Science Talk

By Scientific AmericanScience

Science Talk episodes

August 15, 2014 Tiny Toe Tools Ensure Gecko Traction
To activate or loosen their grip on a surface, geckos extend and angle or retract tiny toe hairs that create contact points. Clara Moskowitz reports

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3 min
August 13, 2014 Guys Prefer Electric Shocks to Boredom
Guys would rather zap themselves with electricity than be left alone with their thoughts for 15 minutes. Karen Hopkin reports

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3 min
August 12, 2014 Google Searches Linked to Stock Market Moves
When Web searches related to business and politics go up, the market tends to take a dive—although that connection may already be fading. Christopher Intagliata reports

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4 min
August 06, 2014 Andromeda Snickers at Milky Way Mass
A new estimate finds that the Milky Way, once thought to be twice as massive as Andromeda, may actually only have half our neighbor galaxy's mass. Christopher Intagliata reports

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3 min
August 05, 2014 Spider's Scat Disguise May Be Its Salvation
Masquerading as a bird turd appears to protect certain arachnids from getting eaten by wasps. Karen Hopkin reports

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3 min
August 04, 2014 System Converts Solar Efficiently to Steam
A graphite disk resting on carbon foam collects sunlight to heat water directly to steam with 85 percent efficiency. Cynthia Graber reports

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3 min
August 03, 2014 Furious New Science Fiction from Mark Alpert
Scientific American editor–turned-sci-fi-writer Mark Alpert, author of Final Theory and Extinction, talks about his latest book, The Furies

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26 min
August 01, 2014 Environment Has Beef with Beef
Raising beef uses 28 times more land, 11 times more water and six times more fertilizer than the average expenditures for other livestock. Cynthia Graber reports

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3 min
July 31, 2014 Pack Rats Expand Diet with New Gut Bacteria
Pack rats given the right gut bacteria via a fecal transplant from other pack rats can then digest foods that they formerly could not, but the donors could. Karen Hopkin reports

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3 min
July 30, 2014 Colorful Birds Can Also Belt Tunes
A survey of the tanagers reveals that birds do not have to choose between colorful plumage and a melodious song. Karen Hopkin reports

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3 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.