A Moment of Science

The Ant with Metal in Its Mandibles 11.02.2026 2:00 ↓

Animals are made mostly out of water, and of complex molecules centered around carbon atoms. But they also contain a surprising range of other substances, which give their parts useful special properties. The mandibles of ants are incredibly sharp and durable cutting tools. Leaf-cutting ants live in the tropics and cut the leaves of plants into tiny pieces with their razor-sharp mandibles. They ta...

Curious Babies 10.02.2026 2:00 ↓

Curiosity killed the cat, but there’s no indication that it has the same effect on humans.  Curiosity in babies helps them learn about the world and might even predict future cognitive abilities. That’s why scientists wanted to know whether moments of curiosity that babies exhibit are random variations, or whether they indicate a characteristic of the particular baby that carries into their later...

Why Do Salmon Leap? 09.02.2026 2:00 ↓

Most of us are probably familiar with the image of salmon jumping upstream or over obstacles in the water. But why is it so common to see them leaping out of still water too? Maybe they're just showing off. Or, they might be trying to shake off sea lice. Scientists noticed that young sockeye salmon jump out of the water and skim its surface with their tails an average of nine times a day, and it’s...

Moon Tan? 06.02.2026 2:00 ↓

Could the moon ever cause a person to tan? It's not that strange of a question: after all, moonlight is reflected sunlight. And following that logic-train, if direct sunlight can cause people to tan--and even burn--then why not reflected sunlight? Good News The actual answer is no. People can't get a tan from the moon, no matter how bright. Tanning is a reaction to the sun's ultraviolet light. Ski...

Fruit Flies are Social Butterflies 05.02.2026 2:00 ↓

There’s rarely just one fruit fly hovering over the browning bananas in your fruit bowl. That’s because fruit flies are social creatures, spending most of their time together in groups.   Scientists have noted that other social animals , including humans, tend to eat more and sleep less when isolated. To help understand these observations, a group of scientists decided to study fruit flies to find...

Singing Mice 04.02.2026 2:00 ↓

Singing Mice

The Wonderful Welwitschia 03.02.2026 2:00 ↓

The Wonderful Welwitschia

A Bug's Gotta Have Heart 02.02.2026 2:00 ↓

A Bug's Gotta Have Heart

Sleep and Inequality in the U.S. 30.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Sleep and Inequality in the U.S.

Travelers' Diarrhea Has a Type 29.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Travelers' Diarrhea Has a Type

Rattlesnake Rattling Trick 28.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Rattlesnake Rattling Trick

Why Does It Seem Like Others Look Angry to You? 27.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Why Does It Seem Like Others Look Angry to You?

Marine Biofluorescence 26.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Marine Biofluorescence

Would You Eat Fruit That Smells Like Garbage? 23.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Would You Eat Fruit That Smells Like Garbage?

The Great Unconformity 22.01.2026 2:00 ↓

The Great Unconformity

Imagining Yourself in Others 21.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Imagining Yourself in Others

Stinky Cheese 20.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Stinky Cheese

U.S. Islands and Migratory Animals 19.01.2026 2:00 ↓

U.S. Islands and Migratory Animals

Gut Microbes and Brain Rejuvenation 16.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Gut Microbes and Brain Rejuvenation

Is That Bug Really a Bug? 16.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Is That Bug Really a Bug?

Handwriting and Learning to Read 14.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Handwriting and Learning to Read

Crunchy, Indigestible Goodness 13.01.2026 2:00 ↓

 D:Today's Moment of Science is coming to you from our local grocery store. Y:What better place to learn about food science and do the weekly shopping at the same time? D:Here we are at the cereal aisle . . . oh good, they have my favorite.  Y:Toasted Fiber Puffs?  [BEAT] Sounds delicious. D:You may scoff, Yael, but they're not bad.  And more importantly, Fiber Puffs are a great source of fiber. Y...

How does sound travel on Mars? 12.01.2026 2:00 ↓

The Mars Perseverance Rover has collected vital data for studying the red planet, including audio recordings. So how does sound travel on Mars?

Safe Sex for Moths 09.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Safe Sex for Moths

Fluorescent Green Wasp Nests 08.01.2026 2:00 ↓

Fluorescent Green Wasp Nests