts Are Bee Hotspots 
00:02:08
The Trump administration is shrinking Utah's desert monuments, stripping some federal protections for wild pollinators. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Dec 09, 2018
Who's a Smart Dog?!
00:03:03
An estimate of dog intelligence requires looking at non-dogs as well to understand what's special to canines and what is just typical of the taxonomic groups they're in.
Dec 07, 2018
Data Reveals Most Influential Movies
00:01:53
By analyzing the network connections between 47,000 films on IMDb, researchers found the most influential films ever made. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Dec 06, 2018
Blue Whales Have Changed Their Tune
00:02:32
In the last few decades blue whale calls have been getting lower in pitch—and a rebound in their numbers may be the reason. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Dec 01, 2018
Smart Meters Speed Showers
00:02:14
Smart meters on showerheads encouraged hotel guests to conserve—even though they personally saved no money. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Nov 27, 2018
Mars Mission Makes Clean Landing
00:03:09
The sounds of the Mars InSight Mission control room during the tense minutes leading to the landing on the surface.
Nov 26, 2018
Do Wine over Those Brussels Sprouts
00:01:39
Taking a swig of red wine before eating Brussels sprouts appears to moderate Brussels sprouts' polarizing flavor. Christopher Intagliata reports
Nov 22, 2018
Rains Bring a Microbial Massacre to Chilean Desert
00:01:56
Freak heavy rainstorms in 2015 and 2017 wiped out many dry-adapted microbes in the Atacama Desert, useful info in the search for life off Earth. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Nov 20, 2018
Consensual Hugs Seem to Reduce Stress
00:02:13
People who had a conflict in a given day but also got hugged were not as affected by the negative interaction as were their unhugged counterparts.  
Nov 18, 2018
World's Largest Organism Faces Bleak Future
00:03:19
The single organism that is the Utah aspen grove known as Pando is on the decline due to herbivores wiping out its youngest tree outgrowths
Nov 17, 2018
U.S. Immigrants Leave Country—and Microbes—Behind
00:02:15
Immigrants to the U.S. lose their native mix of gut microbes almost immediately after arriving in the U.S.—which researchers can't quite explain. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Nov 15, 2018
Science News Briefs from All over
00:02:08
A few very brief reports about international science and technology from Alaska to Indonesia, including one on offshore dairy farming from the Netherlands.
Nov 14, 2018
Babies and Chimps Share a Laugh
00:02:09
Adult humans laugh primarily on the exhale, but human babies laugh on the inhale and the exhale—as do chimps. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Nov 11, 2018
Singing Fish Reveal Underwater Battles in the Amazon
00:02:03
Researchers recorded piranha "honks" and catfish "screeches" in the Peruvian Amazon, which might illuminate fish activity in murky jungle waters. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Nov 09, 2018
Social Construct of Race Imposes Biology
00:02:34
Anthropologist Jennifer Raff argues that race is culturally created, but has biological consequences.
Nov 08, 2018
Pandas Swoon to Particular Croons
00:01:28
Listening to the sounds panda pairs make when they're introduced could lead to better breeding success. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Nov 07, 2018
First Benefit of Knowing Your Genome
00:01:31
The "low hanging fruit" of genome-related health care will be knowing which drugs are likely to treat you best, says science journalist Carl Zimmer.
Nov 02, 2018
For Halloween, Consider the Chocolate Midge
00:02:10
A tiny fly, related to biting no-see-ums, pollinates cacao trees and enables our chocolate cravings. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 31, 2018
Dolphins Dumb Down Calls to Compete with Ship Noise
00:02:02
Bottlenose dolphins simplify and raise the pitch of their whistles to be heard above underwater shipping noise. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Oct 30, 2018
Asocial Octopuses Become Cuddly on MDMA
00:03:31
Octopuses react to MDMA much like humans do. And not surprisingly, given their anatomy, the animals are excellent huggers. Annie Sneed reports.
Oct 22, 2018
Science News Briefs from around the Globe
00:02:11
A few very brief reports about science and technology from around the globe, including one from Mongolia on horse dentistry.
Oct 21, 2018
Wild Songbirds Can Pick Up New Tunes
00:03:23
Researchers taught two dozen wild sparrows new songs, by playing them the recordings of sparrows that live thousands of miles away. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Oct 19, 2018
Health Care Let Neandertals "Punch above Their Weight"
00:01:29
By caring for their sick and injured, Neandertals were able to expand into more dangerous environments and pursue more deadly prey. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 18, 2018
Nice People Have Emptier Wallets
00:02:15
A study correlating personality traits with financial data found that agreeable people had lower savings, higher debt and higher bankruptcy rates. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 16, 2018
Solar Eclipse Was a Buzzkill for Bees
00:01:58
Bees suddenly fell silent when the sun disappeared during last year's solar eclipse—perhaps because they were tricked into night mode. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 13, 2018
Confident Tone Overcomes Accent Distrust
00:02:25
English as-a-first-language Canadian study subjects were less trusting of statements in English spoken with a foreign accent, unless the speaker sounded confident about their assertion.
Oct 12, 2018
Mom's Genes Make Some Giraffes Hard to Spot
00:01:57
Baby giraffes inherit aspects of their mothers' patterning—which could give them a survival advantage if good camouflage runs in the family. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Oct 10, 2018
Economics Nobel Highlights Climate Action Necessity
00:01:58
William Nordhaus shared the 2018 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, "for integrating climate change into long-run macroeconomic analysis,” with Paul Romer, "for integrating technological innovations into long-run macroeconomic analysis."
Oct 09, 2018
Highway Crossings Protect Migrating Pronghorns—and Motorists
00:03:13
Twice a year, thousands of pronghorn antelope and mule deer migrate through Wyoming, and newly built highway crossings are sparing the lives of animals—and motorists. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Oct 06, 2018
Beer Fermentation Hops Along
00:02:50
The bittering agents called hops have enzymes that chew up starch and unleash more fermentable sugar—which can boost alcohol and CO2 in the finished brew. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Oct 05, 2018
Nobel in Chemistry for New and Useful Chemical Entities via Evolutionary Principles
00:03:11
Frances H. Arnold, George P. Smith and Gregory P. Winter share the 2018 chemistry Nobel for developing evolutionary-based techniques that lead to the creation of new chemical entities with useful properties.
Oct 03, 2018
Nobel in Physics for Controlling Laser Light
00:02:50
Arthur Ashkin, Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland share the 2018 physics Nobel for their work with lasers that have led to numerous practical applications, such as eye surgery.
Oct 02, 2018
Nobel for Helping the Immune System Fight Cancer
00:01:59
James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo share the Nobel Prize for their work on harnessing the cancer patient's own immune system to destroy tumors.
Oct 01, 2018
Blasey Ford Spells Out Trauma Memory Formation
00:01:25
Christine Blasey Ford's professional expertise came into play during her testimony regarding the Supreme Court nomination.
Oct 01, 2018
Scanning Ancient Civilizations from the Skies
00:02:18
An aerial laser scan of more than 800 square miles of Guatemalan jungle revealed Maya buildings, canals, roads and bridges. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Sep 27, 2018
Antifreeze Surface Fights Ice with Ice
00:01:50
Patterning a surface with tiny stripes of ice prevents frost formation on the rest of the surface—a technique that could keep planes or roads frost-free. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Sep 26, 2018
Scale Can Measure Medicine—and Play a Scale, Too
00:02:53
Researchers have designed a musical instrument that can detect counterfeit drugs by the pitch of its notes. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Sep 25, 2018
Diverse Tree Portfolio Weathers Droughts Better
00:02:07
Forests with numerous tree species, and therefore a mix of water-management strategies, appear more tolerant of drought. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Sep 22, 2018
Pirates Needed Science, Too
00:01:38
On International Talk Like a Pirate Day, here's an eye-patch-witness account of how science helps in all peg-leg walks of life, even piracy
Sep 19, 2018
Sea Otters' Powerful Paw Prey Perception
00:02:16
The marine mammals have extraordinarily sensitive touch—which helps them nab prey in the absence of other sensory cues. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Sep 19, 2018
Science News Briefs from Around the World
00:02:13
A few very brief reports about science and technology from around the globe.
Sep 17, 2018
Genetic Tweak Gave Early Humans a Leg Up
00:01:34
A mutation in a key gene may have endowed humans with superior endurance—allowing them to compete better with other animals on the savanna. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Sep 13, 2018
Earlier Springs May Mean Mistimed Bird Migrations
00:01:25
Springtime's arriving earlier across North America. But the degree of change isn't the same everywhere, which could spell trouble for migratory birds. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Sep 12, 2018
Survey the Wildlife of the "Great Indoors"
00:01:51
Biologists are enlisting citizen scientists to poke around under the sink and behind the curtains, for wildlife living in the "great indoors." Karen Hopkin reports.
Sep 11, 2018
When Neutron Stars Collide
00:02:29
Astrophysicists have gotten a better glimpse at what happens to crashing neutron stars by listening in on the electromagnetic echoes of the collision. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Sep 07, 2018
Bonnethead Sharks Are Underwater Lawn Mowers
00:01:57
The hammerhead relatives consume copious amounts of sea grass, and have the digestive machinery to process it—making them true omnivores. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Sep 06, 2018
Hurricane Is a Natural Selection Experiment
00:03:17
When Hurricane Irma blew through the Turks and Caicos, lizards with shorter hindlimbs lucked out. Jason G. Goldman reports. 
Sep 06, 2018
Pasta Problem Cracked!
00:03:07
An intrepid undergrad led the way to understanding the physics of snapping strands of spaghetti.
Sep 05, 2018
Science News You Might Have Missed
00:02:25
A few very brief reports about science and technology from around the globe.
Aug 31, 2018
Pineapple Waste Won't Be Wasted
00:03:14
Costa Rican scientists are extracting valuable materials from the peel and stubble of pineapples.
Aug 27, 2018
Sometimes Mosquitoes Are Just Thirsty
00:02:20
Mosquitoes want your blood for its proteins...or simply to hydrate on a hot, dry day.    
Aug 24, 2018
Robot Bartender Will Take Your Order
00:02:50
Digital assistants have to respond quickly, but correctly—so researchers are studying how real humans navigate that trade-off, to design better machines. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 23, 2018
As Spring Arrives Earlier, Arctic Geese Speed Up Their Migration
00:03:02
The birds are arriving in the Arctic up to 13 days earlier than they used to. But at a cost: hunger. Annie Sneed reports. 
Aug 22, 2018
Freeloading Ants Help the Workflow
00:02:33
Fire ants tunnels got excavated efficiently by only a small percentage of the group doing most of the work, thus avoiding pileups in tight spaces.
Aug 21, 2018
Ancient Americans Bred Symbolically Important Scarlet Macaws
00:02:09
Genetic information from the bones of macaws found in abandoned pueblos suggests they were bred and distributed as a commodity. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 20, 2018
Rising CO2 Means Monarch Butterfly Bellyaches
00:02:12
Milkweed grown with more carbon dioxide in the air supplies fewer toxins to monarch butterflies that need the toxins to fight off gut parasites.
Aug 17, 2018
For Some Crows, Migration Is Optional
00:02:33
Crows are what's known as "partial migrants"—as cold weather approaches, some crows fly south whereas others stay put. And that behavior appears to be ingrained. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Aug 16, 2018
Plants Dominate the Planet's Biomass
00:01:52
About 80 percent of Earth's biomass is plant life, with humans about equal to krill way down the heft chart.    
Aug 15, 2018
Solar Eclipse of 2017 Boosted Science Interest
00:02:56
The Michigan Scientific Literacy Survey of 2017 found that last year's total solar eclipse got Americans more interested in celestial science.   
Aug 14, 2018
Crickets Carve Tools to Amplify Their Chirps
00:02:51
The insects fashion and use "baffles"—sound controllers—made of leaves to produce sound more efficiently. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Aug 14, 2018
Computerized Chemical Toxicity Prediction Beats Animal Testing
00:02:38
Researchers programmed a computer to compare structures and toxic effects of different chemicals, making it possible to then predict the toxicity of new chemicals based on their structural similarity to known ones.  
Aug 11, 2018
Better Data Could Mean Better Dating
00:02:15
Both men and women tended to pursue mates just 25 percent more desirable than themselves — suggesting they are "optimistic realists." Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 10, 2018
To Evolve Baleen, Lose Your Teeth First
00:02:26
Whale ancestors probably never had teeth and baleen at the same time, and only developed baleen after trying toothlessness and sucking in prey.
Aug 09, 2018
Corn Variety Grabs Fertilizer from the Air
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A variety of corn from Oaxaca, Mexico, has aerial roots that harbor nitrogen-fixing bacteria, allowing the corn to suck nitrogen straight from the air. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Aug 07, 2018
Birds Learn Safety from Other Kinds of Birds
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Birds become good at avoiding danger by eavesdropping on the alarm calls of other birds—and the learning occurs without even seeing their peers or predators. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Aug 03, 2018
Microbes Share Your Morning Metro Commute

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