Science, Quickly

Latest Episodes:

To See Gun Injury Drop, Hold an NRA Meeting Feb 28, 2018

Show notes

When the National Rifle Association holds its national convention, gun injuries drop 20 percent—perhaps because fewer gun owners are around their guns. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Big Cities Have Fewer Tweeters Per Capita Feb 26, 2018

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But those who do tweet in big cities are more prolific—tweeting more often, on average, than their small-town counterparts. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Mosquitoes Learn the Smell of Danger Feb 22, 2018

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The bloodsuckers lose their appetite for attractive scents when they associate those aromas with a likelihood of being swatted. Karen Hopkin reports.

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Undersea Recordings Reveal a Whale's Tale Feb 19, 2018

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By eavesdropping on the calls of blue whales, researchers hope to get a more accurate picture of the massive mammals' distribution and abundance. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Beetle Liberation Due to Regurgitation Feb 13, 2018

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The bombardier beetle can spray its hot brew of toxic chemicals even after bring swallowed, to force a predator into vomiting it back out.

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Old Trees Are Ecosystem Gold Feb 12, 2018

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David Lindenmayer of the Australian National University College of Science in Canberra says that older trees play outsize roles in maintaining landscapes and ecosystems.

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Killer Whale Culture Revealed by Mimicking Us Feb 02, 2018

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Orcas can imitate calls from other whales and even human speech—suggesting they can transmit cultural practices, such as unique dialects. Christopher Intagliata reports.

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Holiday Cheer Leads to Birth-Rate Spike Feb 01, 2018

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During feel-good holiday periods like Christmas and Eid-al-Fitr, romance strikes—leading to a boom in births nine months later. Karen Hopkin reports.

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Lion Conservation Challenges Giraffe Protection Jan 26, 2018

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Having lions and giraffes together in protected areas means far lower survival rates for juvenile giraffes. Jason Goldman reports.

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Nobelist Crafts Light-Switchable Antibiotics Jan 25, 2018

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Drugs modified by chemistry Nobel laureate Ben Feringa can be turned on and off by light, which could help keep bacteria from developing antibiotic resistance.

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