Science, Quickly

By Scientific American

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Category: Science

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Subscribers: 2636
Reviews: 7

alex
 Nov 28, 2020
new intern sasshays & lolly gags his way through the reads. he's gagging me with "his" effimenate tone

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.

Description

Leading science and tech journalists dive into a rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show. To view all of our archived  material, go to:  www.scientificamerican.com/podcast .

Episode Date
Music-Making Artificial Intelligence Is Getting Scary Good
00:15:31
Google’s new AI model can generate entirely new music from text prompts. Here’s what they sound like.
Mar 24, 2023
Artificial Intelligence Helped Make the Coolest Song You've Heard This Week
00:13:24
Machine-learning algorithms are getting so good that they can translate Western instruments into Thai ones with ease.
Mar 22, 2023
Space Force Humor, Laser Dazzlers, and the Havoc a War in Space Would Actually Wreak
00:13:52
In the inaugural episode of Cosmos, Quickly, we blast off with Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno of the Space Force, who is charged with protecting our space in space, particularly from Russia and China.
Mar 20, 2023
Squeak Squeak, Buzz Buzz: How Researchers Are Using AI to Talk to Animals
00:10:06
The burgeoning field of “digital bioacoustics” is helping us understand animals like never before.
Mar 17, 2023
RSV Vaccines Are Coming At Last: Your Health, Quickly, Episode 2
00:09:07
A vaccine pioneer tells us that shots to protect against RSV—a dangerous virus for babies and older people—are finally nearing approval.
Mar 15, 2023
If the Mathematical Constant Pi Was a Song, What Would It Sound Like?
00:09:43
Every year on Pi Day, we have a reason to celebrate one of math’s most famous symbols. But this year we speak to someone who has captured it in song.
Mar 14, 2023
How To Stop a (Potentially Killer) Asteroid
00:07:53
We slammed a $330-million spaceship the size of a dairy cow into an asteroid the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Here’s what we’re learning about how our first step in planetary defense could save us in the future.
Mar 10, 2023
The Scientific Secret to Soothing Fussy Babies
00:04:46
Some animals’ babies physically relax when their parents whisk them away from danger. The same thing works for tiny, wailing humans.
Mar 08, 2023
How Helper Sharks Discovered the World's Largest Seagrass Ecosystem
00:05:40
Scientists partnered with tiger sharks to map seagrass—the unsung hero of ocean conservation.
Mar 06, 2023
How the Woolly Bear Caterpillar Turns into a Popsicle to Survive the Winter
00:06:09
Some caterpillars have evolved with antifreeze in their body cavity, allowing them to become cater-Popsicles to survive cold winters. But climate change could threaten that.
Mar 03, 2023
The Pandemic's Mental Toll, and Does Telehealth Work? Your Health, Quickly, Episode 1
00:10:38
Hosts Josh Fischman and Tanya Lewis explore the pandemic’s mental health toll on teens and young adults. They also delve into the effectiveness of telehealth, which has been booming since the start of the pandemic.
Mar 01, 2023
Does Not Being Able to Picture Something in Your Mind Affect Your Creativity?
00:05:55
Researchers who study aphantasia, or the inability to visualize something in your “mind’s eye,” are starting to get a sense of how to accurately measure the condition and what it may mean for those who have it.
Feb 27, 2023
Sorry, UFO Hunters--You Might Just Be Looking at a Spy Balloon
00:07:34
From space aliens to foreign surveillance, we spoke to experts to find out what’s really going on with the balloon brouhaha.
Feb 24, 2023
Building Resilience in the Face of Climate Change [Sponsored]
00:05:48
Successfully mitigating the impacts of climate change will rely heavily on innovation in science and technology.
Feb 23, 2023
How Do We Find Aliens? Maybe Unlearn What We Know About 'Life' First
00:08:31
Science might be redefining what “life out there” really means.
Feb 22, 2023
Love and the Brain: Do Partnerships Really Make Us Happy? Here's What the Science Says
00:14:53
How romance affects our well-being is a lot more complicated than “they lived happily ever after.”
Feb 20, 2023
Love and the Brain: The Animal Matchmaker and the Panda Romeo and Juliet
00:11:22
In fair zoo-ona, a pair of star-cross’d pandas take their life. And we learn about whether or not animals can fall in love.
Feb 17, 2023
Love and the Brain: How Attached Are We to Attachment Styles?
00:11:42
Are you “anxious,” “avoidant” or  “disorganized?” So-called attachment styles have taken the Internet by storm. But it turns out there’s a lot more to unpack than people think. 
Feb 15, 2023
Love and the Brain, Part 1: The 36 Questions, Revisited
00:12:27
Host Shayla Love dives into the true story behind the now infamous 36 questions that lead to love.
Feb 13, 2023
Coming Soon to Your Podcast Feed: Science, Quickly
00:04:10
A new era in Scientific American audio history is about to drop starting next week. Get ready for a science variety show guaranteed to quench your curiosity in under 10 minutes.
Feb 06, 2023
The 60-Second Podcast Takes a Short Break--But Wait, There's More
00:03:18
Scientific American ’s short-form podcast has been going for 16 years, three months and seven days, counting today. But it’s time for us to evolve.
Dec 21, 2022
Is Your Phone Actually Draining Your Brain?
00:06:59
A new study puts the “brain drain hypothesis”—the idea that just having a phone next to you impacts your cognition—to the test to see if the science passes muster.
Dec 20, 2022
Why Your Dog Might Think You're a Bonehead
00:03:44
The verdict is in: female dogs actively evaluate human competence.
Dec 16, 2022
Alaska's Protective Sea Ice Wall Is Crumbling because of the Climate Crisis
00:06:45
A massive storm slammed into Alaska’s western coast, and there was no ice to stop it.
Dec 14, 2022
It's the Bass That Makes Us Boogie
00:05:03
Concertgoers danced more when music was supplemented with low-frequency bass tones.
Dec 09, 2022
How Vaccines Saved Money and Lives and China's Zero-COVID Protests: COVID, Quickly Podcast, Episode 44
00:07:36
Vaccines saved New York City billions of dollars, and China faces public fury over its strict virus-control policies.
Dec 06, 2022
'Chatty Turtles' Flip the Script on the Evolutionary Origins of Vocalization in Animals
00:06:39
Recordings of more than 50 species of turtles and other animals help scientists reassess the origins of acoustic communication in vertebrates.
Dec 02, 2022
Tardigrades, an Unlikely Sleeping Beauty
00:05:49
Researchers put this ancient critter through a subzero gauntlet to learn more about what happens to their internal clock while surviving the extreme.
Nov 30, 2022
A Burned Redwood Forest Tells a Story of Climate Change, Past, Present and Future
00:06:46
From the ashes of the giants of Big Basin Redwoods State Park arise a history of fire suppression and real questions about what happens to the forests in a drought-stricken West Coast going forward.
Nov 23, 2022
Antivirals Could Reduce Long COVID Risk and How Well the New Boosters Work: COVID, Quickly Podcast, Episode 43
00:04:46
In this new episode of our coronavirus podcast, we discuss a study that looked at the effects of Paxlovid on long COVID symptoms, and we also talk new bivalent boosters and immunity.
Nov 22, 2022
A Honeybee Swarm Has as Much Electric Charge as a Thundercloud
00:05:09
New research shows that bees “buzz” in more than the way you might think.
Nov 15, 2022
These Punk Rock Penguins Have a Bizarre Breeding Strategy
00:02:38
New Zealand’s erect-crested penguin lays two eggs but rejects the first one—the opposite of how most birds prioritize their offspring.
Nov 11, 2022
The Viral Triple Threat and Why You Need a Booster: COVID, Quickly, Episode 42
00:06:43
COVID, flu and RSV are surging. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself.
Nov 08, 2022
What You Need to Know about Iran's Surveillance Tech
00:05:42
Scientific American technology editor Sophie Bushwick explains how Iran is using surveillance tech against vulnerable citizens.
Nov 04, 2022
Delivering Equitable Lung Cancer Care [Sponsored]
00:05:46
As recent advances improve the prospects of detecting and catching lung cancer early, a new challenge arises: how to ensure people worldwide, regardless of their socioeconomic circumstances, benefit from new clinical tools.
Oct 28, 2022
New Halloween 'Scariant' Variants and Boosting Your Immunity: COVID, Quickly, Episode 41
00:07:31
In a new episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we talk about the variants that are likely to be around this winter and how boosters help even if you’ve already had the disease.
Oct 25, 2022
These Hawks Have Figured Out How to See the Bat in the Swarm
00:04:13
New research shows that birds of prey attempting to grab a bat from a roiling mass of the flying mammals have developed a way to cope with the confusion.
Oct 21, 2022
Naps Not Needed to Make New Memories
00:05:27
Rats kept awake after exploring novel objects remembered the original items but not where they’d seen those objects, raising interesting questions about human sleep.
Oct 14, 2022
How the Pandemic Shortened Life Expectancy and New Drugs on the Horizon: COVID, Quickly, Episode 40
00:07:43
In this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we talk about why we’ve had years shaved off our average collective life since 2020. Also, we talk about “mabs” and why you might want to know what they are.
Oct 11, 2022
Engineering the Treatment of Early-Stage Lung Cancer [SPONSORED]
00:06:03
Early-stage lung cancers are not only difficult to diagnose—they’ve also proved difficult to curatively treat.
Oct 07, 2022
Rediscovered Red Wolf Genes May Help Conserve the Species
00:04:14
A surprising new gene discovery in coyotes may help conserve the critically endangered wolf.
Oct 05, 2022
What the Disease Feels Like, and Presidents Can't End Pandemics: COVID, Quickly, Episode 39
00:07:32
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, Josh Fischman gets COVID, and President Joe Biden says the pandemic is over.
Sep 27, 2022
These Spiders Use Their Webs like Huge, Silky Ears
00:05:53
A study of orb-weaving spiders shows that the arachnids’ webs pick up a range of sounds—and that they are always “listening” for vibrations coming in over them.
Sep 23, 2022
Chewing Consumes a Surprising Amount of Energy
00:03:28
Chomping on food takes so much energy that it shaped human evolution. Our ancestors spent many hours a day chewing, which may have shaped our teeth and jaws.
Sep 21, 2022
These Bats Buzz like Bees to Save Their Own Lives
00:04:29
New research has discovered the first case of acoustic mimicry between a mammal and an insect—an acquired skill that could just save certain bats’ skin.
Sep 16, 2022
Unvaxxed Kids and 8 Days a Week (of Isolation): COVID, Quickly, Episode 38
00:07:07
This is our second back-to-school special episode of COVID. Quickly . Today we talk about two big issues: the low vaccination rates among the littlest kids and how long you should quarantine after being sick (actually).
Sep 13, 2022
Listen to Images from the James Webb Space Telescope
00:07:39
It turns out that making new views of the universe accessible to those with vision impairment has required some deep thought—and carefully chosen words.
Sep 09, 2022
These Tiny Pollinators Can Travel Surprisingly Huge Distances
00:02:06
It turns out that hoverflies may fly hundreds or even thousands of miles—all to help pollinate our flowers and vegetables.
Sep 07, 2022
During a Heat Wave, You Can Blast the AC, but What Does a Squirrel Do?
00:06:39
Although recent spikes in temperature affect all of us, our urban critters have had to find their own ways to beat the heat. Sometimes they “sploot.”
Aug 31, 2022
Back-to-School Special: Kids, Tests and Long COVID Reassurance: COVID, Quickly, Episode 37
00:07:51
This is our back-to-school special episode of COVID, Quickly . We’ll talk about why COVID testing is about to become a school problem—and about whether or not kids are at risk for long COVID.
Aug 30, 2022
This Artificial Intelligence Learns like a Baby
00:02:36
Engineers at the company DeepMind built a machine-learning system based on research on how babies’ brain works, and it did better on certain tasks than its conventional counterparts.
Aug 26, 2022
Understanding the Inner Workings of Stars [Sponsored]
00:09:47
Conny Aerts is an astrophysicist and a pioneer of asteroseismology. This year she shared the Kavli Prize in Astrophysics for her research and leadership that has laid the foundations of solar and stellar structure theory, and revolutionized our understanding of the interiors of stars.
Aug 25, 2022
Dogs Actually Tear Up When Their Owners Come Home
00:03:11
Our puppies’ eyes well up, a reaction caused by oxytocin, which makes us want to take care of them even more.
Aug 24, 2022
A Lifelong Quest to Improve Mental Health among Cancer Patients [Sponsored]
00:09:50
Recognizing those who are making a meaningful impact in the lives of cancer patients, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, presents an individual or organization with the President’s Award. We reconnected with Margaret Stauffer, the 2021 winner, to hear more about what’s happened since she received the award.
Aug 23, 2022
How Next-Generation Sequencing Can Enable Precision Oncology [Sponsored]
00:09:53
Celebrating those who enhance the ability to provide the right treatment for the right patient at the right time, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, presents an individual or organization with the Catalyst for Precision Medicine Award. We prepared for this year’s awards by reconnecting with the 2021 winner, Dr. Colin Pritchard, to hear more about what’s happened since he received the award. 
Aug 19, 2022
Hawking, a Paradox and a Black Hole Mystery, Solved?
00:07:46
We do not have a theory to tell us everything about how a black hole works, but new research is shedding a least some light on one of their many mysteries.
Aug 19, 2022
Monkeypox Update and Homing in on Long COVID: COVID, Quickly, Episode 36
00:10:25
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we take a few minutes to talk about the other virus making headlines—and then return to long COVID.
Aug 16, 2022
Fueling Patients' Drive to Treatment [Sponsored]
00:11:15
Celebrating those who significantly improve access to cancer care for underserved populations, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, presents an individual or organization with a Catalyst for Change Award. We spoke with the 2021 award winner, Tomma Hargraves, to learn more about what’s happened since she received the award.
Aug 15, 2022
Researchers Created a Potion That Turns Loud Lions into Placid Pussycats
00:06:45
A single whiff of oxytocin, a chemical that some call the “love hormone,” promotes tolerance among lions at a wildlife sanctuary.
Aug 12, 2022
Reaching the Root of Disparities in Cancer Care [Sponsored]
00:07:45
Celebrating those who strive to overcome disparities in cancer care to bring quality services to their patients, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, created the Catalyst for Equity Award. We spoke with Dr. Anne Marie Murphy, executive director of Equal Hope and winner of the award in 2021, to learn more about what’s happened since her organization received the award.
Aug 10, 2022
For Some Dolphins, the Key to Mating is Rolling with a Tight, Noisy Crew
00:05:36
A pair of studies show that male bottlenose dolphins rely on wingmen when wooing mates—and that they cultivate these friendships by being vocal.
Aug 10, 2022
A Source of Integrative Support for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Patients [Sponsored]
00:10:53
Celebrating those who are making a patient’s experience as easy as possible during an extraordinarily difficult time, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, presents an individual or organization with a Catalyst for Care Award. We spoke with the 2021 winner, Unite for HER’s founder and CEO Sue Weldon, to hear more about what’s happened since her organization received the award.
Aug 03, 2022
How Common Are Reinfections? And How Trust Can Beat the Virus: COVID, Quickly, Episode 35
00:08:00
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we talk about getting reinfected with the coronavirus just a month or two after an earlier bout—and the difference that trusting others can make in a pandemic.
Aug 02, 2022
The Kavli Prize Presents: Understanding Molecules [Sponsored]
00:10:20
Jacob Sagiv is a chemist who studies properties of self-assembled monolayers. This year, he shared The Kavli Prize in Nanoscience for his research.
Jul 29, 2022
Transforming the Trajectory of Lung Cancer [Sponsored]
00:09:02
Lung cancer is the number-one cause of cancer deaths in the world. But how many lives would be saved if doctors could diagnose and treat it before it progresses?
Jul 27, 2022
Polar Bears That Persist
00:03:26
A new subpopulation of Greenland polar bears offers insights into how this species might hang on as Arctic ice disappears.
Jul 22, 2022
Omicron's Nasty New Variants and Better Boosters to Battle Them: COVID, Quickly, Episode 34
00:07:04
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we talk about the increase in new Omicron subvariants. Should fall vaccine boosters contain standard Omicron or some of those new subvariants instead?
Jul 12, 2022
A Remote-Controlled Carnivorous Plant?
00:02:50
Researchers design an artificial neuron that can trigger closure of a Venus flytrap.
Jun 30, 2022
Kids' Vaccines at Last and Challenges in Making New Drugs: COVID, Quickly, Episode 33
00:08:25
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we discuss some parents breathing a collective sigh of relief and the paradox of how effective vaccines can make it harder to create new drugs to treat patients who get the coronavirus.
Jun 27, 2022
How AI Facial Recognition Is Helping Conserve Pumas
00:04:23
Researchers tricked out conventional camera traps to snap headshots of Puma concolor, revealing a better way to track the elusive species.
Jun 24, 2022
The Kavli Prize Presents: Understanding Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration [Sponsored]
00:08:59
Huda Zoghbi is a clinician-scientist who studies the molecular mechanisms of neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration. This year she shared the Kavli Prize in Neuroscience for discovering the genetic pathways behind serious brain disorders.
Jun 17, 2022
Female CEOs Change How Firms Talk about Women
00:04:22
Appointing women to leadership positions renders organizations more likely to describe all women as being powerful, persistent and bold.
Jun 16, 2022
COVID Death Rates Explained, Dismal Booster Stats and New Vaccines
00:07:50
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we clear up some data misconceptions, get to the bottom of the booster uptake issue and talk Novavax.
Jun 13, 2022
Hedgehogs Host the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
00:04:21
Bacteria resistant to methicillin emerged in hedgehogs long before the drug was prescribed to treat infections.
Jun 09, 2022
Meerkats Are Getting Climate Sick
00:03:24
For meerkats in the Kalahari Desert, rising temperatures spark deadly outbreaks of tuberculosis.
Jun 03, 2022
'Where Are Vaccines for Little Kids?' and the Latest on Long COVID
00:08:03
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes  here . 
May 31, 2022
Your Phone Could Be Used to Prosecute for Getting an Abortion: Here's How
00:05:00
Technology editor Sophie Bushwick breaks down the precedent for using your phone to monitor personal health data.
May 21, 2022
If Sea Ice Melts in the Arctic, Do Trees Burn in California?
00:05:24
A new study links sea ice decline with increasing wildfire weather in the Western U.S.
May 19, 2022
How to Care for COVID at Home, and Is That Sniffle Allergies or the Virus? COVID Quickly, Episode 30
00:08:18
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
May 16, 2022
How Astronomers Finally Captured a Photo of our Own Galaxy's Black Hole
00:03:52
It took hundreds of researchers and many telescopes to capture an image of the black hole at the middle of our Milky Way.
May 12, 2022
Two-Headed Worms Tell Us Something Fascinating about Evolution
00:06:08
Researchers looked back at more than 100 years of research and found that a fascination with annelids with mixed up appendages was strong—and that research still has relevance today.
May 10, 2022
The Harmful Effects of Overturning Roe v. Wade
00:06:06
A landmark study of women who were turned away from getting the procedure found that being forced to have a child worsened their health and economic status.
May 06, 2022
Safer Indoor Air, and People Want Masks on Planes and Trains: COVID Quickly, Episode 29
00:05:54
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
May 02, 2022
Climate Change Is Shrinking Animals, Especially Bird-Brained Birds
00:04:00
As the world warms, many animals are getting smaller. For birds, new research shows what they have upstairs may just make a different in how much smaller they get.
Apr 25, 2022
Cosmic Simulation Shows How Dark-Matter-Deficient Galaxies Confront Goliath and Survive
00:05:49
A research team finds seven tiny dwarf galaxies stripped of their dark matter that nonetheless persisted despite the theft.
Apr 20, 2022
Venturing Back to the Office and the Benefits of Hybrid Immunity: COVID Quickly, Episode 28
00:06:52
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Apr 15, 2022
Science Finally Has a Good Idea about Why We Stutter
00:04:11
A glitch in speech initiation gives rise to the repetition that characterizes stuttering.
Apr 13, 2022
Love Computers? Love History? Listen to This Podcast
00:04:33
In the newest season of Lost Women of Science, we enter a world of secrecy, computers and nuclear weapons—and see how Klára Dán von Neumann was a part of all of it.
Apr 12, 2022
Probiotics Could Help Save Overheated Corals
00:06:28
Think of the process as a kind of marine fecal transplant—except the restorative bacteria do not come from stool; they come from other corals.
Apr 08, 2022
The History of the Milky Way Comes into Focus
00:02:21
By dating nearly a quarter-million stars, astronomers were able to reconstruct the history of our galaxy—and they say it has lived an “enormously sheltered life.”
Apr 05, 2022
Second Boosters, Masks in the Next Wave and Smart Risk Decisions: COVID Quickly, Episode 27
00:09:09
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Apr 01, 2022
New Research Decodes the Sea Cow's Hidden Language
00:05:14
Florida manatees are “talking” up a storm, and a team that has been recording those sounds for seven years is starting to understand the chatter.
Mar 30, 2022
Does This Look like a Face to You?
00:03:53
Science—and experience—show that we most definitely see faces in inanimate objects. But new research finds that, more often than not, we perceive those illusory faces as male.
Mar 25, 2022
Some Good News about Corals and Climate Change
00:01:56
A nearly two-year-long study of Hawaiian corals suggests some species may be better equipped to handle warmer, more acidic waters than previously believed.
Mar 23, 2022
Florida Gets Kids and Vaccines Wrong and Ukraine's Health Crisis: COVID Quickly, Episode 26
00:08:56
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Mar 18, 2022
Are You Better Than a Machine at Spotting a Deepfake?
00:11:50
New research shows that detecting digital fakes generated by machine learning might be a job best done with humans still in the loop. 
Mar 15, 2022
A Treasure Trove of Dinosaur Bones in Italy Rewrites the Local Prehistoric Record
00:05:51
New fossils are changing a decades-old story about the species that roamed the Mediterranean 80 million years ago.
Mar 11, 2022
Chimps Apply Insects to Their Wounds
00:02:20
It is not clear whether the act has medicinal benefit or is merely a cultural practice among the animals.
Mar 08, 2022
The Push to Move Past the Pandemic: COVID Quickly, Episode 25
00:07:26
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Mar 04, 2022
Researchers Analyzed Folk Music like It Was DNA: They Found Parallels between Life and Art
00:09:51
Using software designed to align DNA sequences, scientists cataloged the mutations that arose as folk songs evolved
Mar 03, 2022
How Hong Kong 'Sees' Invisible Tailpipe Emissions and Pulls Polluters Off the Road
00:02:26
The city has deployed a system of sensors to flag highly polluting vehicles. Nearly all of them have been repaired, helping to clean Hong Kong’s air.
Feb 25, 2022
This Maine Farm Is Harvesting the Sun's Power while it Picks the Blueberries
00:07:27
In Rockport, Me., an array of nearly 11,000 solar panels will soon begin a solar harvest as the sweet berries growing below them ripen on the bush.
Feb 22, 2022
Tracking Outbreaks through Sewers, and Kids' Vaccines on Hold Again: COVID Quickly, Episode 24
00:06:03
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Feb 15, 2022
The Romantic Temptation of the Monogamous Prairie Vole
00:05:19
The small rodents are one of the few known monogamists in the wild—and their faithfulness was put to the test in a lab.
Feb 14, 2022
Answering an Age-Old Mystery: How Do Birds Actually Fly?
00:06:14
Equally surprising is the fact that we still do not know how birds actually stay airborne.
Feb 11, 2022
More Kids Get COVID, Long Haulers and a Vaccine Milestone: COVID Quickly, Episode 23
00:06:27
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Feb 04, 2022
What Is the Shape of This Word?
00:06:12
What shape do you see when you hear “ bouba ”? What about “ kiki ”? It turns out that nonsense words that evoke certain shapes have something to say about the origins of language.
Feb 02, 2022
Tiger Sharks, Tracked over Decades, Are Shifting Their Haunts with Ocean Warming
00:02:23
Using a combination of fishing data and satellite tracking, scientists found that the sharks have shifted their range some 250 miles poleward over the past 40 years. 
Jan 25, 2022
How Marine Wildlife Can Coexist with Offshore Wind [Sponsored]
00:06:18
Harnessing the wind to blow back emissions is not without its own impacts, so researchers are developing technologies to coexist with whales and other ocean-dwelling species.
Jan 20, 2022
COVID Quickly, Episode 22: Colds Build COVID Immunity and the Omicron Vaccine Delay
00:07:14
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Jan 19, 2022
The Surprising Physics of Finger Snapping
00:05:12
You might not think that you can generate more body acceleration than a big-league baseball pitcher, but new research shows you can.
Jan 10, 2022
Salvador Dali's Creative Secret Is Backed by Science
00:03:43
The painter described falling into the briefest of slumbers to refresh his mind. Now scientists have shown the method is effective at inducing creativity.
Jan 03, 2022
A Growing Force of Fiery Zombies Threatens Cold Northern Forests
00:10:21
Wildfires, appearing dead in winter, are actually smoldering and then bouncing back to life in spring to consume increasingly more land in the Far North.
Dec 27, 2021
Listen to This New Podcast: Lost Women of Science
00:04:48
A new podcast is on a mission to retrieve unsung female scientists from oblivion.
Dec 21, 2021
Canary Islands Eruption Resets Volcano Forecasts
00:02:43
A volcanologist says the eruption on the island of La Palma is a unique window into the “personality” of basaltic volcanoes.
Dec 20, 2021
COVID Quickly, Episode 21: Vaccines against Omicron and Pandemic Progress
00:05:22
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Dec 17, 2021
As Forests Burn, a Climate Puzzle Materializes in the Far North
00:08:47
A 15-year study of where carbon lies in boreal forests has unearthed a surprising finding.
Dec 14, 2021
Astronomers Spot Two Dust Bunnies Hiding in the Early Universe
00:02:20
The scientists found several previously hidden galaxies that date back to 13 billion years ago—and many more might be missing from our current census of the early universe.
Dec 08, 2021
COVID Quickly, Episode 20: The Omicron Scare, and Anti-COVID Pills Are Coming
00:06:47
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Dec 03, 2021
To Better Persuade a Human, a Robot Should Use This Trick
00:12:00
A new study finds that, for robots, overlords are less persuasive than peers.
Dec 01, 2021
Redo of a Famous Experiment on the Origins of Life Reveals Critical Detail Missed for Decades
00:05:35
The Miller-Urey experiment showed that the conditions of early Earth could be simulated in a glass flask. New research finds the flask itself played an underappreciated, though outsize, role.
Nov 26, 2021
COVID Quickly, Episode 19: Mandate Roadblocks, Boosters for All and Sickness in the Zoo
00:09:08
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Nov 19, 2021
Flocking Together May Have Helped Dinosaurs Dominate the Earth
00:02:31
A fossil bed in Patagonia provides evidence of complex social structure in dinosaurs as early as 193 million years ago. And scientists say that herding behavior could have been key to the beasts’ success.
Nov 12, 2021
Engineered Bacteria Use Air Bubbles as Acoustically Detonated Tumor TNT
00:08:03
Ultrasound triggered cells home in on tumors and then self destruct to deliver damage or therapeutics from inside.
Nov 10, 2021
COVID Quickly, Episode 18: Vaccines for Kids and the Limits of Natural Immunity
00:06:32
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Nov 05, 2021
These Bugs Produce Smelly Defenses That Need to Be Heard to Be Believed
00:07:21
You read that right. Researchers have taken the chemical defenses of some insects and turned them into sounds , which, it turns out, repel people just as well.
Oct 31, 2021
For Some Parents, Hiding a Dead Body Shows How Much You Care
00:06:44
Over millions of years of evolution, some beetles have learned to dampen the stench of decay to help their young thrive.
Oct 28, 2021
Date of the Vikings' First Atlantic Crossing Revealed by Rays from Space
00:02:49
By dating the remnants of trees felled in Newfoundland, scientists have determined that the Norse people likely first set foot in the Americas in the year A.D. 1021.
Oct 25, 2021
COVID Quickly, Episode 17: Vaccine Lies and Protecting Immunocompromised People
00:06:41
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Oct 22, 2021
How Can an Elephant Squeak Like a Mouse?
00:05:02
New research using a camera that can “see" sound” shows some elephants can produce high-pitched buzzing with their lips.
Oct 20, 2021
Beethoven's Unfinished 10th Symphony Brought to Life by Artificial Intelligence
00:07:15
Nearly 200 years after his death, the German composer’s musical scratch was pieced together by machine—with a lot of human help.
Oct 15, 2021
The Kavli Prize Presents: Understanding the Universe [Sponsored]
00:06:19
Ewine van Dishoeck received the Kavli Prize in Astrophysics in 2018 for elucidating the life cycle of interstellar clouds and the formation of stars and planets. What other mysteries of space are left to be uncovered?
Oct 14, 2021
A Canary in an Ice-Rich, Slumping Rock Glacier in Alaska
00:07:54
Here’s what we can learn about climate change and infrastructure from Denali National Park’s only road.
Oct 13, 2021
COVID Quickly, Episode 16: Vaccines Protect Pregnancies and a New Antiviral Pill
00:05:00
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Oct 08, 2021
The Mystery of Water Drops That Skate Across Oil at Impossible Speeds
00:06:21
The speed of these self-propelling droplets on a hot-oil surface seemed to defy physics until researchers broke out the super-slow-motion camera.
Oct 05, 2021
Night Flights Are No Sweat for Tropical Bees
00:03:58
New research uses night vision to see how nocturnal bees navigate the dark.
Oct 01, 2021
These Bacteria Steal from Iron and Could Be Secretly Helping to Curb Climate Change
00:02:56
Photoferrotrophs have been around for billions of years on Earth, and new research suggests that they have played an outsize roll in the natural capture of carbon dioxide.
Sep 28, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 15: Booster Shot Approvals--plus Vaccines for Kids?
00:07:43
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Sep 24, 2021
Dinosaurs Lived--and Made Little Dinos--in the Arctic
00:04:28
New research shows that the prehistoric giants were even cooler than we thought
Sep 21, 2021
During a Rodent Quadrathlon, Researchers Learn That Ground Squirrels Have Personalities
00:04:59
The rodents’ personalities may help them to secure territory and avoid prey.
Sep 17, 2021
A Car Crash Snaps the Daydreaming Mind into Focus
00:03:56
One researcher’s poorly timed attention lapse flipped a car—and pushed science forward.
Sep 15, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 14: Best Masks, Explaining Mask Anger, Biden's New Plan
00:07:57
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Sep 10, 2021
The Kavli Prize Presents: Understanding Atoms [Sponsored]
00:07:03
Gerd Binnig shared The Kavli Prize in Nanoscience in 2016 for inventing the atomic force microscope. What transformative impact has this invention had on nanoscience?
Sep 09, 2021
In Missouri, a Human 'Bee' Works to Better Understand Climate Change's Effects
00:03:06
Researcher Matthew Austin has become a wildflower pollinator, sans the wings.
Sep 08, 2021
These Baby Bats, like Us, Were Born to Babble
00:05:16
The greater sac-winged bat develops its own language in much the way we do.
Sep 03, 2021
Their Lives Have Been Upended by Hurricane Ida
00:05:41
Theresa and Donald Dardar lived their whole lives in coastal Louisiana. They knew the “big one” might come someday. It did, and now everything is uncertain.
Aug 31, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 13: Vaccine Approval, Breakthrough Infections, Boosters
00:06:26
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Aug 27, 2021
Flexible Microprocessor Could Enable an 'Internet of Everything'
00:04:16
Researchers have developed a microprocessor built on high-performance plastic rather than silicon—and they say it could enable smarter food labels and supply chain management.
Aug 24, 2021
Years Before COVID-19, Zombies Helped Prepare One Hospital System for the Real Pandemic
00:05:46
An educational experiment used escape rooms and the undead to set the stage for a terrible situation that would become all too real
Aug 20, 2021
The Incredible, Reanimated 24,000-Year-Old Rotifer
00:05:38
The last time this tiny wheel animalcule was moving around, woolly mammoths roamed the earth.
Aug 17, 2021
Astronomers Find an Unexpected Bumper Crop of Black Holes
00:03:24
In trying to explain the spectacular star trails of the star cluster Palomar 5, astronomers stumbled on a very large trove of black holes.
Aug 12, 2021
Inside Millions of Invisible Droplets, Potential Superbug Killers Grow
00:06:34
New research has created microscopic antibiotic factories in droplets that measure a trillionth of liter in volume.
Aug 10, 2021
The Secret behind Songbirds' Magnetic Migratory Sense
00:02:54
A molecule found in the retinas of European robins seems to be able to sense weak magnetic fields, such as that of Earth, after it is exposed to light.
Aug 04, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 12: Masking Up Again and Why People Refuse Shots
00:06:18
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Jul 30, 2021
The Kavli Prize Presents: Understanding Touch [Sponsored]
00:05:46
Ardem Patapoutian shared The Kavli Prize in Neuroscience in 2020 for answering a basic question: How does touch actually work?
Jul 22, 2021
Moths Have an Acoustic Invisibility Cloak to Stay under Bats' Radar
00:02:45
New research finds they fly around on noise-cancelling wings
Jul 21, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 11: Vaccine Booster Shots, and Reopening Offices Safely
00:05:33
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Jul 16, 2021
Your Brain Does Something Amazing between Bouts of Intense Learning
00:04:02
New research shows that lightning-quick neural rehearsal can supercharge learning and memory.
Jul 07, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 10: Long Haulers, Delta Woes and Barbershop Shots
00:07:00
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Jul 01, 2021
This Newly Discovered Species of Tree Hyrax Goes Bark in the Night
00:05:04
A study makes the case for the new species based on its looks, genes and sounds
Jun 23, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 9: Delta Variant, Global Vaccine Shortfalls, Beers for Shots
00:05:41
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here .
Jun 18, 2021
Animal Kids Listen to Their Parents Even before Birth
00:05:01
Human children: please take note of the behavior of prebirth zebra finches
Jun 16, 2021
For African Elephants, Pee Could Be a Potent Trail Marker
00:02:17
Scientists found that elephants often sniff pathways—and seem especially attuned to urine.
Jun 11, 2021
A 'Universal' Coronavirus Vaccine to Prevent the Next Pandemic
00:05:06
A pan-coronavirus vaccine could be “one vaccine to rule them all,” and so far it has shown strong results in mice, hamsters, monkeys, horses and even sharks.
Jun 09, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 8: The Pandemic's True Death Toll and the Big Lab-Leak Debate
00:05:27
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Jun 04, 2021
Puppies Understand You Even at a Young Age, Most Adorable Study of the Year Confirms
00:04:25
Researchers in the happiest lab in the world tested 375 pups and found they connected with people by eight weeks
Jun 03, 2021
New 3-D-Printed Material Is Tough, Flexible--and Alive
00:05:23
Made from microalgae and bacteria, the new substance can survive for three days without feeding. It could one day be used to build living garments, self-powered kitchen appliances or even window coverings that sequester carbon.
Jun 02, 2021
Bats on Helium Reveal an Innate Sense of the Speed of Sound
00:04:18
A new experiment shows that bats are born with a fixed reference for the speed of sound—and living in lighter air can throw it off.
May 28, 2021
The Dirty Secret behind Some of the World's Earliest Microscopes
00:03:03
Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek made extraordinary observations of blood cells, sperm cells and bacteria with his microscopes. But it turns out the lens technology he used was quite ordinary.
May 26, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 7: The Coming Pandemic Grief Wave, and Mask Whiplash
00:07:03
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
May 21, 2021
Math and Sleuthing Help to Explain Epidemics of the Past
00:07:30
One mathematician has spend decades uncovering the deadly calculations of pestilence and plague, sometimes finding data that were hiding in plain sight.
May 20, 2021
Who Laps Whom on the Walking Track--Tyrannosaurus rex or You? Science Has a New Answer
00:02:16
An analysis of the animal’s walking speed suggests that T. rex ’s walking pace was close to that of a human. It’s too bad the king of the dinosaurs didn’t just walk when hungry.
May 14, 2021
Artificial Light Keeps Mosquitoes Biting Late into the Night
00:04:28
It is like when your cell phone keeps you awake in bed—except mosquitoes do not doom scroll when they stay up, they feast on your blood.
May 11, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 6: The Real Reason for India's Surge and Mask Liftoff
00:05:51
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
May 07, 2021
Male Lyrebirds Lie to Get Sex
00:05:03
It seems like the males will do anything, even fake nearby danger, to get females to stick around to mate.
May 04, 2021
Lovebirds Adore Our Inefficient Air-Conditioning
00:04:12
The rosy-faced lovebirds that live in Phoenix appear to be free riding on our urban climate control.
Apr 27, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 5: Vaccine Safety in Pregnancy, Blood Clots and Long-Haul Realities
00:05:53
Today we bring you the fifth episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Apr 23, 2021
Beehives Are Held Together by Their Mutual Gut Microbes
00:02:40
New research shows that members of a bee colony all have the same gut microbiome, which controls their smell—and thus their ability to separate family from foe.
Apr 20, 2021
These Endangered Birds Are Forgetting Their Songs
00:02:06
Australia’s critically endangered regent honeyeaters are losing what amounts to their culture—and that could jeopardize their success at landing a mate.
Apr 16, 2021
To Fight Climate Change: Grow a Floating Forest, Then Sink It
00:05:24
A fast-growing front in the battle against climate change is focused on developing green technologies aimed at reducing humankind’s carbon footprint, but many scientists say simply reducing emissions is no longer enough. We have to find new ways to suck carbon out of the atmosphere. A Maine start-up is looking to raise a sinkable carbon-capturing forest in the open ocean.
Apr 12, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 4: The Virtual Vaccine Line and Shots for Kids
00:05:24
Today we bring you the fourth episode in a new podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Apr 09, 2021
Big Physics News: The Muon g-2 Experiment Explained
00:07:34
Particles called muons are behaving weirdly, and that could mean a huge discovery.
Apr 07, 2021
Boston's Pigeons Coo, 'Wicked'; New York's Birds Coo, 'Fuhgeddaboudit'
00:03:56
The two cities’ rock doves are genetically distinct, research shows.
Apr 05, 2021
Imperiled Freshwater Turtles Are Eating Plastics--Science Is Just Revealing the Threat
00:05:17
We know a lot about how sea turtles are threatened by our trash, but new research has just uncovered an underreported threat hiding inside lakes and rivers.
Mar 31, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 3: Vaccine Inequality--plus Your Body the Variant Fighter
00:05:25
Today we bring you the third episode in a new podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Mar 26, 2021
Using Dragonflies as Contamination Detectors
00:02:59
By collecting the larvae of the fast flyers, researchers have turned the insects into “biosentinels” that can track mercury pollution across the country. Berly McCoy reports. 
Mar 24, 2021
Smartphones Can Hear the Shape of Your Door Keys
00:03:42
Can you pick a lock with just a smartphone? New research shows that doing so is possible.
Mar 18, 2021
Chimpanzees Show Altruism while Gathering around the Juice Fountain
00:04:56
New research tries to tease out whether our closest animal relatives can be selfless
Mar 16, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 2: Lessons from a Pandemic Year
00:05:52
Today we bring you the second episode in a new podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks,  Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis  and  Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Mar 11, 2021
That Mouse in Your House--It's Smarter, Thanks to You
00:02:08
Scientists studied three varieties of house mice and found that those who had lived alongside humans the longest were also the craftiest at solving food puzzles. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Mar 09, 2021
Kangaroos with Puppy Dog Eyes
00:04:19
New research shows that when faced with an impossible task, the marsupials look to humans for help.
Mar 04, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 1: Vaccines, Variants and Diabetes
00:04:13
Today we begin a new podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American ’s senior health editors  Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman  catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Feb 26, 2021
Machine Learning Pwns Old-School Atari Games
00:07:46
You can call it the “revenge of the computer scientist.” An algorithm that made headlines for mastering the notoriously difficult Atari 2600 game Montezuma’s Revenge can now beat more games, achieving near perfect scores, and help robots explore real-world environments. Pakinam Amer reports.
Feb 25, 2021
E-Eggs Track Turtle Traffickers
00:04:07
Decoy sea turtle eggs containing tracking tech are new weapons against beach poachers and traffickers.
Feb 23, 2021
Bromances Could Lead to More Romances for Male Hyenas
00:03:24
Spotted hyena males do not fight for mates, so how are certain males shut out of the mating game?
Feb 10, 2021
A Heroic Effort to Measure Helium
00:04:25
After an intense game of cat and mouse with different particles, atomic physicists have measured the radius of the helium nucleus five times more precisely than before. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Feb 05, 2021
Science News Briefs from around the World
00:02:04
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from around the world, including one from Costa Rica about decoy sea turtle eggs with the potential to catch poachers.
Feb 02, 2021
Scientists Take a Cattle Head Count in India
00:02:06
The research team determined that the city of Raipur in central India has at least one street cow for every 54 human residents. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 28, 2021
Ancient Dogs Had Complex Genetic Histories
00:03:09
Some dog population genetics show similarities to ours, such as in the ability to digest grains. But other lineages differ.  
Jan 22, 2021
Bees Use 'Bullshit' Defense to Keep Giant Hornets at Bay
00:05:26
The prospect of death by giant hornet has pushed some Asian honeybees to resort to a poop-based defense system
Jan 11, 2021
Humans May Have Befriended Wolves with Meat
00:01:57
Unlike humans, wolves can subsist on protein alone for months—so scientists say we may have lobbed leaner leftovers their way. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 08, 2021
How to Avoid Becoming a Meal for a Cheetah
00:04:32
Researchers help farmers in Namibia avoid costly cattle losses by tracking big cat hangouts
Jan 06, 2021
How the Coronavirus Pandemic Shaped Our Language in 2020
00:02:12
Linguist Ben Zimmer says the pandemic has turned us all into amateur epidemiologists utilizing terms such as “superspreader” and “asymptomatic.” Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jan 01, 2021
Science News Briefs from around the Planet
00:01:57
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from around the world, including one from Panama about the toll lightning takes on tropical trees.
Dec 29, 2020
Ravens Measure Up to Great Apes on Intelligence
00:02:52
Juvenile ravens performed just as well as chimps and orangutans in a battery of intelligence tests—except for assays of spatial skills. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Dec 22, 2020
Baby Bees Deprive Caregivers of Sleep
00:03:09
Bee larvae and pupae appear to secrete a chemical that does the work of a late-night cup of coffee for their nurses.
Dec 22, 2020
How the Wolves Change the Forest
00:05:02
New research tracked the canines in northern Minnesota for years to see just how they reshape their ecosystems. Audio of wolves inside Voyageurs National Park, courtesy of Jacob Job . 
Dec 17, 2020
Brain Sides Are Both Busy in New Language Learning
00:03:09
A study of adults learning a new language found that speaking primarily activated regions in the left side of the brain, but reading and listening comprehension were much more variable
Dec 17, 2020
Eye Treatment Stretches Mouse Sight Beyond Visible Spectrum
00:03:48
Nanoparticles that attach to photoreceptors allowed mice to see infrared and near-infrared light for up to two months.
Dec 12, 2020
This Bat Wears a Face Mask
00:03:45
The wrinkle-faced bat covers its face with a flap of skin, seemingly as part of its courtship rituals.
Dec 12, 2020
The Denisovans Expand Their Range into China
00:02:17
Evidence of the ancient humans was limited to a cave in Siberia. But now scientists have found genetic remains of the Denisovans in China. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Dec 03, 2020
Undersea Earthquakes Reveal Sound Warming Info
00:03:16
Travel time differences for sound waves produced by undersea earthquakes in the same place at different times can provide details about ocean warming.
Nov 30, 2020
Duckbill Dino Odyssey Ended in Africa
00:03:10
A duckbill dinosaur jawbone found in Morocco means that dinosaurs crossed a large body of water to reach Africa.  
Nov 24, 2020
Early Mammals Had Social Lives, Too
00:02:26
Chipmunklike animals that lived among the dinosaurs appear to have been social creatures, which suggests that sociality arose in mammals earlier than scientists thought. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Nov 19, 2020
Science News Briefs from All Over
00:02:11
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from around the world, including one, from the dormant volcano Llullaillaco in Chile, about a mouse that is the highest-dwelling mammal ever documented.
Nov 18, 2020
Divide and Conquer Could Be Good COVID Strategy
00:02:49
COVID might be fought efficiently with fewer shutdowns by restricting activities only in a particular area with a population up to 200,000 when its case rate rises above a chosen threshold.  
Nov 13, 2020
Zebra Coloration Messes With Fly Eyes
00:03:36
Horseflies misjudge landings on zebra patterns, compared with solid gray or black surfaces, which provides evidence for why evolution came up with the black-and-white pattern.
Nov 10, 2020
Science Sound(E)scapes: Head Banging and Howling in the Amazon
00:09:57
Need a break from politics and the pandemic? You’re probably not in the Amazon rain forest right now, but we can take you there in audio. Today, in part three of our three-part audio sound escape, we ascend into the trees where howler monkeys and crimson-crested woodpeckers rule the airwaves.
Nov 06, 2020
Science Sound(E)scapes: Amazon Frog Choruses at Night
00:06:48
Need a break from politics and the pandemic? You’re probably not in the Amazon rain forest right now, but we can take you there in audio. Today, in part two of our three-part audio sound escape, we descend into a nighttime flood of frog music.
Nov 05, 2020
Science Sound(E)scapes: Amazon Pink River Dolphins
00:09:41
Need a break from politics and the pandemic? You’re probably not in the Amazon rain forest right now, but we can take you there in audio. Today, in part one of our three-part audio sound escape, we listen to dolphins hunting among the trees.
Nov 04, 2020
Frog Vocals Lead to Small Preference
00:03:33
The concave-eared torrent frog's unusual ear anatomy lets it hear high-frequency calls, which gives a mating advantage to the littler males that sing soprano.
Nov 03, 2020
Science News Briefs from around the Globe
00:02:09
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from all over, including one from the United Arab Emirates about the the first interplanetary mission by an Arab country.
Nov 03, 2020
Election Science Stakes: Technology
00:03:56
We wrap up our preelection series with Scientific American senior editor Jen Schwartz, who talks about the possible effects of the election results on technology development and use. 
Nov 01, 2020
Election Science Stakes: Energy
00:03:43
Scientific American senior editor Mark Fischetti and associate editor Andrea Thompson talk about this election and the future of U.S. energy research and policy.
Oct 30, 2020
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 ’s 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 an area where the rock contained a lot 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 the dry bed of Arizona’s Santa Cruz River in 2019, and various species began showing up on 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 antipredator 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 Neandertal DNA has been associated with some cases of severe COVID-19, but it’s unclear how much of a risk it poses. Christopher Intagliata reports. 
Oct 11, 2020
Nobelist Talks CRISPR Uses
00:03:17
New Nobel laureate in chemistry 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 California’s coast sing at night—until it’s time to start migrating, and 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 a paleontology museum in Alberta.
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 finding 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 temperature 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 in the region, 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 by lightning annually.
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 hatchery-raised 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 drought may have brought about societal shifts in the region 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 do not derive their brightness from molten rock but possibly get it 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
A decline in smell was the sense loss most strongly associated with such risk in a recent study. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aug 05, 2020
Translucent Frog Optics Create Camo Color
00:03:08
Rather than undergoing active chameleonlike color changes, glass frogs’ translucency allows light to bounce from their background and go through them—making their apparent color close to their setting.  
Aug 04, 2020
Paired Comparisons Could Mean Better Witness Identifications
00:02:58
Compared with 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
An analysis of fox fossils found evidence that they scavenged from wolf and bear kills until Homo 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 ocher-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 developing larger and stickier toe pads on average.
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 the 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 different altitudes and locations. Fewer flights mean less data.
Jul 23, 2020
Cricket Avoids Being Bat Food by Doing Nothing
00:03:29
The sword-tailed cricket can discern bats’ 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
Individuals aren’t very good at judging whether someone coughing or sneezing has an infectious condition or is simply reacting to something benign.
Jul 17, 2020
Why Some Birds Are Likely To Hit Buildings
00:02:27
Those that eat insects, migrate or 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-tailed bats produce sounds that help them locate insect prey but 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 that store less carbon worldwide.
Jul 07, 2020
Young Great White Sharks Eat off the Floor
00:02:23
The stomach contents of young great white sharks show that they spend a lot of time patrolling the seafloor 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. They now include 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 mollusk fossil that reveals 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-19 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 people 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 subjective 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 photographs of their current keepers, and even of 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 domestic ones do. But pet cats kill many more of them in a small area than similarly sized wild predators.
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 rhinoceroses 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, Goodall talked about what gives her hope during the pandemic and what she hopes we all learn from it.
Apr 22, 2020
Our 3,000th Episode
00:02:26
Here are some “highlights” from the past 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 Barack Obama touched on 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 on the calls and reacting to them, 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 its presence have gone way up in the past 40 years. But such parasites are still much more of a health problem for whales and dolphins than they are 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 length 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 (which is not an April Fools’ 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 and able to 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 vary widely, depending on whether they live 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 the Web site COVID Near You, 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 still engage in prosocial acts such as sharing food with nonrelatives. 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 infects on average.
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 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 by a few thousand feet to avoid thin layers of humidity could make a major reduction 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 past 45 years, with the greatest rise occurring in the past 15 or so of them.
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, they 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 dated to 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
Whiskeys 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
Here are a few brief reports about international science and technology from around the world, including one from the Democratic Republic of the 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 nonetheless 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 algal 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 with 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 do we 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 fiber-optic 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 that are 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 measleslike 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 do so 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 such as 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 an 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., 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 indicates 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 those who are blind 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