Microdosing for Plants

I’m not drinking alone! I’ve got… my plant friends! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Yes, plants have Thirsty Thursday too, especially in droughts. So, scientists want to stabilize crop growth during water restriction. Could the answer be… alcohol? Raise your glass to Khurram Bashir

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Cancer Catchers

Aww c’mon, shed a tear! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying … It’s good for you, and our cells agree! To communicate, cells release tiny packages carrying genetic information and proteins that travel through us. They don’t know where these info-pacs go. But some

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Piezo2 for Better Poo

Countdown to… NUMBER TWO?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Many struggle with chronic constipation. But what causes this stoppage? Lauren Jones and Flinders University in Australia wanted to CLEAR THIS UP. Our gut contracts to move food along the digestive tract. Piezo2 is a

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Surgery Stickers

You’re putting WHAT inside me?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Intestinal surgery can lead to life-threatening fluid leaks. Ultrasound is a tool that images our insides, but it has a hard time distinguishing fluids. For example, normal stomach fluids versus abnormal bleeding. Jiaqui  Liu

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Shroomy Bags

Looking for a stylish new handbag? On to the produce aisle! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Sustainable fashion is all the rage, but did you know mushrooms can be made into textiles?! Their fibrous mycelia innards are the reason why. But, processing these mushroom

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The Sound of Our Bodies

We are aliveeee with the sooounds of our boooodiess! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. From beats to burps, our bodily functions continuously make sounds – *RASPBERRY*… Wasn’t me… Anyway, changes or stops in bodily sounds can indicate a problem. What sort of problem? Enter

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Shake shake shake!

“Shake shake shake, shake your”— boxes?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Ever shake a box and try to guess what’s inside it? Of course. But how are we able to make reasonable guesses about these complete unknowns? When we mess around with our environment

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Diamond in the Dump

One person’s poop is another’s treasure!    This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Squash bugs are major pests for farmers, and resistant to many poisons. To survive, they have a symbiotic relationship with a healthy bacteria that lives in their gut. Other bugs get that

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Toasting to Taurine

Is there a recipe for longer life?   This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying, let’s look at that one in reverse.   Take the amino acid Taurine. Taurine deficiency in youth leads to impairments akin to age-associated disorders like high blood pressure. Over time,

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Poop Pills

Is your health… literally in the toilet?!   This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.   Imagine taking 40 HUGE PILLS in two days. That’s what people with intestinal infections have to do sometimes. And inside those pills? Healthy gut microbes from POOP. Why would anyone

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