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November 22, 2024
On the 50th anniversary of Lucy’s discovery, paleoanthropologists reflect on what she means to science, and what she taught us about ourselves. Plus, divers have recovered seeds of a long-lost rye variety from a 146-year-old shipwreck in Lake Huron. And, just in time for Thanksgiving, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts.
21:44
Concocting Condiments
Culinary scientist Ali Bouzari dips into the chemistry behind condiments, from hot sauce to mustard.
10:26
App Chat: Being Social Without Leaving a Trace
A growing number of apps allow users to post ephemeral or anonymous messages—and they’re catching on quickly with millennials.
5:31
Decoding Secret Communication Between Plants
A new study in Science says that certain parasitic plants spy on their hosts through RNA exchanges.
17:29
Is Healthy Soil the Low-Tech Solution to Climate Change?
In her book “The Soil Will Save Us,” writer Kristin Ohlson concludes that the low-cost, low-tech solution to climate change may be directly underfoot—in healthy soil.
11:41
Close-Up With a Comet
The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft is the first probe to orbit a comet.
7:44
Algorithm Turns Everyday Objects Into Microphones
Sound waves trigger tiny vibrations in objects. By studying the vibrations, researchers can recreate the sounds that caused them.
8:36
Can Science Build a Better Piano?
Scientists have created a 3D acoustical scan of the piano’s resonance—and say it could help refine the art of piano-making.
13:47
Close Your Eyes and Listen to the Night Sky
If the bright “supermoon” drowns out the Perseid meteor shower this year, why not listen for meteors instead?
3:13
‘Lucy’ Debunked
A neurobiologist reveals sci-fi thriller “Lucy”‘s neuroscience bloopers.
12:14
Can an Experimental Therapy Be Used to Treat Ebola?
A look at the experimental therapy used to treat two Americans who were infected with Ebola.