A Moment of Science

Latest Episodes:

Black Tongues And Stomach Aches Oct 01, 2020

Show notes

Sometimes, when people get stomach aches they are alarmed to find that their tongue has turned black. Fortunately for them, it isn't a life threatening condition.

Murphy's Toast Sep 30, 2020

Show notes

If you're eating toast, and you accidentally bump it to the floor, it seems more likely to land buttered side down. This is one of the most common formulations of Murphy's Law--the tongue-in-cheek axiom that states "If something can go wrong, it probably will."

Growing Plants Indoors Sep 29, 2020

Show notes

It can be hard to grow plants indoors, especially in a room without a lot of sunlight. Sometimes it's just a matter of choosing the right plant, though.

Cockroach Milk Sep 28, 2020

Show notes

A cockroach species in Hawaii called the Pacific beetle cockroach can actually give milk. This isn't the only thing this cockroach has in common with mammals, either. It also gives birth to live young.

Airplane Contrails Sep 25, 2020

Show notes

Have you ever seen a perfectly cloudless sky? Cloudless--that is--except for two or three long white lines smeared across the perfect blue sky by airplanes like smudges on a pane of glass.

The "Frankenstein" Galaxy Sep 23, 2020

Show notes

Today's Moment of Science is about a galaxy called UGC 1382. For a long time, scientists thought it was a fairly small, run-of-the mill galaxy, but then they realized it actually had huge spiral arms.

How Cold Does It Feel? Sep 22, 2020

Show notes

If you're lucky enough to live where it's sometimes windy and cold, you've probably heard your weatherperson give out two temperatures: the actual temperature outside, and a temperature based on the wind-chill temperature index.

Trees Know When Something's Eating Them Sep 21, 2020

Show notes

German scientists studying young beeches and maples knew plants responded to predation, but they wanted to know if plants could tell the difference between a deer chewing their leaves verus being damaged by other factors like storms, or being trampled upon.

Sunrise, Sunset Sep 18, 2020

Show notes

Why does the sunset take more time than the sunrise? It takes much less time for the sun to light up the sky at dawn than it does for all the light to disappear after the sun sets at dusk.

Parenting Styles And Bullying Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

Why do some kids become bullies or the victims of bullies? How closely is this linked to how their parents raised them?