Science Quickly
Episodes
Science News Briefs from the World Over
29 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Papua New Guinea to Kazakhstan, including one on the slow slide of Mount Etna in I...
Cod Could Cope with Constrained Climate Change
28 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Cod egg survival stays high with limited warming, but plummets when the temperature rises a few degrees Celsius in their current spawning grounds. Lea...
Intimate Hermit Crab Keeps Shell On
25 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A species of hermit crab appears to have evolved a large penis to enable intercourse without leaving, and thus possibly losing, its adopted shell. ...
Ecologists Eavesdrop with Bioacoustics
24 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
By coupling audio recordings with satellite data and camera traps, ecologists can keep their eyes—and ears—on protected tropical forests. Christop...
Saturn's Blingy Rings Are a Recent Upgrade
23 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Though Saturn formed about 4.5 billion years ago, its rings were added relatively recently—only 100 million to 10 million years ago. Karen Hopkin re...
Do-Gooders Should Survey Communities First
22 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Detroit residents declined an offer of free street trees—but were more willing to accept them if they had a say in the type of tree. Jason G. Goldma...
Viewing This Weekend's Lunar Eclipse
18 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A total lunar eclipse will grace the skies this Sunday, January 20—and it may or may not be red. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about yo...
"<i>Mona Lisa</i> Effect" Not True for <i>Mona Lisa</i>
17 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Mona Lisa effect is the illusion that the subject of a painting follows you with her gaze, despite where you stand. But da Vinci's famous painting...
Ants Stick to Cliques to Dodge Disease
16 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ants infected with fungal pathogens steer clear of other cliques within the colony—avoiding wider infection, and allowing for a sort of immunity. Lu...
Mistimed Migration Means Bird Death Battles
13 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Climate change is shifting population numbers and nest building by resident and migratory birds in Europe—sometimes leading to deadly conflict. Chri...
Monogamy May Be Written in Our Genes
11 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In animal studies, a set of 24 genes involved in neural development, learning and memory, and cognition, seem to be associated with monogamy. Karen Ho...
Seeing Superman Increases Altruism
10 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Subject who saw a Superman poster were more likely to offer help than were people who saw another image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...
Inhaled RNA Might Help Heal Cystic Fibrosis
08 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Scientists are working to correct a genetic defect in cystic fibrosis patients by having them inhale RNA. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more a...
Invisible Killers Hitchhike on Native Plant Seedlings
04 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
More than a quarter of the seedlings sampled at native plant nurseries were infected with pathogens—which could hamper restoration work. Christopher...
Facebook Users Value the Service More Than Investors Do
02 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Users of the social network said they'd require payment of more than $1,000 to quit the platform for one year. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn m...
Science News from around the Planet
31 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Germany to Rwanda, including one on the discovery of the world's oldest known brew...
Turn Xmas Tree into Food and Medicine
29 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Pine needles can easily be broken down into sugars as well as the building blocks of paint, adhesives and medicines. Christopher Intagliata reports. L...
Simple Sugars Wipe Out Beneficial Gut Bugs
27 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Fructose and sucrose can make it all the way to the colon, where they spell a sugary death sentence for beneficial bacteria. Karen Hopkin reports. Lea...
Smarter Pricing Could Ease Parking Frustration
26 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A new algorithm raises parking rates in busy neighborhoods and lowers them elsewhere, guaranteeing free parking spots regardless of location. Christop...
"Hunger Hormone" Ghrelin Aids Overindulgence
25 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ghrelin, the hormone that makes you hungry, also makes food, and food smells, irresistibly appealing. Karen Hopkin reports. Learn more about your ad...
Colorful Peacocks Impress Females with Good Vibes
24 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Peafowls' head crests are specifically tuned to the vibrations produced by feather-rattling male peacocks, thus acting as a sort of antenna. Jason G. ...
Measuring the Strength of a Person's Gaze
23 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A new study suggests that, unconsciously, we actually do believe that looking exerts a slight force on the things being looked at. Karen Hopkin report...
"Relaxation Music" Works—but So Does Chopin
22 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
So-called "relaxation music" is only about as effective as a soothing Chopin piece at lulling listeners into a relaxed state. Christopher Intagliata r...
Bone Building Needs Bit of Breakdown First
21 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The hormone irisin encourages bone remodeling, in part by first triggering another substance that encourages some bone breakdown. Learn more about you...
Frog Picks Maternity Ward Like Goldilocks
20 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Bahia's broad-snout casque-headed tree frog needs a pool to raise its young that's just right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...
You Gotta Scratch That Itch
19 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A particular set of brain neurons may be behind registering itch and inducing us to scratch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
Join <i>Blue Planet II</i> Live-Tweet
14 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Starting December 16, ocean scientists will live-tweet the BBC documentary series Blue Planet II, available via Netflix. Learn more about your ad choi...
Big-Boned Chickens May Be Humans' Geologic Legacy
13 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Millions of years from now, the geologic record of the "Anthropocene" will be littered with plastics, yes, but also chicken bones. Christopher Intagli...
Ancient Marine Reptiles Had Familiar Gear
12 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ichthyosaurs had traits in common with turtles and modern marine mammals, like blubber and countershading camouflage. Christopher Intagliata reports. ...
Little Aphids Ride Big Ones to Safety
11 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When trouble lurks, juvenile aphids drop off of the plants they're eating and hitch a ride on bigger aphid escapees. Learn more about your ad choic...
Utah's Deserts Are Bee Hotspots
08 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration is shrinking Utah's desert monuments, stripping some federal protections for wild pollinators. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Who's a Smart Dog?!
06 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An estimate of dog intelligence requires looking at non-dogs as well to understand what's special to canines and what is just typical of the taxonomic...
Data Reveals Most Influential Movies
05 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
By analyzing the network connections between 47,000 films on IMDb, researchers found the most influential films ever made. Christopher Intagliata repo...
Blue Whales Have Changed Their Tune
30 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In the last few decades blue whale calls have been getting lower in pitch—and a rebound in their numbers may be the reason. Christopher Intagliata r...
Smart Meters Speed Showers
27 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Smart meters on showerheads encouraged hotel guests to conserve—even though they personally saved no money. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn mo...
Mars Mission Makes Clean Landing
26 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The sounds of the Mars InSight Mission control room during the tense minutes leading to the landing on the surface. Learn more about your ad choices. ...
Do Wine over Those Brussels Sprouts
21 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Taking a swig of red wine before eating Brussels sprouts appears to moderate Brussels sprouts' polarizing flavor. Christopher Intagliata reports Learn...
Rains Bring a Microbial Massacre to Chilean Desert
19 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Freak heavy rainstorms in 2015 and 2017 wiped out many dry-adapted microbes in the Atacama Desert, useful info in the search for life off Earth. Chris...
Consensual Hugs Seem to Reduce Stress
18 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
People who had a conflict in a given day but also got hugged were not as affected by the negative interaction as were their unhugged counterparts. ...
World's Largest Organism Faces Bleak Future
17 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The single organism that is the Utah aspen grove known as Pando is on the decline due to herbivores wiping out its youngest tree outgrowths Learn m...
U.S. Immigrants Leave Country—and Microbes—Behind
14 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Immigrants to the U.S. lose their native mix of gut microbes almost immediately after arriving in the U.S.—which researchers can't quite explain. Ch...
Science News Briefs from All over
13 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A few very brief reports about international science and technology from Alaska to Indonesia, including one on offshore dairy farming from the Netherl...
Babies and Chimps Share a Laugh
10 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Adult humans laugh primarily on the exhale, but human babies laugh on the inhale and the exhale—as do chimps. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn ...
Singing Fish Reveal Underwater Battles in the Amazon
08 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers recorded piranha "honks" and catfish "screeches" in the Peruvian Amazon, which might illuminate fish activity in murky jungle waters. Chri...
Social Construct of Race Imposes Biology
07 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Anthropologist Jennifer Raff argues that race is culturally created, but has biological consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...
Pandas Swoon to Particular Croons
06 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Listening to the sounds panda pairs make when they're introduced could lead to better breeding success. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more abo...
First Benefit of Knowing Your Genome
02 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The "low hanging fruit" of genome-related health care will be knowing which drugs are likely to treat you best, says science journalist Carl Zimmer. ...
For Halloween, Consider the Chocolate Midge
31 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A tiny fly, related to biting no-see-ums, pollinates cacao trees and enables our chocolate cravings. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more abou...
Dolphins Dumb Down Calls to Compete with Ship Noise
29 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Bottlenose dolphins simplify and raise the pitch of their whistles to be heard above underwater shipping noise. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn ...
Asocial Octopuses Become Cuddly on MDMA
22 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Octopuses react to MDMA much like humans do. And not surprisingly, given their anatomy, the animals are excellent huggers. Annie Sneed reports. Learn ...
Wild Songbirds Can Pick Up New Tunes
18 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers taught two dozen wild sparrows new songs, by playing them the recordings of sparrows that live thousands of miles away. Jason G. Goldman r...
Health Care Let Neandertals "Punch above Their Weight"
17 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
By caring for their sick and injured, Neandertals were able to expand into more dangerous environments and pursue more deadly prey. Christopher Intagl...
Nice People Have Emptier Wallets
15 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A study correlating personality traits with financial data found that agreeable people had lower savings, higher debt and higher bankruptcy rates. Chr...
Solar Eclipse Was a Buzzkill for Bees
12 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Bees suddenly fell silent when the sun disappeared during last year's solar eclipse—perhaps because they were tricked into night mode. Christopher I...
Confident Tone Overcomes Accent Distrust
11 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
English as-a-first-language Canadian study subjects were less trusting of statements in English spoken with a foreign accent, unless the speaker sound...
Mom's Genes Make Some Giraffes Hard to Spot
10 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Baby giraffes inherit aspects of their mothers' patterning—which could give them a survival advantage if good camouflage runs in the family. Christo...
Economics Nobel Highlights Climate Action Necessity
09 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
William Nordhaus shared the 2018 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, "for integrating climate change into long-run macroeconomic analysis,” w...
Highway Crossings Protect Migrating Pronghorns—and Motorists
06 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Twice a year, thousands of pronghorn antelope and mule deer migrate through Wyoming, and newly built highway crossings are sparing the lives of animal...
Beer Fermentation Hops Along
04 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The bittering agents called hops have enzymes that chew up starch and unleash more fermentable sugar—which can boost alcohol and CO2 in the finished...
Nobel in Chemistry for New and Useful Chemical Entities via Evolutionary Principles
03 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Frances H. Arnold, George P. Smith and Gregory P. Winter share the 2018 chemistry Nobel for developing evolutionary-based techniques that lead to the ...
Nobel in Physics for Controlling Laser Light
02 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Arthur Ashkin, Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland share the 2018 physics Nobel for their work with lasers that have led to numerous practical applica...
Nobel for Helping the Immune System Fight Cancer
01 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo share the Nobel Prize for their work on harnessing the cancer patient's own immune system to destroy tumors. Lear...
Blasey Ford Spells Out Trauma Memory Formation
30 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Christine Blasey Ford's professional expertise came into play during her testimony regarding the Supreme Court nomination. Learn more about your ad ch...
Scanning Ancient Civilizations from the Skies
27 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An aerial laser scan of more than 800 square miles of Guatemalan jungle revealed Maya buildings, canals, roads and bridges. Christopher Intagliata rep...
Antifreeze Surface Fights Ice with Ice
25 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Patterning a surface with tiny stripes of ice prevents frost formation on the rest of the surface—a technique that could keep planes or roads frost-...
Scale Can Measure Medicine—and Play a Scale, Too
24 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers have designed a musical instrument that can detect counterfeit drugs by the pitch of its notes. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more...
Diverse Tree Portfolio Weathers Droughts Better
21 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Forests with numerous tree species, and therefore a mix of water-management strategies, appear more tolerant of drought. Christopher Intagliata report...
Pirates Needed Science, Too
19 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On International Talk Like a Pirate Day, here's an eye-patch-witness account of how science helps in all peg-leg walks of life, even piracy Learn more...
Sea Otters' Powerful Paw Prey Perception
18 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The marine mammals have extraordinarily sensitive touch—which helps them nab prey in the absence of other sensory cues. Christopher Intagliata repor...
Science News Briefs from Around the World
17 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A few very brief reports about science and technology from around the globe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Genetic Tweak Gave Early Humans a Leg Up
13 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A mutation in a key gene may have endowed humans with superior endurance—allowing them to compete better with other animals on the savanna. Christop...
Earlier Springs May Mean Mistimed Bird Migrations
12 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Springtime's arriving earlier across North America. But the degree of change isn't the same everywhere, which could spell trouble for migratory birds....
Survey the Wildlife of the "Great Indoors"
10 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Biologists are enlisting citizen scientists to poke around under the sink and behind the curtains, for wildlife living in the "great indoors." Karen H...
When Neutron Stars Collide
07 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Astrophysicists have gotten a better glimpse at what happens to crashing neutron stars by listening in on the electromagnetic echoes of the collision....
Bonnethead Sharks Are Underwater Lawn Mowers
06 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The hammerhead relatives consume copious amounts of sea grass, and have the digestive machinery to process it—making them true omnivores. Christophe...
Hurricane Is a Natural Selection Experiment
05 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When Hurricane Irma blew through the Turks and Caicos, lizards with shorter hindlimbs lucked out. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad...
Pasta Problem Cracked!
04 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An intrepid undergrad led the way to understanding the physics of snapping strands of spaghetti. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....
Science News You Might Have Missed
31 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A few very brief reports about science and technology from around the globe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pineapple Waste Won't Be Wasted
27 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Costa Rican scientists are extracting valuable materials from the peel and stubble of pineapples. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...
Sometimes Mosquitoes Are Just Thirsty
24 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Mosquitoes want your blood for its proteins...or simply to hydrate on a hot, dry day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
Robot Bartender Will Take Your Order
23 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Digital assistants have to respond quickly, but correctly—so researchers are studying how real humans navigate that trade-off, to design better mach...
As Spring Arrives Earlier, Arctic Geese Speed Up Their Migration
22 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The birds are arriving in the Arctic up to 13 days earlier than they used to. But at a cost: hunger. Annie Sneed reports. Learn more about your ad c...
Freeloading Ants Help the Workflow
21 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Fire ants tunnels got excavated efficiently by only a small percentage of the group doing most of the work, thus avoiding pileups in tight spaces. ...
Ancient Americans Bred Symbolically Important Scarlet Macaws
20 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Genetic information from the bones of macaws found in abandoned pueblos suggests they were bred and distributed as a commodity. Christopher Intagliata...
Rising CO2 Means Monarch Butterfly Bellyaches
17 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Milkweed grown with more carbon dioxide in the air supplies fewer toxins to monarch butterflies that need the toxins to fight off gut parasites. Learn...
For Some Crows, Migration Is Optional
16 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Crows are what's known as "partial migrants"—as cold weather approaches, some crows fly south whereas others stay put. And that behavior appears to ...
Plants Dominate the Planet's Biomass
15 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
About 80 percent of Earth's biomass is plant life, with humans about equal to krill way down the heft chart. Learn more about your ad choices. V...
Solar Eclipse of 2017 Boosted Science Interest
14 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Michigan Scientific Literacy Survey of 2017 found that last year's total solar eclipse got Americans more interested in celestial science. ...
Crickets Carve Tools to Amplify Their Chirps
13 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The insects fashion and use "baffles"—sound controllers—made of leaves to produce sound more efficiently. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more abo...
Computerized Chemical Toxicity Prediction Beats Animal Testing
10 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers programmed a computer to compare structures and toxic effects of different chemicals, making it possible to then predict the toxicity of n...
Better Data Could Mean Better Dating
09 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Both men and women tended to pursue mates just 25 percent more desirable than themselves—suggesting they are "optimistic realists." Christopher Inta...
To Evolve Baleen, Lose Your Teeth First
08 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Whale ancestors probably never had teeth and baleen at the same time, and only developed baleen after trying toothlessness and sucking in prey. Learn ...
Corn Variety Grabs Fertilizer from the Air
07 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A variety of corn from Oaxaca, Mexico, has aerial roots that harbor nitrogen-fixing bacteria, allowing the corn to suck nitrogen straight from the air...
Birds Learn Safety from Other Kinds of Birds
02 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Birds become good at avoiding danger by eavesdropping on the alarm calls of other birds—and the learning occurs without even seeing their peers or p...
Microbes Share Your Morning Metro Commute
01 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An analysis of the Hong Kong metro found microbes, including some with antibiotic resistance genes, freshly disperse throughout the system each day. C...
Oh Say Can You See Subtle Details?
31 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Different people have differing aptitudes for observing small changes and particular features. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...
Some Crows Hit On Dead Companions
30 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
About 5 percent of crows will attempt to copulate with other crows that have joined the choir invisible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...
Mouth Sets Healing Standard
29 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Certain proteins that coordinate the healing response are present at higher levels in oral tissue—meaning wounds in the mouth fix faster. Christophe...
Border Wall Could Disrupt Hundreds of Species
26 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
More than 2,500 scientists signed a letter saying that an expanded U.S.–Mexico border wall would threaten both biodiversity and scientific research....
Turn a Wall into a Touch Screen Cheap
25 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers used a couple of hundred dollars worth of materials to turn a wall into a giant touch screen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...