60-Second Science

Future of Science Coverage

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 10:16:08 -0500

At the World Conference of Science Journalists in London last week, outgoing Scientific American Editor in Chief John Rennie talked to writers about the future of what they do, remarks that also pertain to this podcast. Steve Mirsky reports

Genetic Link for Perfect Pitch?

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 08:00:08 -0500

Recent research claims to have found some evidence for a genetic link to perfect pitch. Christie Nicholson reports

Rain Zone Moving North

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 00:00:08 -0500

An article in Nature Geoscience predicts that the rainiest area on Earth, the intertropical convergence zone, is moving steadily north. Christie Nicholson reports

Why Didn't Earth Freeze Completely?

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 13:01:08 -0500

Research published in the July 2 issue of Nature reveals one reason our planet didn't succumb to an enveloping ice sheet during glacial ages. Christie Nicholson reports

Women Better Than Men with a Hammer

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:08 -0500

Research presented at the Experimental Biology annual meeting reveals that women may be more accurate than men at using a hammer in certain conditions. Christie Nicholson reports

Genetic Protection against Sleep Deprivation

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:05:08 -0500

A study in The Journal of Neuroscience finds that people with a particular version of a gene called Period 3 are better able to handle sleep deprivation because more of their brains get involved in counteracting the lack of zzz's. Cynthia Graber reports

Wind's Power Potential Quantified

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:05:08 -0500

In a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers calculate that U.S. wind turbines could produce 16 times the electricity we now use. Karen Hopkin reports

Ancient Granary Predates Agriculture

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:05:08 -0500

In a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers announced the discovery of a granary for storing wild barley and oats, which was built well before the advent of agriculture. Adam Hinterthuer reports

Presented By:

The 411 on credit monitoring services

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Additional Resources
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Fish Capable of Judgment Calls

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:28:08 -0500

In a report in the journal Behavioral Ecology, fish learned from watching other fish find food and comparing their success rates. Cynthia Graber reports

Tools Are Body Parts to Brain

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:00:08 -0500

In a report in the journal Current Biology, researchers claim that the brain interprets a tool, such as a hammer, as a temporary extension of your physical body. Karen Hopkin reports

Subways Loudest Transit Option in NYC

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:16:08 -0500

In a report in the American Journal of Public Health performed in New York City, subways were the loudest mass transit option, with potentially hearing-damaging noise levels. Steve Mirsky reports

Presented By:

Review your Credits Reports Once a Year

Under FCRA laws, you are allowed to request your credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion once every 12 months. It is good practice to
check your credit reports and credit score every 3-6 months. Also, checking your credit reports before a a big purchase helps you spot potential dangers.

Additional Resources:
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Monitor your credit score to track improvement and spot identity theft red flags

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Window Stickers Lead to Stretchy Electronics

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:30:08 -0500

In a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, M.I.T. researchers studying the way window stickers separate from the underlying glass applied that information to the creation of electronics that can be stretched and incorporated into fabric. Cynthia Graber reports

Energy Secretary: We Need New Ag Revolution

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:24:08 -0500

In his CalTech commencement address on June 12, Nobel physicist and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu called for a new agricultural revolution, led by scientists

Molting Molds Flying Bird Size Limit

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:11:08 -0500

A study in the journal Public Library of Science Biology finds that it's the rate at which flying birds can replace their flight feathers that determines how big they can grow and still get off the ground. Karen Hopkin reports

Earth's Fried Far-Future Postponed

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:12:08 -0500

A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences adds at least a billion years to the already far-future estimate of when the sun will make Earth too hot to handle. Karen Hopkin reports

The Rain's Maintained Speed Strain Is Now Explained

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:25:08 -0500

A study in the journal Geophysical Research Letters finds that some raindrops are falling faster than they "should" be, which means meteorologists may be overestimating the total amount of rainfall. Steve Mirsky reports

Brain Knows It's Duck Reason

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:24:08 -0500

A study in the journal Current Biology discusses how President Bush's shoe throw duck was an example of how the brain responds to objects before we know we've seen them. Adam Hinterthuer reports

Maple Seed Flight Aerodynamics

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:57:08 -0500

A study in the journal Science shows that maple seeds generate lift as they slowly whirl to the ground. Karen Hopkin reports

Speed-Dating Roles Influence Attraction Perception

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:05:08 -0500

A study in the journal Psychological Science reveals that in speed-dating situations, those in stationary positions tend to be more picky than those assigned to move around the room. Karen Hopkin reports

Antioxidants and Male Fertility

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 07:00:08 -0500

A study in the journal Fertility and Sterility found a connection between an antioxidant-rich diet and sperm quality. Cynthia Graber reports

Hudson Plane: Out-of-Town Geese Did It

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 09:55:08 -0500

A study in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment shows that the birds that took down U.S. Airways Flight 1549 were migrating geese, not a local N.Y.C. population--important info for development of aviation bird avoidance techniques. Steve Mirsky reports

A Little Yolk for Boys

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 06:42:08 -0500

It's long been known that nest temperature influences the sex determination of reptile embryos. Now a study in Current Biology finds that, for alpine lizards, smaller yolks lead to males. Karen Hopkin reports

Illness Behind Most Bankruptcies

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 00:05:08 -0500

A study in The American Journal of Medicine finds that in 2007 more than 62 percent of all bankruptcies were driven by medical costs, a number that has likely gone up since the recession began. And most of the bankrupted had health insurance. Steve Mirsky reports

Ocean Noise Clue to Climate Change

Wed, 3 Jun 2009 00:05:08 -0500

A study in the journal Science shows that analysis of ocean sounds, previously considered noise to be filtered out, can provide information about climate unavailable elsewhere. Cynthia Graber reports

Mice Sensing Leptin Stave Off Diabetes

Tue, 2 Jun 2009 11:55:08 -0500

In a study in the journal Cell Metabolism, mice given the ability to sense the hormone leptin ate less, exercised more, and had better blood sugar profiles. Karen Hopkin reports

Bad Mileage Driving Tips

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 09:10:08 -0500

In response to Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn's critique of new federal mileage standards as a threat to personal freedom, some tips on turning even a high-mileage vehicle into a gas hog. Steve Mirsky reports

Bacteria on the Skin You're In

Fri, 29 May 2009 07:13:08 -0500

In a study in the journal Science, researchers found that different skin regions harbor very different kinds of bacteria. Karen Hopkin reports

Human Speech Genes Mimicked in Mice

Thu, 28 May 2009 11:55:08 -0500

In a study in the journal Cell, researchers "humanized" a mouse gene--the human counterpart of which is thought to be related to speech--and the mice vocalized differently. Steve Mirsky reports, with additional commentary by The Brain

Rice for Nice, Low-Price Ice

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:05:08 -0500

Refrigerator vacuum panels made from the ash of burned rice husks won University of Michigan students first prize in the M.I.T. Clean Energy contest. Cynthia Graber reports

Cancer Drugs May Also Treat Alcoholism

Tue, 26 May 2009 07:05:08 -0500

A study in the journal Cell shows that some fruit flies are genetically disposed to dislike drinking alcohol. And some anticancer drugs mimic the effect--which points to the possibility of those drugs treating alcoholism. Karen Hopkin reports

Weak Have Stronger Hearing

Fri, 22 May 2009 05:55:08 -0500

A study presented May 21st at the meeting of the Acoustical Society of America finds that smaller, scrawnier people seem to have more sensitive hearing than the big and buff. Karen Hopkin reports

Perfect Pitch Related to Language

Thu, 21 May 2009 08:05:08 -0500

A study presented May 21st at the meeting of the Acoustical Society of America finds that fluent speakers of tonal languages, such as Cantonese, are much more likely to have perfect pitch than are speakers of English and other atonal languages. Steve Mirsky reports

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Dragon's Bite Bloodier Than Believed

Wed, 20 May 2009 06:30:08 -0500

A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that the Komodo Dragon's bite includes chemical compounds that promote the massive bleeding of prey. Adam Hinterthuer reports

Elderly Who Forget Age Remember Better

Tue, 19 May 2009 06:56:08 -0500

A study in the journal Experimental Aging Research finds that senior citizens who were reminded about their age and stereotypes about old age performed worse on memory tests than secure seniors. Cynthia Graber reports

Bad Nose for Bird Flu

Mon, 18 May 2009 09:20:08 -0500

A study in the journal Public Library of Science Pathogens finds that the human nose is too cold for bird flu viruses to thrive. Steve Mirsky reports

Survey: 17 Percent Have Piddled Pool

Fri, 15 May 2009 10:05:08 -0500

A survey from the chemical industry-sponsored Water Quality and Health Council finds one in six people admit to having peed in the pool. And the CDC supplies hygiene tips for swimmers. Steve Mirsky reports

Overeating Alone Explains Obesity Epidemic

Thu, 14 May 2009 09:04:08 -0500

Researchers presenting their findings at the meeting of the European Council on Obesity calculated that overeating alone, without including a sedentary lifestyle, is behind the obesity problem. Cynthia Graber reports

Can Hybrid Cars Be Too Quiet?

Wed, 13 May 2009 09:49:08 -0500

Researchers presenting their findings at the meeting of the Acoustical Society of America say that hybrid vehicles are so quiet they may present a danger to pedestrians. Karen Hopkin reports

Vitamins Block Some Exercise Benefits

Tue, 12 May 2009 08:22:08 -0500

A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that antioxidant vitamins can interfere with exercise's anti-diabetes effect. Karen Hopkin reports

Math: The Eyes Have It

Mon, 11 May 2009 08:35:08 -0500

A study in the journal Science finds that the same brain circuitry that moves the eyes right does mental addition. And the circuit for moving eyes left does mental subtraction. Cynthia Graber reports

Brain Has "Moving" Parts

Fri, 8 May 2009 00:05:08 -0500

A study in the journal Science reveals that the brain region responsible for the intention to move the body also experiences the movement--but a distinct brain region controls the actual movement. Karen Hopkin reports

Presented By:

You Need the Speed of Norton 2009

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Do Rainforests Create Rain?

Thu, 7 May 2009 09:30:08 -0500

In an essay in BioScience magazine, the Wildlife Conservation Society's Douglas Sheil and co-authors discuss the "biotic pump" hypothesis of Russian researchers Anatassia Makarieva and Victor Gorshov, which contends that rainforests attract water vapor, leading to rain, lower local atmospheric pressure and a feedback loop that keeps the whole system going. Steve Mirsky reports.

eBay Lessens Antiquities Looting

Wed, 6 May 2009 08:52:08 -0500

A report in Archaeology magazine notes that the ability to easily trade antiquities on eBay has paradoxically lessened looting--because fakes have flooded the market. Cynthia Graber reports

Heather Today, Gone Tomorrow

Tue, 5 May 2009 00:07:08 -0500

A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that names that enjoy a meteoric rise in popularity tend to fall just as fast. Karen Hopkin reports

Earth Experiencing "Climates" Change?

Mon, 4 May 2009 08:57:08 -0500

A study in the journal Science finds that the Northern and Southern hemispheres may be undergoing climate change in distinct ways. Karen Hopkin reports

Monkey Drives Dinosaur Game Extinct

Fri, 1 May 2009 09:43:08 -0500

A game recalled due to excessive lead in a monkey figure pits humans and monkeys against dinosaurs, which violates, well, so many things. Steve Mirsky explains, with additional reporting by Karen Hopkin and John Rennie

Birds Bop to Beat

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:57:08 -0500

Some birds, especially parrots, can actually move in sync with a musical beat, a rare ability in the animal world, according to research published in Current Biology. Karen Hopkin reports

Figuring Out Movies You'd Really Like

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:57:08 -0500

Netflix is offering $1 million to any group that can improve its user recommendations accuracy 10 percent, according to the May issue of IEEE Spectrum. Adam Hinterthuer reports

Handedness Could Reveal Aliens

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:05:08 -0500

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are developing a way to measure the directionality of compounds on other planets--which could reveal the presence of life, because biomolecules tend to twist in only one of two possible directions. Karen Hopkin reports

More Fronts in Fight against Malaria

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:59:08 -0500

World Malaria Day brought awareness of the unorthodox biomedical ideas that are joining the search for a vaccine. Cynthia Graber reports

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Metal Strengthens Silk's Mettle

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:05:08 -0500

A study in the journal Science shows that adding a bit of metal to silk makes the gossamer but strong-as-steel natural fiber even stronger. Karen Hopkin reports

Rare Designation May Not Be Well-Done

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:05:08 -0500

A study in the journal Public Library of Science ONE found that calling an endangered species "rare" may focus the kind of attention on it that could speed its demise. Christie Nicholson reports

Ear Cells Actively Amplify Sound

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:55:08 -0500

A study in the journal Public Library of Science ONE reveals that the ear's hair cells act like tiny motors and respond to sound by swaying and driving electrical currents that cause positive feedbacks, which amplify sound. Karen Hopkin reports

Presented By:

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Affirmations Improve Minority Student Grades

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:30:08 -0500

A study in the journal Science finds that an affirmation exercise improved the grades of African-American middle school students, and the effects lasted for at least another two years after the test period. Cynthia Graber reports

Eating Healthfully at the New Yankee Stadium

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:10:08 -0500

The new Yankee Stadium has healthful food choices and encourages recycling. Steve Mirsky reports reports

Iron Will to Live for Antarctic Microbes

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:25:08 -0500

A study in the journal Science shows that microbes have long survived under glaciers in Antarctica making do with nothing but sulfates and iron from the bedrock. Adam Hinterthuer reports

Sugar Rinse Raises Performance

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:55:08 -0500

A study in The Journal of Physiology finds that just rinsing and spitting with drinks containing sugar or carbohydrate can improve endurance. Cynthia Graber reports

Less Taxing BP Monitoring

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:17:08 -0500

M.I.T. researchers have developed an easily wearable blood pressure monitor that fits on the hand and can provide constant monitoring. Cynthia Graber reports

Nice Guy Gets Some Sugar

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:05:08 -0500

A study in the journal Nature found that yeast that did a little extra work for their colony also got a little reward, in the form of access to a wee bit of additional sugar. Christie Nicholson reports

Breathing Easy Thanks to the Great Oxidation Event

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:05:08 -0500

A report in the journal Nature reveals one of the reasons why Earth's atmosphere went from oxygen-poor to habitable 2.4 billion years ago--a drop in oceanic nickel killed microbes that produce methane. Cynthia Graber reports