heat – The Loh Down On Science

Too Hot to Breathe

August 19, 2025 Donghui Ma

Tossing, turning… and gasping for air! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We all hate hot nights — sweaty sheets, cranky mornings. But are we losing more than sleep? Enter Bastien Lechat and team from Flinders University in Australia. Using under-the-mattress sleep trackers, they studied a hundred

The Fast and the Frictionless

August 8, 2024 Paula Gardner

Did you hear that SCREECH? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We’re not the only ones WORN OUT by travel. Planes, trains, and automobiles – all get HEATED when there’s too much friction. Sometimes their metal even melts to a semi-liquid state. Scary! BUT, at

Temperatures Rise, Depression Falls

July 4, 2024 Dominic Javonillo

Can depression be MELTED away?? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Depression is a widespread, global disability. Yet many patients don’t have access or even respond to antidepressant medications. Holistic alternatives such as yoga and meditation have been explored, though not proven groundbreaking. But how

Smart Clothes

February 24, 2022 Grace Chan

Too hot! Too cold! Just right…?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Just like the Three Bears, I love a brisk walk on a chilly morning! But when I start to sweat – off comes my jacket! Brrr, now it’s TOO cold! Where’s the JUST

The Perfect Pop

December 21, 2020 Quang Pham

A pot with overfloading popcorn on a gas stove

Movie magic meets… popcorn science? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. No movie night is complete without delicious, buttery popcorn! But have you ever wondered what makes those kernels pop and jump? A study led by Ecole Polytechnic tried to explain this phenomenon. Two French

Heat Waves

August 11, 2020 Lauren Urban

Thermostat in the outdoors during summer

Is it just me, or is it warm in here?!? ? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Temperatures are heating up! According to NASA, the Earth’s global temperature has warmed two degrees since the eighteen eighties. BUT, what does two degrees REALLY mean? Global temperature

Sun Shower

November 19, 2019 Alex Jarnot

The weather today: clear with a chance of showers… on the Sun? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The sun gives off gas that zips through space just like gusts of wind. This solar wind is what causes our beautiful Northern Lights. But, where exactly

Purifying Petals

October 29, 2019 Preeta Pratakshya

I see the future of water purification through rose-colored glasses – literally! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with The Loh Down on Science. Does your water purifier look dull and boring? Meet Weigu Li and his research team from the University of Texas, Austin. They engineered a stylish new water

Extreme Armor

October 16, 2019 Jaclyn Beck

Would you wear a sugar-coated bathing suit in a hot tub? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Most living things wouldn’t survive a dip into a volcanic hot spring. The water is nearly boiling and super acidic! But somehow, single-celled creatures called Sulfolobus islandicus thrive

Hot and Cold

August 5, 2019 Preeta Pratakshya

Tired of those passive-aggressive office thermostat wars? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Summer is here! That means sleeveless dresses and sandals can come back out of the closet! But then you remember… That guy in the office who ALWAYS turns the thermostat to sixty-five!