A Moment of Science

Changing shape to cope with a changing climate

17 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Animals have had to adapt to their specific climates over generations of evolution. Climate change, however, has created a more immediate need to adap...

The simple science behind one-way glass

16 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One-way glass is a common sight in crime shows, but how do these reflective surfaces really work?

The potential hidden twin within

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Even if you don't have a twin, there's a potential that not all of your chromosomes are actually yours.

The ant with metal in its mandibles

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Animals can be composed of a surprising number of materials, including some metals.

How curiosity impacts infant development

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Babies are constantly learning about the world around them, but are some more interested in learning than others?

Why do salmon leap?

09 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Salmon are commonly seen leaping upstream to travel, but why do they leap in still water as well?

Expanding the search for extraterrestrial life to planets less like Earth

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

NASA's James Webb telescope hopes to provide more information than we've ever had access to before about the universe around us, including the possibi...

Fruit flies are social butterflies

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When we think of social animals, fruit flies probably aren't the first example to come to mind. These tiny creatures need to be around others more tha...

The mating song of Alston's singing mice

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many animals have strange or elaborate mating rituals, even some mice. Learn more about what makes this mouse's sweet song so different.

The wonderful Welwitschia mirabilis plant

03 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Learn about this plant with a tongue twister of a name with A Moment of Science!

Taking a bug's anatomy to heart

02 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While they might look a little different from us, a bug still technically has a heart just like us. Learn more about their anatomy with today's A Mome...

Sleep and inequality in the United States

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Inequality for minority groups can impact a number of life factors, including getting enough sleep. Research looks into the relationship between these...

Blood type might impact how you should prep for traveling

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever experienced some unpleasant sickness from traveling, like getting diarrhea, your blood type might actually be part of the equation.

The trick behind a rattlesnake's rattle

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists noticed some interesting behaviors when rattlesnakes began to rattle, and further research provided insight into these creatures.

Anxiety can impact how you view facial expressions

27 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When someone tells you to calm down, that's often the most inconvenient time to actually calm down. But is the expression on your face really accurate...

The hidden benefits of marine biofluorescence

26 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Under the blue light seen below the ocean's surface, there's a surprising array of biofluorescence to be seen. If, of course, you have the right kind ...

The durian fruit's smell is at odds with its taste

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How can a fruit that smells like garbage be appealing? Somehow, most of the animal kingdom besides humans are fans of durians.

The gap in the Grand Canyon's rock record

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In geology, gaps in the rock record are fairly common. But the Great Unconformity of the Grand Canyon takes this gap to a new level.

Seeing yourself through imaginary coworkers

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do you see the world? Your descriptions of the people around you can actually reveal a lot about how you see yourself.

Is stinky cheese appetizing or disgusting?

20 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some people find the smell of pungent cheeses appetizing while others find it unbearable? Neuroscientists were wondering the same thing and res...

U.S. islands and migratory animals

19 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Migratory animals often use islands while making their long journeys, creating some of the most biodiverse areas. Learn more about this relationship w...

Studying gut health and brain rejuvenation in mice

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our intestinal health can have a major impact on the rest of our body. Scientists have recently looked into how having a healthy gut can improve brain...

What makes a bug a true bug?

17 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We commonly refer to most insects as bugs, but how accurate is that term?

Handwriting and learning to read

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the modern age, there are fewer instances of needing to actually write anything down by hand. Scientists say we should still teach children how to ...

The indigestible goodness of fiber

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If fiber is actually indigestible for humans, why do we keep eating it?

How does sound travel on Mars?

12 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Mars Perseverance Rover has collected vital data for studying the red planet, including audio recordings. So how does sound travel on Mars?

How do moths stay safe when mating?

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Humans aren't the only ones who practice safe sex, others in the animal kingdom do as well. Learn how moths protect themselves with A Moment of Scienc...

How knowledge and memory relate

07 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You might think that knowledge and memory go hand in hand, but the true nature of their relationship is a bit more complicated. Learn more with today'...

Lakes on Mars, or a radar mirage?

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 2018, evidence for potential liquid water on Mars was announced. This would be a monumental discovery, but arguments since then have repeatedly cas...

Your ear does more than just listen to noise

05 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our ears don't just listen to the noises around us, they also make some sound as well. Learn more about otoacoustic emissions with A Moment of Science

Birds in the big city behave differently from those in the country

04 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Like any environment, there are certain adaptations people take on in order to live in a large metropolitan area. Are the animals that live among us a...

How are defibrillators really used?

03 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While their use has been popularized by Hollywood in countless medical dramas, the defibrillator isn't actually the miracle machine it's made out to b...

Birds have their own cultures and traditions, too

31 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Human cultures often benefit from their influence on each other, and scientists wondered if the same can be said for birds. Today's A Moment of Scienc...

The oldest fossils on Earth could shed light on finding signs of past life on Mars

30 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Single-celled organisms were present on the Earth long before more intelligent life began. Finding fossils of these past life forms on Earth could hel...

Why does having a sore throat hurt so much?

29 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why do sore throats hurt? Today's A Moment of Science looks closer at this pesky sickness and a few potential methods for relief.

Confronting brain freeze head on

28 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we get brain freeze, and always at the least convenient times? Today's A Moment of Science looks closer at this headache.

How our bodies keep us warm

27 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We're pretty familiar with terms such as 'cold-blooded' and 'warm-blooded,' but they're not the most accurate descriptions for what actually goes on i...

Probing the limits of life in Antarctica

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists have found evidence of microbial life in all of Earth's environments, but does that mean life can truly exist under any conditions? New res...

Deer parents probably aren't abandoning their fawns

23 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's not uncommon to see a deer fawn alone, and sometimes our first assumption is it was abandoned by its parents. Today's A Moment of Science explain...

Having red hair could mean you have a higher pain tolerance

22 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Having red hair is incredibly rare, and could signal other unique differences your body has. Learn more about the relationship between hair color and ...

Why an egg's consistency changes as it cooks

21 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Eggs change from a liquid-like state to practically solid the longer you cook them, but why is that?

Goby fish can act like Goldilocks, too

20 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Goldilocks might have been a sensitive character in a fairytale, but the goby fish can be just as picky when finding a bed. Learn more about Goby-lock...

Benjamin Franklin burned through money, for science

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When Benjamin Franklin was researching how heat and cold are conducted, he performed some interesting experiments using cold hard cash. Learn more wit...

The silent song of asteroseismology

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1600s, many people believed the stars produced musical vibrations. While it's true stars vibrate, they don't produce any sound. Asteroseismolog...

Does zero gravity actually exist?

15 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Seeing astronauts floating weightless is a commonly known image, but that weightlessness is different from actual zero gravity. Does zero gravity even...

The human genus may have a new member

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

All modern humans belong to the same species, but that doesn't mean we were the only species. Scientists may have recently found a new member of our e...

The secret behind getting clear ice cubes

13 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ice cubes always seem to be slightly cloudy in the middle. Why is that, and is it possible to avoid?

How mongoose pups benefit from a "veil of ignorance"

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Usually, operating with a "veil of ignorance" has few benefits. Researchers studying mongooses found that this might not always be the case in the ani...

Suggestions on judging statistics and risk assessment

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When confronted with something new, we often try to determine the potential risk associated with it. Today's A Moment of Science provides suggestions ...

Flip a coin, beat the odds

08 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a hundred tosses of a coin, you expect about fifty heads. But do those odds change depending on what previous coin toss results were?

Science says you should read to your baby

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Research shows there are multiple benefits for babies who are read to at a young age.

The beetle that walks on the underside of the water's surface

06 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There's more than just one way to move around in the water, and this beetle has found one of the more unique modes of transportation.

A lost strain of rice is found again

03 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A staple of Southern cuisine, hill rice, was thought to be lost from the US. Finding it again has been an important development for geneticists and ho...

What the weather report doesn't tell you

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Weather reports usually come from a measurement at least six feet off the ground. While that reading is accurate, it doesn't show the full story of te...

Scientists study the unique birdsong known as bird incubation calls

01 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Zebra finches are among one finch species known to use bird incubation calls, a distinctive sound used only around the time of eggs hatching.

Research furthers potential muscle regeneration

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers looked into further understanding a set of proteins known as the Yamanaka factors, hopefully leading to advancements in restoring muscle m...

"It takes one to know one"

29 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Scrub jays are known to steal from other birds, and their behavior towards others in their species shows shows everyone's in on the secret.

Why humans have baby teeth

26 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Baby teeth are valuable for childhood development, and for more reasons than keeping the tooth fairy employed. Today's A Moment of Science has more.

How do polar bears drink?

25 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most water polar bears come in contact with is frozen, so how do they stay hydrated?

The lost continent of 'Icelandia'

24 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A team of Earth scientists published their hypothesis earlier this year that Iceland is just "the tip of the iceberg" for the continental crust of Ice...

The hairy truth behind trichomes

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Just like our hair, trichomes can cover a plant in a variety of ways. Today's A Moment of Science has more on these structures

How different cancer models actually model cancer

22 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are many options to choose from when testing a cancer model. How do scientists pick which one is the best for their uses?

Turkeys actually make great wingmen

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The dating strategies for turkeys have benefits for those who don't pass along their genes.

Microbes in our brains are related to how infants develop fear

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

While some have a fear of germs, new research shows our sense of fear might come from microbes in our brains.

Clearing out your wallet might be a pain reliever

17 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Cleaning out clutter always makes us feel better, but what about physically? Today's A Moment of Science looks at the benefits of a cleared-out wallet...

The importance of time when navigating deep space

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Navigating deep space remains a daunting challenge. New developments in atomic clocks hope to aid in this issue.

What it means when an experiment fails to replicate

15 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of the main tenets of scientific study is results should be reproducible over and over again. But what happens when that's not possible?

The largest insect migration in the world

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Painted Lady butterfly makes the long journey across the Sahara Desert regularly, making the longest insect migration in the world.

The chemistry of cooking with wine

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We've recently looked at cooking with vodka and beer, so what does cooking with wine do?

Mammals can press pause on their pregnancies

10 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Parents often say there's no perfect time to get pregnant. For some animals, embryonic diapause is a convenient workaround to this problem.

The benefits of baking with alcohol

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many recipes can contain a secret ingredient. Today's A Moment of Science has a tip on what to add to your next pie.

Only three percent of Earth's land is ecologically intact

08 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The climate crisis has caused havoc on almost all areas of the planet. Research into biodiversity has led to a drastic statistic on Earth's ecology.

How red is "blood red" really?

05 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What color is blood? The answer might seem obvious, but color can depend on a couple factors in your body.

The mollusk with a rare iron mineral in its teeth

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Teeth can contain a wide variety of substances besides calcium. Scientists found a surprising mineral in the teeth of the gumboot chiton.

Scientists use drone technology to aid blowhole research

03 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are many creative uses for drones, and scientists have found another way to use this new technology.

The irresistible scent of dead arthropods

02 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Some plants have come up with unique ways to encourage pollination. One flower even has a specific scent to help encourage the presence of flies.

Carbon-dating the mysterious Greenland shark reveals impressive lifespans

01 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot we don't know about the Greenland shark, making them very mysterious creatures. Some recent information tells us a little more about the...

Why the Midwest gets so many tornadoes

29 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tornadoes touch down on every continent except Antarctica, but what makes them so tied to the midwest United States?

Do wild animals ever overeat?

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We don't often see obese animals in the wild, but does that mean that they don't exist?

The evolution of making porcelain

27 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Porcelain is a popular but incredibly fragile material for making everything from plates to dolls. Today's A Moment of Science looks closer at how it'...

The freezing and flowing waters of Mars

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We've heard a lot about liquid water on Mars, but how is this possible with low temperatures in the planet's early history?

The alligator gar is not an alligator

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Despite the name, the alligator gar is not a reptile. Learn more about these massive creatures with today's A Moment of Science.

How Neanderthals simplified the complex process of making tar

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our prehistoric ancestors relied on the tools they made to survive, but how did they put those tools together in the first place?

Pandemic symptoms prompt unconventional respiratory research

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With the COVID-19 virus impacting breathing abilities, researchers have looked into potential respiratory failure treatment alternatives.

Missing out on sleep really adds up

20 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How tired is too tired? Today's A Moment of Science looks at how a few nights with little sleep can really add up.

Sharks use Earth's magnetic field to navigate

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many animals have amazing sensory abilities. Thanks to recent research, scientists now have greater insight into how sharks navigate the seas.

You're a winner!

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It feels great to win, even if we only think we did. Researchers looked into how just thinking we've won impacts our bodies.

Scientists observe incredible aurora display known as a "space hurricane"

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Auroras are always incredible displays of light, and a recently observed phenomenon called a "space hurricane" is no exception.

Exploring the "twilight zone" of the ocean

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We've explored a relatively small part of our oceans, including a mysterious section known as the "Twilight Zone." Research has shown this area is not...

How Moon rocks differ from Earth rocks

13 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Impact theory helps explain why Moon rocks look so similar to stones here on Earth.

The trouble with drinking blood

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are many animals with unique diets, but one of the most surprising is the vampire bat's. Today's A Moment of Science has more on the realities o...

Lightning strike rates are increasing in the Arctic

11 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the past, the Arctic has been too cold to produce many thunderstorms. Warming temperatures are changing this environment and making lightning strik...

The fountain pen is mightier than the sword

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today's A Moment of Science has more on the fountain pen, the perfect example of capillary action, in action.

How non-migrating birds stay warm in the winter

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Birds are known to migrate with seasonal temperature changes, but what do those who don't travel South for winter do?

The explosive methods of an ant's self-defense

06 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are some strange methods animals use to defend themselves, and this ant is no exception.

Behind the familiar physics of alien rain

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We're all familiar with how rainfall on Earth works, but how does it differ on other planets?

The phenomenon of multiple discovery

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If Alexander Graham Bell had never lived, would we still have the telephone? The answer might be surprising, thanks to a pattern in science called mul...

Why many are making the switch to plant-based burgers

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Plant-based foods are becoming a popular alternative to meat products, and taste isn't the only factor convincing consumers to make the switch.

The Rodents Are Both Warm And Cold Blooded

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most mammals, including humans, respond to cold temperatures the same way. Today's A Moment of Science looks at two exceptions

Lightweight Electric Vehicles: Can A Battery Double As A Structural Part Of A Vehicle?

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As electric batteries become more widely used in vehicles, a major hurdle to their widespread use is their weight. A new project looks to dual uses fo...