A Moment of Science

Latest Episodes:

Paranoia Oct 15, 2020

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In times of unexpected uncertainty, people may be more prone to paranoia. For instance, during the current global pandemic, many people have been thrown into unanticipated volatility, and this can compel some to seek out who, or what, to blame for that volatility in order to make sense of it.

Shedding Microfibers Oct 14, 2020

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It's hard to keep our planet pollution-free. Even our clothes are contaminating the planet with all the microfibers they release. New research shows that even wearing clothes releases a significant number of microfibers into the air.

Dogs' Noses Can Seek Out Heat Oct 13, 2020

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Did you know that a dog's nose can be tens of thousands of times more sensitive than ours? A recent study even suggests that dogs' noses can actually sense heat.

Cutting The Salt But Keeping The Flavor Oct 12, 2020

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Pretzels, potato chips, and popcorn are all covered in it. It's baked into our bread and mixed into our butter. It snows down on our fies and even our cucumber slices.

Do Carnivores Care About Us? Oct 09, 2020

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While you’re out in nature, do you ever wonder if your presence changes the way animals interact with each other? Well, in 2018 researchers in California conducted a study showing how human activity can actually influence how carnivorous animals divide shared resources, referred to as resource niche partitioning.

Canines Conquer The East Oct 08, 2020

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Eastern wolves and coyotes have been interbreeding more frequently over the past several hundred years, and now their hybrids are widespread from the Great Lakes region to the east coast.

The Trees That Farm Their Own Drought Tolerance Oct 07, 2020

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With climate change, stronger droughts are challenging the world's forests, meaning species' niches, or environmental requirements, aren't matching up with the environment they live in. But what if forest trees could expand their niches by farming gardens of drought tolerance, where istead of food they grow tiny helpers?

Speaking With Tongues Oct 06, 2020

Show notes

Today, we're talking about talking, and parrots, which can learn to talk, and is why studying the way parrots vocalize can help scientists better understand the way humans vocalize. If you think about it, bird song and talking have a lot in common.

Your Skin's Thermometer Oct 05, 2020

Show notes

What skin temperature feels comfortable to you? I'm not talking about air temperature, I'm talking about the temperature of your skin itself, under your clothes. Chances are, it's about 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Of Figs And Fig Wasps Oct 02, 2020

Show notes

Figs have their thousands of individual flowers folded up inside them, so they can't rely on bees or wind to pollinate them with a male fig's pollen. That's where the fig wasp comes in.

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