Targeting Aggressive Cancers
Using genetic fingerprinting to diagnose and treat an aggressive cancer.
Death, Cannibalism, & Speciation
Microbes passed from generation to generation cause all male babies of an African butterfly to die, influencing evolution.
Birds, Litter, & Novelty
How do crows and other birds calculate the risks and benefits of human-dominated urban environments?
Snake Evolution
Some unrelated snake species have evolved major similarities even though they live halfway around the world from each other.
Giraffe Genome
Scientists have sequenced the genome of the giraffe, looking for key differences in their DNA that allows them to tower above all other animals.
Dog Genome
Today’s dogs may have arisen from two different wolf populations, on opposite sides of Eurasia.
Ant Payola
A Central American tree indirectly pays its ant security system with sweet syrup.
Rattlesnakes & Squirrels
Rattlesnake venom is more potent against local ground squirrels than those from other locales.
Red Bird Genetics
Scientists uncover the genes behind birds’ flashy red plumage.
Neandertal vs. Human Diets
By using more sophisticated technology to deal with a harsh and unpredictable Ice Age climate, modern humans may have been more successful at finding food than Neandertals.
Fraternal Twin Genetics
Scientists pinpoint two genes that help explain why fraternal twins are common in some extended families and not in others.
Dino Chicken
Scientists switch off genes in chickens to learn about dinosaurs.
Armadillo Vision
The armadillo’s poor eyesight is helping researchers understand the genes behind certain forms of blindness.
Pachyderms get the Point
Elephants, unlike mammals much more similar to us, seem to instinctively understand pointing gestures.
World Champion Dragonflies
One species of dragonfly traverses vast oceans to breed.
Podcast for 5 August 2011
BATS & DOLPHINS (Encore Presentation): Dolphins that heal themselves, and dolphins that use electroreception in addition to echolocation. Also, How vampire bats find their prey, and how a Cuban plant takes advantage of a bat's ability to echolocate.
Giant Armadillos
DNA evidence reveals that the enormous armored glyptodont, an extinct South American mammal, was a close cousin to modern armadillos.
Neandertal Legacy
Neandertals contributed to genetic risk factors for some of today’s health problems and even mood disorders in people of European and Asian descent.
Race & Genetics Research
Some researchers argue that the concept of race should be eliminated from genetic studies.
Hares & Climate Change
Snowshoe hares can’t help turning white in winter, even though climate change is delaying the first snowfall, making them easy prey.
Bee Maps
A first-ever national bee map reveals where native bees are most in need of help.
Nesting Dogs
A listener asks why dogs sometimes turn around in circles before lying down.