Bar-B-Q-rius

Ah, summertime…the smell of barbecue and… CANCER? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Summer barbecues are delicious and fun! Unfortunately, eating grilled meat and inhaling smoke increases your risk of cancer. But is that the only risk? Professor Eddy Zeng and his students from Jinan

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TB or Not TB?

Is that special glow. . . T-B? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Tuberculosis causes around two million deaths a year. And it can be difficult to diagnose! The test for poorer, densely populated places is over one hundred years old—and it’s often WRONG! Carolyn

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Tooth Toughener

Munch, munch, munch ouch! Not another cavity! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Cavities are a pain. To slow their formation, we add fluoride to toothpaste. But fluoride doesn’t help with cavities once they form. What if something else could? Researchers at the University of

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Rainbow Bacteria

Can you paint with all the colors of…BACTERIA? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Bacteria come in all shapes, sizes and colors, just like people. Controlling these colors could give us the best shade for new shoes.. But how are bacterial colors controlled? Scientists at

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Total Buzzkill

Today’s update is sure to … bring you down? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying: That’s not exactly the goal of French medical researchers. They investigated the neurochemical basis of marijuana addiction. How? They got rats high by injecting them with marijuana’s active ingredient

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Stinky Strategy

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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Mop Up the Sky

Tide may be tough on stains, but could it also be tough on the environment? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Great news! Air pollution caused by cars has plummeted thanks to new laws. But for some reason, there’s still smog hanging over L-A. What

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Diet Roulette

Eat right so your pants won’t be tight! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, asking, but how? From Atkins to South Beach to vegan diets, new diet trends never stop! But all have mixed reviews. Is there a healthy meal plan that works for everyone?

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Just Add Mushrooms

Look out! Pothole! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Potholes and cracks. Every commuter’s nightmare. If only the problem could fix itself! Enter Congrui Jin and her team at Binghamton and Rutgers universities. They filled in the cracks by hiring some self-motivated construction workers. Who?

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Freezing Hot

Sick of waiting for your ice cubes to freeze? Maybe the water is too cold! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Did you know that hot water FREEZES much faster than cold water? This paradox was first observed by Artistole centuries ago. It later became

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