Seafood Surprise

Is it just me, or is seafood getting … crunchier? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The waves of the Atlantic carry an invisible danger – nanoplastics. These particles are tiny; about a thousand times smaller than a grain of sand. Enter Dušan Materić and

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The Big Five in Exercise

Before your next workout – take a personality test! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Exercise is great for the mind and body. But does personality determine which workouts you enjoy? Enter Flaminia Ronca and team from University College London! They surveyed nearly one hundred

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Seaworthy Straws

Feeling di-STRAW-t over ocean pollution? Listen up. This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Plastic straws degrade slowly in landfills and the ocean, far outliving their single use. Biodegradable straws have become more popular. But are they really ocean-friendly? Bryan James and team from Woods Hole

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Deep-Sea Stress

Bad day? If you’re a Jellyfish, WATER you gonna do about it? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Yes, even deep-sea jellyfish get stressed out! Their habitats are changing. Buried sediments are getting stirred up from the ocean floor by deep-sea mineral mining. On top

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Deep Sleep

How do you catch Z’s. . . in the sea?   This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.   All animals need sleep, even ocean-dwellers. But how do seafaring animals sleep safely from predators?    Jessica Kendall-Bar from the University of California, Santa Cruz and team

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Reef Recycling

This ocean… what… a… dump. This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Eight MILLION pieces of plastic enter the ocean DAILY. This poses a HUGE threat to marine life. Think dolphins trapped in plastic bags! Are we the only ones to reduce, reuse and recycle?   Enter

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Glow-cean

Bioluminescence in the coast

  Under the sea, Under the sea, Down where it’s….BRIGHTER take it from me? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Some animals have a certain “glow”. It’s called BIOLUMINESCENCE! They use it to communicate in the ocean. But Séverine Martini and Steven Haddock from the

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Coral Conundrum

An up close image of coral underwater. The coral in the foreground is bleached white while the coral in the background is brown. Small fish swim in the background.

Could fun in the sun – mean grief in the reef? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The sun’s ultraviolet rays cause suntans, sunburns… and an increased risk of skin cancer.  Sunscreen protects our skin by using chemicals like oxybenzone to absorb harmful UV rays.

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Grandma’s Guidance

killer whale fins above ocean water

When times get tough…who won’t let you down? Grandma! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. What do humans and killer whales have in common? Menopause! Only a few species experience it. But why? Is there a reason that whale mamas stop reproducing? Meet Daniel Franks

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