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Science Quickly

Scientific Americanwww.sciencequickly.com
Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.
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Episodes

Coral Reefs Keep Costly Waves at Bay

A new analysis found the flood protection benefits of coral reefs save the global economy $4 billion dollars a year. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 15, 20183 min

Hippo Dung Fouls Up Freshwater Fisheries

Hippo poop is piling up in Tanzania’s freshwater fisheries—which is bad news for biodiversity, and deleterious for the dinner plate. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 14, 20184 min

A Litmus Test for Bad Breath

Researchers engineered a portable device that detects even the tiniest trace of hydrogen sulfide—one of the primary offenders in bad breath. Karen Hopkin reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 13, 20184 min

Prez (of AMA) Issues Call to Arms-Science

At the AMA annual meeting the organization's president petitioned for an evidence-based, science-driven analysis of gun violence and solutions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 11, 20184 min

Powder Pulls Drinking Water from Desert Air

A structure known as a metal organic framework traps water vapor by night, then releases it when heated the next day. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 08, 20183 min

Ancient Clan War Explains Genetic Diversity Drop

Some 5,000 to 7,000 years ago, the diversity of Y chromosomes plummeted. A new analysis suggests clan warfare may have been the cause. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 06, 20183 min

Saying "This May Hurt" May Make It Worse

Warning a child that something, like a vaccine shot, will hurt can actually increase their perception of the pain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 05, 20184 min

Mongooses Gift Grooming for Guard Duty

Humans and other primates often reciprocate good deeds. A new study suggests a nonprimate, the dwarf mongoose, does so, too, even after a delay. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 01, 20183 min

Some Trees Beat Heat with Sweat

During extreme heat waves, a species of eucalyptus copes by releasing water and taking advantage of evaporative cooling. Other trees may do the same. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 31, 20184 min

Computers Go Head-to-Head with Humans on Face Recognition

The best facial-recognition algorithms are now as good as the best forensic examiners are. But the best results come by combining human and computer skills. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 30, 20183 min

Pinnipeds Don't Appreciate Biped Disturbance

Sea lions and fur seals in Uruguay have become a tourist attraction—but the animals have become less, not more, accepting of humans. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 29, 20184 min

Computers Predict Pop Chart Success

An evolutionary analysis of pop tunes revealed that over the past 30 years songs have grown sadder—but the big hits buck that trend. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 24, 20184 min

Doc's YA Novel Treats Life-and-Death Issues

Pediatric cardiologist Ismée Williams discusses her young adult novel, Water in May, about a teenage girl whose newborn has a life-threatening heart condition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 23, 20183 min

Google's AI Assistant Does Your Talk Tasks

The new Google AI voice assistant, called Duplex, highlights the intricacies of carrying out a mundane human-style conversation, as it keeps you off the phone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 17, 20184 min

Great Ape Makes Good Doc

Orangutans were observed to use plant extracts to treat their own pain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 16, 20184 min

Stool-Pigeon Poop Reveals Bird-Racing Fouls

Racing pigeons is big business—and doping is common. Now scientists have devised a way to detect doping in the avian athletes. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 15, 20183 min

Radar Scans Detail North Korean Nukes

Scientists have added radar info to seismic data, isotope measurements and optical imagery to study covert nuclear tests. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 14, 20183 min

Hunting Rules Have Changed Mama Bear Care

Hunting regulations in Sweden prohibit killing brown bear mothers in company of cubs—causing mama bears to care for their young longer. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 11, 20184 min

Jupiter and Venus Squeeze Earth's Orbit

Sediment records have confirmed that Jupiter and Venus change Earth's orbit from virtually circular to noticeably elliptical and back every 405,000 years. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 10, 20184 min

Mars Lander Will Peer Inside the Red Planet

The InSight Mission will look at Mars's seismic activity and latent heat to find out more about how planets get made--and how humans might live there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 07, 20185 min

Plants Can Sense Animal Attack Coming

Tomato plants detected snail slime in soil near them and mounted preemptive defenses, even though they were not directly touched. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 06, 20184 min

Archaeologist Makes a Case for Seafaring Neandertals

Ancient tools on Mediterranean islands could predate the appearance of modern humans—suggesting Neandertals took to the seas. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 04, 20184 min

Africa: Future Worldwide Science Hub

Thierry Zomahoun, president of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, talks about the potential and needs of science on the continent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 02, 20183 min

Healthful Eating Requires Supermarket Smarts

Advice from an N.Y.U. food policy symposium: eating healthfully means you can't ever let down your guard when shopping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 30, 20184 min

Culture Shapes Kids' Views of Nature

In a study of children interacting with toy animals Native American kids and non-Native kids imagined the animals very differently. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 29, 20184 min

Bad Audio Can Hurt a Scientist's Credibility

Listeners gave more credence to a scientist’s radio interview when the audio was good quality than they did to the same material when the audio was poor. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 28, 20184 min

Bill Gates Announces a Universal Flu Vaccine Effort

Today in Boston, Gates announced a $12-million initiative to foster the development of a vaccine effective against all flu strains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 27, 20184 min

Drumming Beats Speech for Distant Communication

The Bora people in the northwestern Amazon use drums to send languagelike messages across long distances. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 25, 20184 min

Bees Have a Goldilocks Lawn Mow Schedule

Lawns mowed every two weeks hosted more bees than lawns mowed every three weeks. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 23, 20184 min

If Singing's Tough, Try Whistling

A new study claims it's easier to accurately whistle a melody than to sing it. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 21, 20184 min
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