Why did skunks evolve with such di-STINK-tion? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Meet biologists Tim Caro and Theodore Stankowich. Yes, really. They study how some carnivorous mammals protect themselves from getting eaten. For example: meerkats huddle in groups, while skunks squirt noxious sprays. Why
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Hey, tired new parents! Got an infant who wheezes her way through the night? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying: Get a dog! Saying, at least that’s according to a study by the University of Cincinnati’s Paloma Campo. Campo tested air quality in the
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Do prairie dogs do The Wave? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying, Yup! Or rather, Yip! Prairie dogs, which are actually a type of rodent, live in towns of dozens of families. They share resources, watch each others’ backs – And, sometimes, do something
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Manatees: Just slow-witted, underwater bean bag chairs who swim into boat propellers, right? But wait! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Manatees got their bad rap a century ago. That’s when an anatomist cracked open the skull of a dead manatee and declared its smooth
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What’s Batman’s REAL super-power? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Viruses take energy and nutrients from their hosts. BUT it also takes energy to FIGHT viruses! In us humans, eventually, either the host or the virus dies. But, BATS can carry viruses for YEARS. How?
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Do our pets experience the placebo effect? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The placebo effect is when people’s belief that a treatment is working makes them feel better. But we can also imagine that a treatment is making our pets better. So how can
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When it comes to helping strangers, what kind of ape are you? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. You might think altruism is a uniquely human trait. For example, when lending a helping hand, chimpanzees tend to favor their friends. But do other primates show
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Sorry Spider-man, but you’re no gecko! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Zoologists at the University of Cambridge wondered: Why can some animals with sticky feet scale walls while others can’t? They studied 225 climbing animals of various sizes. From mites and spiders to tree
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Are hugs the new chicken soup? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Think of your gut as a soup of friendly bacteria. Everybody’s recipe is custom made to work with our bodies properly. These good bacteria help digest food and fight disease. Scientists know that
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Mind over matter! And robots? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Advanced prosthetics hook up a robotic limb directly to your brain. Though still rudimentary, researchers hope to restore natural movement, and even touch, to amputees. But can brains really adapt and control this new
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