Striped Safety

Making a STINK about safety? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Skunks have a bold way to ward off predators: they SMELL! If a predator doesn’t take the hint from their warning stripes, they get sprayed! Does that mean certain stripe patterns are better at

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Shroomy Bags

Looking for a stylish new handbag? On to the produce aisle! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Sustainable fashion is all the rage, but did you know mushrooms can be made into textiles?! Their fibrous mycelia innards are the reason why. But, processing these mushroom

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Tomato Superpowers

Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? Or…a superhero?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. What comes to mind when you think of tomatoes? Pizza… ketchup… maybe heartburn. How about a POWERHOUSE ANTIBACTERIAL? Really? Tomatoes can do that? Enter Ryan Kwon and team in

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Seaworthy Straws

Feeling di-STRAW-t over ocean pollution? Listen up. This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Plastic straws degrade slowly in landfills and the ocean, far outliving their single use. Biodegradable straws have become more popular. But are they really ocean-friendly? Bryan James and team from Woods Hole

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Workplace Bystanders

Bad work environment? Someone’s gotta speak up, but who? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. People are less likely to intervene in inappropriate situations when in large groups. This bystander effect is caused by social pressures felt when others evaluate us. But those with the

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Secrets of Syncope

Get ready to be knocked out! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Fainting, or syncope, affects FORTY percent of people in their lifetime. It involves sudden drops in blood flow to the brain leading to loss of consciousness. But, the science behind fainting has long

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Absorbent Informants

Ew… this sponge smells FISHY! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Overfishing and climate change have drastically reduced global fish populations. Research about these fish is critical to prevent their extinction. Luckily, marine biologists have found an unlikely and ABSORBENT ally in studying the briny

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Imagine Rat!

Run, run! I can almost see the CHEESE at the end of the tunnel?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. What motivates you to work out? Is it the abs you imagine after a few months? Or the pizza you imagine after you’re done? Imagination

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Mecha-saurs

Bringing ancient species BACK TO LIFE? As ROBOTS? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Fossils show us what the first animals looked like. Being able to recreate them is a window into the incredible world of ancient species. What could they teach us about evolution?

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