Back on Track

Schematic shows how stem cells can differentiate into other types of cells.

Why do kids love Play-Doh? It can’t be for the taste! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying… Cuz you can make it into almost ANYTHING! Similarly, stem cells can turn into any different type of cells. Scientists are using them for novel treatments of

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Fighting Fire with Fire

Photo of wildfires.

Does like cure like when it comes to… WILDFIRES?  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Fire season is coming! One way to help avoid the destruction? Prescribed burns! This technique has been used to control wildfires for years. But it can cause the soil to

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Origami Spaceship

Spaceship launching into outer space.

What ancient craft is out of this world?!  This is Sandra Tsing Loh, with the Loh Down on Science. Space is COLD! About minus four hundred and fifty five degrees Fahrenheit. Brr! Such chilly temperatures can turn spaceship materials brittle. Is there a way to make them more sturdy at

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(Un)treatable Disease

Up close photo of cute cat.

It’s a medical miracle — for cats!!  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We would love to have our furry friends with us forever! However, a DEMON called Feline Infectious Peritonitis, or F.I.P, may rob cats of all nine of their lives.  F.I.P is a

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Sleep Invaders

Woman falling in purple haze.

Are your dreams out of this world? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Fighting goblins in a big castle? With salad tongs? Was Elton John there, too?! Ahh, what a dream! I’d tell you all about it — if only I could remember!  But what

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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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Virtual Recovery

Man with virtual reality headset.

Recovery’s about to get REAL — virtually! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying…. Fire up the video games – and let the healing begin! Ruei-Ching Lin at Tri‐Service General Hospital in Taiwan and her team had an idea! Could virtual reality, or V-R, help

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Venom Cure

Korean yellow-jacket wasp.

Penicillin? I hardly know ‘im!  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger! But the same is true for drug-resistant bacteria, like those that cause pneumonia! How will we defend ourselves? Enter the Korean yellow-jacket wasp. It carries a potent

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Cheese Community

Image of cheese.

It’s more than a cheese platter – it’s a COMMUNITY!  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Ever step into a fancy cheese shop? The smells, the flavors – and for some of us, the funkier, the better!! But, leave the brie out too long and

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Future Thinking

Image of kid doing the dishes.

Kids, remember to pick up your toys! No, ALL the toys! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Do your homework! Take out the trash! Rinse off those dishes! Chores often slip our kids’ minds. Why? Because their ability to remember previously planned actions — prospective

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