Science, Quickly

Latest Episodes:

Infrared Light Offers a Cooler Way to Defrost Apr 08, 2019

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Light tuned to a specific frequency warms ice more than water—which could come in handy for defrosting delicate biological samples. Adam Levy reports.

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Spider Monkeys Optimize Jungle Acoustics Apr 04, 2019

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The monkeys lower the pitch of their "whinnies" when they're far from the rest of their group, which might help the calls travel further through jungle foliage. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Scenic City Sights Linked to Higher Happiness Mar 26, 2019

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Tracking the location and mood of 15,000 people, researchers found that scenic beauty was linked to happiness—including near urban sights like bridges and buildings. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Daylight Brings Toxic Beetles Together for Safety Mar 22, 2019

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During daylight hours, hundreds of bombardier beetles of multiple species will congregate together to more effectively ward off any predators not afraid of a lone beetle's toxic spray.

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Solar Jets Cause Standing Waves in Earth's Magnetic Field Mar 19, 2019

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When jets of charged particles from the sun hit our magnetosphere, some of the ensuing ripples travel toward the northern and southern poles and get reflected back. The resulting interference allows standing waves to form, like on a drumhead.

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Sing Solo for Higher Fidelity Mar 18, 2019

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By tracking duetting choir singers, researchers found that when an individual singer's pitch drifts off tune their partner’s tend to too. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Edible Insect Breeding Led to Larger but Not Necessarily Better Larvae Mar 14, 2019

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Researchers aiming to lower the cost of mealworms were able to double the worms' size, but the larger larvae had fewer eggs and weaker offspring. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Busting Earth-Bound Asteroids a Bigger Job Than We Thought Mar 12, 2019

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A new model suggests smashing killer space rocks with insufficient force could let gravity pull the pieces back together. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Baseball Commish Talks Big Data Mar 05, 2019

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At a sports technology conference, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred addressed issues including an automated strike zone and advanced analytics.

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Background Music Might Stifle Creativity Mar 04, 2019

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Volunteers who listened to music solved fewer word puzzles than others who worked in silence. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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