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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Sweet Solution

Acura NSX GT3 Race Car testing at Gingerman Raceway

A spoonful of sugar… makes your car lighter? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Carbon-fiber. It’s a defining feature of elite planes, racing cars, and even sports equipment. This ultra-light material means cars need less fuel and you can swing that racket faster. But carbon-fiber’s

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Baby Babble

Woman holding a baby crying

Hey moms, it’s time to lean into your… baby talk? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. All parents know, it’s important to vocally interact with your babies. Your baby loves your voice. So talk! Sing! Babble! But how can we be sure our little cooing

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Hairy Memory

Girl with black curly hair

Getting in shape? So is… wool?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Curly or straight? Either way, your hair has a perfect memory. It REMEMBERS how it hung before you spent hours styling it. Can that super-power be put to use? Luca Cera from Harvard

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Bumblebeer

Man pouring beer in a glass

Bees can sting, but can they make you…tipsy? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Brewing beer is an age-old tradition, and it’s all thanks to YEAST. There are nearly two thousand kinds of yeast on Earth. But only two types are used to brew beer:

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Forest is Calling

Forest with sun light coming from the side

Ring ring! It’s a call from… the forest? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. “If a tree falls in the forest, and nobody’s around, does it make a sound?” Let’s find out! The forest called to Sarab Sethi [SAH-rahb SEH-thih] and colleagues from Imperial College

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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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DNA Autocorrect

Text message with an autocorrected word

  Autocorrect is great for our phones. But what about our DNA? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. DNA is made of building blocks called bases. These bases spell out the blueprints for our cells! Sometimes, mistakes are made, and the wrong base gets swapped

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Fish’n’Robots

Two fish swimming in tank

  Beam me up… Nemo!?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Would Dory and Nemo really be friends? What if they’re swimming in different oceans? Studying social interactions among animals is hard, but doing it long-distance seems impossible! Maurizio Porfiri and colleagues at New York

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