Science Update
Sharing Science | Satisfying Curiosity | Debunking BS
Like the pioneers of the American West, the birds that are now settling the Arctic frontier in response to climate change aren’t necessarily the biggest or the strongest, but may instead be castoffs from more hospitable settled areas.
Researchers are testing better ways to find out what sharks eat.
Captive-bred California Condors lack role models to show them how to survive in the wild. But wildlife biologists are there to help them navigate the modern world.
Baby teeth fall out eventually. But that doesn't mean cavities in baby teeth should be ignored.
LIFE ON THE EGDE - The challenges facing endangered California Condors when they return to the wild. Could armadillos help end blindness? How scientists can tell that sharks really are what they eat. Fuel from the sea. And, unraveling the mysteries of glowing blue slime.
Using frozen DNA, researchers have created early-stage embryos of an extinct frog.
Scientists are testing a new 3-D underwater microscope to study tiny marine predators.
A listener asks if he can reinfect himself with the same cold.
Glowing blue slime from the sea could be useful in biomedical research.
Scientists are bringing orchids back to Miami’s trees.
Scientists have overcome a major challenge in the commercial production of biofuel.
A massive three-year project will document the insect population of Los Angeles.
YOUNG BRAINS - Just how long does the teenage brain take to mature? How teenagers with autism see things differently. And, scientists reverse autistic-like symptoms in adolescent mice. Also: can you put barcodes on brain cells? And, what casino rats can tell us about gambling addiction.
A Central American tree indirectly pays its ant security system with sweet syrup.
ANIMAL & HUMAN HEALTH - A special report on the relationship between animal and human health, from pet obesity to cancer in tigers. Also, why spiders have prompted a massive Toyota recall. And, a citizen science project that’s pretty batty.
The Zoobiquity project teams up physicians with veterinarians to study diseases that affect humans and other animals.
Female fairy wrens are more likely to cheat with males that have red plumage.
Octopuses have an unusual reproductive strategy: they die soon after mating.
Climate change may affect fall foliage in many different ways.
CHILD HEALTH - Why premature babies have advanced vision, and, do all babies have a condition called synesthesia? We'll answer questions about kids' cavities and toddlers' toys. And, we'll tackle the science behind the recent resurgence in measles cases.
INSECTS & SPIDERS - Could spider venom be the next insecticide? Why mosquitoes smell you better at night. And debunking the myth of extracting dinosaur DNA from insects preserved in amber. Also, insect legs that bear an uncanny resemblance to modern machinery.
Could scientists really get dinosaur DNA from insects preserved in amber?
