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
A Remedy for the Runs
Here's the "scoop": Doctors have been having remarkable success with a rather unconventional type of treatment: fecal transplantation.
- A Moment of Science
The Rest is Gravy
Time to make turkey gravy! You can use flour or cornstarch as the thickening agent. Does it make a difference which you choose? How do thickeners thicken…
- A Moment of Science
Birds of a Feather Flock Together
Isn't it interesting how some people's personalities are extremely constant while others change based on the situation? Animals are no different!
- A Moment of Science
Liquid Sunshine
Radium was a popular health additive at the time of its discovery. What were they thinking?
- A Moment of Science
Wanted: Yellowstone Beavers
In the late 90's wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park to help cull the elk population. But there was still one problem: beavers.
- A Moment of Science
The Future of Bananas
Did you know that 99% of bananas sold are of one variety, the Cavendish? And this fact is not good for prosperity.
- A Moment of Science
When It's Worth It to Be Awake
Ever had to stay up late to cram for that exam? Wouldn’t it be nice to borrow the amazing sleep-deprivation powers of the male pectoral sandpiper?
- A Moment of Science
Express Anger, Lower Blood Pressure
Why is it that Italians and Spaniards live two years longer on average than people who live in England?
- A Moment of Science
Superb Fairy-wrens Learn to Eavesdrop
How did these birds learn to recognize the warning calls of other birds?
- A Moment of Science
Real Lightsabers?
What’s the status on the development of real-life lightsabers? Is it possible?
- A Moment of Science
Adapting to Starvation
Did a famine in 1944 cause changes in the genes of an entire generation?
- A Moment of Science
Changing the Gene with Meditation
Researchers from the United States and Spain found in one study that mindfulness may not only affect your mood, it may affect your genes
- A Moment of Science
Diet Soda Depression
It might not surprise you to learn that drinking a lot of sugary soda can make one prone to depression. Is diet soda an exception?
- A Moment of Science
Dehydration
If you were to stop drinking water right now, how long could you live?
- A Moment of Science
Why Toddlers Can't Learn from a Screen
Tablets are a great distraction, but probably not the best learning tool.
- A Moment of Science
High Altitude Genes
At higher altitudes, it can be much harder to breathe. Unless you’re a local.
- A Moment of Science
The Giant Weta Weighs In
The giant weta is a grasshopper-type insect from New Zealand. It might be the heaviest insect.
- A Moment of Science
The Genetics of the Hangover
Why is it that some people never seem to get a hangover?
- A Moment of Science
A Change in the Air
Isn’t it great to have fresh air? You might be surprised to learn that our planet’s air didn’t always contain oxygen.
- A Moment of Science
Spider Silk
If you've ever unsuspectingly walked into a spider's web, you know how easy it is to get wrapped up in its thin, sticky, silken threads. What makes it so…
- A Moment of Science
Estrogen and Breathing
Sleep apnea is a disorder in which air is obstructed to some degree while someone sleeps, but it’s more common in men for a reason.
- A Moment of Science
Loud Dolphins
A noisy ocean full of human activity makes it harder for dolphins to hear each other.
- A Moment of Science
Lighter Than Air
Who was the first to fly? You might guess Orville Wright, but actually, the first flight occurred in the 18th century after the discovery of hydrogen.
- A Moment of Science
Fail 15% of the Time to Learn Best
If you get the answer right 100% of the time, you’re just not learning anything new.
- A Moment of Science
Stand Up, Be More Creative?
Sitting for long stretches of time is detrimental to your health, and possibly your creativity.
- A Moment of Science
Scared of Snakes?
According to some biological anthropologists, humans have evolved to be particularly wary of snakes.
- A Moment of Science
Painful Math
Does math anxiety cause you pain? According to one study, the brain thinks so.
- A Moment of Science
A Million Years in the Dark: The World of the Mexican Blind Cavefish
Suppose as a fish, you lived your entire life in darkness. How would you find your way around?
- A Moment of Science
Myopic Misery
You may have heard the phrase “Sadder but wiser,” but according to one study, sadness seems to make us less wise, at least with money.
- A Moment of Science
Sometimes It's Good to Be Second Best
If you’re a baboon, being an alpha comes with its benefits. However, it comes with a price.
- A Moment of Science
When Forgetfulness Comes in Handy
The Clark’s Nutcracker, a pretty bird that lives in the mountains of western North America, sometimes gets forgetful about where they hide pine nuts.
- A Moment of Science
Those Who Don't Like Music
Everyone likes music, right? Except the people with what’s being called “specific musical anhedonia.”
- A Moment of Science
Small Testicles, Better Fathers?
A study with 70 men assessed interest and involvement in parenting and took some measurements. Can you guess the results?
- A Moment of Science
Why Humans--but Not Chimps--Get Cancer
Humans and chimpanzees share 96 percent of their DNA. So why are diseases like cancer so common in humans but so rare in chimps?
- A Moment of Science
Bear-crossed Lovers
Polar Bears and Grizzly Bears do share some DNA, but they’re separate species. Except for a couple instances.
- A Moment of Science
The Butterwort: Ruthless Carnivore of the World
Mosquitoes, ants, and midges, had best take warning – this plant is nature’s flypaper!
- A Moment of Science
Working Overtime
The more money you make, the more likely you are to work more. But is that healthy?
- A Moment of Science
A Brief History of "High-fidelity" Sound
How did the limitations of early recording techniques influence how speak on the radio?
- A Moment of Science
Can Tooth Fillings Pick Up Radio Signals?
Lucille Ball once made a spooky claim: while driving down a bumpy road, she began to hear music—from inside her mouth!
- A Moment of Science
Why We Can't Walk Through Walls
Atoms are mostly empty space, so what’s stopping us from walking through walls?
- A Moment of Science
Fearing the Dentist
It turns out, you might have inherited your fear of the dentist.
- A Moment of Science
Roots of Nausea
A team of Canadian researchers identify the brain mechanism in rats that appears to control nausea.
- A Moment of Science
Selfish Sheep
Why do animals like sheep, zebras, fish, and birds, tend to congregate and move around in flocks?
- A Moment of Science
How Yoga Reduces Stress
We all know that Yoga can reduce stress, but how does it work?
- A Moment of Science
Bacteria Portrait Sessions
Biologists at Indiana University are making time lapse videos to learn about the life of bacteria.
- A Moment of Science
The Ultraviolet Coloring of Flowers
Bees can learn a lot about a flower from its ultraviolet colors.
- A Moment of Science
The Remains of a Cambrian Dinner
A team of paleontologists working in the Canadian Rockies have unearthed an ancient worm's fossilized remains, dinner and all!
- A Moment of Science
"It Takes a Village"
You've might have heard this African proverb, but did you know that it doesn't just apply to humans?
- A Moment of Science
Zebra Stripes
Brown and orange stripes can camouflage animals, but even Darwin was puzzled by black and white zebra stripes.
- A Moment of Science
Plate Tectonics on Mars
Are there earthquakes on Mars? Or should we call them Marsquakes?
- A Moment of Science
Wetland bacteria, methane, and global climate change
Wetlands might not seem like they’re producing any methane, but invisible forces are at play.
- A Moment of Science
Colorful Giant Penguins
The Water King was a giant penguin that lived in Peru about thirty six million years ago.