Science Quickly
1,930 episodes — Page 11 of 39
These Hawks Have Figured Out How to See the Bat in the Swarm
New research shows that birds of prey attempting to grab a bat from a roiling mass of the flying mammals have developed a way to cope with the confusion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Naps Not Needed to Make New Memories
Rats kept awake after exploring novel objects remembered the original items but not where they’d seen those objects, raising interesting questions about human sleep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How the Pandemic Shortened Life Expectancy and New Drugs on the Horizon: COVID, Quickly, Episode 40
In this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we talk about why we’ve had years shaved off our average collective life since 2020. Also, we talk about “mabs” and why you might want to know what they are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Engineering the Treatment of Early-Stage Lung Cancer [SPONSORED]
Early-stage lung cancers are not only difficult to diagnose—they’ve also proved difficult to curatively treat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rediscovered Red Wolf Genes May Help Conserve the Species
A surprising new gene discovery in coyotes may help conserve the critically endangered wolf. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What the Disease Feels Like, and Presidents Can't End Pandemics: COVID, Quickly, Episode 39
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, Josh Fischman gets COVID, and President Joe Biden says the pandemic is over. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
These Spiders Use Their Webs like Huge, Silky Ears
A study of orb-weaving spiders shows that the arachnids’ webs pick up a range of sounds—and that they are always “listening” for vibrations coming in over them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chewing Consumes a Surprising Amount of Energy
Chomping on food takes so much energy that it shaped human evolution. Our ancestors spent many hours a day chewing, which may have shaped our teeth and jaws. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
These Bats Buzz like Bees to Save Their Own Lives
New research has discovered the first case of acoustic mimicry between a mammal and an insect—an acquired skill that could just save certain bats’ skin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Unvaxxed Kids and 8 Days a Week (of Isolation): COVID, Quickly, Episode 38
This is our second back-to-school special episode of COVID. Quickly. Today we talk about two big issues: the low vaccination rates among the littlest kids and how long you should quarantine after being sick (actually). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Listen to Images from the James Webb Space Telescope
It turns out that making new views of the universe accessible to those with vision impairment has required some deep thought—and carefully chosen words. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
These Tiny Pollinators Can Travel Surprisingly Huge Distances
It turns out that hoverflies may fly hundreds or even thousands of miles—all to help pollinate our flowers and vegetables. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
During a Heat Wave, You Can Blast the AC, but What Does a Squirrel Do?
Although recent spikes in temperature affect all of us, our urban critters have had to find their own ways to beat the heat. Sometimes they “sploot.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Back-to-School Special: Kids, Tests and Long COVID Reassurance: COVID, Quickly, Episode 37
This is our back-to-school special episode of COVID, Quickly. We’ll talk about why COVID testing is about to become a school problem—and about whether or not kids are at risk for long COVID. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This Artificial Intelligence Learns like a Baby
Engineers at the company DeepMind built a machine-learning system based on research on how babies’ brain works, and it did better on certain tasks than its conventional counterparts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Understanding the Inner Workings of Stars [Sponsored]
Conny Aerts is an astrophysicist and a pioneer of asteroseismology. This year she shared the Kavli Prize in Astrophysics for her research and leadership that has laid the foundations of solar and stellar structure theory, and revolutionized our understanding of the interiors of stars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dogs Actually Tear Up When Their Owners Come Home
Our puppies’ eyes well up, a reaction caused by oxytocin, which makes us want to take care of them even more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A Lifelong Quest to Improve Mental Health among Cancer Patients [Sponsored]
Recognizing those who are making a meaningful impact in the lives of cancer patients, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, presents an individual or organization with the President’s Award. We reconnected with Margaret Stauffer, the 2021 winner, to hear more about what’s happened since she received the award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Next-Generation Sequencing Can Enable Precision Oncology [Sponsored]
Celebrating those who enhance the ability to provide the right treatment for the right patient at the right time, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, presents an individual or organization with the Catalyst for Precision Medicine Award. We prepared for this year’s awards by reconnecting with the 2021 winner, Dr. Colin Pritchard, to hear more about what’s happened since he received the award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hawking, a Paradox and a Black Hole Mystery, Solved?
We do not have a theory to tell us everything about how a black hole works, but new research is shedding a least some light on one of their many mysteries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Monkeypox Update and Homing in on Long COVID: COVID, Quickly, Episode 36
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we take a few minutes to talk about the other virus making headlines—and then return to long COVID. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fueling Patients' Drive to Treatment [Sponsored]
Celebrating those who significantly improve access to cancer care for underserved populations, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, presents an individual or organization with a Catalyst for Change Award. We spoke with the 2021 award winner, Tomma Hargraves, to learn more about what’s happened since she received the award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Researchers Created a Potion That Turns Loud Lions into Placid Pussycats
A single whiff of oxytocin, a chemical that some call the “love hormone,” promotes tolerance among lions at a wildlife sanctuary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reaching the Root of Disparities in Cancer Care [Sponsored]
Celebrating those who strive to overcome disparities in cancer care to bring quality services to their patients, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, created the Catalyst for Equity Award. We spoke with Dr. Anne Marie Murphy, executive director of Equal Hope and winner of the award in 2021, to learn more about what’s happened since her organization received the award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For Some Dolphins, the Key to Mating is Rolling with a Tight, Noisy Crew
A pair of studies show that male bottlenose dolphins rely on wingmen when wooing mates—and that they cultivate these friendships by being vocal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A Source of Integrative Support for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Patients [Sponsored]
Celebrating those who are making a patient’s experience as easy as possible during an extraordinarily difficult time, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, presents an individual or organization with a Catalyst for Care Award. We spoke with the 2021 winner, Unite for HER’s founder and CEO Sue Weldon, to hear more about what’s happened since her organization received the award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Common Are Reinfections? And How Trust Can Beat the Virus: COVID, Quickly, Episode 35
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we talk about getting reinfected with the coronavirus just a month or two after an earlier bout—and the difference that trusting others can make in a pandemic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Kavli Prize Presents: Understanding Molecules [Sponsored]
Jacob Sagiv is a chemist who studies properties of self-assembled monolayers. This year, he shared The Kavli Prize in Nanoscience for his research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transforming the Trajectory of Lung Cancer [Sponsored]
Lung cancer is the number-one cause of cancer deaths in the world. But how many lives would be saved if doctors could diagnose and treat it before it progresses? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Polar Bears That Persist
A new subpopulation of Greenland polar bears offers insights into how this species might hang on as Arctic ice disappears. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Omicron's Nasty New Variants and Better Boosters to Battle Them: COVID, Quickly, Episode 34
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we talk about the increase in new Omicron subvariants. Should fall vaccine boosters contain standard Omicron or some of those new subvariants instead? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A Remote-Controlled Carnivorous Plant?
Researchers design an artificial neuron that can trigger closure of a Venus flytrap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kids' Vaccines at Last and Challenges in Making New Drugs: COVID, Quickly, Episode 33
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we discuss some parents breathing a collective sigh of relief and the paradox of how effective vaccines can make it harder to create new drugs to treat patients who get the coronavirus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How AI Facial Recognition Is Helping Conserve Pumas
Researchers tricked out conventional camera traps to snap headshots of Puma concolor, revealing a better way to track the elusive species. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Kavli Prize Presents: Understanding Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration [Sponsored]
Huda Zoghbi is a clinician-scientist who studies the molecular mechanisms of neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration. This year she shared the Kavli Prize in Neuroscience for discovering the genetic pathways behind serious brain disorders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Female CEOs Change How Firms Talk about Women
Appointing women to leadership positions renders organizations more likely to describe all women as being powerful, persistent and bold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
COVID Death Rates Explained, Dismal Booster Stats and New Vaccines
On this episode of the COVID, Quickly podcast, we clear up some data misconceptions, get to the bottom of the booster uptake issue and talk Novavax. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hedgehogs Host the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
Bacteria resistant to methicillin emerged in hedgehogs long before the drug was prescribed to treat infections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meerkats Are Getting Climate Sick
For meerkats in the Kalahari Desert, rising temperatures spark deadly outbreaks of tuberculosis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
'Where Are Vaccines for Little Kids?' and the Latest on Long COVID
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Your Phone Could Be Used to Prosecute for Getting an Abortion: Here's How
Technology editor Sophie Bushwick breaks down the precedent for using your phone to monitor personal health data. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If Sea Ice Melts in the Arctic, Do Trees Burn in California?
A new study links sea ice decline with increasing wildfire weather in the Western U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How to Care for COVID at Home, and Is That Sniffle Allergies or the Virus? COVID Quickly, Episode 30
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Astronomers Finally Captured a Photo of our Own Galaxy's Black Hole
It took hundreds of researchers and many telescopes to capture an image of the black hole at the middle of our Milky Way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Two-Headed Worms Tell Us Something Fascinating about Evolution
Researchers looked back at more than 100 years of research and found that a fascination with annelids with mixed up appendages was strong—and that research still has relevance today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Harmful Effects of Overturning Roe v. Wade
A landmark study of women who were turned away from getting the procedure found that being forced to have a child worsened their health and economic status. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Safer Indoor Air, and People Want Masks on Planes and Trains: COVID Quickly, Episode 29
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Climate Change Is Shrinking Animals, Especially Bird-Brained Birds
As the world warms, many animals are getting smaller. For birds, new research shows what they have upstairs may just make a different in how much smaller they get. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Cosmic Simulation Shows How Dark-Matter-Deficient Galaxies Confront Goliath and Survive
A research team finds seven tiny dwarf galaxies stripped of their dark matter that nonetheless persisted despite the theft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Venturing Back to the Office and the Benefits of Hybrid Immunity: COVID Quickly, Episode 28
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between. You can listen to all past episodes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices