Shape-Shifting frogs
The skin of a newly discovered frog species transitions from spiny to smooth in a matter of minutes depending on its background.
Crow Mobbing
Crows gang up on birds of prey, harassing them in midflight. Is this seemingly risky behavior worth it?
Robotic Materials
Many futuristic inventions are inspired by biological systems.
Glowing Mushrooms
Scientists solve the puzzle of why some mushrooms glow in the dark.
Gas Analysis
Analyzing the gas in our gut can provide a window into our interior ecosystem.
LIFE ON THE EDGE
LIFE ON THE EDGE (Encore Presentation) - The challenges facing endangered California Condors when they return to the wild. Could armadillos help end blindness? How scientists can tell that sharks really are what they eat. Fuel from the sea. And, unraveling the mysteries of glowing blue slime.
Choosy Flowers
Some flowers may be able to reject pollen from non-optimal pollinators.
Pest-Resistant Crops
A new advance in modifying plants to kill specific insect pests.
SURVIVAL IN THE WILD
SURVIVAL (Encore Presentation) - Why female Komodo dragons die young, a whale that sounded like a person, and algae that flee their predators. Also: how the brain's insulation differs between us and chimpanzees, and why that insulation is so important to social development.
Bluebirds & Fire
Bluebird mothers control their sons’ ability to compete for habitat in post-fire habitat.
Snail & Fungi Roundup
Batteries from snail shell proteins and medicines from carnivorous mushrooms.
Avian Athletes
Scientists are learning from birds’ amazing metabolisms to help human athletes perform better on the ground.
Science or Nonsense?
ENCORE PRESENTATION - From the Science Update archives: Science confronts alternative medicine and vaccine myths. Also: Can we learn anything from violent video games?
The Thirsty Brain
Neuroscientists have identified key brain circuits responsible for thirst.
Bears & Ants
Bears’ fondness for six-legged snacks is shaping a mountain ecosystem.
Science News Roundup
A roundup of some of this week’s most interesting science news, including key genetics variants related to brain size and psychiatric disorders, leaky methane in Boston pipelines, and the genetics of longevity.
Magnetic Sea Turtles
Loggerhead sea turtles use the Earth’s magnetic fields to find their way back to the beaches where they were born, many years later.
Expansion Microscopy
Technology used to absorb water in diapers is also being used to blow up tiny tissues to make them more viewable by microscopes.
High Flying Geese
The world’s champion high-altitude migratory bird uses a unique “roller-coaster” flight strategy to save energy,
Blowing Away Germs
A listener asks if opening all the windows will spread cold and flu germs around.
Light-Boned Modern Humans
Are modern humans’ light bones the result of couch-potato culture?
E-Readers & Sleep
Curling up at night with an e-book might disturb your sleep.
Science Breakthroughs of 2014: Neuromorphic Chips
2014 Science Breakthroughs of the Year: Can computers think more like people do?