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?
Scorpion Medicine
Toxins from scorpions could lead to new drugs for neuromuscular disorders and cardiovascular disease.
Science News Roundup
A roundup of science news stories including making ethanol from nitrogen out of thin air, and an uptick in mercury levels in tuna.
Rubber Ducky Comet
The Rosetta spacecraft currently orbits Comet 67P. Its uncanny resemblance to a child’s rubber ducky toy produces seasons which affect its thin atmosphere.
Radon Exposure
The chemical radon causes lung cancer, and it’s found in many homes. Fortunately, it’s easy to test for and remove.
Ocean Plastics
Scientists are getting a better handle on how much plastic we put into the oceans, and what effects it’s having.
Ocean Chemicals
The U.S. has banned some fire retardants because of their toxicity. But the same chemicals are also produced naturally by marine life.
Urban Dolphins
California's coastal bottlenose dolphins harbor contaminants in their blubber.
Changing Foliage
Climate change may affect fall foliage in many different ways.
Smelly T-Shirts
How stinky your workout shirt will become depends on what it's made of.
Sniffing Out Reefs
Saving degraded coral reefs may be difficult, because juvenile corals and fish won't return to them.
Anti-Cancer Venom
Researchers are developing a technique to attack cancer cells with animal venoms.
Malaria Odor
The malaria parasite may make its host extra-appetizing to mosquitoes, just when the contagion risk is highest.
Toxic Microplastics
Plastics in the ocean soak up toxins, and could harm sea life.
Dead Ants & Wasp Nests
Bone house wasps place dead ants in their nests to ward off predators and parasites.
Moth Scent Detection
Odor pollution could impede moths’ abilities to pollinate flowers.
Chitosan Plastic
A biodegradable plastic isolated from shrimp shells could help curb a huge environmental problem.
Plastic Regeneration
One day, plastics in many a variety of products may repair themselves.
Ocean Chemicals
The U.S. has banned some fire retardants because of their toxicity. But the same chemicals are also produced naturally by marine life.
Fish on Acid
Fish in acidified waters exhibit strange and often reckless behaviors.
Clean Air Act Success
Samples from Greenland's ice cores suggest that the U.S. Clean Air Act has helped curtail acid rain.
Urban Dolphins
California's coastal bottlenose dolphins harbor contaminants in their blubber.
Odor Discrimination
The human nose may be capable of distinguishing one trillion unique odors.