Science, Quickly

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Bats Jam Rivals’ Sonar to Steal a Meal Nov 06, 2014

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Mexican free-tailed bats make calls that interfere with fellow bats’ echolocation, causing them to miss their insect targets. Christopher Intagliata reports

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Half-Century Anniversary of a Mars Mishap Nov 05, 2014

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November 5th marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of Mariner 3, America’s first mission to Mars, which was lost in space. Steve Mirsky reports

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Button Battery Coating Lessens Risk If Swallowed Nov 03, 2014

Show notes

Thousands of small children swallow tiny batteries each year. A new battery coating could protect kids from internal burns and still allow the batteries to work. Cynthia Graber reports

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Bacteria Lowers Mosquito Transmission of Malaria, Dengue Oct 31, 2014

Show notes

Mosquitoes that harbor a soil microbe called Chromobacterium Csp_P have a harder time catching dengue virus and the malarial parasite. Christopher Intagliata reports

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Mammals Might Have Slept Through Dino Destroyer Oct 30, 2014

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The ability to engage in extended hibernation might be what saved ancestral mammals from extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period. Karen Hopkin reports

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Fecal Transplanters Fish Out Key Ingredient Oct 22, 2014

Show notes

The bacterium Clostridium scindens, a member of the gut’s microbiome, appears to ward off the hospital-acquired infection C. difficile. Christopher Intagliata reports

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Coyote Size Forces Smartness Oct 21, 2014

Show notes

Topping out at about 20 kilograms, a coyote has to be able to hunt both smaller and bigger prey, and avoid being prey itself, a combination that selects for intelligence. Steve Mirsky reports

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Carnivorous Plant Inspires Anticlotting Medical Devices Oct 15, 2014

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By copying aspects of the slick surfaces of insect-catching pitcher plants, researchers created tubes that can carry blood without promoting the formation of blood clots or bacterial attachment. Cynthia Graber reports

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Less Well-Off Donate Bigger Income Percentage Oct 13, 2014

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Wealthier people on average gave a lower percentage to charity in 2012 than they did in 2006, while the less affluent increased their giving. Cynthia Graber reports

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To Walk, You Have to Fall in Step Oct 09, 2014

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Motion-capture technology reveals that the body falls forward and sideways as we walk, and the feet come down to restore balance. Karen Hopkin reports

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