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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Humming Bar

Flying under the influence?   This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.   We’re not the only creatures that drink alcohol. Birds do too. Over time, some of the sugar in bird feeders and the nectar in flowers ferments into booze. And hummingbirds… drink up to

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Skin Deep

Ugh! Not another pill!  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We mostly take our meds by mouth or needles. Yowch! Some drugs can be taken through the skin. But the devices to make it happen are big and bulky. What a pain! Is there a

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Hangry and Blind

I’m so hangry, I’m BLIND with rage! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Spiders are known for their super sharp vision. Different factors can affect this ability. What about diet and nutrition?  Shubham Rathore from University of Cincinnati and team investigated.  They had two groups

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Olive Boosters

O-live us could use a boost sometimes! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Olive fruit water is a byproduct of olive oil production. While a concentrated source of nutrients and antioxidants, it’s usually thrown away. But could it be used to power up. . .

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Valley Girl Whales

  Valley girls and whales unite! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Certain whales use echolocation clicks to catch prey. Despite being an important skill, scientists weren’t really sure how they made the sound. What’s the source of the clicking?   Peter Madsen from Aarhus University

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Disappearing Act

What?! He just… disappeared! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Nocturnal glassfrogs don’t need a magician to make them disappear. They have translucent skin and muscles that help them camouflage as they sleep. We can’t even see their blood! How do they do that, and

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Goldilocks Soundscape

Why are we so productive at bustling coffee shops?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Noise can be a distraction. When it’s too loud, it’s hard to work. But too quiet isn’t great either! So what’s the Goldilocks zone? Enter Karthik Srinivasan from the University

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