Glassfrog Trick

Ever wish you could disappear? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science saying… Glassfrogs can!  They look nearly see-through while resting on leaves. But how do they hide their bloodflow? What’s the trick? Enter Carlos Taboada and Jesse Delia at Duke University.   They used photoacoustic imaging on

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Kitty Antidote

What goes meow AND achoo? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying allergic cat owners! We LOVE our cuddly feline friends. Yes we do! But what if your HUMAN lover is allergic? Is there a better solution than buying Benadryl by the case? Ebenezer Satyaraj

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Slimy Solutions

What’s slimy, slippery, and soon to be in your medicine cabinet? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The answer? Sea snails, of course! Specifically, the Australian white rock sea snail. These escargot secrete a slime that has chemicals also found in prescription drugs. They’re called

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Cocoa Relaxer

Follow the CHOCOLATE brick road?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. You’re stressed. Your HEART is a traffic jam. Artery flow is at a crawl. Is there a shortcut outta this gridlock? Or at least a superfood? HMM…Cocoa contains heart healthy molecules called flavanols! YUM.

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Life on Mars

E.T., is that you – or just microbes on Mars? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. NASA has found the best evidence for life on Mars so far.  The team, led by Joel Hurowitz, analyzed rock samples collected by the Perseverance rover. In the rocks,

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Storm of Spiders

It’s Stormy Monday….for spiders? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Meet Jonathan Pruitt and team from UC Santa Barbara. They wondered if—similar to how humans rush to grocery store to hoard toilet paper—tropical cyclones make spider colonies more aggressive. They put a piece of paper

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Bird-ger Kings

Human trash is a birds’ feast!  Or a last supper? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.  Meet Andrea Townsend and colleagues from Hamilton College and UC Davis. They tested for differences in cholesterol levels, general health, and survival rates, between urban and rural baby crows.

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Velcro for Cancer

Is the cure for cancer… a pair of strappy new shoes?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Pancreatic cancer is sneaky – it hides until it’s too late. Doctors hunt for clues in blood: a marker called CA19-9. But current tests? Pricey, slow, and very

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Sticker Check-Up

Your heart’s working hard – but how hard, exactly? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Your “stroke volume” is how much blood your heart pumps with every beat! It’s crucial info during sepsis, surgery, and shock. But it usually means bulky machines or… poking around

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Predators and Prey-tend

What if your snack… talked back? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Birds often copy each other, but some even mimic their predators. Why? Enter Trinity Harvey and team at Cal Poly Humboldt. They tracked forty-nine Steller’s Jays in California. For a year, researchers followed

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