Matching the Drug to the Bug
A new technique can quickly identify a pathogen and size up its drug resistance, all with one test.
Tumor-Shrinking Drug
Scientists are testing a drug that shrinks a wide variety of cancerous tumors.
Podcast for 16 March 2012
SCIENCE OF SOCIETY - Do wealthier people tend to have fewer scruples? The social costs of mass incarceration. Seeing-eye smartphones for the blind. And, new evidence calls an accepted tenet of science into question. Also: how to make plastic from plants.
Cellular Quality Control
A newly discovered protein regulates the quality of our DNA.
Fat Receptors
A protein found in our tongues determines our ability to taste fat.
Building With Viruses
Researchers have turned viruses into molecular building blocks.
Rice Blood Protein
Scientists in China and North America have produced human blood protein from genetically modified rice seeds.
Podcast for 4 November 2011
THE SCIENCE OF LIGHT & VISION - A pacemaker that restarts the heart with light, and a secret code made from fluorescent bacteria. And, could a lack of outdoor activity be making kids more nearsighted? Also: new research suggests that IQ might not be as stable as once thought.
Ocean Bacteria Communication
Changes in chemical signaling among ocean bacteria may be impacting the global climate.
Podcast for 28 October 2011
SCIENCE UNDERWATER - Why the seas of the future may belong to jellyfish, why fish tanks can be breeding grounds for aggression, how chatter between ocean bacteria contributes to climate change, and good news about sea turtles. Also, scientists unveil the first underwater cloaking device.
Pre-Empting Allergies
A new treatment may block specific allergies without disrupting other immune functions.
Podcast for 21 October 2011
PREVENTIVE HEALTH - Vitamin D and ethnicity, a breath test for toxins, drinking and the immune system, measuring pain in the brain, and a new weapon to combat allergic reactions.
Aquarium Fish Aggression
Bigger tanks and richer environments reduce aggression in popular pet fish.
Woolly Mammoth Blood
A replica of woolly mammoth blood protein may lead to treatments for hypothermia and improvements in surgery.
Tooth Regeneration
A new technique can reverse early tooth decay without drilling.
Podcast for 23 September 2011
PLANETS & PATHOGENS - Gardening for Mars, the darkest planet, a parasite that turns rats against themselves, telling the viruses from the bacteria, and the link between caffeine and skin cancer prevention.
Bacterial or Viral?
A quick immune system test can tell a viral infection from a bacterial one.
Ancient Food Roundup
Lager beers have been around for about 500 years, thanks to the meeting of yeasts from the Old and New World.
Safe Water Software
New software can quickly flag tainted water supplies.
Silky Tarantula Feet
Tarantulas produce life-saving silk from their feet.
Healthy Handshakes
A new study investigates whether shaking hands spreads germs.