Episodes – Page 168 – The Loh Down On Science

Syrup Cure

July 19, 2019 Loh Down Staff

Is the cure for ALS hiding in our pancakes? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying: Maybe so! If you’re a worm that is. ALS – Lou Gehrig’s disease – is a motor neuron disease that causes irreversible damage to nerve cells. To study ALS,

Custom-made Heart

July 18, 2019 Brenna Biggs

How do you mend a broken heart? DIY – do it yourself! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The most deadly heartbreak isn’t a bad breakup, but heart disease. It’s the number one killer in America! The only cure? A new heart! Unfortunately, heart donors

Towering Termites

July 17, 2019 Chloe Groome

Are your next building contractors. . . TERMITES? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. These pesky bugs are a nightmare for homeowners. But – surprise! Turns out some termites are quite the little architects! African termites build towering skyscrapers out of dirt and termite spit.

Sarcast-O-Meter

July 16, 2019 Loh Down Staff

Bless your heart. Does our snark detector fade as we age? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Psychologists in Scotland wanted to know. Because as we get older, some brain tissue loses connectivity. It’s perfectly normal, but causes us to perceive things differently. For example,

Salt Fix

July 15, 2019 Evelyn Hoover

Salt free potato chip? No thanks! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Salt is in almost all foods, from soup to nuts! But too much causes high blood pressure. So how can we reduce salt intake without sacrificing taste? Healthier salts! Which have potassium or

Whiskey Rings

July 12, 2019 Loh Down Staff

To avoid those annoying coffee-rings on your table, try switching to whiskey! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying: Slow down. This study comes to us via engineers Hyoungsoo Kim and Howard Stone at Princeton University. They were inspired by photographer Ernie Button’s portraits of

Special Delivery

July 11, 2019 Jessica Monterrosa Mena

Addiction – so complicated, I need a map! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We know that drugs and chocolate are addictive. We get a taste, and our brains tell us we want more! But WHY? The brain has special delivery systems that help drugs

Pollen Party

July 10, 2019 Loh Down Staff

Here’s a pollen puzzle: how do bees get more buck for the bang? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Consider bees known as “Buzz pollinators.” They favor plants with very sticky pollen. With their mouths and legs, they grab onto the plant’s anthers – the

Smoking Gun

July 9, 2019 Jessica Monterrosa Mena

Second-hand smoke is bad enough. But what about THIRD-hand smoke? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. When your neighbor lights up, his smoke gets in YOUR eyes! It then reacts with sunlight or indoor chemicals to form what is called THIRD-hand smoke. Who knew? Peter

Water Walker

July 8, 2019 Jessica Monterrosa Mena

Can you teach a robot to swim? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Aquatic robots? That’s crazy talk! This is because heavy machinery and electrical components reduce a robot’s agility in water. Enter Robert Wood from Harvard’s Microrobotics Laboratory. He created an AMPHIBIOUS robot —