Science Quickly

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Science News Briefs from around the Planet Jul 26, 2020

Show notes

Here are some brief reports about science and technology from all over, including one about how a lizard population responded to hurricanes by developing larger and stickier toe pads on average.

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Seismologists Find the World Quieted Down during Pandemic Lockdowns Jul 25, 2020

Show notes

COVID-19-related lockdowns dampened human activity around the globe—giving seismologists a rare glimpse of the earth’s quietest rumblings. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Old Art Offers Agriculture Info Jul 24, 2020

Show notes

Art museums are filled with centuries-old paintings with details of plants that today give us clues about evolution and breeding practices.

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How COVID-19 Decreases Weather Forecast Accuracy Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

Meteorologists take advantage of weather data collected by commercial jetliners at different altitudes and locations. Fewer flights mean less data.

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Cricket Avoids Being Bat Food by Doing Nothing Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

The sword-tailed cricket can discern bats’ echolocation signals by only responding to calls of a certain volume—at which point it plummets out of their approach.

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Speaker System Blocks City Noise Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

The system works like noise-cancelling headphones but fits over an open window. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Civil War Vaccine May Have Lessons for COVID-19 Jul 20, 2020

Show notes

Vaccination used against smallpox during the Civil War reveals the identity of the distantly related virus used to keep troops disease-free.

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Can People ID Infectious Disease by Cough and Sneeze Sounds? Jul 16, 2020

Show notes

Individuals aren’t very good at judging whether someone coughing or sneezing has an infectious condition or is simply reacting to something benign.