Orangutan Obstacles

Can I get extra fries with that Big Mac? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.  Rainforest animals like fruit-loving Bornean orangutans sometimes have trouble finding food due to deforestation and drought! They may eat 70% fewer calories than their bodies require. From a human perspective,

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Equid-ed

horse in desert

Animals don’t HORSE AROUND when it comes to water! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Imagine you’re lost in the desert — you’re parched. But the desert’s teeming with animals! How are they surviving? Eric Lundgren from the University of Technology in Sydney dug up

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Irr-elephant

Photo of group of elephants

Preventing cancer? Elephants may be up to the TUSK. This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Every cell has a chance to develop cancer. So within a species, larger animals, who have more cells, have higher cancer risk. Larger humans have higher risk of cancer, and

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Course-Correcting

Image of fast food from mcdonald's take out

Burgers again? You have GUT to be kidding me! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Imagine you’re seven again. Mom’s in the drive through for fast food. Can’t wait for those fries and milkshakes!  By contrast, . . . “adulting” means avoiding such fatty, carby

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Back on Track

Schematic shows how stem cells can differentiate into other types of cells.

Why do kids love Play-Doh? It can’t be for the taste! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying… Cuz you can make it into almost ANYTHING! Similarly, stem cells can turn into any different type of cells. Scientists are using them for novel treatments of

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The Hair Necessities

Female with gorgeous hair and flowers in her hair.

Look for the bare necessities! Or maybe… HAIR necessities! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Hair follicle stem cells located in our scalps keep our locks luscious. Scientists can grow these hair-makers from OTHER types of stem cells. However, the lab-grown variety doesn’t always work

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Hashtag Yes-Filters

Water droplet rings

Thirsty for knowledge?  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Water desalination filters are like blocks of Swiss cheese. The holes let water through, but stop salt and pollutants. Filters like these could be the key to getting clean water to drought-stricken areas! But some filters

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Night and Day

Luminescent bacteria in the dark

What winds YOUR internal clock? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Roosters crow at dawn. Toddlers wake up at 4 am every day. Plants know when to turn light into energy. But… What about BACTERIA? Zheng Eelderink-Chen at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and

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Gut and Paste

Woman stressed out with hands in her head

Stressed? You have GUT to relax! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Money! Politics! Global warming! Stress is abundant in our everyday lives. Recent studies show that certain foods affect our microbiomes — that is, our gut bacteria. Foods like red meat, artificial sweeteners, and

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Sleep on That!

Woman resting in bed with her eyes opened, looking at the camera

Does a bad Tuesday night’s sleep mean an even worse Wednesday? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. After a night of tossing and turning, random bad thoughts or memories seem to come out of nowhere to ruin the day! Is there a connection? Marcus Harrington

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