That first heady sip of coffee–yess! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. I can’t get my day started without my cup of joe! Do other creatures get a boost from a caffeine buzz? Enter Sarah Arnold from the University of Greenwich and team! They wanted
Continue readingAuthor: Jing Zhang
Nowhere to Hide
Come out, come out, wherever you are! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. To treat cancer, first you have to find it –but cancer likes to play hide-and-seek. What if we could spot it easily — like exploring a cave with a flashlight? Nozomi Nishizawa
Continue readingScratch That
Look out, Itchy and Scratchy – we’ve got your number! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Scratching, rubbing, wiggling … being itchy is not fun! It can even be a symptom of serious medical conditions like eczema. You KNOW how itchy you are, but how
Continue readingTortoise Attack
Return to an age when GIANT TORTOISES walked the earth!? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Giant tortoises can grow to be four feet long and weigh as much as a tiger! They can be found in the Seychelles and the Galápagos Islands. These monster
Continue readingBoozy Social Hour
Hey hey, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying… Skol! Prost! L’chaim! Raising a glass together can turn strangers into friends! But can it make us TOO friendly? Enter Laura Gurrieri from University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and colleagues. They wondered
Continue readingSleepy Children, Happy Children
Hey kid, falling asleep at your desk! WAKE UP! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Children have IMMENSE energy one moment. But then, . . . they’re out like a light! But is there something GOOD about that nap? Jianghong Liu from University of Pennsylvania and an international team
Continue readingHelp Needed
HELLLP! Somebody nabbed MY grocery cart in the Trader Joe’s parking lot! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The “bystander effect” claims that individuals are less likely to help when other people are around. But what’s the chance that at least ONE person steps up?
Continue readingFriendly Brains
Birds of a feather flock together. But how about us humans? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Do you and your besties share a love of knitting? Schlocky horror movies? Barbershop quartets? Sure, but just how alike are you? Ryan Hyon from UCLA and colleagues
Continue readingCoffee or Nap?
Foggy brain? How do YOU recharge your batteries — nap or coffee? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Chug down a grande frappuccino after lunch and whoa, you are rip-roaring and ready to go! But does coffee ACTUALLY help? Sara Mednick and colleagues at the
Continue readingA Snooze Boost
Exams…ugh! I’m drinking Red Bull and pulling all-nighters but I can’t remember ANYTHING! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. After a good night’s sleep, our memory is tip-top compared to when we’re more bleary-eyed. But how does a snooze help us remember? Jing Zhang and
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