Whoooo lives in a pineapple under the sea?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. SpongeBob Squarepants is quite the active sea sponge! But scientists have long assumed that REAL sea sponges can only move early on in life. As adults, they’re thought to settle down
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Natural High
Is there really such a thing as a NATURAL high? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. WHY run for fun? Many do it for RUNNER’S HIGH! Natural opioids known as endorphins are thought to cause this feeling. BUT could something else be going on? Michael
Continue readingF-ANT-astic Queen
Does being a mom make you lose brain cells? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The queen is usually the only ant who gives birth in a colony. And most queens are born, not made. But Indian Jumping Ants are special! Some female worker ants
Continue readingBees or Birds?
“Make new friends, but keep the old” – but what if you move 10,000 miles away?? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Foxgloves are purple or white bell-shaped flowers native to Europe. They hang off the stem, like fruits, and have short tubes that store
Continue readingSpice for Life
Could a jalapeno a day keep the doctor away? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. From Poblanos to Habañeros, hot peppers are the SPICE of life! But could they be a literal lifesaver? Sickle cell disease, which is inherited, causes misshapen red blood cells. This
Continue readingFresh Brains!
Besides zombies . . . who ELSE loves BRAINS?? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying… Scientists! For research, they sometimes use brain tissue surgically removed to reduce seizures from epilepsy patients. Usually, the brain cells are tested more than twelve hours AFTER removal. But
Continue readingSticky Feet
Starting a climb? Use your MUSSELS! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We have robots that can build things, wait tables, even play the violin! But what about robots that can climb walls like Spiderman? Junwen Huang and a team from Xiamen University in China
Continue readingHydrogen Sensor
Hydrogen power! It can take us up into outer space or down the freeway! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Potato chips, gummy worms, awesome playlist – ready for a road trip! Or . . . ALMOST ready! To get from L.A. to San Diego
Continue readingUseful Leftovers
Hmm, medium-bodied, oaky, with notes of straight-up…sugar?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Wine tasting can be fun! However, not everything in the vat ends up in the bottle. Wine MAKING produces a lot of waste! California alone trashes two hundred thousands tons a year.
Continue readingOnly One Shot
Say it together: “One shot to rule them all!” This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. I got my flu shot LAST year — why do I need another one?? Because the flu virus resembles a spiky seed pod! Your immune system recognizes those spikes to
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