Facebook Memory
We remember Facebook posts much better than sentences from books or actual faces.
Harmonica Colds
A listener asks if he can reinfect himself with the same cold.
Bad Multitaskers
People who multitask the most are probably the ones who should multitask the least.
Mood & Brainpower Roundup
Mood can affect older adults’ performance on cognitive tests.
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.
China’s Only Children
China's “one-child” social policy may have unintended effects on the children.
Making Room for Memories
Children are better at forming long-term memories than adults for a surprising reason.
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.
Parkinson’s & Creativity
Side effects of meds for Parkinson's disease may include bursts of creativity.
Newborn Language
Newborn babies have a preference for their mother's language over foreign languages.
Technology vs. Reading
Chinese children's reading development has gone downhill since electronic communication technologies became common.
Neolithic Woodworking
The discovery of ancient wooden wells in Germany reveals that Neolithic woodworking was more sophisticated than previously believed.
Tree-Climbing People
The Twa people of Uganda climb trees with ease. A new study suggests that the trait may be the result of practical necessity.
Microbe Roundup
Microbes in the human gut could be partially responsible for food cravings.
Podcast for 21 December 2012
THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT - What a scallop's cough can tell us about environmental health, how melting Arctic ice may have caused the earth's last big freeze, and why climate change may have undone the Maya empire. Also: using weather forecasting techniques to predict flu outbreaks, and revisiting the apocalypse myth surrounding the fictional planet Nibiru.
Podcast for 30 November 2012
CHILD DEVELOPMENT - Are kids naturally stingy? Why children's self-control could depend on the adults around them. And why math anxiety "hurts". Also: What monsters from Dungeons & Dragons can tell us about the importance of eyes.
Sleepy Roundup
Researchers think they’re found the cause of hypersomnia, a condition which causes people to feel constantly sedated.
Owning Genes
In an upcoming case, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether diagnostic genes for breast cancer can be patented.
Anti-Cheating Hormone
The hormone oxytocin has many functions in the human body. Scientists now think it may also help deter cheating.
Stingy Kids
Children, like adults, act more generous when they’re being watched.
Autism Roundup
The incidence of autism has increased in recent years, and so have efforts to identify and treat it earlier.