White Clouds
If water droplets are clear, why do the clouds that form from them appear white?
Podcast
SPACE UPDATE: NASA prepares to launch a human-like robot into space, engineers are designing a more efficient system for launching payloads into orbit, why microwaves aren't as dangerous as some people think, and the physics behind the color of clouds.
Mica Life Hypothesis
A new hypothesis suggests that life began between ultra-thin sheets of minerals.
Podcast
AIR & SPACE: The moon is shrinking - slowly, astronomers discover a solar system similar to our own, exploring the moons of Jupiter, how satellite-based mapping programs can help during natural disasters, and why clouds have distinct borders.
Water Quality Roundup
Salt used to de-ice snowy streets causes damage to both roadways and waterways.
Moons of Jupiter
Designing instruments for planned missions to explore Jupiter's many moons requires a combination of scientific acumen and engineering skill.
Cold Heart Attacks
The risk of a heart attack increases as temperatures go down.
Sunscreen Timing
A listener asks: how long should you wait after applying sunscreen before going outside?
Tibetan Adaptation
Tibetans have a unique genetic adaptation that allows them to survive high altitude, low oxygen conditions.
Greener Air Conditioning
A new air conditioning system may use up 90 percent less energy than current models.
Changing Oceans
The effect of climate change on the world's oceans may have dire consequences for humans.
Podcast
SUNSCREEN & SUPPLEMENTS: Sunscreens from ivy, why tanning oil speeds up skin damage, and when to apply sunscreen. Also: the link between fructose and pancreatic cancer, and over-the-counter weight-loss supplements fail the grade.
NEON Ecological Network
Scientists are planning a large-scale ecological observatory network.
Bacterial Goldilocks
Bacteria find thawed arctic soils really yummy. That might be good for the bacteria, but it could be bad for the planet.
Arctic Fish
Because of climate change, an Arctic fish's survival strategy might not work much longer.
Podcast
CLIMATE CHANGE UPDATE: The potential effects of climate change on the world's oceans, how global warming could influence carbon dioxide levels in the Arctic, and the search for more efficient air conditioners.
Podcast
ANIMAL UPDATE: Arctic fish respond to climate change, bees that aren't as busy as you'd think, adding some romance to the lives of flamingos, and training dogs to sniff out invasive plants.
Flowers & Rainfall
Flowering plants keep the world cooler and wetter than it would be otherwise.
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.
NASA’s Basement Tapes
Scientists resurrect satellite data from old NASA tapes.
Reindeer Clocks
Most mammals have internal clocks that regulate their daily cycles, but not reindeer.
Big Cold Animals
A new explanation for why animals grow larger at higher latitudes.
Podcast
ANIMALS: Reindeer lack internal clocks, why animals from higher latitudes are larger, and the relationship between size, intelligence, and longevity in dogs.