Sugar Rush, Tumor Crush

Are we finished ruining soda for you? NOPE! Never. This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. You know who just LOVES a sweet treat? CANCER! Just ask Lewis C. Cantley and team from Weill Cornell Medicine. They studied mice genetically prone to intestinal tumors. Half the

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The Coolest Bugs

Time to take down the Christmas lights… ack! They’re flying! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The Australian Christmas beetle sparkles like a living ornament. But how?! Laura Ospina-Rozo and team studied several Australian beetle species. They noticed that beetles from hotter, sunnier regions reflect

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Plantlife in Death

Death Valley might need a name change! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. High temperatures can be deadly for plants. But can nature beat the heat? Enter Seung Yon Rhee and team from Michigan State University. They went shrub watching in California’s Death Valley. There,

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Satellite Referee

Cutting carbon is a global hot potato! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Reports of national carbon emissions often contradict each other. So who’s right? Time for a sky-high referee! Enter Doyeon Ahn and team at Morgan State University. They used satellites to scan carbon

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Electric Eukaryotes

Could bacteria be… a bright spot? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Ecosystems need the sun for power, and so do we. So what do we do when night falls? Lights out, Shunling Li and team from Kunming University of Science and Technology. They discovered

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Cosmic Meet-Cute

Is true love written in the stars? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Ask Pluto and its dearest lover – er largest moon – Charon. They’re what the kids call a binary system. That means they orbit EACH OTHER. How? Adeene Denton from the University

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Tiny, but Mighty!

Got a clog? Here comes a microscopic cleaning crew! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Surgical implants for urinary problems can build up gunk over time. That buildup causes painful blockages and dangerous infections. The current fix? Replace the implant. OUCH! Not only is it

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Fungus Among Us

Who’s pulling the strings behind… Zombie Ants! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Some carpenter ants get infected by a fungus called Ophiocordyceps that hijacks their behavior. The ants climb leaves, and lock into a creepy “death grip.” Then the fungus sprouts and releases spores.

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Paging Dr. Mouse

Could a mouse save your life? Maybe so. This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Wenjian Sun and team at the University of Southern California tested just that. They wanted to know how animals react when one of their own suddenly loses consciousness. In the lab,

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Hard and Soft Prints

This gives a new meaning to a KNEESLAPPER! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We can 3-D print hard and rigid prosthetics, and soft shoes and springs. But what about 3-D printing both materials into one object? No way? Yes way. Enter Ji-Won Kim and

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