November 22, 2024
On the 50th anniversary of Lucy’s discovery, paleoanthropologists reflect on 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, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts.
Why Spiders Don’t Stick To The Web
The secret to not getting stuck? Oily, hairy legs and delicate movements.
Making the Shift To Electric Vehicles
Experts discuss electric car technology and the auto industry.
Losing Control In The Movies
A scientist stars as the main character in a new romantic comedy.
Picture An Embryo
Why does looking a picture of a human embryo elicit strong feelings?
Alan Alda Asks Scientists ‘What Is A Flame?’
Eleven-year-olds from around the world will judge entries to Alda’s “Flame Challenge.”
Archaeologists Revisit Iraq
Stony Brook University archaeologist Elizabeth Stone describes her recent trip to Iraq.
Sizing Up America’s High-Tech Talent
A panel of experts debate whether there is a shortage of scientists and engineers in America.
Adam Riess: One Cosmic Puzzle Solved, Many To Go
Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Adam Riess discusses the mysterious force known as dark energy.
Mount Everest Still Holds Mysteries For Scientists
On an upcoming trip, scientists will re-measure the peak’s altitude–a stat still under dispute.
Teenager Launches LEGO Shuttle Into Space
Raul Oaida sent the payload to space by way of a large helium balloon.
How A LEGO Shuttle Got To Space
Raul Oaida, 18-years-old, attached a LEGO shuttle, a video camera and a GPS tracker, to a huge helium balloon and sent them into space.
Gorilla Genome Sheds Light On Human Evolution
A study in Nature finds that gorillas are more like humans than previously thought.
How To Get More For Your Bite
A look at how genes, anatomy, history and culture affect the food choices we make.
A Workout Can Change Your DNA
New research shows that strenuous exercise can change your genes to boost energy metabolism.
Dark Matter Just Got More Mysterious
A smashup between two galaxy clusters left an unexpected amount of dark matter in its wake.
Can An Early Spring Confuse Nature’s Clock?
Tom Turpin and Kristin Schleiter discuss how an early spring can affect flower buds and bees.
Planet Or Not, Pluto’s Getting A Visitor
An update on the New Horizons Mission to Pluto.
Studying Locomotion With Rat Treadmills, Wind Tunnels
For some scientists, a regular day at the office is training a guinea fowl to run on a treadmill.
Partnerships Help Drugmakers Get Closer To Patients
A look at new partnerships that take drug development out of the clinic and into the real world.
Michael Mann, From The Trenches Of The ‘Climate War’
Michael Mann discusses his new book and his journey from computer geek to climate warrior.