Science Update Podcast - Daily Edition

Wildlife Health Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:13:10 -0400

Increased rates of cancer in wild animals could spell bad news for threatened and endangered species.

Wagging Dogs

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:11:55 -0400

A listener asks: Why do dogs wag their tails?

Lamprey Contraception

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:11:09 -0400

An evolutionary quirk in the sex hormones of sea lamprey could help bring the destructive Great Lakes invader under control.

Frozen Bacteria

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:10:13 -0400

Bacteria trapped in eons-old ice could shed light on extraterrestrial life.

Re-Sizing Dinosaurs

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:09:02 -0400

Dinosaurs may have been smaller than previous estimates.

Green Cows & Trees Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:16:38 -0400

Today’s cows are more efficient than those of 50 years ago.

Arsenic & Swine Flu

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:15:44 -0400

Exposure to arsenic, a water pollutant, makes mice more vulnerable to swine flu.

Computer Composer

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:14:54 -0400

A new computer program can generate an infinite amount of original music.

Like-Minded Media

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:13:44 -0400

People really do seek out news coverage that confirms their own beliefs.

Bed Bugs

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:51:46 -0400

Researchers are using bed bug pheromones to beat the nuisance pests at their own game.

Drugs & Toxins Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:55:07 -0400

The overuse of antibiotics is not only bad for us, it’s bad for the environment.

Narcolepsy & the Immune System

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:54:21 -0400

Researchers discover that narcolepsy is an auto-immune disease that attacks the brain.

Super-Recognizers

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:53:31 -0400

Some people really do have extraordinary face-remembering abilities.

Obesity Paradox

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:09:26 -0400

People who are already obese when they first develop cardiovascular disease have better prognoses than thinner patients.

Prairie Dog Alarms

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:08:35 -0400

Prairie dogs have different alarms calls for predators of different colors and different species.

Extreme Spacecraft Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:11:44 -0400

NASA unveils new spacecraft, large and small.

Polynesian Migration

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:10:53 -0400

A surge in food poisoning from tropical fish may have prompted human migrations in the South Pacific.

Not Dead Yet

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:10:03 -0400

Chemical signals save Argentinian ants from being wrongly carted off for dead.

Estrogen & Hearing

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:09:10 -0400

A lack of estrogen may cause hearing loss.

Birdsong & Climate

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:08:19 -0400

Birds that live in more variable climates sing more sophisticated songs.

New Species Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:07:07 -0400

New species are still being discovered all over the world.

Nano-Needle

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:06:19 -0400

A nano-sized needle delivers molecules to particular spots inside a cell.

Frogs Fight Disease

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:05:25 -0400

Some frogs produce chemicals that could be used to treat human diseases.

Cow Methane

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:44:37 -0400

Geneticists say cattle can be bred to be more environmentally friendly.

Mercury Surface

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:43:36 -0400

The MESSENGER spacecraft is giving scientists a first look at an entire half of the planet Mercury.

Color Change Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:11:15 -0400

Color-changing plastics could indicate when they’ve been structurally damaged.

Spider Silk

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:10:25 -0400

Treating spider silk with a chemical process makes it strong and tough.

Lookalike Species

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:09:34 -0400

Some animals that look exactly alike may be genetically separate species.

Online Antiquities

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:08:47 -0400

Online auction sites have transformed both legal and illegal antiquities markets.

Right Whales Return

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:07:55 -0400

The critically endangered right whale has returned to the seas off of Greenland after a long absence.

Brain Chemistry Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:06:01 -0400

Certain regions of experienced meditators’ brains are larger than those of non-meditators.

Looming Sounds

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 28 May 2009 04:05:16 -0400

Being in good physical condition could actually be detrimental to your hearing.

Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 27 May 2009 04:04:02 -0400

The amount of mercury in a CFL bulb does not pose much of an environmental hazard.

Supernovas

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:03:10 -0400

Dying stars either explode into supernovas or become black holes.

The Hyena's Laugh

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 25 May 2009 04:01:36 -0400

A hyena’s laugh is far from funny.

Picky Mosquitoes

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:13:14 -0400

Not all mosquitoes are out for human blood.

Liquid Calories

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 20 May 2009 04:12:27 -0400

Cutting sugary liquids may have an extra advantage for weight loss.

Drying Rivers

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 19 May 2009 04:11:34 -0400

Climate change and other factors are drying up many of the world's rivers.

Fat Memories

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:10:46 -0400

Eating fat helps consolidate long-term memories.

Comet Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 15 May 2009 04:09:47 -0400

Comets may have provided the young Earth the molecules necessary for the formation of life.

Nickel & Oxygen

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:32:53 -0400

A drop in nickel may have triggered the rise of oxygen on Earth.

Hungry Mosquitoes

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 13 May 2009 04:31:43 -0400

Mosquitoes find their prey by following plumes of carbon dioxide.

Dancing Animals

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 11 May 2009 04:02:43 -0400

Some animals can dance to a beat, while others have no rhythm.

Nano Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:06:41 -0400

Microscopic flying robots have uses in industry and medicine.

Paldoxins

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:05:30 -0400

A new kind of chemical can control crop-killing fungi with less environmental impact.

Rockets & Ozone

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:04:34 -0400

Possible increases in rocket launches could affect the Earth's protective ozone layer.

Jet Lag

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:03:41 -0400

Two areas of the brain go out of synch during jet lag.

Little House on the Moon

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 04 May 2009 04:01:46 -0400

Swedish engineering students have teamed up with an artist to build a small cottage on the Moon.

Pain Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 01 May 2009 04:00:36 -0400

A new anesthetic could one day replace narcotics to treat pain after surgery.

Sports Drinks

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:59:17 -0400

Sports drinks are so acidic that they wear down tooth enamel – and brushing can worsen the problem.

Secondhand Smoke

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:55:37 -0400

More than half of New Yorkers show signs of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Carb Fat Gene

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:52:00 -0400

Researchers have found a gene that’s key in turning carbs into fat.

Bone Loss

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:50:15 -0400

Age-related bone loss is hard to stop once it starts.

Insect Food Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 05:58:57 -0400

Climate change has a ripple effect on the organisms that depend on each other for food.

Star Distance II

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 05:58:07 -0400

Astronomers calculate the distance to the furthest stars by comparing them to stars they know.

Star Distance I

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:57:24 -0400

Astronomers use a concept called parallax to calculate the distance to the nearest stars.

Video Game Vision

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:56:35 -0400

Playing video games can give you better eyesight.

Carbon-Soaking Rocks

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:55:44 -0400

Certain rocks could absorb carbon dioxide emissions – if scientists can speed up the process.

Omega-3 Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 05:54:50 -0400

Omega-3 fatty acids aren’t just good for your heart. They could help save the planet.

Race & Bulimia

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 05:54:02 -0400

Black girls from poor families are more likely than wealthy white girls to suffer from bulimia.

Mistaken Brainwaves

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 05:53:13 -0400

Brainwaves can signal when your attention is wandering, making some mistakes more likely.

Insect Food Choice

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:52:15 -0400

Eating just one type of plant helps insects avoid information overload.

Kids & Sugar

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:52:47 -0400

Kids may love sweets more when they're having a growth spurt.

Salt Cravings

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 04:38:11 -0400

Salt can act as a natural antidepressant.

Bad Judgment Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 04:37:03 -0400

Dumb decisions made by smart investors can lead to crashes in the stock market.

Pavement Markings

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:36:07 -0400

Painted road markings reflect better in one direction than the other.

Nanoparticles

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:32:33 -0400

Nanoparticles aren’t any more toxic to cells than larger particles.

Sleep & Memory

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:31:15 -0400

Different stages of sleep may play separate, crucial roles in memory formation.

Coral Reef Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 04:30:04 -0400

Scientists are using microchips to help protect the world’s corals.

Ant Traffic

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 04:29:03 -0400

Unlike drivers, ants never get stuck in traffic jams.

Smell of Fear

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:28:04 -0400

Chemicals in sweat can influence our perception of others' emotions.

Server Naps

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 04:33:37 -0400

Programming big computer servers to shut on and off in fractions of a second could save huge amounts of power.

Addiction & Parkinson's

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:26:14 -0400

Parkinson's disease and addiction overlap in surprising ways.

Psychology Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 04:01:01 -0400

Do violent games kill compassion?

Fingerprint Purpose

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 04:59:42 -0400

New research suggests our fingerprints help us feel finely detailed surfaces.

Crab Claws

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:58:39 -0400

Bromine is what makes the tips of crab claws extra tough.

Uspide-Down Airplanes

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:57:40 -0400

The shape of the wing is what allows a plane to fly upside down.

Instant Immunity

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:56:10 -0400

A new technique creates all-purpose antibodies that can be activated at a moment's notice.

Environment Roundup

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:55:12 -0400

Pollution from ships poses a significant health risk to people living in coastal areas.

Enamel Gene

scienceupdate@scienceupdate.com (AAAS, The Science Society) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:54:12 -0400

Scientists have identified a gene that controls the production of tooth enamel.