Science Quickly

Latest Episodes:

Mobile Phones Carry Owners' Microbiomes Jul 02, 2014

Show notes

The bacteria found on someone's mobile phone is a good match for the most common kinds of bacteria that live on their hands. Christopher Intagliata reports

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Malarial Mice Smell Better to Mosquitoes Jul 01, 2014

Show notes

Mice infected with the parasites that cause their type of malaria produce odorous compounds that attract mosquitoes, increasing the odds that the parasites will be spread to the next victims

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Neandertal Diners Had Side of Veggies Jun 27, 2014

Show notes

By analyzing what came out of Neandertals, researchers have verified that at least some of them mixed vegetation into their meaty diet. Cynthia Graber reports

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

21-Second Rule Governs Mammal Micturition Jun 25, 2014

Show notes

All mammals that weigh more than about six-and-a-half pounds take about the same time to urinate, thanks to the structure of the urethra. Karen Hopkin reports

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dwarf Galaxies Really Cooking with Gas Jun 25, 2014

Show notes

The smallest galaxies in the universe gave rise to an unexpectedly large proportion of stars. Karen Hopkin reports

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cool Kids Get Schooled with Age Jun 23, 2014

Show notes

Kids deemed cool in early adolescence have a poor chance to keep that status by their early 20s, because their behavior gets old. Erika Beras reports

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White Bread May Actually Build Strong Bodies 1 Way Jun 20, 2014

Show notes

The guts of white bread eaters appear to contain more lactobacillus, a type of bacteria that wards off digestive disorders. Karen Hopkin reports

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plant Spores Hitch Long-Distance Feather Rides Jun 18, 2014

Show notes

Tiny spores from mosses, algae and lichens can stick in bird feathers, travel from the Arctic to the bottom of South America and grow into whole new specimens. Erika Beras reports

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jellyfish Galaxies Get Guts Ripped Out Jun 17, 2014

Show notes

Recently discovered galaxies shaped like jellyfish leave a long trail of hot gas and dust, victims of even hotter gas from their surrounding cluster of galaxies

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2-Face Moon Tells How It Got That Way Jun 13, 2014

Show notes

A new analysis says that the asymmetry between the two faces of the moon is due to crust thickness differences that resulted from variable cooling rates after the molten formation of our companion. Karen Hopkin reports

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices