Science Talk

By Scientific AmericanScience

Science Talk episodes

August 26, 2015 Seaweed Bodyguards Coral against Bullying Sea Stars
Crown-of-thorns sea stars are an "underwater swarm of locusts" that devour coral—unless the coral is protected by a layer of seaweed. Christopher Intagliata reports

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4 min
August 25, 2015 Cosmetic Ads' Science Claims Lack Foundation
An analysis of some 300 cosmetics ads in magazines found the vast majority of their science claims to be either false or too vague to judge

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4 min
August 24, 2015 Deep Voice Gives Politicians Electoral Boost
Two new studies find that a deeper voice gives a politican an edge over a higher-pitched opponent

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4 min
August 22, 2015 Vomit Machine Models Cruise-Ship Virus Spread
Using a simulated vomiting device, scientists determined that projectile vomiting can aerosolize noroviruslike particles, allowing the infection to spread short distances through the air. Christopher Intagliata reports

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5 min
August 20, 2015 Sunlight Activates Smog-Causing Chemicals in City Grime
The grime on city buildings and may actively contribute to urban air pollution. Christopher Intagliata reports

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4 min
August 19, 2015 Methane-Eating Microbes May Mitigate Arctic Emissions
A newly discovered strain of bacteria found in Arctic permafrost harvests methane from the air—meaning it could help mitigate the effects of warming. Christopher Intagliata reports

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4 min
August 18, 2015 Chinese Cave Graffiti Agrees with Site's Drought Evidence
Researchers linked dated graffiti about droughts in a cave in China to physical evidence in the cave of the water shortages, such as changes in ratios of stable isotopes in specific layers of stalagmites

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3 min
August 17, 2015 Whistled Language Forces Brain to Modify Usual Processing
Both hemispheres are involved in the brains of people interpreting a whistled variant of Turkish, compared with a left hemisphere dominance when listeners hear the spoken language

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4 min
August 14, 2015 Invertebrates Are Forgotten Victims of "Sixth Extinction"
Some 95 percent of catalogued species in one family of Hawaiian land snails could already be extinct, and similar rates of invertebrate extinction could be happening around the world. Christopher Intagliata reports

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4 min
August 13, 2015 Nicotine-Chomping Bacteria Could Help Smokers Quit
Researchers isolated a bacterial enzyme that could break down nicotine before smokers get the buzz that keeps them coming back for more. Christopher Intagliata reports

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4 min

About Science Talk

From the publisher's feed

Science Talk is a podcast of longer-form audio experiments from Scientific American--from immersive sonic journeys into nature to deep dives into research with leading experts.