Abbreviation Aggravation

Cubes spelling O-M-G.

Do acronyms make you say “T-M-I” or “I-D-K”? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Can your doctor tell an UPPER ARM from a UTERINE ARTERY? You’d better hope so — your flu shot only goes in ONE of those places! But in medicine, the acronym

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Perilous Peanuts

Peanuts with shell

Is the cure for peanut allergies … MORE peanuts? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We all know the rules: don’t bring peanuts to the potluck! Allergic reactions are no joke: we’re talking hives, swelling, trouble BREATHING. Can we prevent this nutty nastiness? Lianne Soller

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Daunted Dingoes

You’ve heard of scarecrows – how about scare-DINGOES?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.  Australian wolves, known as DINGOES, prey on farmers’ livestock. When they’re caught  having a farm fresh meal, it becomes their LAST meal. Is there a…FRIENDLIER way to fend off predators? Enter

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Blockheads

Are the building blocks for math skills… literal building blocks? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.  Luis builds a tower. Kim builds a town. Rosie crashes in, and it all falls down! Building blocks are great for preschoolers playing pretend, but do they REALLY teach

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Erotic Economics

“For richer or for poorer” — beyond marriage vows, does this also fuel. . . PASSION?  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Valentine’s Day is upon us! LOVE is in the air. You might celebrate by SMOOCHING with someone special. But why do people meld

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Friendly Felines

Two cats, one with blue eyes and other with green eyes, looking at the camera

If you love cats, blink once! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Unless your kitty is Garfield, you don’t really know what it’s thinking. Cats can’t speak! So, how CAN we communicate with our feline friends? Tasmin Humphrey at the University of Sussex says: it’s

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Smell Dispels

Up-close photo of broccoli.

Ah! The sweet smell of broccoli! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying – NOT! Broccoli stinks! Unless you’re a MIDGE! Midges are tiny flies whose larvae survive on plants like broccoli and cauliflower. How can we keep them off our veggies?! Chase Stratton from

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Molar Bears

Image of black bear (Ursus thibetanus)

Mama bears know: raising kids is like pulling teeth!  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. So, what really stands between a bear and your picnic basket?  Wildlife management! Japanese ecologists need to manage Asian black bears, and that involves tallying up newborn cubs. How does

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Brain Unplugged

Schematic shows a man with the wireless recharging battery implanted in head

Is your brain’s battery wearing down? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Some folks with Parkinson’s disease get treatment by ZAPPING THEIR BRAINS! Seriously — a surgeon plants a battery-powered wire in their brain that continuously emits electrical pulses. Problem is, batteries wear out –

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Fooled Filters

Blood cells in a vessel

I’m a blood cell… April Fools! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Your body has its own Secret Service — the IMMUNE SYSTEM. It’s built to keep good stuff in and bad stuff out. But sometimes security is TOO TIGHT. Even MEDICINE can get filtered

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