Podcast for 25 February 2011: Language & Behavior
The surprising way the brain processes Braille, bilingualism staves off dementia, and new research on stuttering. Also: why being lonely could change how your immune system works, and the relationship between popularity and bullying.
Bilingualism & Alzheimer’s
Speaking a second language may slow down the cognitive decline of Alzheimer’s disease.
Podcast for 20 February 2011
ANNUAL MEETING SPECIAL: The new science of aeroecology, deconstructing taste preferences, new ways to store energy, and 3-D printers that could one day produce replacement organs.
Puberty & Osteoporosis
How early or late you hit puberty influences your risk of osteoporosis in old age.
Ringing Brains
Ringing in the ears involves the reward centers of the brain.
Gait & Longevity
Walking speed is a good indicator of overall health in older adults.
Future Wheelchairs
Engineers are designing electric-powered wheelchairs that can identify and respond to the type of terrain they're on.
Nerves & Muscle Roundup
"Marathon" mice could lead to new therapies for muscle disorders.
Reversing Early Alzheimer’s
Scientists have erased learning and memory deficits in a mouse model of early Alzheimer's disease.
French Smoking
French men are giving up cigarettes, but French women are smoking more.
Ironing Out Infections
Some organisms are better at fighting staph infections than others.
Lightning Bug Roundup
Fireflies could help doctors deliver the right dose of heparin to prevent blood clots.
Birthdate Depression
Being born in the winter could affect your biological clock – and your personality – later in life.
Biodiversity & Health
Losing plant and animal species promotes the spread of some human diseases.
Depression & Cleanliness Roundup
Modern sanitation may result in higher rates of inflammation and depression.
Bacterial Poison Darts
Bacteria attack their neighbors using tiny poison darts.
Cancer Vaccine
The key to successful cancer vaccines of the future may lie in turning off a tumor's ability to shut down the immune system.
Modified Mosquito Roundup
Sterilized male mosquitoes are part of a grand experiment in biocontrol on Grand Cayman Island.
Night Light Depression
Dim light at night causes depressive symptoms in rodents.
Skin to Blood
Researchers are transforming skin cells to blood cells in the lab.
Podcast
Bacterial poison darts, a new approach to cancer research, turning skin into blood, depressing night-lights and the differences between human and Neanderthal brains.
Robot Gripper
Researchers have engineered a robotic gripper out of balloons and sand that is capable of picking up many kinds of objects.
HIV Controllers
A small minority of people can fight the HIV virus with their own immune systems. A new study identifies just a few genetic differences that set them apart from those for who the disease has progressed.