Science Quickly - podcast cover

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.

Episodes

How Hurricanes Influence Spider Aggressiveness

As Hurricane Dorian approaches Florida, consider that feeding style means that aggressive tangle-web spider colonies produce more offspring after severe weather, while docile colonies do better in calm conditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 30, 20194 min

Graphene Garment Blocks Blood-Sucking Skeeters

A small patch of graphene on human skin seemed to block the mosquitoes’ ability to sense certain molecules that trigger a bite. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 28, 20194 min

Martian Winds Could Spread Microbe Hitchhikers

Microbes fly tens of miles over Chile’s dry, UV-blasted Atacama Desert—and scientists say the same could happen on Mars. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 26, 20193 min

Including Indigenous Voices in Genomics

A program at the University of Illinois trains indigenous scientists in genomics—in hopes that future work will be aimed at benefiting those communities. Christine Herman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 21, 20194 min

West Point Uniforms Signify Explosive Chemistry

U.S. Military Academy cadets wear the colors black, gray and gold for reasons found in gunpowder’s chemistry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 19, 20194 min

Secrets of the Universe Trapped in Antarctic Snow

Scientists found an interstellar iron isotope in Antarctic snow samples—which hints that our region of the universe may be the remnant of an ancient exploding star. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 14, 20193 min

Certain Personality Types Are Likely to Make a "Foodie Call"

Some people go on dates just to score a free meal—a phenomenon known as a “foodie call.” But it takes a certain personality type. Karen Hopkin reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 13, 20194 min

Artificial Intelligence Sniffs Out Unsafe Foods

Researchers trained machine-learning algorithms to read Amazon reviews for hints that a food product would be recalled by the FDA. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 12, 20193 min

A Computer Tells Real Smiles from Phonies

Slight changes around the eyes are indeed a giveaway as to whether a smile is sincere or faked. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 09, 20193 min

Stare Down Gulls to Avoid Lunch Loss

Researchers slowed the approach of greedy gulls by an average of 21 seconds by staring at the birds versus looking elsewhere. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 08, 20193 min

Real Laughs Motivate More Guffaws

Honest, involuntary laughter cued people to laugh more at some really bad jokes than they did when hearing forced laughter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 07, 20194 min

Extinction Wipes Out Evolution's Hard Work

By killing off many of New Zealand’s endemic birds, humans destroyed 50 million years’ worth of evolutionary history. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 05, 20193 min

London Is Crawling with Drug-Resistant Microbes

Nearly half of bacteria gathered in public settings around the city were resistant to two or more commonly used antibiotics, such as penicillin and erythromycin. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 03, 20193 min

Male Black Widows Poach Rivals' Approaches

Mating is risky business for black widow males—so they hitchhike on the silk threads left by competitors to more quickly find a mate. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 01, 20193 min

Babies Want Fair Leaders

Babies as young as a year and a half want leaders to fix situations in which they see someone else being treated unfairly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 31, 20194 min

Parrots Are Making the U.S. Home

Released or escaped parrots are now living in most states and are breeding in at least 21. For some, it’s a second chance at survival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 30, 20194 min

Science News Briefs from All Over

A few brief reports about international science and technology from Guatemala to Australia, including one about the first recorded tornado in Nepal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 29, 20193 min

Tourist Photographs Help African Wildlife Census

Photographs snapped by safari tourists are a surprisingly accurate way to assess populations of African carnivores. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 25, 20193 min

For Ants, the Sky's the Compass

Computer modeling revealed that insects with a celestial compass can likely determine direction down to just a couple degrees of error. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 23, 20193 min

Why Two Moonships Were Better Than One

Engineer John Houbolt pushed for a smaller ship to land on the lunar surface while the command module stayed in orbit around the moon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 20, 20194 min

One Small Scoop, One Giant Impact for Mankind

Just before Neil Armstrong climbed back into the lunar module, he scooped up a few last-minute soil samples--which upturned our understanding of planetary formation. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 19, 20195 min

Investigating the Zombie Ant's "Death Grip"

Researchers dissected the jaws of ants infected with the Ophiocordyceps fungus to determine how the fungus hijacks the ants' behavior. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 18, 20193 min

Attractive Young Females May Have Justice Edge

Youths rated as attractive were less likely to have negative encounters with the criminal justice system—but only if they were women. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 16, 20194 min

Tobacco Plants Made to Produce Useful Compounds

A proof-of-concept study got transgenic tobacco plants to make a useful enzyme in their chloroplasts, not nuclei, minimizing chances for transfer to other organisms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 15, 20194 min

Rhinos and Their Gamekeepers Benefit from AI

Starting in 2017, an artificial intelligence monitoring system at the Welgevonden Game Reserve in South Africa has been helping to protect rhinos and their caretakers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 11, 20195 min

Backpack Harvests Energy as You Walk

The pack produces a steady trickle of electricity from the swinging motion of your stuff. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 10, 20193 min

Why Baseballs Are Flying in 2019

An analysis of the 2019 edition of the Major League baseball points to reasons why it's leaving ballparks at a record rate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 09, 20194 min

Some Hot Dog Histology

A lab analysis found that even an all-beef frankfurter had very little skeletal muscle, or "meat." So what’s in there? Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 03, 20193 min

Mind and Body Benefit from Two Hours in Nature Each Week

People who spent at least two hours outside—either all at once or totaled over several shorter visits—were more likely to report good health and psychological well-being. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 01, 20194 min