Yeast Corps

“HEY immune system! Bring it on!” This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Your immune system is an army that protects you from disease. But in the heat of battle – these soldiers can get confused!  With inflammatory bowel disease, intestines make TOO much of a

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Dinos on Ice

Could Rudolph have been a red-nosed, . . . T. Rex?!? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Dinosaur fossils are found all over the world, including the North Pole! What were they doing up THERE? Enter Patrick Druckenmiller from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and

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ANT-i Aging

Image of old lady and young woman holding hands.

What does a worker ant have to do to get the royal treatment? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Like bees, ants live in social colonies. Close quarters means infections and parasites can wipe out the colony fast. You’d think a tapeworm infestation spells doom

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Elephant GPS

Images of elephants walking

An elephant never forgets … its GPS? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. When African elephants get wanderlust, they pack their trunks and hit the road! They follow trails created by generations of elephants moving between water and food across the Savannah. How come they

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Toxic Toolbox

Image of rattlesnake.

As Woody says – “There’s a snake in my boot!”  This is Sandra sing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Imagine you’re hiking and “sssss” – a rattlesnake! Eek! If you do get bit, the local doc MIGHT have an antidote, but will it work? Even closely-related species can

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Ancient Omelets

Diorama of Neanderthals family.

Remember the Stone Age?  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying…of course you don’t!  If you did, you might picture Neanderthals in caves. But did you know that Stone Age people also lived on beaches? Ruins of ancient coastal towns are all over Africa. Exactly

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Feel the Burn

Can you eat more Ghost Peppers than a mole-rat? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The highveld mole-rat has a superpower. It can roll around in a colony of stinging ants without breaking a sweat! The ants sting with a chemical called AITC, the same

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Liquid Spectacle

    Nothing like diving into a good book! But why do they make the print so SMALL???   This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.   Presbyopia, or far-sightedness, is a common problem for (ahem) eyes of a certain age. Bring on the bifocals —

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Extreme Armor

Would you wear a sugar-coated bathing suit in a hot tub? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Most living things wouldn’t survive a dip into a volcanic hot spring. The water is nearly boiling and super acidic! But somehow, single-celled creatures called Sulfolobus islandicus thrive

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Ink of My Heart

What if a tattoo could save your life? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Heart disease patients need continuous heart monitoring for optimum treatment. But traditional monitors are bulky and uncomfortable to wear. Electronic, or E-tattoos, are a comfortable, wearable alternative. These thin devices are

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