Scents and Scents-ability

Is this milk still good to drink? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying…. I’ll just sniff…ohh ugh no! Down the sink it goes! Our sense of smell helps us avoid expired milk – and other dangers! But how do our brains process these stinky

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Singing in the Brain

I’m singing in the…BRAIN? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Don’t you love singing in the shower? Who CARES if anyone’s listening! But for many stroke patients, singing – or even speaking – are off the table. A stroke can cause a condition called anarthria.

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Sweet Dreams

Dreaming of a good night’s sleep? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Feeling tired–and awful?? You’re not alone! Dreaming, also called rapid eye movement or REM sleep, is important for health. And poor REM sleep has been linked to problems like Alzheimer’s disease! Enter Chia-Jung

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Take a Break

Lookin’ for treats in all the wrong places? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying – maybe your brain needs a break! When we study, brain cells called neurons form new knowledge connections — a roadway between facts! When we recall the material? BRAINBLAST! Our

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Silly-cybin

Tech support for your … brain? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Aargh!! My new AppleTV is going haywire because it’s not connecting with my phone. Calling tech support!  People who are stressed or depressed have a similar wiring issue. Their brain cells stop talking

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Outsider’s Tragedy

What’s not out about being IN? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Someone got a flat tire on the highway – poor guy! You would definitely stop to help a friend, but hesitate when it’s a stranger… why? Inbal Ben-Ami Bartal from UC Berkeley and

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Batty GPS

Can bats see into the future? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. SWOOP! A black blob dashes by – BATS! Their flight path seems so random – how do these speedy creatures keep track of where they are and where they’re going? Nicholas Dotson and

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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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Three Thumbs Up

What could YOU do with a third thumb? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying … win a thumb wrestling contest – hands down! Prosthetics are a great solution for people who are missing limbs. But could they also give us a little something EXTRA? 

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Piano, Man

Picture of female with tattoo smiling with headphones.

Sing us a song, you’re the piano man! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Watching feel-good movies like Pitch Perfect can put us in happy mode. And that emotion creates signals in certain parts of the brain.  Vesa Putkinen and colleagues from the University of

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