Podcast for 19 October 2012
ANIMAL GENES & BEHAVIOR - The genes responsible for cat coat patterns, why male killer whales are momma's boys, what's behind the hummingbird's aerial acrobatics, and how epigenetics explains honeybee castes.
Malaria Heads North
Global warming may drive malaria northward in coming years.
Orca Momma’s Boys
Killer whale moms live long past menopause, apparently to support and protect their adult sons.
Podcast for 5 October 2012
SOUNDS & SIGNALS: We revisit one of Science Update's most memorable podcasts about the science of communication, from 2009: Prairie dogs sound the alarm, turning bed bugs against themselves, bird songs vary by climate, and improving forensic voice comparison.
Backwards Hummingbirds
New research reveals how hummingbirds fly backwards.
Feline Fur Genetics
Scientists have discovered that mutations to a single gene in cats can turn stripes into blotches or even erase color patterns altogether.
Tigers Among People
Tigers in Nepal are adapting to the presence of humans by changing their daily routine.
Podcast for 21 September 2012
ANIMAL CONSERVATION - Nepalese tigers co-exist with people, aggression is giving Tasmanian Devils cancer, tadpoles keep their personalities when they become frogs, and a new monkey species is discovered in Africa.
Tasmanian Devil Bites
Tasmanian Devils may need to tone down their aggression to survive an epidemic.
Frog Personalities
Tadpoles don't lose their personalities when they turn into frogs.
Fighting Oil Spills
Food science and conservation biology come together to fight oil spills using a common ingredient in chocolate and peanut butter.
Flora & Fauna Roundup
A strange looking tropical plant is helping researchers understand the life-cycle of the cell.
Robin Hood Rodents
Tropical rodents called agoutis steal cached seeds from each other, and the behavior may have helped a plant species avoid extinction.
Podcast for 10 August 2012
Dad's diversity and perilous parenthood.
Foxes & Lyme Disease
Lyme disease correlates with the waning fox population, not an increase in deer.
Podcast for 25 May 2012
FARM SCIENCE - Does exposure to farms and forests stave off asthma and allergies? How to combat viruses with pigs. And why milk goes sour faster than other beverages.
Raven Relationships
Ravens remember other ravens as friendly or adversarial, even years later.
Podcast for 11 May 2012
BIRDS & DINOSAURS - Scientists discover T. Rex's feathered cousin, did dino gas warm the ancient earth? And giant fleas that may have pestered the prehistoric giants. Also: why the amorous pursuits of an Australian bird has turned it into a horticulturalist, and how ravens keep track of friend and foe.
Gardening Birds
Male Spotted Bowerbirds unintentionally cultivate ornamental plants while attempting to woo the opposite sex.
Predators & Plants
Eliminating bears, wolves, and other top predators has far-reaching consequences.
Penguins from Space
Researchers have estimated the total number of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica using satellite images.
Podcast for 20 April 2012
SOUND SCIENCE - Can sounds influence dreams? Emotional similarities between music and speech. Does a deeper voice lead people to vote for a political candidate? Baboons that recognize words. And baby goats with accents.
Sugar-Free Carnivores
Each group of carnivores has a different set of genetic mutations that has knocked out its sweet tooth.