Science, Quickly

Latest Episodes:

Pablo Escobar's Hippos Could Endanger Colombian Ecology Feb 20, 2020

Show notes

Hippos that escaped from drug kingpin Pablo Escobar’s private zoo are reproducing in the wild. And with increasing numbers, they could threaten ecosystems.

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

Wasp Nests Help Date Aboriginal Art Feb 19, 2020

Show notes

Art created by Australian Aboriginal people used organic carbon-free pigments, but wasp nests above or below the art can be used for radiocarbon dating that supplies boundaries for the age of artworks.

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

Industrial Revolution Pollution Found in Himalayan Glacier Feb 18, 2020

Show notes

Ice cores from a Tibetan glacier reveal the first deposits of industrial revolution pollution, starting in layers dated to about 1780.

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

Fight-or-Flight Nerves Make Mice Go Gray Feb 15, 2020

Show notes

A new study in mice concludes stress can cause gray hair—and credits overactive nerves with the change in hue. Karen Hopkin reports.

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

Espresso May Be Better when Ground Coarser Feb 13, 2020

Show notes

A very fine grind can actually hamper espresso brewing, because particles may clump more than larger particles will.

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

Feral Dogs Respond to Human Hand Cues Feb 11, 2020

Show notes

Most feral dogs that did not run away from humans were able to respond to hand cues about the location of food—even without training.

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

Neandertals Tooled Around with Clams Feb 07, 2020

Show notes

Neandertals ate clams and then modified the hard shells into tools for cutting and scraping.

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

Fingering Fake Whiskeys with Isotopes Feb 06, 2020

Show notes

Whiskeys claimed to be from the 19th century are revealed to be made with much more recently grown barley, thanks to the unique isotopic fingerprint of the nuclear-testing era.

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

Having an Albatross around Your Boat Feb 05, 2020

Show notes

By outfitting 169 albatrosses with GPS data loggers, scientists were able to track fishing boats apparently trying to hide their location. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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

Science News Briefs from All Over Feb 03, 2020

Show notes

Here are a few brief reports about international science and technology from around the world, including one from the Democratic Republic of the Congo about a toad that has evolved coloring that makes it look like a deadly snake’s head.

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