Synopsis
Leading science journalists provide a daily minute commentary on some of the most interesting developments in the world of science. For a full-length, weekly podcast you can subscribe to Science Talk: The Podcast of Scientific American . To view all of our archived podcasts please go to www.scientificamerican.com/podcast
Episodes
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Unicorns of the Sea Reveal Sound Activities
18/06/2020 Duration: 03minNarwhals, recognizable by their large single tusk, make distinct sounds that are now being analyzed in depth by researchers.
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Human Speech Evolution Gets Lip-Smacking Evidence
16/06/2020 Duration: 03minA study of our closest evolutionary relatives finds that the chimp behavior known as lip smacking occurs in the same timing range as human mouths during speech.
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Printed Coral Could Provide Reef Relief
15/06/2020 Duration: 02minThree-dimensional printed coral-like structures were able to support the algae that live in real corals, which could help restore reefs and grow algae for bioenergy production.
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'Snot Palaces' Reveal Undersea Creature Secrets
11/06/2020 Duration: 02minScientists are studying the delicate mucus houses built by creatures called larvaceans to better understand how they live. Christopher Intagliata reports.
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Helping Kids Cope with COVID-19 Worries
09/06/2020 Duration: 02minThe psychological state of children may need special attention during COVID-19 impacts and isolation.
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Ancient DNA Rewrites Dead Sea Scroll History
08/06/2020 Duration: 02minBy sequencing DNA from the dust of dead sea scrolls, scientists were able to glean new clues about the ancient manuscripts. Christopher Intagliata reports.
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Whale Protections Need Not Cause Lobstering Losses
07/06/2020 Duration: 02minRight whales, other whales and turtles get caught in lobster trap lines, but fewer lines can maintain the same lobster catch levels.
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How to Keep COVID-19 Conspiracies Contained
06/06/2020 Duration: 02minAn expert on climate denial offers tips for inoculating people against coronavirus conspiracy notions.
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Bioluminescence Helps Prey Avoid Hungry Seals
02/06/2020 Duration: 02minPrey animals flash biochemically produced light to confuse elephant seals hunting in the dark. But at least one seal turned the tables.
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3 Words Mislead Online Regional Mood Analysis
01/06/2020 Duration: 03minAnalyzing keywords on Twitter can offer a loose measure of the subjective well-being of a community, as long as you don’t count three words: good, love and LOL.
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COVID Has Changed Soundscapes Worldwide
31/05/2020 Duration: 03minThe Silent Cities project is collecting sound from cities around the planet during the coronavirus pandemic to give researchers a database of natural sound in areas usually filled with human-generated noise.
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Science News Briefs from All Over
28/05/2020 Duration: 01minHere are some brief reports about science and technology from around the planet, including one about an incredibly well-preserved horned lark (Eremophila alpestris), like the one pictured, that lived 46,000 years ago.
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Colorful Corals Beat Bleaching
27/05/2020 Duration: 03minExposed to mildly warmer waters, some corals turn neon instead of bleaching white. The dramatic colors may help coax symbiotic algae back. Christopher Intagliata reports.
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Skinny Genes Tell Fat to Burn
22/05/2020 Duration: 02minA gene whose mutated form is associated with cancer in humans turns out to have a role in burning calories over a long evolutionary history.
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Malaria Mosquitoes Are Biting before Bed-Net Time
21/05/2020 Duration: 03minMosquitoes that like to bite at night are being thwarted by bed nets, leading to the rise of populations that prefer to bite when the nets are not up yet.
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We're Being Tested
15/05/2020 Duration: 02minPresident Trump pointed out yesterday that if we didn't do any testing for the virus we would have very few cases, which forces us to confront the issues posed by testing in general.
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Barn Owl Babies Can Be Helpful Hatch Mates
14/05/2020 Duration: 03minFood sharing is mainly found in adult animals as a part of social bonding. But in a rarely observed behavior in birds, older barn owl chicks will share food with younger ones.
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Donut Sugar Could Help Stored Blood Last
12/05/2020 Duration: 02minDehydrated blood that could be kept at room temperature for years may be possible thanks to a sugar used to preserve donuts—and made by tardigrades and brine shrimp so they can dry out and spring back with water.
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Lemur Flirting Uses Common Scents
11/05/2020 Duration: 04minTo entice female ring-tailed lemurs, males rub wrist secretions, which include compounds we use in perfumes, onto their tail and then wave it near the gals.
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Flamingos Can Be Picky about Company
07/05/2020 Duration: 04minThey don’t stand on one leg around just anybody but often prefer certain members of the flock.