Podcast Episodes

Rains Bring a Microbial Massacre to Chilean Desert

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.

Published on 7 years, 1 month ago

Consensual Hugs Seem to Reduce Stress

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.  

Published on 7 years, 1 month ago

World's Largest Organism Faces Bleak Future

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

Published on 7 years, 1 month ago

U.S. Immigrants Leave Country—and Microbes—Behind

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 you…

Published on 7 years, 1 month ago

Science News Briefs from All over

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 meg…

Published on 7 years, 1 month ago

Babies and Chimps Share a Laugh

Adult humans laugh primarily on the exhale, but human babies laugh on the inhale and the exhale—as do chimps. Christopher Intagliata reports.

Published on 7 years, 1 month ago

Singing Fish Reveal Underwater Battles in the Amazon

Researchers recorded piranha "honks" and catfish "screeches" in the Peruvian Amazon, which might illuminate fish activity in murky jungle waters. Christopher Intagliata reports.

Published on 7 years, 1 month ago

Social Construct of Race Imposes Biology

Anthropologist Jennifer Raff argues that race is culturally created, but has biological consequences.

Published on 7 years, 1 month ago

Pandas Swoon to Particular Croons

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

Published on 7 years, 1 month ago

First Benefit of Knowing Your Genome

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.

Published on 7 years, 2 months ago