Science Quickly
Episodes
Ancient Tooth Tartar Traps Clues to Iron Age Diet
24 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
By analyzing the proteins in ancient dental plaque, archaeologists determined that British menus almost three millennia ago featured milk, oats and pe...
Honey Bee Alarm Signal Could Protect Elephants
23 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Chemicals designed to simulate honeybee alarm pheromones could deter elephants from farmers’ crops, easing conflicts with humans. Annie Sneed report...
Sea Level Rise Could Inundate the Internet
20 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Extreme sea level rise could swamp internet cabling and hubs by 2033—and coastal cities like New York, Seattle and Miami are at greatest risk. Chris...
Astronomy Tool Helps ID Sharks
19 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Shark researchers used a system for recognizing patterns in star field photographs to identify whale sharks, which have individual spot patterns. Lear...
Mammals Moonlight around Human Settlements
18 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A study of human–mammal interaction across the globe found animals are more prone to take to the night around humans. Jason G. Goldman reports. Le...
Jupiter's Moon Total Hits 79
17 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The International Astronomical Union reports that there are now 79 known Jovian moons, with a dozen found last year. Learn more about your ad choic...
Moths Evade Bats with Slight of Wing
16 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Some moth species have evolved long wing tails that flutter and twist as the moth flies, which distract hungry bats. Christopher Intagliata reports. L...
Science News You Might Have Missed
13 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Very brief reports about science and technology from around the globe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Smart Mouth Guard Senses Muscle Fatigue
12 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A prototype flexible electronic mouth guard can measure lactate levels in an athlete’s saliva, tracking muscle fatigue during training and performan...
Favorite Wine Grapes May Need Genetic Help
10 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Wine book author Kevin Begos explains that just a few varieties of wine grapes dominate the industry, which leaves them vulnerable to potentially cata...
Iridescence Could Help Critters Hide in Plain Sight
06 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Iridescence appears to break up the recognizable shape of objects—making them harder to spot. Karen Hopkin reports. Learn more about your ad choices...
Primate Conflicts Play Out in the Operating Room
05 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
By analyzing 200 surgeries, anthropologists found mixed-gender operating room teams exhibited the highest levels of cooperation. Christopher Intagliat...
Sharks Make a Splash in Brooklyn
04 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Visitors can see and learn about sharks and their environment in the new "Ocean Wonders: Sharks!" facility at the Wildlife Conservation Society's New ...
City Life Favors Downsized Invertebrates
03 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Most invertebrates get smaller on average in cities, although a few very mobile species respond to urbanization by growing. Learn more about your ad c...
People Ration Where They Roam
02 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An analysis of the movement of some 40,000 people suggests most of us frequent only 25 places—and as we sub in new favorites, we drop old ones. Chri...
Humans Can Size One Another Up with a Roar
28 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Listeners to a person letting loose with a roar can accurately estimate the size and formidability or the human noise maker. Christopher Intagliata re...
Piano Lessons Tune Up Language Skills
26 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Six months of piano lessons can heighten kindergartners' brain responses to different pitches, and improve their ability to tell apart two similar-sou...
Cardinal Rule: Female Birds Sing, Too
25 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Many people assume only male birds do the singing. But females also sing in at least 660 species and perhaps many more. Learn more about your ad choic...
Bird's Song Staying Power Implies Culture
22 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Certain motifs in swamp sparrow songs can last hundreds, even thousands of years—evidence of a cultural tradition in the birds. Christopher Intaglia...
Alaskan Beluga Whales Ace Hearing Exam
21 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers tested the hearing of beluga whales in an Alaskan bay and found that they seem to have suffered little hearing loss due to ocean noise. C...
Fat–Carb Combo Is a Potent One–Two Punch
19 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Foods high in both carbs and fats tickle the brain’s reward circuits more so than snacks that showcase just one or the other. Karen Hopkin reports. ...
Jupiter Crackles with Polar Lightning
17 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Juno spacecraft data suggest lightning on Jupiter is much more common than we thought—but it congregates near the poles, not the equator as on Earth...
Coral Reefs Keep Costly Waves at Bay
15 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A new analysis found the flood protection benefits of coral reefs save the global economy $4 billion dollars a year. Christopher Intagliata reports. ...
Hippo Dung Fouls Up Freshwater Fisheries
14 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Hippo poop is piling up in Tanzania’s freshwater fisheries—which is bad news for biodiversity, and deleterious for the dinner plate. Jason G. Gold...
A Litmus Test for Bad Breath
13 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers engineered a portable device that detects even the tiniest trace of hydrogen sulfide—one of the primary offenders in bad breath. Karen H...
Prez (of AMA) Issues Call to Arms-Science
11 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
At the AMA annual meeting the organization's president petitioned for an evidence-based, science-driven analysis of gun violence and solutions. Lea...
Powder Pulls Drinking Water from Desert Air
08 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A structure known as a metal organic framework traps water vapor by night, then releases it when heated the next day. Christopher Intagliata reports. ...
Ancient Clan War Explains Genetic Diversity Drop
06 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Some 5,000 to 7,000 years ago, the diversity of Y chromosomes plummeted. A new analysis suggests clan warfare may have been the cause. Christopher Int...
Saying "This May Hurt" May Make It Worse
05 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Warning a child that something, like a vaccine shot, will hurt can actually increase their perception of the pain. Learn more about your ad choices. V...
Mongooses Gift Grooming for Guard Duty
01 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Humans and other primates often reciprocate good deeds. A new study suggests a nonprimate, the dwarf mongoose, does so, too, even after a delay. Chris...
Some Trees Beat Heat with Sweat
31 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
During extreme heat waves, a species of eucalyptus copes by releasing water and taking advantage of evaporative cooling. Other trees may do the same. ...
Computers Go Head-to-Head with Humans on Face Recognition
30 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The best facial-recognition algorithms are now as good as the best forensic examiners are. But the best results come by combining human and computer s...
Pinnipeds Don't Appreciate Biped Disturbance
29 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sea lions and fur seals in Uruguay have become a tourist attraction—but the animals have become less, not more, accepting of humans. Jason G. Goldma...
Computers Predict Pop Chart Success
24 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An evolutionary analysis of pop tunes revealed that over the past 30 years songs have grown sadder—but the big hits buck that trend. Christopher Int...
Doc's YA Novel Treats Life-and-Death Issues
23 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Pediatric cardiologist Ismée Williams discusses her young adult novel, Water in May, about a teenage girl whose newborn has a life-threatening heart ...
Google's AI Assistant Does Your Talk Tasks
17 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The new Google AI voice assistant, called Duplex, highlights the intricacies of carrying out a mundane human-style conversation, as it keeps you off t...
Great Ape Makes Good Doc
16 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Orangutans were observed to use plant extracts to treat their own pain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stool-Pigeon Poop Reveals Bird-Racing Fouls
15 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Racing pigeons is big business—and doping is common. Now scientists have devised a way to detect doping in the avian athletes. Christopher Intagliat...
Radar Scans Detail North Korean Nukes
14 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Scientists have added radar info to seismic data, isotope measurements and optical imagery to study covert nuclear tests. Christopher Intagliata repor...
Hunting Rules Have Changed Mama Bear Care
11 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Hunting regulations in Sweden prohibit killing brown bear mothers in company of cubs—causing mama bears to care for their young longer. Jason G. Gol...
Jupiter and Venus Squeeze Earth's Orbit
10 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sediment records have confirmed that Jupiter and Venus change Earth's orbit from virtually circular to noticeably elliptical and back every 405,000 ye...
Mars Lander Will Peer Inside the Red Planet
07 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The InSight Mission will look at Mars's seismic activity and latent heat to find out more about how planets get made--and how humans might live there....
Plants Can Sense Animal Attack Coming
06 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Tomato plants detected snail slime in soil near them and mounted preemptive defenses, even though they were not directly touched. Learn more about ...
Archaeologist Makes a Case for Seafaring Neandertals
04 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ancient tools on Mediterranean islands could predate the appearance of modern humans—suggesting Neandertals took to the seas. Christopher Intagliata...
Africa: Future Worldwide Science Hub
02 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Thierry Zomahoun, president of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, talks about the potential and needs of science on the continent. Le...
Healthful Eating Requires Supermarket Smarts
30 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Advice from an N.Y.U. food policy symposium: eating healthfully means you can't ever let down your guard when shopping. Learn more about your ad choic...
Culture Shapes Kids' Views of Nature
29 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In a study of children interacting with toy animals Native American kids and non-Native kids imagined the animals very differently. Learn more about y...
Bad Audio Can Hurt a Scientist's Credibility
28 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Listeners gave more credence to a scientist’s radio interview when the audio was good quality than they did to the same material when the audio was ...
Bill Gates Announces a Universal Flu Vaccine Effort
27 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Today in Boston, Gates announced a $12-million initiative to foster the development of a vaccine effective against all flu strains. Learn more about y...
Drumming Beats Speech for Distant Communication
25 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Bora people in the northwestern Amazon use drums to send languagelike messages across long distances. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more a...
Bees Have a Goldilocks Lawn Mow Schedule
23 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Lawns mowed every two weeks hosted more bees than lawns mowed every three weeks. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...
If Singing's Tough, Try Whistling
21 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A new study claims it's easier to accurately whistle a melody than to sing it. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...
Traffic Deaths Increase after 4:20 P.M. on 4/20
19 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A look at a database of fatal traffic accidents found a 12 percent increase on the informal marijuana holiday 4/20 after 4:20 P.M. compared with nearb...
NYC Mice Are Packed with Pathogens
18 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Mice trapped in New York City apartment buildings harbored disease-causing bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. Christopher Intagliata reports. L...
Mine Social Media Posts to Predict Flu
17 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers used Twitter searches for nonflu words associated with behavior to predict flu outbreaks two weeks in advance. Learn more about your ad...
Planting Milkweed for Monarchs? Make Sure It's Native
16 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Non-native milkweed species planted in the southern U.S. could harm monarch butterflies as temperatures rise. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more abo...
The Internet Needs a Tune-Up
13 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Princeton University's Jennifer Rexford talks about optimizing the internet for the uses it got drafted into performing. Learn more about your ad...
Glacier Suddenly Goes Galloping
12 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers try to figure out why every 20 years a Pakistan glacier moves roughly 1,500 times faster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...
Some Habitable Zone Exoplanets May Get X-Rayed Out
11 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Red dwarfs are a popular place to hunt for small exoplanets in the habitable zone—but the stars' radiation bursts might fry chances for life as we k...
Right Whales Seem to Think before They Speak
09 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Rather than always making the same call in response to the same stimuli, North Atlantic right whales are capable of changing their vocalizations. L...
Old New England Underground May Be Spry after All
07 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. Northeast may be more geologically active than was previously thought, according to a seismic sensor network. Learn more about your ad choice...
Brain Scan Might Reveal Appetite for Risk
06 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Volunteers willing to place riskier bets tended to sport larger amygdalas—a region associated with processing fear. Christopher Intagliata reports. ...
Neandertal Face Shape Was All Over the Air
04 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The jutting midface of Neandertals seems to have evolved to help get large volumes of air into an active body that needed lots of oxygen. Learn m...
Rev Up Photosynthesis to Boost Crop Yields
02 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Photosynthesis actually is an inefficient process, but a biological chemist is trying to crank it up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph...
13,000-Year-Old Footprints under West Coast Beach
01 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Several feet below a beach in British Columbia, archaeologists discovered soil trampled by human feet—the oldest footprints found so far in North Am...
Math Cracks a Knuckle-Cracking Mystery
29 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The source of knuckle cracking sounds is much debated—but new mathematical models may reconcile two opposing views. Christopher Intagliata reports. ...
Rotting Flesh Offers Insight on Fossilization
26 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
To learn more about decay and fossilization, researchers conduct unorthodox experiments—like dissecting decomposing animals in the lab. Christopher ...
Ravens Crow with Individual Flair
23 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ravens produce different types of calls depending on their age and sex—which might help ravens size up other individuals. Jason G. Goldman reports. ...
U.S. Flu Spread Counts On Southern Cold Snaps
21 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A multifactorial analysis finds that the ignition of a flu epidemic stems from a blast of colder weather striking an otherwise warm, humid, urban envi...
Louise Slaughter Was Congress's Food Safety Champion
20 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Upstate New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, who worked for decades on issues such as overuse of antibiotics in agriculture and food safety in gen...
Arctic Heat Waves Linked to Snowpocalypse-Like Storms
18 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An analysis of more than six decades of daily temperature and snowfall data linked warmer arctic temperatures to cold snaps at lower latitudes. Christ...
Gut Parasites Have Their Own Gut Microbiomes
15 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The whipworm lives in the human gut, mooching microbes from its host to build its own microbiome. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about you...
Drones Could Help Biologists Tally Birds
12 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Counting by drone not only saves time and effort, but yields better data on species numbers—a definite plus in terms of conservation. Karen Hopkin r...
Saliva Protein Might Inhibit Intestinal Anarchy
10 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A protein found in spit prevents bad bugs from binding to intestinal cells in the lab, pointing to a possible way to lower the chances of dysentery. C...
Searching the Heavens for Mountains
09 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Exoplanet hunters are moving beyond simply finding new planets into trying to know what they look like and whether there's surface or subsurface activ...
Human Echolocators Use Tricks Similar to Bats
06 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
People who use echolocating mouth clicks to compensate for low vision increase the number and intensity of clicks when objects are harder to detect. C...
Animal Coloration Can Serve Double Duty
05 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The cinnabar moth caterpillar's coloration pattern warns predators close up, but camouflages the critter from a distance. Learn more about your ad ...
Some Lichen Fungi Let Genes Go Bye
01 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A study of 22 different types of lichens revealed 10 included fungi that had lost a gene for energy production, making them completely dependent on th...
To See Gun Injury Drop, Hold an NRA Meeting
28 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When the National Rifle Association holds its national convention, gun injuries drop 20 percent—perhaps because fewer gun owners are around their gu...
Big Cities Have Fewer Tweeters Per Capita
26 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
But those who do tweet in big cities are more prolific—tweeting more often, on average, than their small-town counterparts. Christopher Intagliata r...
How Baby Birds Learn to Duet
23 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Recordings of songbird duets reveal baby birds learn conversational turn-taking like we do: gradually, and from adults. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Mosquitoes Learn the Smell of Danger
22 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The bloodsuckers lose their appetite for attractive scents when they associate those aromas with a likelihood of being swatted. Karen Hopkin reports. ...
Needed: Info on Biodiversity Change over Time
20 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Understanding an ecosystem means following changes in the abundances and identities of the species present as the clock ticks. The BioTIME database sh...
Undersea Recordings Reveal a Whale's Tale
19 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
By eavesdropping on the calls of blue whales, researchers hope to get a more accurate picture of the massive mammals' distribution and abundance. Chri...
Seabird Feathers Reveal Less-Resilient Ocean
15 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
By analyzing 130 years of seabird feathers, researchers determined that food webs are losing complexity in the Pacific—meaning less-resilient ecosys...
Beetle Liberation Due to Regurgitation
13 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The bombardier beetle can spray its hot brew of toxic chemicals even after bring swallowed, to force a predator into vomiting it back out. Learn more ...
Old Trees Are Ecosystem Gold
12 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
David Lindenmayer of the Australian National University College of Science in Canberra says that older trees play outsize roles in maintaining landsca...
Boat Noise Means Fish Can't Learn Their Lessons
11 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Damselfish had trouble learning to avoid predators, when that lesson was accompanied by a soundtrack of buzzing boat engines. Christopher Intagliata r...
Woodpeckers Drum to Their Own Tunes
07 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The length and spacing of woodpecker drum rolls varies enough to tell woodpeckers apart—which could be useful to conservation biologists. Christophe...
Homebodies Economize on Energy Use
06 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s work-from-home, on-demand culture means more days at home—and translates into greater energy savings, too. Karen Hopkin reports. Learn mor...
Killer Whale Culture Revealed by Mimicking Us
02 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Orcas can imitate calls from other whales and even human speech—suggesting they can transmit cultural practices, such as unique dialects. Christophe...
Holiday Cheer Leads to Birth-Rate Spike
01 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
During feel-good holiday periods like Christmas and Eid-al-Fitr, romance strikes—leading to a boom in births nine months later. Karen Hopkin reports...
Ticks on Uptick Where Big Game Declines
31 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Areas of Kenya without large wildlife saw tick populations rise as much as 370 percent—meaning more danger to humans. Jason G. Goldman reports. Lear...
Wildfires Spike Wine with Smoky Notes
30 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Chemists are working on ways for wildfire-affected winemakers to avoid creating smoky wines. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad ...
Lion Conservation Challenges Giraffe Protection
26 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Having lions and giraffes together in protected areas means far lower survival rates for juvenile giraffes. Jason Goldman reports. Learn more about yo...
Nobelist Crafts Light-Switchable Antibiotics
25 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Drugs modified by chemistry Nobel laureate Ben Feringa can be turned on and off by light, which could help keep bacteria from developing antibiotic re...
Catching Flu Also Boosts Heart Risk
24 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers found a sixfold increase in heart attacks in patients in the week following a flu. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your a...
Worldwide Effort Says Together Science Can
23 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, talked about worldwide scientific collaboration today at the World Economic Forum. Learn more about ...
Canada Geese Taking a Winter Staycation
22 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The geese are wintering farther and farther north, in urban areas like Chicago—which may help them avoid hunters. Emily Schwing reports. Learn more ...
Moon's Tug Doesn't Cause Big Quakes
19 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An analysis of more than 200 earthquakes over the past four centuries concludes there's no connection between moon phases and big earthquakes. Christo...