Is your sleep quality ON THE ROCKS? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. WINE-ing about not getting a good night’s sleep? Maybe that after-work cocktail is to blame! Dandan Zheng and researchers at Penn State University wondered whether alcohol intake affects sleep. To find out, they
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Boozy Social Hour
Hey hey, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying… Skol! Prost! L’chaim! Raising a glass together can turn strangers into friends! But can it make us TOO friendly? Enter Laura Gurrieri from University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and colleagues. They wondered
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Flying under the influence? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We’re not the only creatures that drink alcohol. Birds do too. Over time, some of the sugar in bird feeders and the nectar in flowers ferments into booze. And hummingbirds… drink up to
Continue readingWorth a Shot
Is your sleep quality ON THE ROCKS? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. WINE-ing about not getting a good night’s sleep? Maybe that after-work cocktail is to blame! Dandan Zheng and researchers at Penn State University wondered whether alcohol intake affects sleep. To find out, they
Continue readingBoozy Social Hour
Hey hey, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying… Skol! Prost! L’chaim! Raising a glass together can turn strangers into friends! But can it make us TOO friendly? Enter Laura Gurrieri from University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and colleagues. They wondered
Continue readingSweet Solution
A spoonful of sugar… makes your car lighter? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Carbon-fiber. It’s a defining feature of elite planes, racing cars, and even sports equipment. This ultra-light material means cars need less fuel and you can swing that racket faster. But carbon-fiber’s
Continue readingFueled by Tequila
Who’s up for Margarita Monday?? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Agave is a sharp succulent most famous for its starring role in tequila. Just the thing after a long day of Zoom meetings! But what else can this miracle plant do?? Agave can be
Continue readingDrunken Decisions
Should I say NO to that second glass of wine? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. For some, drinking moderately is difficult. But why? Lindsay Halladay from Santa Clara University and colleagues wondered. The researchers first trained mice to press a lever for an alcohol
Continue readingWhiskey Rings
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
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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
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