News flash: Zombies. . . ARE REAL. This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying… I don’t mean the human living dead, but troves of zombie ANTS??!! It happens when a parasitic fungus hijacks their brains.The fungus releases chemicals into the ants that compels them to
Continue readingOrganic Pollution
Forest meadows, fresh flowers… tail pipe exhaust? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Secondary organic aerosols–gah! These tiny particles are a class of chemicals that form the air around us. As natural and industrial gas emissions interact with sunlight, the resulting particles reflect or absorb
Continue readingVoles That Console
Feeling stressed? Hug a prairie vole! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. When you’re upset, friends come to comfort you. Why? Because of oxytocin, a.k.a. the love hormone. It’s linked to the warm fuzzy feelings you get from a hug. But studying oxytocin and fuzzy
Continue readingWhodunnit?
Don’t panic, but…it’s a lie detector test! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying “Whodunnit?” Lie detectors monitor your heart rate. If you can keep your cool, they’re easy to deceive. But, can we invent a truth machine that CAN’T be fooled by breathing exercises?
Continue readingChinny-chin-chin
What do Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, and Jay Leno have in common? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying: They’re all twins! Just kidding. They all have prominent chins, of course. But even they can’t tell you why. The chin’s true function remains a mystery,
Continue readingHigh Tide
Is there a 4:20 in the afternoon. . . for fish? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Headaches, depression, diabetes – our medicine cabinets are FULL of pills! And unfortunately, our bodies don’t fully absorb all the medications we take. The leftovers end up….um, in
Continue readingPlanespotting
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s – uh oh – bye-bye birdy! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Aircraft strikes kill thousands of birds per year and cause more than one billion dollars in damage. Ugh. Researchers at the National Wildlife Research Center wondered:
Continue readingSyrup Cure
Is the cure for ALS hiding in our pancakes? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying: Maybe so! If you’re a worm that is. ALS – Lou Gehrig’s disease – is a motor neuron disease that causes irreversible damage to nerve cells. To study ALS,
Continue readingCustom-made Heart
How do you mend a broken heart? DIY – do it yourself! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The most deadly heartbreak isn’t a bad breakup, but heart disease. It’s the number one killer in America! The only cure? A new heart! Unfortunately, heart donors
Continue readingTowering Termites
Are your next building contractors. . . TERMITES? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. These pesky bugs are a nightmare for homeowners. But – surprise! Turns out some termites are quite the little architects! African termites build towering skyscrapers out of dirt and termite spit.
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