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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Tsunami Sent Species on a Transoceanic Trip
28/09/2017 Duration: 01minThe 2011 east Japan tsunami swept huge amounts of wreckage out to sea—and Japanese species hitchhiked across the Pacific on the debris. Christopher Intagliata reports.
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1 Sneeze, 1 Vote among African Wild Dogs
27/09/2017 Duration: 02minIndividuals in packs of African wild dogs appear to sneeze to make their wishes known regarding when to get up and hunt.
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This Frog Can't Hear Its Own Calls
24/09/2017 Duration: 02minThe frogs' calls are too high-pitched for the frog to detect, which may be an artifact of evolution. Christopher Intagliata reports.
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Building a Better Mirror for Telescopes
22/09/2017 Duration: 02minMore reflective telescope mirrors allow astronomers to capture more photons—and do more science. Christopher Intagliata reports.
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Galaxies Far, Far Away Send Us Highest-Energy Cosmic Rays
21/09/2017 Duration: 02minA new study hints that the most energetic particles ever seen come from far beyond the Milky Way.
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Springtime Now Arrives Earlier for Birds
20/09/2017 Duration: 02minA trove of scientific notes from the early 1900s suggests a warming climate is driving birds to migrate earlier to New York’s Mohonk Preserve. Julia Rosen reports.
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Warming Puts Squeeze on Ancient Trees
17/09/2017 Duration: 02minAs temperatures rise, the tree line moves upslope. But ancient bristlecone pines are losing that upslope race to faster-colonizing neighbors. Christopher Intagliata reports.
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Rising CO2 Pushes Plants to Drink Sparingly
16/09/2017 Duration: 02minAs carbon dioxide levels rise, plants are sipping water more efficiently—which could come in handy in a drier future. Christopher Intagliata reports.
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Cannibalism Quells Contagion among Caterpillars
12/09/2017 Duration: 02minCannibalistic caterpillars prevent disease from decimating their populations by removing infected individuals. Emily Schwing reports.
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Feds Want to Know Who's Protesting Trump
11/09/2017 Duration: 03minInternet hosting company DreamHost is battling the U.S. Justice Department over requests for information about people visiting a Web site for organizing protests. Larry Greenemeier reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Windows Vex Bats' Echolocating Abilities
07/09/2017 Duration: 02minSmooth vertical surfaces like windows reflect sound waves away from bats—meaning bats can't "see" windows and similar obstacles with echolocation. Christopher Intagliata reports.
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Wetlands Could Save Cities--and Money, Too
06/09/2017 Duration: 03minUsing insurance industry models, researchers determined that wetlands prevented some $625 million in damages due to Hurricane Sandy. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Rabbit Relatives Reel from Climate Change
02/09/2017 Duration: 03minPikas, a hampster-size rabbit relative, have disappeared from a 64-square-mile plot in the northern Sierra Nevada—and climate change is a likely culprit. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Winking Star 6 Centuries Ago Explained
01/09/2017 Duration: 04minA star that appeared and then vanished in A.D. 1437 was an explosion in a binary star system—which now reveals clues about the life cycle of certain stars. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Grazing Cattle Trim the Menu for Birds
30/08/2017 Duration: 02minWhen cattle graze the desert's natural landscape, birds face changes in food availability—and some species are unable to adapt. Jason Goldman reports.
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Climate Change Might Shrink Fish
29/08/2017 Duration: 01minWarmer water boosts fishes' demand for oxygen—and their bodies may shrink in response. Christopher Intagliata reports.
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A Fruitful Experiment in Land Conservation
25/08/2017 Duration: 03minIn 1998 an orange juice maker dumped 12,000 tons of orange peels on degraded pastureland in Costa Rica—transforming it into vine-rich jungle. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Recycle Your Eclipse Glasses
23/08/2017 Duration: 01minAstronomers Without Borders wants to share your used eclipse glasses with kids in other parts of the world for the 2019 total solar eclipse.
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Seeing 1 Solar Eclipse May Not Be Enough
19/08/2017 Duration: 02minDavid Baron, author of the new book American Eclipse, talks about how seeing his first total solar eclipse turned him into an eclipse chaser.
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Solar Eclipse in 1097 May Be Rock-Carving Subject
18/08/2017 Duration: 03minA petroglyph spotted in Chaco Canyon may depict a total solar eclipse witnessed by the Pueblo people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices