Gut Microbes & Universal Blood
Can gut bacteria enzymes make everyone a universal blood donor?
Lego Nerve Gas Detector
Chemists design a mobile, affordable nerve gas detector out of Lego bricks.
Pollution, Fungi, and Trees
Pollution could be short-circuiting a mutualistic relationship between trees and fungi.
Bombardier Beetle Engineering
The secret behind a beetle’s ability to shoot rapid pulses of high temperature toxins.
Malaria Odor
Distinctive odor compounds may help doctors find out who is infected with malaria.
Fire Water
Wildfires are making it harder for water treatment facilities to meet drinking water standards.
Wasabi vs. Chili Peppers
A listener asks: Why does wasabi's kick disappear so quickly while the heat of chili peppers can last much longer?
Indoor Air
Scientists are only starting to understand the complex chemistry of our indoor spaces.
Why Are Plants Green?
The dominance of green chlorophyll on Earth may have come after a more purple period.
Nano-Distilling Seawater
Turning saltwater to drinking water with sunlight.
Space Plastic
Astronauts’ replacement tools could come from an unconventional source.
Artificial Dye Safety
Some people argue that food dyes are harmful to human health, but do decades of safety research back up these allegations?
The Amino Acids of Life
How did the proteins forming life on earth come to be formed from just twenty of the the many possible amino acids available?
Oxygen-Deprived Mole-rats
An odd-looking little mammal uses a trick from the plant kingdom to survive without oxygen.
Long-Lasting Sunscreen
It’s annoying to have to reapply sunscreens throughout the day, and researchers are working on longer-lasting versions.
Mobile Plastic Fuel
Mobile power reactors could turn plastic garbage into gasoline and diesel fuel.
Cryo-Recycling
Icy temperatures may be the key to recycling unwanted technology.
Saliva Communication
How sensors in the mouth help orchestrate digestion and metabolism.
The Mpemba Effect
A strange phenomenon of freezing water has baffled scientists for decades.
Seagrass Fights Disease
Underwater seagrass meadows combat disease.
Testing for Pesticides
Computer modeling may reveal which pesticides post long-term risks.