Who knew true love would be short, hairy, and have bad breath? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We all know someone who loves their fur babies more than they love people. They have sweaters that say so. But do pets really make people happy,
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SOS! Mars needs Miso! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Astronauts typically eat freeze-dried meals. They’re stable, nutritious, and…. BLAND! PLUS, space dulls taste buds. How can astronauts get their savory, umami flavors back? MIT’s Maggie Coblentz and team were on the case! They asked
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New year, new… flu?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Current influenza vaccines target a handful of specific strains each flu season. BUT individual flu strains change fast, and predictions can miss the mark. Is there a one size fits all solution? Enter Vamsee Mallajosyula
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There’s something in the air… This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Wildfire season is over, but the air still feels thick. Tingting Ye and team from Monash University in Australia were concerned. Could small particles in the air be harmful even months after a
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Does your diet have a BEEF with your lifespan? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. You are what you eat, but does that determine how long you live? Enter Caitlin Andrews and team at University of Sydney. They have some SAVORY news! They wondered if
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Are bumble bees… BIGTIME PLAYAS?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Play behavior is common in mammals and birds. But insects??? Hiruni Samadi Galpayage Dona and team investigated whether bumble bees play. They gave forty-five bees tiny wooden balls with no food and no incentive. Still,
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Can AI predict what goes on INSIDE our bodies? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science saying… GOOGLE IT. The tech giant’s AI division – DeepMind – has developed an algorithm to model our bodies’ internal molecules… It’s called AlphaFold, and it’s a Nobel Prize winner.
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But can AI perform… open heart surgery?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science saying… not quite. But it could lend a helping hand! Sometimes blood flow is interrupted by a narrowing of the heart’s main valve. It’s called Aortic stenosis. The fix? A tiny replacement
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Plants versus bacteria. Who will win? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Bacteria are sneaky. Sure plants can use enzymes – like BGAL1 – to uncover them. But some bacteria can block those enzymes and stay hidden using a mystery molecule. Scientists knew that this
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Room for dessert? I don’t have room to breathe! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Even after dinner, your brain still craves sugar. Why? Enter Marielle Minère and team at Max Planck Institute. They discovered a brain circuit connecting fullness with sugar cravings. These neurons
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