Bat Navigation
Bats have tiny hairs on their wings that help them maneuver in complete darkness.
Podcast for 15 July 2011
THE SCIENCE OF FACES: when pigeons look at us, and the genes behind how we look at faces. Also: what causes hot flashes, determining your age from your DNA, and the hormone behind stress eating.
Double Dolphin Sonar
Using precision instruments, scientists have discovered a second dolphin echolocation signal previously unknown to science.
Podcast for 8 July 2011
NOISE & NAVIGATION: Bats maneuver in the dark with the help of microscopic wing hairs, researchers expose a dolphin's secret sonar, killer whale ears inspire better microphones, and how a tiny bug with a big sound has eluded biologists for centuries. Also: Do humans have an internal compass?
Nature Roundup
Scientists are sequencing the genomes of thousands of insect species.
Reindeer Vision
Reindeer can detect ultraviolet light with their retinas, which may help them survive dark Arctic winters.
Podcast for 24 June 2011 – Birds of a Feather
The genes behind unfaithful finches, mapping the diversity of bird plumage colors, what feathers can tell us about pollution, and what baby birds drink. Also: could living with a dog or cat decrease a child's risk of developing allergies?
A Nestling Mystery
A listener asks: How do baby birds get enough water when they’re still in the nest?
Toxic Animal Roundup
Cats are transmitting a dangerous brain disease to wildlife.
Tsunamis & Sealife
A listener asks: What happens to the seafloor and to sealife when tsunamis hit?
Podcast for 29 April 2011 – Whale Songs & Zebra Stripes
Cultural revolutions in humpback whale songs, a barcode scanner for zebra stripes, a prehistoric toothache, and changing skull sizes in the Iberian Peninsula.
Zebra Barcodes
Zebra stripes resemble barcodes, and could help researchers keep track of each member of the herd.
Everglades Pythons
Invasive Burmese pythons are feasting on native birds in the Everglades.
Gibbon Dialects
Gibbons in Southeast Asia have identifiable regional dialects.
Aeroecology
The new science of aeroecology uses modern tools such as radar and thermasl imaging to follow the migrations of flying birds, bats, and insects.
Podcast for 11 March 2011: Animal Adaptations
Regional dialects in gibbons, a squid attack pheromone, bats and carnivorous plants, and why frogs are slimy.
Attack Squid
A newly discovered pheromone instantly sends male squids into a fighting frenzy.
Bats & Carnivorous Plants
At least one carnivorous plant appears to have lost its taste for insects in favor of bat guano.
A Fairy-Wren Tale
A small Australian bird may benefit from the songs of one of its predators.
Podcast
ANIMAL STORIES: An Australian bird benefits when its predator sings, what happens when bees get sleepy, the invasion of the giant fish, eating insects to slow global warming, and a female pterodactyl fossil is discovered in China.
Sea Urchin Teeth
The sea urchin's super-sharp could inspire new nano-materials.