A Moment of Science
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Velopharyngeal Incompetence AKA Why You Have A Nasal...
What is velopharyngeal incompetence and how does it cause the voice to sound nasal, on today's Moment of Science.
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When Rubber Wears Off Tires, Where Does It Go?
We're talking millions of pounds of rubber that perform a disappearing act every year!
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Ow! Why Hot Feels Cold
Have you ever dipped your toe into a very hot bath and felt a flash of icy cold just before you realize that its really burning? After you pull your toe out, you might wonder what causes very hot water to feel cold. This odd sensation is called paradoxical cold. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Air Pressure On Everest
Planning on climbing Mount Everest? You might want to plan to be gasping for air. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Are Trees Ready To Take On Global Warming?
While humans make attempts to control carbon dioxide levels that contribute to global warming, is it possible that trees have already taken on the task?
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Time To Get Up!
How does your brain know when to wake up, and when to go to sleep? The secret is circadian rhythm, coming from the Latin, circadian, meaning "about a day." Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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The Physics Of An Egg And The Spin Test
Without cracking eggs open, how can you tell which egg is cooked and which is raw?
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A Rose By Any Other Name
Both prickles and thorns protect the plant from predators, and, maybe, from lovers looking for a free bouquet. But perhaps we call the rose prickles "thorns" because saying "every rose has its prickle" doesn't seem to do justice to the pain of unrequited love.
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Does Facebook Lead To Loneliness?
Researchers found that copious posting on Facebook may have something to do with loneliness.
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Express Yourself And Live Longer
Here's an interesting fact: Italians and Spaniards live nearly two years longer, on average, than people who live in England.
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Bring Back Recess!
Think back for a moment to when you were in elementary school. Now, what was the best part of the school day? Recess, right?
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The Secrets Of Sandpaper
When you push sandpaper cross a piece of wood, the abrasive grains cut tiny shavings out of the surface. To the naked eye, these shavings look like dust, but magnified, they're just like the shavings produced by other cutting tools.
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Sleeping With Plants
Have you ever heard the myth that sleeping in a room full of plants can be dangerous because at night plants compete with people for oxygen? Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Hypnosis
We have all seen in the movies, or perhaps in person, a person becomes hypnotized and falls slowly to sleep. It's actually just a myth that undergoing hypnosis means falling asleep. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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I Yawn And My Dog Yawns
Contagious yawning has been scientifically measured in humans, adult chimpanzees, baboons, and dogs.
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Anatomy Of A Fever
Your body works hard to raise its temperature, but in the meantime, you get the chills. Why?
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What Is The Point Of A Fever?
Why does the body go through such laborious misery when we're sick?
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What Causes Altitude Sickness?
Many indigenous people live in areas of low oxygen concentration with few adverse effects. The big question is, how do they survive?
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My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean... But Where?
The song says that Bonnie lies over the ocean, but it also says that she lies over the sea. Based on these lyrics, where is Bonnie?
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Cutting Glass
Think you can break a piece of glass exactly in half? You can. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Charming Fahrenheit
So the freezing temperature of water became thirty-two degrees, and body temperature was arbitrarily set to ninety-six degrees. It was only later, when scientists calibrated the Fahrenheit scale according to the boiling temperature of water, that it turned out that body temperature is actually about 98.6 degrees.
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Ants And Their Dead
Has your house ever been under an ant invasion? First there was just one, and then a few more showed up. Even if you kill those, it seems more and more ants continued to move into my kitchen. Actually, the ants are out to pick up their dead family members, the very ants you killed. Learn more on a Moment of Science.
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Why Are Some People Double-Jointed?
Can you bend your thumb backwards until it touches your wrist? If you join your hands behind your back, can you lift them over your head without letting go?
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All About The Giant Weta
On today's Moment of Science, we're talking about the giant weta, a record holder of the insect world that needs our protection.
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Matches
This starts a chemical reaction that uses the oxidizing agent on the match to produce oxygen gas. Combined with the heat, the oxygen gas causes the sulfur to catch fire, which then spreads to the wood of the match.
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Use Science To Make The Perfect Muffin
What makes the difference between a lofty, delicate muffin and a flat, rubbery lump?
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Working The Night Shift
Is there a reason to be wary of working the night shift?
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Animals Help Others Survive In The Wild
Even without the guidance of organized religion, some animals instinctively know that it's a good thing to help others.
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Enjoying Your Food Increases The Nourishment Your Body...
Did last night's dinner make you drool with anticipation? Did lunch have you licking your chops?
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How Insects Fight Bacteria And Parasites
Imagine that you're an insect, and that you've fallen ill because some bacteria or parasites have invaded your body. What do you do?
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Sadness Makes People Short With Money
You've probably heard the phrase "Sadder but wiser," implying that feeling low somehow makes us think more clearly.
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Applesauce Harnesses The Power Of Osmosis!
Applesauce recipes call for sugar, to heighten the sweetness. The recipe is very specific about when to add the sugar--after the apples have cooked. Why?
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Unconscious Behavior And Psychology
Social psychologists have been intrigued by what they call automatic behavior-the ways people react to stimuli without consciously thinking about their actions.
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Mars May Have Tectonic Plates
For years scientists thought only two planets in our solar system had tectonic plates. But, now, it looks like Mars is joining the club.
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How Do Iceboxes Work?
To preserve the ice as long as possible, people made sure to cool hot foods before putting them in the icebox.
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Ollie Gelfant And His Famous Skateboard Jump
Today's Moment of Science is about the ollie, the jump skateboarders use to jump over curbs, onto benches, or across chasms.
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Word Of The Day: Gametophyte
Time once again for the Moment of Science Word of the Day. Ready? Today's word is: Gametophyte.
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Math Hurts My Brain - Why?
I'm not a math person. Anytime I have to deal with numbers, let alone solve an actual math problem??which, thankfully, is not often??it's almost painful.
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Do Colors Have Smells?
Have you ever heard the color blue? Or tasted the musical note F-sharp?
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Why Do I Fear The Dentist?
I hate going to the dentist. In fact, I openly fear it. Yet I've never actually had a really bad or painful experience with a dentist.
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Bacteria Portrait Sessions
A team of chemists and microbiologists has put a new spin on a type of photography: a small?scale spin, to be precise. They photograph bacteria!
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Exploding Water
Heating water in a microwave oven can be hazardous to your health and safety. There are stories of people who have put a cup of water in the microwave to bring it to a boil before adding tea or coffee, only to take it out of the oven and have the water erupt in their faces, causing serious injury. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Why Is Gravity Good For Us?
Anyone who spends an extended period of time in space faces serious medical problems due to the near total absence of gravity.
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Death By Peanut
Peanuts are one of the world's most nutritious foods. Peanuts contain pound for pound more protein, vitamins, and minerals than beef liver and more fat than heavy cream. For approximately .5% of Americans, however, peanuts are not so beneficial; in fact, they're potentially deadly. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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A Lump in Your Throat
Oftentimes when we cry, we feel a lump in the throat. Does a lump actually form, or is there some other explanation? Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Blowing Milk Out Of Your Nose
Have you ever laughed so hard that milk came out your nose?
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How Do ADHD Drugs Work?
People around the world have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD. And many are on drugs, like Ritalin, to help with the disorder.
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Are Cockroaches Actually Useful?
Although most us think of cockroaches as vermin, they do have a useful ecological role.
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The Power Of Cute
I've heard that owning a dog or cat can be a good way to deal with stress and ward off depression. Is that true?
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Get Some Sleep! Your Body Needs It To Fight Colds.
Does the amount of sleep I get affect how likely I am to catch a cold?
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What Kind Of Dogs Are Sled Dogs?
In movies like Call of the Wild, huskies pull sleds for hundreds of miles over the Alaskan tundra. A Moment of Science wonders, what kind of dogs are sled dogs?
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Surprisingly, Scientists Don't Know Much About Nausea
Everyone has experienced the queasy sensation. Yet scientists actually know very little about what causes nausea.
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The History Of Magnetite
The world is full of bizarre things, and none more so than the eerie tale of the mysterious black stones!
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What Are Blisters?
Whether from playing too much basketball or jogging in ill-fitting sneakers, we've all had blisters. But what are blisters, and how do they form?
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Ferret Sneezes And The H1N1 Virus
Scientists manipulated the H1N1 virus, and found that, with just a few genetic mutations, it could be passed from one ferret to another through a sneeze.
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How Do Scientists Study Deadly Diseases?
What do the Ebola virus, anthrax, and the avian flu have in common?
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Try This Sweet Experiment At Home!
Here's a simple experiment you can do at home with your kids. Somebody's bound to learn something.
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What Is Boredom, Scientifically Speaking?
Everyone gets bored from time to time. But I was wondering--what is boredom exactly, scientifically speaking?
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What Is A Concussion?
Every season several football players miss a number of games after absorbing vicious blows to the head.
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Tissue Regeneration In The African Spiny Mouse
Today's A Moment of Science is about a creature who lends a whole new meaning to the phrase.
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The FDA Is Restricting Antibiotic Use In Livestock
The trouble is, when antibiotics are used in small amounts over long periods of time, drug resistant super bugs can develop.
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Why Do Dark Circles Form Under My Eyes?
Why do some of us get "raccoon eyes?"
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We're Losing Niagra Falls!
Today A Moment of Science looks at why this beloved wonder of the world may be on the rocks.
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Ice Age Plant Survives To Modern Day
An arctic plant of the late Pleistocene age, over thirty one thousand years old, is growing again after a long frozen sleep.
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Why Lettuce Should NOT Be Frozen
A Moment of Science wonders, why isn't there any frozen lettuce?
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Ben Franklin And A Very Furry Situation
Not many people remember that Franklin was an inventor . . . and a good one, too! He also did some pioneering work in physics.
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Ben Franklin Did Not Get Struck By Lightning
Zap... zap... zap... No, Ben Franklin was not struck by lightning.
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Why Am I Still Hungry?
You've just snacked on rice cakes. Why are you still hungry?
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Why Was Greenwich Standard Time Created?
What is GST?
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How Fluorescent Lighting Affects Color
Did you know that florescent lighting affects the look of color (including makeup!)
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Alan Turing, Video Games, And Robots That Learn
The "Turing test" has been making headlines, thanks to a field you might not expect: video games.
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What Are Sulfites?
You've just opened a bottle of wine for dinner. On the label, you see these words: Contains Sulfites. What are sulfites? And what are they doing in your wine?
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Gender Bias An Obstacle To Women In The Sciences
If you've ever cringed upon hearing the taunting cry of "you throw like a girl!" from out on the middle school playground, this Moment of Science is for you.
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Why Do You Become Dehydrated When Sick?
If you have a runny nose and a fever, you'll need to drink more to replace those lost fluids. But why?
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Why Don't Marks On The Surface Of The Moon Disappear?
In 1969 when Neil Armstrong said "That's one small step...", he made a lasting impression.
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Why Does Crying Make Your Nose Run?
What's the connection between crying and a runny nose?
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Blue Sky + Looking Up = Seeing Tiny Dots And Swirls
Have you ever been staring into space, or gazing up at a clear, blue sky and suddenly noticed clusters of tiny dots and swirls?
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Naked Mole Rats May Hold Clues To Pain Relief
Unlike the mice and common rats used to test drugs and chemicals in labs, naked mole rats are hard to infect with disease.
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The Science Of The Siesta
When you go back to work or class after lunch, why is it so hard to stay awake? Although we get energy from food, we also use lots of energy to digest it. Your energy use increases 25-50% as you digest a meal. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Is Therapy Over-The-Phone As Effective As In-Person...
Would you ever try talk therapy over the phone?
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What Makes White Gold White?
If most gold jewelry is an alloy, why is some white and some yellow?
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The Science Of Acne
Most people endure acne at some point, and can't wait to be rid of the combination of whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, and pustules.
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It Takes A Village To Raise A Meerkat!
Meerkats are extremely social and cooperative critters. When it comes to raising pups, they always work together.
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Is There Life On Other Planets?
But the simple sugars that the astronomers detected, called glycoaldehydes, are thought to be one of the building blocks of life.
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Do We Only Use 10% Of Our Brains?
This oft-quoted myth holds a certain appeal because if it were true, then we could become more intelligent just by firing up that sleepy majority of the brain!
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Molecules Get Down With Music
Here's a game you can play that will show you something about how matter changes state. You don't need any supplies except a lot of kids.
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Cilantro: Love It Or Hate It?
According to scientists working at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, the smell of cilantro usually produces a "love it" or "hate it" response.
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What Is The Difference Between A Mile And A Nautical...
A Moment of Science would like to clarify a small point of navigation: the difference between a mile on land and a nautical mile.
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E-ink
If you thought erasable ink was cool, wait until you hear about today's topic on A Moment of Science: electronic ink.
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Why Do Zebras Have Stripes?
For many animals, camouflage is an important part of survival. But a zebra's bold stripes can't help to disguise it in its natural habitat, the open plains.
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Why Does The Sound Of Fingernails On A Chalkboard Annoy...
Have you ever wondered why the sound of scraping a chalkboard seems so terrible to the human ear?
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What Is Dust, And Where Does It Come From?
If you wipe a finger across a household surface that hasn't been cleaned in the last few days, chances are you'll come into contact with dust.
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Why Do We Need To Brush Our Teeth?
Although like our mammalian cousins we use teeth to bite and chew food but we're the only animals that brush after every meal.
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Tinnitus: The Annoying Ringing Or Buzzing In Your Ear!
Have you ever heard a strange buzzing or ringing in your ear that went away after a few seconds? What is that strange occurrence called?
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How To Eat Less When Dining Out
According to one study, keeping your weight in check may also depend on where you eat.
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What Is Spider Silk?
What's five times as strong as steel, twice as tough as Kevlar, and can be stretched over thirty percent in length without breaking?
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The Genetic Relationships Between Bears
Researchers at Penn State University and the University of Buffalo have completed the most in depth bear DNA study to date.
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The Physics Of Rain On The Rear Window
Raindrops batter the front windshield and seem to avoid the back window as long as the car is moving. How is that possible?
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Rototillers Of The Rockies
Today's Moment of Science "digs up" the story behind one of the grizzly bear's more unusual nicknames: the "Rototiller of the Rockies."
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How Far Away Is The Horizon?
The horizon line can be a tricky thing to measure...
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Why Do Changes In Air Pressure Cause Ear Pains?
Beware of that crying baby...
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How Did Animals Survive The Ice Age?
How did animals respond to the ice age? Ancient bison preserved in the Canadian arctic have given scientists a clue.
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Do Fish Drink?
Fish live in water, but do they drink it? The answer is yes, but how fish drink water depends on where they live. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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What Is The Elevator Effect?
Haven't we all been on an elevator and noticed that just about everyone stops talking when they get on?
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Researcher Uncovering Mysteries Of Memory By Studying...
If you were a Clark's Nutcracker, your winter food preparations would involve collecting nuts.
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What Causes Itches?
What brings on itches in the first place, and why does scratching provide such welcome relief?
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Paper Cuts, Why So Painful?
Few minor injuries are as painful as the dreaded paper cut. Just thinking about it probably makes you cringe. However, these cuts are usually small, hardly noticeable, and rarely bleed, so what makes them so painful? Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Why Do Guys Hate Veggies?
Psychology explains why guys hate veggies.
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Want To Drink Less Alcohol? Change Your Glass.
Does drinking from a curved glass increase the chance that you'll drink faster?
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Why Humans (Not Chimps) Get Cancer
Why are diseases like cancer so common in humans but so rare in chimps?
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How To Make Gobbledygoop!
Gobbledygoop is a wild and wonderful mixture you can make in your kitchen.
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What Are Fingernails?
Fingernails. They're good for scratching, biting, clipping, and polishing. But what are they, in fact?
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What Is A Butterwort?
The butterwort might be a small scale carnivore, but its hunting tactics are nothing short of terrifying, at least within the insect world!
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Have You Heard About SpaceX?
Are you ready to go into space?
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Lodgepole Pine Trees Love Forest Fires
To humans, wildfires are often scary and dangerous. If you were a lodgepole pine cone, though, you would be eagerly awaiting the blazing heat of those flames!
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Moon Found Orbiting Pluto
Pluto was demoted to dwarf planet status, but it still has moons. This new moon, called P5 for now, is the fifth moon found orbiting Pluto.
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Why Cats Bury Their Droppings
Kitty litter, cat box, automatic pooper scooper--an industry has built up around the fact that domestic cats bury their waste.
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Pikaia Gracilens Are One Of Our Oldest Ancestors
We're related... to something that looks like an eel!
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Can You Be Addicted To Chocolate?
Is it really possible to be a chocolate addict in the same way that someone might be addicted to drugs?
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Ravens: Einsteins Of The Bird World
Ravens are definitely tops when it comes to brain size. And now scientists believe they use objects to get attention.
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How Does Yoga Reduce Stress?
Yoga can be a great way to de-stress!
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What Does Loneliness Do To Older Adults?
It's no surprise that being lonely can lead to depression and other health problems. But what else do researchers know?
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Bacteria Loves Your Mouth
Did you know that there could be more bacteria living in your mouth than there are people on earth?
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Which Makes You Thirsiter, Salt Or Sugar?
Chow down salty chips or pretzels, and soon you'll be guzzling your favorite drink. But snacking on sugary foods makes you thirsty, too.
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Pouring Foundations Under Water
Today's program explores how concrete foundations set underwater.
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How The Mississippi Changes Its Course
Can the Mississippi River change direction?
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Biomimics: Scientists Who Study How Nature Does Things
Would you want to be a biomimic?
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How To Find A Tasty Tomato
Scientists have found another reason why modern tomatoes have little or no taste. It's in their genes.
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What Is Rock Flour?
Today's Moment of Science is all about the role that glaciers play in giving those chilly lakes such incredible turquoise colors.
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How Do Potato Chips Stay Fresh In The Bag?
How do they keep the chips so fresh and crisp inside those plastic bags?
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What Is Carbonation?
All those little bubbles are popping on my tongue, and it makes that fizzy tingling you feel.
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Gas Is Odorless
A chemical commonly used for this is called mercaptin. The process of adding the stink is called stenching.
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Going Gray
Your teenage son wrecks the car. Your daughter shows up with her recently paroled boyfriend. These are the sorts of things that can make your hair turn gray overnight. Actually, it's impossible for hair to completely change color overnight. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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What Is The Difference Between Horns And Antlers?
Horns and antlers have some important things in common.
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How Does Ice Cool Drinks?
Drop a few ice cubes into a glass of water at room temperature, and in a few minutes the water will cool. How does this work?
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Flexible, Transparent Solar Cells
Scientists have developed flexible, transparent solar cells that can be applied to windows, electronic devices, and really any surface!
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What Is The Difference Between Comets And Asteroids?
You've heard about comets and asteroids in space. What is the different?
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What Is The Science Behind Animals Moving In A Flock?
I find it interesting that many animals, like sheep, zebras, fish, and birds, tend to congregate and move around in flocks. What's the science behind flocking?
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Has The Earth Ever Been Hit By Space Rocks?
For billions of years, the Earth's only natural satellite has been bombarded with asteroids. Surely, it's been the target of space rocks in the past.
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How Similar Are Humans And Chimps?
I know that humans and chimps share something like 98 percent of our DNA. But what does this really mean?
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The History Of Otis Elevators
In the 1850s, the height of buildings was limited by the number of stairs people were willing to climb... until Otis came along.
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Why Are Kids So Sedentary?
I keep hearing about how something like one third of all American kids are either overweight or obese...
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How Do Bears Scratch An Itch?
Got an itch? You should take a lesson from bears!
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What Makes The Burgess Shale So Remarkable?
Picture this: it's the Cambrian period. There are all sorts of strange looking creatures swimming and crawling around the ocean floor...
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What Is An Inkayacu paracasensis?
Giant penguin populations started to decline about twenty five million years ago.
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Lake Vostok: The Latest Updates
Because of the tremendous pressure, over three times that of the normal atmosphere, the lake's water remains liquid at about twenty seven degrees.
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Americans' Heads Are Getting Bigger
According to one study, the skulls of some Americans have actually grown over the past 120 or so years.
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How Does The Body Make Blood?
The body must produce the liquid part of blood, called plasma, and the cells that float in it.
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Parents Model Healthy Eating
The more time parents spend working, the less time and energy they have to plan and prepare healthful meals.
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Create Your Own Moon Craters!
What makes science really fun is when you get to do things yourself, so today we're going to be making moon craters.
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What Does "Ocean Acidification" Mean?
Is the ocean really turning to acid? Will it burn our skin off? What do scientists mean when they talk about "ocean acidification"?
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Is Estrogen Entering The Environment?
Studies have shown synthetic estrogen can produce fish with drastically reduced reproductive capability, and thereby cause the collapse of entire populations.
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What Is Plastic Lint?
Everyone has dealt with cleaning the messy lint filter after several wash cycles, but not all the lint gets trapped.
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Calypso Orchid: Pollination By Deception
The calypso orchid is one of the most eye catching little flowers you'll see on forest floors across the Northern United States, Canada, and Europe.
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How People In Greenland Learn How To Count
The counting system of native Greenlanders not only uses all ten fingers, but all ten toes as well!
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The Mysterious Liquid In Yogurt
When you open a container of yogurt, you'll often see liquid collected on top. What is it, and where does it come from?
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Smallpox, Cowpox, And The History Of The Diseases
Today's Moment of Science looks at the development of the even safer cowpox vaccination.
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The History Of Smallpox
Ten percent of the population in 17th century London died gruesomely of smallpox, a virus spread easily by airborne particles or contaminated clothing.
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Roaches Can Run Fifty Body Lenghts Per Second
Did you know that roaches are not only speedy but have ninja like powers of stealthiness?
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Why Does My Body Want To Snack?
French researchers recently found that a certain type of snacking is harder on your waistline.
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Fashion Tips For Lettuce
Guests are coming for dinner, and you're trying to prepare ahead. You drizzle dressing on the salad and refrigerate it, with plenty of time before the guests arrive. A couple hours later when you go to serve the sprightly greens, you find that they've transformed into a soggy, discolored mess. What happened? Why does dressing make lettuce wilt so quickly? Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Parents May Be Happier Than Childless Couples
I keep hearing about studies suggesting that parents are less happy than childless couples and single people without children. How sound is this science?
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In The Past, Insects Were Huge!
Scientists have found fossilized remains of dragonflies with wingspans several feet in diameter.
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How Are Weight And Eating Time Related?
Does eating at "bad hours" affect weight?
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The Origins Of Human Speech
Some researchers are now considering the hypothesis that human speech evolved not from primate sounds but more from monkey facial gestures.
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The Physics Of A Lava Lamp
There are two ingredients inside a lava lamp: a watery liquid, and a waxy compound that collects at the bottom when the lamp is turned off.
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Creating Bubbles
If you've ever wondered why blowing on a thin film of soapy water creates bubbles, this is your lucky day.
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Yak The Yuk
Why is it that dogs can eat things that would kill a human being? Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Tip Of The Iceberg
Everyone knows the story of the Titanic, the great ocean liner that struck an iceberg and sank to the bottom of the Atlantic. Less widely known is the iceberg's story: where did it come from, and how did it get in the way of the ship? Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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The Health Benefits Of Chocolate
Recent studies have found that chocolate very well may have significant health benefits.
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Which Cholesterol Is The "Good" Cholesterol?
Dear A Moment of Science, I try to eat a healthful diet, but I have a hard time remembering which cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol: LDL or HDL.
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Do Whales Get Sunburnt?
Researchers have been studying the effects of UV rays on whales in the Gulf of California for over three years...
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Measuring The Speed Of Sound
In the 17th century, the French scientist Pierre Gassendi knew that light traveled faster than sound. When a gun fired far away, he could see the flash of gunshot long before he heard the report. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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How Was The Stethoscope Invented?
In the early 1800s, a French physician named Ren? Laennec had a dilemma...
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Depression May Have An Evolutionary Benefit
Depression may have an evolutionary benefit. It may improve one's chances of fighting off infection.
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Leaves Inspire Better Solar Panels
While solar panels typically have smooth surfaces, leaves have tiny wrinkles and folds that allow for maximum light absorption.
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William Harvey, Circulation, And History!
Through the early 1600s, physicians believed there were two kinds of blood, one made by the liver and one by the heart...
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How Do Scientists Predict When And Where A Volcano Will...
There are a few well known warning signs, such as earthquakes in the vicinity of a known volcano. And, of course, smoke rising from a volcano.
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Dining In Space
In the 1960s, during the earliest space flights, no one knew exactly how weightlessness would affect eating and drinking. Would food fly off a plate? Would astronauts have digestive problems, with no gravity to help things along the digestive system? Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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All About Limlus Polyphemus AKA The Horseshoe Crab
Have you ever seen crabs crawling around on the beach? They're called limlus polyphemus, commonly known as a horseshoe crab.
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All About Limlus Polyphemus AKA The Horseshoe Crab
Have you ever seen crabs crawling around on the beach? They're called limlus polyphemus, commonly known as a horseshoe crab.
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Is There A Link Between Fast Food And Depression?
According to a recent study, it's possible that eating fast food also raises your risk for depression.
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Fear Smells Like Sugar
Fear smells like sugar. At least that's the case for zebra fish.
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Why Did Cleopatra Wear Makeup?
Over five thousand years ago, the ancient Egyptians used eye shadow, not only for cosmetic but practical purposes as well.
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Make Your Own Compass
Let's say you're in the Atlantic ocean sailing, and your ship goes down, all you have is a magnetic bar. How do you get home safe!? Lucky for you, there's an old trick that Chinese sailors used as far back as the 12th century. Just float the bar magnet on a little piece of wood in a bucket of water. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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What Happens When You Lose Neurons?
Around age 20, we begin to lose neurons to the process of aging. By 75, nearly one-tenth of the neurons you were born with have died.
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Keeping Time With Quartz
Most people know that wrist watches commonly contain quartz. In fact, if you wear a watch, chances are it's a quartz watch, as 95% of watches made today use quartz. However, you may not know what quartz has to do with keeping time. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Why Doesn't Honey Spoil?
A jar of honey that's been opened and resealed can stay on the shelf for years. Archaeologists have even found ancient jars with unspoiled honey inside.
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How Do Scientists Measure Calories In Food?
A food Calorie represents the amount of energy that will raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree Celsius.
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Sex Changes In Nature: Yes, It Does Happen!
Females can activate their testes and deactivate their ovaries.
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The Nightlife Of Plants
Most plants grow buds, flower, or lie dormant at specific times of year. What triggers these seasonal changes? Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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How Is Barley Turned Into Beer?
Did you know that the majority of the world's barley harvest is destined for beer production.
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What Makes Windshield Glass So Tough?
We tend to think of glass as fragile--but in fact, glass is pretty strong stuff.
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What Do Octane Numbers Mean?
At the gas pump, you have a choice of octane numbers. 87? 93? What's the difference? Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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Step On A Crack
Why do sidewalks have cracks in them? Why not one long strip of concrete? Why have sidewalks come in sections? The answer: expansion. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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How Does Food Cook After Taking It Out Of The Oven?
When you take a roast out of the oven, the inner temperature will continue to rise by five degrees. How is it possible for the temperature to rise?
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From Chemistry Lab To Clothing
n 1927, the Du Pont chemical company invited chemist Wallace Carothers to lead a research team to invent a new synthetic material. Carothers wanted to make a fiber as soft and strong as silk. Since raising silkworms for silk production is difficult and expensive, Carothers hoped to make a substitute that could be mass-produced. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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The Bare Necessities Of Bears
In the movie "The Jungle Book," Balloo the bear spends his days singing and dancing and munching paw-paws. Actually, this is a pretty accurate picture of real bears, except for the singing and dancing. North American bears also spend the summer foraging for food. Learn more on this Moment of Science.
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For A Stress Free Life, Get A Dog!
Many studies have shown that caring for a dog is a great way to get more exercise, relieve stress, and generally improve quality of life.
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Bees Have Different Jobs According To Their Age
A team of scientists wondering if some bees might be natural risk takers decided to put that question to the test.
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