Shows / A Moment of Science
A Moment of Science
A Moment of Science is a daily audio podcast, public radio program and video series providing the scientific story behind some of life's most perplexing mysteries.
Episodes
- A Moment of Science
How far south can you see the Aurora Borealis?
How far south do the Northern Lights go?
- A Moment of Science
Using laziness as a survival strategy
The Damaraland mole-rats save up their energy for a rainy day.
- A Moment of Science
Walk the walk with pedometers
How do pedometers work? Today's A Moment of Science explains.
- A Moment of Science
Beluga whales: They're just like us!
Who you interact with in a regular day might not be so different from a beluga whale's social life.
- A Moment of Science
Make your request in person, not over email
What's the psychological difference between getting a request in person versus over a message?
- A Moment of Science
Best in mold: Japan's national fungus
Aspergillus oryzae, or “koji,” received its important status because it lies at the heart of Japanese cuisine.
- A Moment of Science
The death-defying ginkgo
Ginkgo trees are very eye-catching during the fall, but they're special for another reason as well.
- A Moment of Science
These strange bunnies eat strange fruit
The unique Amami rabbit has an even more unique favorite snack: Balanophora yuwanensis.
- A Moment of Science
The black hole at our galaxy's center
Learn more about the Milky Way's center, the supermassive black hole known as Sagittarius A-star.
- A Moment of Science
Feeling the waves even on shore
Sometimes, after taking a long trip in a vehicle—like a plane or boat—you might feel unsteady on stable ground.
- A Moment of Science
The lost underwater "city" off Zakynthos
Near the Greek island of Zakynthos is an underwater rock formation, once thought to be remnants of a forgotten civilization.
- A Moment of Science
Why do wind turbines have three blades?
If you've ever driven by a wind farm, you may have noticed that the turbines most likely have three blades. Not two, not five, but three.
- A Moment of Science
What a view! Researching the "wow" factor
Scientists have long known that seeing landscapes with blue skies and fair weather can brighten our mood. But what about fleeting features like rainbows that…
- A Moment of Science
The one-time beauty of monocarpic plants
Monocarpic plants flower only once, but they make the most of it. What makes them so spectacular?
- A Moment of Science
Why don't animals naturally have three legs?
Animals sometimes need amputations, but are able to adapt pretty quickly to the lost limb. Why don't animals naturally evolve to have three legs?
- A Moment of Science
Sediment ripples from a lake on ancient Mars
Planetary scientists now have a mountain of evidence, accumulated over decades of exploration, that three to four billion years ago, Mars had accumulations of…
- A Moment of Science
Sipping raindrops from snake scales
How do snakes stay hydrated in the desert? A Moment of Science looks to the western diamondback rattlesnake for the answer.
- A Moment of Science
Older macaques with smaller social circles
Do you find yourself prioritizing close friends and family over a wide circle of friends as you grow older?
- A Moment of Science
The physics behind a knuckleball
Today's A Moment of Science cracks the code behind a knuckleball.
- A Moment of Science
Can't go to the Moon? Try Arizona instead
Find out how NASA prepared astronauts for the 1969 moon landing while staying here on Earth.
- A Moment of Science
The dark-furred Amami rabbit
Today’s A Moment of Science brings you something you’ve never seen before: the black Amami rabbit.
- A Moment of Science
Zap! How electric eels create their shocks
Electric eels can release over 800 volts of electricity! How are these powerful shocks made?
- A Moment of Science
Cooking with magnets
“If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” But what if there were a way to make kitchens less hot?
- A Moment of Science
How does smoking a pipe impact your health?
Put this in your pipe and smoke it, with today's A Moment of Science.
- A Moment of Science
Why does crying make your nose run?
When you burst out crying, you expect the bleary red eyes and the rivers of tears that stream down your cheeks. But on top of all that, your nose starts to run…
- A Moment of Science
Feedback loops and global climate change
Climate scientists need models to help study the impacts of climate change. Feedback loops play an essential role in these models.
- A Moment of Science
Audiobooks vs. books in the brain
How do books and audiobooks differ in your brain?
- A Moment of Science
The lives of solitary bees
Unlike social bees like the bumblebee, solitary bees don't have queens or worker bees, and they don't reside together in colonies.
- A Moment of Science
Why it's harder for toddlers to learn from a screen
There have been many advancements in online education in recent years, but our youngest students will still face some difficulties.
- A Moment of Science
Why we must recycle the rare earth metals
Rare earths are vital to green technologies, like wind turbines and electric cars, that will allow us to quit burning fossil fuels and solve the crisis of…
- A Moment of Science
Do opossums actually hang by their tails?
Have you ever seen a cartoon of a sleeping opossum hanging upside down by its tail? Well, you may be surprised to learn that 'possums don't actually sleep that…
- A Moment of Science
What makes thick skin thick?
Having a thick skin is good if you don't want teasing to affect you. But what does it mean for our bodies?
- A Moment of Science
The perfect blast: The explosion of a kilonova
In 2017, astronomers observed one of the most important and mysterious cosmic events: an explosion known as a kilonova.
- A Moment of Science
How stripes can save animals
Animals with stripes really stand out when you look at them. How could this pattern possible help them hide from predators?
- A Moment of Science
Does stress actually cause grey hair?
There have always been anecdotes about stress causing hair to turn grey, but is there any scientific evidence to back these claims?
- A Moment of Science
Biological clocks of all kinds
We have our circadian rhythm, but how does time impact other animals?
- A Moment of Science
Global climate change and the Greenland ice sheet
The huge ice sheet covering Greenland is pivotal to the threat of rising sea levels, but it presents some difficulties for scientists.
- A Moment of Science
Less salt, same flavor?
From potato chips to even our butter, salt is in a lot that we consume these days. But heavily salting our food isn't new behavior.
- A Moment of Science
The hummingbird bill is a multitool
There are many uses for a hummingbird's bill besides just feeding.
- A Moment of Science
Some like it hot, some like it even hotter
If you ever travel to the Sichuan province in China, you may hear the word "mala" to describe much of the food.
- A Moment of Science
Why your eyes get puffy when you cry
Our tears are different when we cry for emotional reasons. What's the difference?
- A Moment of Science
Spilling the tea on hard water
Making tea with hard water makes a noticeable difference, according to research.
- A Moment of Science
Should you sweat out a cold?
There's the popular advice to "sweat out a cold," but does it actually have any benefit?
- A Moment of Science
Since the dawn of humanity, fathers have always been older
Researchers found that, over this vast span of time, humans were, on average, about twenty six years old when they conceived children. But they also found a…
- A Moment of Science
Sea turtle moms plant decoy nests
Sea turtles try to keep their nests as safe as possible, even leaving behind a decoy.
- A Moment of Science
Can tooth fillings pick up radio signals?
In an interview with Dick Cavett, Lucille Ball made a spooky claim: while driving down a bumpy road, she began to hear music—not from her radio, from inside…
- A Moment of Science
Wait to use mouthwash after you exercise
Why would it matter when you use mouthwash?
- A Moment of Science
What's the difference between white and dark meat?
White or dark, what do you prefer?
- A Moment of Science
Knowing where the wind blows
How do wind farm developers know exactly where to put the turbines?
- A Moment of Science
Your dog, to the rescue
TV shows and movies always show a pet rescuing their human friends. Is this really likely?
- A Moment of Science
How distinctive is your walk?
Could you recognize someone just by the way they walk?
- A Moment of Science
An ancient animal that grew up fast
Children grow up fast, and that's true for more animals than just humans.
- A Moment of Science
Insects are a good source of antioxidants
It might not be common in the US right now, but eating insects have several benefits and could become more popular in the near future.
- A Moment of Science
Traveling with zoochory
Just like animals, plants are driven to reproduce. Find out more about one of their methods of transportation, zoochory.
- A Moment of Science
The ocean is losing its oxygen
What do you look for in a home? Even creatures of the sea want to live somewhere nice, and their needs aren’t that different from yours.
- A Moment of Science
Our fossils of the future
Our age, the Anthropocene era, is distinctive in many ways. The fossils we leave behind might show this in the future.
- A Moment of Science
Mammals live longer when they live in groups
Why do mammals live together? There's some benefits to living with others.
- A Moment of Science
Shedding microfibers, just from doing laundry
Most of us are probably pretty careful not to litter. Turns out, we might be doing the same thing just by wearing clothes.