Woodland Growth

Ahh, birds chirping, leaves rustling … brains GROWING? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. A nice walk in the woods does wonders for a busy mind. But how does growing up near woods-y areas help DEVELOPING minds? Researcher Mikaël Maes at Imperial College London and

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Green Light Plant Flight

It’s a bird, it’s a plane . . . it’s a – scientist in a helicopter!? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Living beings, like plants, reflect light in unique spiral patterns into the environment. Non-living things — like buildings and bridges – not so

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Rainforest Resilience

Have you heard? 1,000 is the new 30!! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Like giant sponges, rainforests absorb carbon dioxide from the air. This benefits the whole planet! But weather conditions, such as droughts, can reduce this carbon uptake.  In twenty-fifteen, a climate disruption

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Clean Bacteria

Melaleuca quinquenervia tree. Image by sandid from Pixabay

Hey! What’s on the breakfast buffet – for bacteria? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas — it warms the earth over eighty times more than carbon dioxide does! How do we reduce it? Luke Jeffrey at Southern Cross University

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Forest Farts

Image of dying wetland forest. NC Wetlands via Wikicommons under (CC BY 2.0

Peee-yooh! Are you blaming the dog – again? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. When humans break wind they release greenhouse gases, which are bad for the climate. However, your “whodunnit?” might not compare to a dying wetland forest. As a forest dies, greenhouse gases

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Rain Dance

Bridge with a person with a red umbrella in the middle while it is raining

Oh boy: is yet more freak weather coming our way? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. When clouds are overloaded with water vapor, it rains. But warm air can hold a lot more water than cooler air. So increased heat can create bigger water bombs.

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Let Them Eat Air

Cell converting some molecules into others

Can we make food out of thin air? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Soil is full of microbes. These tiny organisms eat and break down other organisms. They also recycle nutrients. But in desolate places on earth, or even in space, what is there

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Rice Cooker

Rice is delicious! But no longer nutritious? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Climate change can really bring the heat! But, ocean levels aren’t the only thing on the rise. Carbon dioxide levels are also increasing. How does this change in the atmosphere affect our

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Recycling Worms

A small tan and black Superworm

The Earth is DROWNING in plastic! Can we find relief — at the pet store? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Almost ten percent of all plastics are polystyrene. Think: foam cups and to-go boxes. Polystyrene can take HUNDREDS of years to break down. Is

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Road to Grapeness

Do slippery roads mean…sour grapes? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. When winter weather causes dangerous driving, salt is often used to melt the ice and make streets less slippery. But is this for the best? Mehdi Honarvar Nazari from Washington State University doesn’t think

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