Pigeon Leadership
Pigeons use a loose hierarchy to determine which way they flock.
Podcast
GENETIC HISTORY - Scientists complete a draft sequence of the Neandertal genome, reconstructing the woolly mammoth's bloody past, and genes that jump from species to species. Also: a low-tech solution to a public-health dilemma in the developing world.
Podcast
How plants know it's spring, color vision in bees, how pigeon flocks make decisions, and hermit crab shell games.
Finch Genes
The zebra finch genome could provide insight into vocal learning in humans.
Enviropigs
Genetically engineered pigs produce 70 percent less phosphorus in their waste.
Cancer Cell Electricity
Tiny tumors could be detected by the electricity given off by cancer cells.
Podcast
THE BRAIN: Empathy and aggression share the same neural circuitry, chronic pain sufferers process acute pain differently, how a brain implant made of silk could help epilepsy patients, the effects of pre-natal air pollution exposure on children's cognitive performance, and the psychology behind the Ouija board.
Bio Computer Roundup
The cat's lightning-fast hunting instincts of inspire new computer circuit design.
Hummingbirds & Heliconias
Male and female purple-throated Carib hummingbirds have differently shaped bills and feed on different kinds of flowers.
Oxygen-Free Animals
Scientists have discovered animals that can survive in the absence of oxygen.
Podcast
ANIMAL UPDATE: Birdsong in the genes, hummingbirds and heliconias, a more environmentally friendly pig, and cat-inspired computer circuits.
Plants vs. Insects Roundup
A protein in coffee beans is an effective pesticide.
Personalized Cancer Test
A new test that sequences a patient's entire genetic code could help doctors treat cancer more effectively.
Podcast
WEIRD SCIENCE: Behind the legend of the chupacabra, does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis? A physiological explanation for near-death experiences, and animals that live without oxygen.
Chupacabra
A legendary beast called the chupacabra has a surprisingly recent origin.
Strongest Insect
An Australian beetle earns the title of world's strongest insect.
Podcast
The world's strongest insect, why showering could pollute, tests that fail the grade and sampling the early solar system.
Sizing Up Dogs II
A listener asks whether it's true that large dogs don't live as long as small dogs.
Sizing Up Dogs I
A listener asks whether large dogs are more intelligent than small dogs.
Reindeer Clocks
Most mammals have internal clocks that regulate their daily cycles, but not reindeer.
Podcast
Contact lenses that could treat glaucoma, and could you get more out of a 20-minute workout than a 4-hour one? Also, a nose for identification, and why we can't smell deadly carbon monoxide gas.