Science Quickly

Latest Episodes:

House Dust Organisms Reveal Location and Residents Sep 22, 2015

Show notes

The particular fungi found in house dust can tell investigators where you live, and the bacteria in the dust can give away who and what you live with

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Biosciences Get Defense Secretary's Attention Sep 21, 2015

Show notes

At the recent DARPA Wait What? conference, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said lifesaving technologies are a priority for his department

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Teenage Clockmaker Upholds Long Scientific Tradition Sep 18, 2015

Show notes

As Daniel Boorstin, former director of the Smithsonian National Museum of History, once put it, clockmakers were the "pioneer scientific instrument makers"

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Nonpolitical Tweets May Reveal Political Bias Sep 17, 2015

Show notes

Word selection among Twitter users who could be identified as likely members of one or the other political party showed specific usage patterns. Christopher Intagliata reports

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California Mountain Snowpack Is Flaking Out Sep 15, 2015

Show notes

With the Sierra Nevada snowpack at historic lows, should policy makers focus on capturing future rain instead of relying on the snow bank? Christopher Intagliata reports

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Domesticated Pigs Kept Oinking with Wild (and Crazy) Boars Sep 14, 2015

Show notes

Domesticated pigs had many dalliances with wild boars that added new genes to the pig population well after they had settled down on the farm

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Snake Bites in Costa Rica Peak with El Niño Cycling Sep 11, 2015

Show notes

Researchers found that snakebites were two to three times as prevalent in the hottest and coldest years of the El Niño climate cycle. Christopher Intagliata reports

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Sperm Whales Congregate in Click-Based Cliques Sep 10, 2015

Show notes

The whales appear to prefer the company of "like-minded" individuals, based on common vocal clicking behavior—an example of culture, researchers say. Christopher Intagliata reports

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Humans' Predation Unsustainably Takes Healthy Adult Prey Sep 09, 2015

Show notes

Whereas most predators kill the young or infirm, humans claim a disproportionate number of mature healthy adults of reproductive age

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Better Road Signs Could Save Bicycle Riders Sep 04, 2015

Show notes

Signs that say "Share the Road" with bicycles may have far less influence over motor vehicle driver behavior than would signs saying "Bicycles May Use Full Lane."

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