Weighing Ages

With age comes wisdom…and weight? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. In high school, you can inhale Twinkies and stay beanpole thin, but that changes with time. Oh, the beer bellies! The love handles! WHYYYYY??!! Peter Arner from Karolinska Institute says it could all be

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Whirligig Science

Are children’s toys making your head spin? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The centrifuge is an essential lab tool. It’s like a really powerful salad spinner. It can separate fluids into layers based on their density. Centrifuges are critical for diagnosing diseases like malaria.

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Drunken Decisions

Should I say NO to that second glass of wine? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. For some, drinking moderately is difficult. But why? Lindsay Halladay from Santa Clara University and colleagues wondered. The researchers first trained mice to press a lever for an alcohol

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Antibiotic Venom

Smackdown! Scorpion venom versus resistant bacteria, who will win? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Scorpion stings pack a painful punch! But how do they fare in the fighting ring against smaller foes: antibiotic-resistant bacteria? Enter Richard Zare and colleagues from the National Autonomous University

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Cuttlefish Shades

Why did the  CUTTLEFISH wear glasses?! For science, of course! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with The Loh Down on Science. Cuttlefish aren’t fish — but they ARE amazing creatures. They can instantly change color to fool predators and prey. But how do they SEE their surroundings? Still a mystery!

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Ultimate Language

Bonjour! Guten tag! Buenos dias! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with The Loh Down on Science, saying… Learning a second language is daunting! All those new words, new rules… Grr! What if there was a language EVERYONE could understand? Samuel Mehr from Harvard University wondered – could MUSIC be that

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Fast Life

  When’s lunch? I’m starving! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Fasting– it’s not just for colonoscopies anymore! In fact, it’s gaining ground as a health trend! Fasting can help people lose weight. But what ELSE happens when we fast? Takayuki Teruya and colleagues at

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Feline Love

Cat got your… socio-cognitive attachment? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Unlike dogs, household cats tend to act like they own the place. They SEEM notoriously aloof and independent. But are they really? Kristyn Vitale from Oregon State University and her team tested how attached

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Plastic Fantastic

  Would you like some salad with your plastic fork? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with The Loh Down on Science, saying… Shampoo bottles! Straws! Legos! Plastic is all around us, and A LOT of it ends up in oceans and lakes. Over time, plastic waste breaks into tiny pieces

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Aging Brains

I’ve fallen — and my BRAIN can’t get up! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. It’s no secret that aging can cause mental decline. But sometimes our bodies feel older than our brains, and vice versa! What gives?! Manu Goyal and colleagues at Washington University

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