Podcast for 8 February 2013
MICROBIAL LIFE - How antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread, tracing HIV back millions of years, and how life thrives among the storm clouds. Also, a listener's question about the common cold.
Mood & Brainpower Roundup
Mood can affect older adults’ performance on cognitive tests.
HIV Ancestry
The type of virus that includes HIV may have been circulating in primates for 12 million years.
Lightning & Migraine
Migraine headaches are associated with lightning storms.
Staph Strategy
Researchers have figured out how Staph bacteria transfer antibiotic resistance to one another.
Podcast for 1 February 2013
LIGHT - Lightning bugs inspire LED design. A new type of light makes others look dim by comparison. And, could lightning be related to migraine headaches?
Cancer Stress Roundup
Scientists are learning how stress can promote cancer.
Parkinson’s Test
A salivary gland biopsy may finally make it possible to definitively diagnose Parkinson's Disease in living patients.
Podcast for 25 January 2013
MEDICINE & MEMORY - Scientists have developed a test for Parkinson's disease. Also, drugs for the condition may have beneficial side effects. There's good news about cancer. And, researchers say babies start learning their native tongue before they're even born. Also: why grown-ups don't form long-term memories as well as kids do.
Targeting Inflammation
A growing understanding of inflammation may lead to new therapies for many diseases.
Your Brain on Fructose
A brain imaging study supports growing evidence linking fructose to weight gain.
Microbe Roundup
Microbes in the human gut could be partially responsible for food cravings.
Hot Flash Neurons
Scientists have identified neurons in the brain that trigger hot flashes during menopause.
Smartphone Allergy Tester
Smartphones with a small device attached can be used to test for food allergies.
Cold Viruses vs. Cancer
Scientists hope to design viruses that fight cancer.
Animal Senses Roundup
Even flies can get sick from eating spoiled food.
Thought-Controlled Prosthetics
Prosthetic limbs are moving ever closer to life-like, thought-controlled replicas.
The DNA Eaters
A group of microscopic animals get 10% of their active genes by eating the DNA of other species.
Rescuing Eggs
A substance called putrescine has the potential to boost fertility in women over 40.