Suspenseful Gases

This just in—science meets Smell-o-vision! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science saying: Humans expel all types of gases. Many are classified as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. These gases are expelled by breathing, or even through your skin. But can the VOCs you emit, speak

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NUT-ricious Chocolate

Healthy milk chocolate. Sound nuts? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Unlike its more sophisticated cousin dark chocolate, milk chocolate isn’t known for its health benefits. But what if we could change that? Scientists at the USDA and North Carolina State University may have found

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Motorized Meds

Medications, start your engines! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. In the last few years, scientists have developed biological micromotors for delivering drugs. They’re supposed to work like propellers, steering those healing medicinal molecules more quickly into your bloodstream. But there’s a problem. These motors

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Stronger than Silk

Eat pencil lead, silkworms! Literally! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Silks are used in many things, from bedding to bike tires to kimonos. How could we make these better? Stronger fibers! But how can you get a silkworm to spin extra strong fibers? Yingying

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Egg Unboiled

Can you UN-BOIL an egg? And why would you want to? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying: Biochemists at the University of California, Irvine, can. As to why—? One word: Proteins. Nowadays, proteins made in labs are used for everything from making cheese to

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Chilly Tomatoes

No one wants rotten tomatoes. But do you want cold ones? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Sure, tomatoes stay fresh longer in the fridge. But as frustrated chefs and picky eaters know, they also lose their flavor! Why? Harry Klee from the Plant Innovation

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Super Spinach

Spinach! Excellent source of vitamins, minerals — bomb detection? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, and with the latest twist on your favorite superfood. Plants are constantly taking in information from their surroundings. Their roots act like telephone wires that communicate and receive signals from

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Garlic Substitute

Hmmm… What’s that delicious smell? Could it be… garlic breath? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Scientists know that some components of garlic, like ajoene, have bacteria-fighting potential. But turns out it’s a little tricky to obtain. Ajoene makes up about zero point five PERCENT

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Energize and Kick Butt

Here’s a new energy solution that kicks butts… literally! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. What’s one of the most toxic environmental pollutants? Cigarette butts! Tobacco waste is non-biodegradable. And it’s full of harmful chemicals! Luckily, scientists in South Korea have discovered a kick-BUTT method

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Photo Finish

Picture the past… If you can! But can you? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The first photographs were daguerreotypes. They were developed using mercury and gold instead of silver, which came later. These pieces of history are tarnished and may be lost forever! Or…

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