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
Ancient Travelers
Ever heard of a pseudoscorpion? These arachnids like to hitch a ride.
- A Moment of Science
Mapping the Fruit Fly's Brain
What's it like to have your brain uploaded to a computer? Ask a fruit fly.
- A Moment of Science
The Physics of Water Towers
Everything you ever wanted to know about water towers.
- A Moment of Science
African Elephants and Climate Change
A mysterious increase in unexplained deaths of elephants in 2020 led scientists on a mission to answer why.
- A Moment of Science
Red Meat and Global Warming
The best way to help the environment is what you don't put on your plate.
- A Moment of Science
The Magic of Cenotes
Common on islands and coastlines, these natural swimming holes vary in size from tiny openings to vast caves.
- A Moment of Science
Females Prefer More Exotic Males?
Hyenas are particular when it comes to choosing a partner.
- A Moment of Science
What Makes Alcohol Denatured?
What's the difference between alcohol that you can drink and industrial alcohol?
- A Moment of Science
These Giraffes Are Missing Their Spots
Why are these giraffes missing their spots?
- A Moment of Science
Fire Beetles
Most creatures run away when they detect a forest fire, but these beetles have other plans.
- A Moment of Science
Welcome to the Anthropocene
Has human activity changed our planet so much that it's now time to rename the current epoch?
- A Moment of Science
Moose, Bears, and Traffic
Why do pregnant moose prefer to give birth near highways?
- A Moment of Science
That's Nuts
What is granular convection and why does it force all the Brazil nuts to the top of the bag?
- A Moment of Science
More Salt, Higher Blood Pressure
What impact does too much salt have on your body?
- A Moment of Science
Restoring the Brain's Waste Disposal System
New developments in Alzheimer's research have led to the discovery of the brain's waste management system.
- A Moment of Science
Viruses May Help Invasive Plants Conquer New Ranges
How do invasive plants seem to have such an easy time conquering native species?
- A Moment of Science
Pregnant Teenage Dinosaurs
T-Rex often had babies at a young age, but why? And how did we find out?
- A Moment of Science
Fish, Fish, the Musical Fish
The Atlantic Herring has an interesting ability to make sound.
- A Moment of Science
Guarding Grains
Without this gene, grains may not have survived as well as they have for tens of millions of years.
- A Moment of Science
Bird's Nannies
Birds engage in cooperative breeding, but not for the baby chick's benefit.
- A Moment of Science
Potential Danger Lurking in Leftovers
How long before you really need to toss those leftovers?
- A Moment of Science
Chirpless Crickets?
In the span of just a few years, male crickets on Kauai have evolved from boisterous to silent.
- A Moment of Science
Seed Banks
What is a seed bank? Haven't people been storing seeds for centuries? Not like this.
- A Moment of Science
Compulsively Cluttered
Compulsive hoarding syndrome is a condition that affects 11 million Americans.
- A Moment of Science
Learning a Language
How is it that some people seem to be really good at learning languages?
- A Moment of Science
Aphids and Brussel Sprouts
In a field experiment, scientists compared two groups of insects with different diets and discovered a food-chain reaction.
- A Moment of Science
Foxy Smell in the Garden
The Imperial Crown's infamous odor may have evolved as a way to repel herbivores such as moles, gophers or deer.
- A Moment of Science
The Camera's Eye
An old legend claims that the eyes take a picture of the last thing you see before you die. Is it true?
- A Moment of Science
The Grandmother Hypothesis
While in many species, females die shortly after menopause, humans evolved because we needed Grandma's help.
- A Moment of Science
Bright Stripes Keep a Coral Reef Fish Well-Camouflaged
You could say this particular fish is a bit dazzling.
- A Moment of Science
Plant "Chat Lines"
When strawberry plants send "runners" to become new plants, they also create a network.
- A Moment of Science
Oil Paintings: Here Today, But What About Tomorrow?
How do pigments in oil paintings fade over time?
- A Moment of Science
Dragon Pushups
While animals have many territorial defenses, like making loud noises or fighting - the Jacky Dragon does pushups.
- A Moment of Science
Polarizing Sunglasses
Did you know that your sunglasses are quantum mechanical? How do they cut glare?
- A Moment of Science
Dust to Dust
We love a clean home, but no one loves to clean. Learning about the composition of dust should motivate you.
- A Moment of Science
Flip a Coin, Beat the Odds
Is a coin toss always 50/50? What are the odds of getting heads twice, or even a hundred times in a row?
- A Moment of Science
Student Protest on a Physics Exam
How it is possible to measure a building's height using only a barometer? It's a question that has plagued Physics students for years.
- A Moment of Science
Sperm Meets Egg: Finding Out What Really Happens
And what does this have to do with sea urchins?
- A Moment of Science
Stereotype Threat
Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you. Right?
- A Moment of Science
Sea Robins: The Fish That Taste with Their Legs
Can you imagine having taste buds on your legs?
- A Moment of Science
The Tastebuds of Blind Cavefish
What happens when a community of fish becomes trapped in total darkness for hundreds of thousands of years?
- A Moment of Science
Why You Can Never Get to the End of a Rainbow
Why You Can Never Get to the End of a Rainbow