A Moment of Science

Cooking with magnets

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” But what if there were a way to make kitchens less hot?

How does smoking a pipe impact your health?

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Put this in your pipe and smoke it, with today's A Moment of Science.

Why does crying make your nose run?

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you burst out crying, you expect the bleary red eyes and the rivers of tears that stream down your cheeks. But on top of all that, your nose star...

Feedback loops and global climate change

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Climate scientists need models to help study the impacts of climate change. Feedback loops play an essential role in these models.

Audiobooks vs. books in the brain

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do books and audiobooks differ in your brain?

The lives of solitary bees

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Unlike social bees like the bumblebee, solitary bees don't have queens or worker bees, and they don't reside together in colonies.

Why it's harder for toddlers to learn from a screen

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There have been many advancements in online education in recent years, but our youngest students will still face some difficulties.

Why we must recycle the rare earth metals

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rare earths are vital to green technologies, like wind turbines and electric cars, that will allow us to quit burning fossil fuels and solve the crisi...

Do opossums actually hang by their tails?

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever seen a cartoon of a sleeping opossum hanging upside down by its tail? Well, you may be surprised to learn that 'possums don't actually s...

What makes thick skin thick?

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Having a thick skin is good if you don't want teasing to affect you. But what does it mean for our bodies?

The perfect blast: The explosion of a kilonova

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017, astronomers observed one of the most important and mysterious cosmic events: an explosion known as a kilonova.

How stripes can save animals

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Animals with stripes really stand out when you look at them. How could this pattern possible help them hide from predators?

Does stress actually cause grey hair?

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There have always been anecdotes about stress causing hair to turn grey, but is there any scientific evidence to back these claims?

Biological clocks of all kinds

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We have our circadian rhythm, but how does time impact other animals?

Global climate change and the Greenland ice sheet

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The huge ice sheet covering Greenland is pivotal to the threat of rising sea levels, but it presents some difficulties for scientists.

Less salt, same flavor?

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From potato chips to even our butter, salt is in a lot that we consume these days. But heavily salting our food isn't new behavior.

The hummingbird bill is a multitool

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are many uses for a hummingbird's bill besides just feeding.

Some like it hot, some like it even hotter

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you ever travel to the Sichuan province in China, you may hear the word "mala" to describe much of the food.

Why your eyes get puffy when you cry

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our tears are different when we cry for emotional reasons. What's the difference?

Spilling the tea on hard water

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Making tea with hard water makes a noticeable difference, according to research.

What makes superglue so super

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How is superglue so sticky?

Should you sweat out a cold?

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There's the popular advice to "sweat out a cold," but does it actually have any benefit?

Since the dawn of humanity, fathers have always been older

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers found that, over this vast span of time, humans were, on average, about twenty six years old when they conceived children. But they also f...

Sea turtle moms plant decoy nests

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sea turtles try to keep their nests as safe as possible, even leaving behind a decoy.

Can tooth fillings pick up radio signals?

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In an interview with Dick Cavett, Lucille Ball made a spooky claim: while driving down a bumpy road, she began to hear music—not from her radio, fro...

Wait to use mouthwash after you exercise

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why would it matter when you use mouthwash?

What's the difference between white and dark meat?

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

White or dark, what do you prefer?

What is a virus?

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The common cold, the flu, measles. What is a virus, anyway?

Knowing where the wind blows

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do wind farm developers know exactly where to put the turbines?

Your dog, to the rescue

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

TV shows and movies always show a pet rescuing their human friends. Is this really likely?

How distinctive is your walk?

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Could you recognize someone just by the way they walk?

An ancient animal that grew up fast

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Children grow up fast, and that's true for more animals than just humans.

Insects are a good source of antioxidants

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It might not be common in the US right now, but eating insects have several benefits and could become more popular in the near future.

Traveling with zoochory

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Just like animals, plants are driven to reproduce. Find out more about one of their methods of transportation, zoochory.

The ocean is losing its oxygen

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What do you look for in a home? Even creatures of the sea want to live somewhere nice, and their needs aren’t that different from yours.

Our fossils of the future

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our age, the Anthropocene era, is distinctive in many ways. The fossils we leave behind might show this in the future.

Mammals live longer when they live in groups

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do mammals live together? There's some benefits to living with others.

Shedding microfibers, just from doing laundry

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us are probably pretty careful not to litter. Turns out, we might be doing the same thing just by wearing clothes.

What makes hummingbird wings so pretty?

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many birds have striking features, but the hummingbird's wings are unique.

The future of bananas

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bananas are a staple fruit in our dieting habits, but scientists have some concerns about its future.

Your dance moves are like a fingerprint

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How distinctive are your dance moves?

The family tree of arctic sled dogs

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Where did modern sled dogs originate?

Why our recorded voices sound so different

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do our recorded voices sound so different from inside our own heads?

Can moon dust shield us from the sun?

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A study suggests a valuable resource sits right on the surface of the Moon: dust.

Trees that farm their own drought tolerance

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With climate change, stronger droughts are challenging the world’s forests.

An illusion in your coffee cup

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Things are not always as they seem, and this little demonstration will prove it.

Glass frogs turn translucent by hiding their blood

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers sometimes make biomedically important findings in the strangest places. One such discovery took place with glass frogs--tiny amphibians th...

Eating more with loved ones

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Overeating at Thanksgiving or other family functions feels pretty common. Is there a reason for that?

The toxic legacy of leaded gasoline

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1920s automotive engineers made one of the greatest mistakes of the twentieth century.

Camouflaging with iridescence

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Iridescent coloring is pretty eye-catching, so how can it be used as camouflage?

Sending a cube into space

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What's the size of a toaster, weighs about three pounds, and orbits the Earth?

Voiceless frogs can fall in love, too

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's A Moment of Science has the love story of a frog who can't sing.

Queen bees don't have it easy

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Queen bees don't have to leave the hive, but that doesn't mean they have easy lives.

How the voice humanizes information

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Research suggests how we receive information (reading vs hearing) can inform our opinions about the topic at hand.

The significance of mouthfeel

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mouthfeel, or texture, is an important component of flavor while we eat.

Modern bird beaks aren't so modern after all

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

New fossil evidence suggests previous assumptions about beak evolution weren't quite right.

Fish have their own dog days of summer

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hotter weather makes humans more irritable. Turns out we aren't the only species impacted by the dog days of summer.

The brain and mapping your toes

21 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In most people’s brains, each finger is represented by its own small section in the brain, but the same isn’t true for toes.

How the spitting cobra spits

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Spitting cobras are dangerous because they don't even need to bite their victim in order to do damage. How do they do it?

How to see ghosts with Pepper's ghost illusion

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about the practical effect known as Pepper's ghost illusion.

Frisky groundhogs in February

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When groundhogs first emerge in February, they have very specific priorities.

Keeping sweet corn sweet

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Not much really compares to fresh picked sweet corn in the summer, and it turns out that there may be a very good scientific reason for why so many of...

Why is it so easy to break a coffee cup?

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn about the role of leverage in breaking mugs with today's A Moment of Science.

Are solar storms a threat to the internet?

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The internet is one of the most valuable resources of our time. What potential threats exist to our global network?

Antarctica's biodiversity and penguin poop

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What's the importance of penguin poop?

The mysterious origins of the Macrauchenia

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about the Macrauchenia, a creature Charles Darwin considered as one of the strangest ever.

Caribou and their mighty migration

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The idea of heading south for the winter isn’t exclusive to humans. Plenty of animals embark on huge trips as the seasons change.

What is the Heisenberg uncertainty principle?

07 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most bewildering developments of modern physics is the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. On today's Moment of Science we'll learn what this...

Flowers choose the best pollinators

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It turns out flowers have some say in who carries their pollen.

Arthropods in your house

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

They might not be welcome house guests, but your home probably has more arthropods than you think.

How does the windhover hover?

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever seen a raptor stay motionless in the air?

Grapefruit and your medication

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know eating grapefruit can be ill advised, depending on your medication?

Invasive species and tornadoes

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tornadoes can leave devastating destruction in their path, and impact an environment in surprising ways.

The gun embodiment effect

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers wondered whether the act of wielding a gun would make a person perceive other people as wielding a gun as well.

Turning your world upside down

29 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

See how our visual systems invert images with this simple demonstration.

Less oxygen, stronger alligator hearts

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Usually less oxygen leads to problems, but that isn't the case for alligator eggs.

The smooth wake from a ship

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why would a ship's wake be smooth and not more chaotic? A Moment of Science explains.

The oldest known eardrums

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do ancient katydids have prehistoric significance?

Tricking your muscles, with a door frame

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about your muscles' sensory receptors with today's A Moment of Science!

Crows can choose if they want to call

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Some sounds are involuntary, but crows have the ability to determine if they want to call.

The biggest earthquake humans ever experienced

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There have been several devastating earthquakes in recent history. Today's A Moment of Science looks at what is suspected to be the biggest earthquake...

The complexities of feeling hangry

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever felt hangry? Turns out this emotion is more complex than you might think.

Getting grounded, but keeping your wings

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do flightless birds still have their wings?

Don't sweat the small stuff with moisture-wicking fabric

16 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How does moisture-wicking fabric work while you're working out?

Hills in the ocean

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Despite appearances from the surface, the ocean has a surprising geographical range.

Pickle me this

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about the widespread technique of pickling with today's A Moment of Science.

The invasive jumping worm

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Gardeners would tell you earthworms are a crucial species in keeping their plants healthy, but not all worms are beneficial for your plants

Wet weather leads to brighter colors

10 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Not only leaves, but rocks, soil, and road surfaces all have more intense color when they're wet than when they're dry.

Defending Earth: The impact threat

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An asteroid striking our planet might be a popular storyline in science fiction, but how likely is this possibility really?

Leafhoppers might be fans of climate change

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Find out more about leafhoppers and why they might like global warming with today's A Moment of Science.

When did humans learn to cook?

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Anthropologists think our ancestors solved the calorie problem by learning to cook their food with fire.

The amazing regeneration of the axolotl

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve all heard of lab rats—but what about lab axolotls?

Working out and your arteries

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How exactly does exercise make us healthier?

You can see the forest and the trees

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about reforestation practices with today's A Moment of Science.

The curve of a meandering river

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Check out today's A Moment of Science for more on one of nature's most basic and subtle shapes -- the winding, back-and-forth S-curve of a meandering ...

Internal compass helps guide fish home

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We recently looked at the internal GPS systems of insects, but what about other wildlife?

How getting back on the horse can help

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's A Moment of Science is all about the benefits of hippotherapy.

Your Pong opponent is a dish of brain cells

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pong is so easy you might say anyone could master it. And Pong’s newest players? A group of lab-grown brain cells.

GPS can get a bit buggy

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Insects use their own GPS system to navigate, and scientists looked at how accurate their sense of direction is.

What is alien hand syndrome?

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about alien hand syndrome with today's A Moment of Science!