Neonatal Genetic Testing
A new technique makes it possible to scan a sick newborn's entire genetic code in 50 hours.
Podcast for 5 October 2012
SOUNDS & SIGNALS: We revisit one of Science Update's most memorable podcasts about the science of communication, from 2009: Prairie dogs sound the alarm, turning bed bugs against themselves, bird songs vary by climate, and improving forensic voice comparison.
Face Genes
Researchers have identified the first five genes linked to facial structure.
Backwards Hummingbirds
New research reveals how hummingbirds fly backwards.
Socially Deprived Brains
Neglect keeps young brains from developing adequate insulation.
Feline Fur Genetics
Scientists have discovered that mutations to a single gene in cats can turn stripes into blotches or even erase color patterns altogether.
Podcast for 28 September 2012
ENERGY & AGRICULTURE - New developments in wind power, a solar cell made from spinach, transparent soil clarifies plant research, extending the growing season, and how rainforests prevent drought in farmland.
Blocking Alzheimer’s
A new mouse model for Alzheimer's treatment gets striking results.
Tigers Among People
Tigers in Nepal are adapting to the presence of humans by changing their daily routine.
Podcast for 21 September 2012
ANIMAL CONSERVATION - Nepalese tigers co-exist with people, aggression is giving Tasmanian Devils cancer, tadpoles keep their personalities when they become frogs, and a new monkey species is discovered in Africa.
Tasmanian Devil Bites
Tasmanian Devils may need to tone down their aggression to survive an epidemic.
Human vs. Chimp Brains
DNA modifications in chimp brains may help protect them from cancer.
Peacock Hidden Messages
Peacocks communicate with sounds that fall below the range of human hearing.
Podcast for 7 September 2012
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS - A new drug that could block heroin addiction, how mice could speed up AIDS research, and why we're more prone to cancer than our closest living relatives. Also: the two brain chemicals behind sleep paralysis.
Endless Summer Roundup
By manipulating how plants respond to the shorter days in the fall, researchers hope to get crops to produce fruit longer.
Chimps and Punishment
Chimps exhibit many human-like social behaviors, but punishing the crimes of others isn't one of them.
Addiction Blocker
A drug called (+)-naloxone blocks the brain’s addiction to heroin and other opiates.
Flora & Fauna Roundup
A strange looking tropical plant is helping researchers understand the life-cycle of the cell.
Earth Microbiome
The Earth Microbiome Project is an unprecedented effort to study microbial communities around the world.
Mouse HIV
Mice with human immune systems could speed up the search for an AIDS vaccine.
Robin Hood Rodents
Tropical rodents called agoutis steal cached seeds from each other, and the behavior may have helped a plant species avoid extinction.
Skin Microbes & Immunity
Bacteria that live on our skin support the function of immune cells.
Bowhead Whale Songs
Bowhead whales in the Arctic Ocean sing a large variety songs to communicate with other whales.