Scientific American

Science Quickly

Science EN ↓ 1942 episodes

Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.

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Scientific American

Episodes

Join <i>Blue Planet II</i> Live-Tweet 14.12.2018 2:42

Starting December 16, ocean scientists will live-tweet the BBC documentary series Blue Planet II, available via Netflix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big-Boned Chickens May Be Humans' Geologic Legacy 13.12.2018 3:37

Millions of years from now, the geologic record of the "Anthropocene" will be littered with plastics, yes, but also chicken bones. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ancient Marine Reptiles Had Familiar Gear 12.12.2018 3:22

Ichthyosaurs had traits in common with turtles and modern marine mammals, like blubber and countershading camouflage. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Little Aphids Ride Big Ones to Safety 11.12.2018 4:04

When trouble lurks, juvenile aphids drop off of the plants they're eating and hitch a ride on bigger aphid escapees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Utah's Deserts Are Bee Hotspots 08.12.2018 3:24

The Trump administration is shrinking Utah's desert monuments, stripping some federal protections for wild pollinators. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who's a Smart Dog?! 06.12.2018 4:18

An estimate of dog intelligence requires looking at non-dogs as well to understand what's special to canines and what is just typical of the taxonomic groups they're in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Data Reveals Most Influential Movies 05.12.2018 3:08

By analyzing the network connections between 47,000 films on IMDb, researchers found the most influential films ever made. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blue Whales Have Changed Their Tune 30.11.2018 3:48

In the last few decades blue whale calls have been getting lower in pitch—and a rebound in their numbers may be the reason. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Smart Meters Speed Showers 27.11.2018 3:29

Smart meters on showerheads encouraged hotel guests to conserve—even though they personally saved no money. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mars Mission Makes Clean Landing 26.11.2018 4:24

The sounds of the Mars InSight Mission control room during the tense minutes leading to the landing on the surface. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do Wine over Those Brussels Sprouts 21.11.2018 2:54

Taking a swig of red wine before eating Brussels sprouts appears to moderate Brussels sprouts' polarizing flavor. Christopher Intagliata reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rains Bring a Microbial Massacre to Chilean Desert 19.11.2018 3:11

Freak heavy rainstorms in 2015 and 2017 wiped out many dry-adapted microbes in the Atacama Desert, useful info in the search for life off Earth. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Consensual Hugs Seem to Reduce Stress 18.11.2018 3:28

People who had a conflict in a given day but also got hugged were not as affected by the negative interaction as were their unhugged counterparts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

World's Largest Organism Faces Bleak Future 17.11.2018 4:34

The single organism that is the Utah aspen grove known as Pando is on the decline due to herbivores wiping out its youngest tree outgrowths Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Immigrants Leave Country—and Microbes—Behind 14.11.2018 3:30

Immigrants to the U.S. lose their native mix of gut microbes almost immediately after arriving in the U.S.—which researchers can't quite explain. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Science News Briefs from All over 13.11.2018 3:23

A few very brief reports about international science and technology from Alaska to Indonesia, including one on offshore dairy farming from the Netherlands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Babies and Chimps Share a Laugh 10.11.2018 3:24

Adult humans laugh primarily on the exhale, but human babies laugh on the inhale and the exhale—as do chimps. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Singing Fish Reveal Underwater Battles in the Amazon 08.11.2018 3:19

Researchers recorded piranha "honks" and catfish "screeches" in the Peruvian Amazon, which might illuminate fish activity in murky jungle waters. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social Construct of Race Imposes Biology 07.11.2018 3:49

Anthropologist Jennifer Raff argues that race is culturally created, but has biological consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pandas Swoon to Particular Croons 06.11.2018 2:43

Listening to the sounds panda pairs make when they're introduced could lead to better breeding success. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First Benefit of Knowing Your Genome 02.11.2018 2:46

The "low hanging fruit" of genome-related health care will be knowing which drugs are likely to treat you best, says science journalist Carl Zimmer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Halloween, Consider the Chocolate Midge 31.10.2018 3:25

A tiny fly, related to biting no-see-ums, pollinates cacao trees and enables our chocolate cravings. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dolphins Dumb Down Calls to Compete with Ship Noise 29.10.2018 3:17

Bottlenose dolphins simplify and raise the pitch of their whistles to be heard above underwater shipping noise. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Asocial Octopuses Become Cuddly on MDMA 22.10.2018 4:46

Octopuses react to MDMA much like humans do. And not surprisingly, given their anatomy, the animals are excellent huggers. Annie Sneed reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wild Songbirds Can Pick Up New Tunes 18.10.2018 4:38

Researchers taught two dozen wild sparrows new songs, by playing them the recordings of sparrows that live thousands of miles away. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices