60-Second Science

Whales Adjust Their Hearing Sensitivity

Tue, 15 May 2012 20:05:08 -0500

When warned of a loud noise, a false killer whale reduced its hearing sensitivity in anticipation of the sound. Sophie Bushwick reports

Hot Jupiters Smarten Search for Other Earths

Mon, 14 May 2012 19:08:08 -0500

One way to limit the search for Earth-like exoplanets is to figure out where they cannot exist and eliminate those systems. Cynthia Graber reports

Nut-Cracking Chimps Demonstrate Cultural Differences

Fri, 11 May 2012 23:20:08 -0500

A chimpanzee's tool choice for cracking nuts depends on its community. Sophie Bushwick reports

Sharing Opinions Feels at Least as Good as Earning Money

Thu, 10 May 2012 09:53:08 -0500

Divulging personal details activated the reward center of subjects' brains, a feeling for which they were willing to sacrifice money. Sophie Bushwick reports

Creepy People Leave You Cold

Mon, 7 May 2012 16:07:08 -0500

A socially awkward or inappropriate person can make others feel physically colder. Amy Kraft reports

Pork Order May Peak Odor

Thu, 3 May 2012 19:17:08 -0500

A proposed European ban on pig castration could make pork smell bad to people with the right genes. Cynthia Graber reports

Genes Link Touch and Hearing

Wed, 2 May 2012 21:15:08 -0500

Tests with twins show that touch sensitivity is connected closely with hearing ability. Rose Eveleth reports

Garlic Compound Fights Food-Borne Bacteria

Tue, 1 May 2012 21:24:08 -0500

Diallyl sulfide, a compound found in garlic, was much more effective than two standard antibiotics at wiping out bacteria responsible for digestive system infections. Sophie Bushwick reports

Obese People May Fail to Buckle Up

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:13:08 -0500

People of normal weight are 67 percent more likely to buckle their car seat belts than are obese people. Steve Mirsky reports

Your Dog Wants Your Food

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:55:08 -0500

Dogs recognize and respond to human social signals to conclude that your food is more desirable than theirs. Sophie Bushwick reports

"Pay What You Want" May Deter Consumers

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:11:08 -0500

Pay-what-you-want pricing may inadvertently give consumers the untenable choice to either pay more or feel cheap, driving them away from making a purchase at all. Sophie Bushwick reports

Leeches Spill Guts about Elusive Mammals

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:02:08 -0500

Leeches can provide DNA evidence of the presence of rare mammals up to four months after having fed on one. Cynthia Graber reports

Brain Seeks the Voice among Many Speakers

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:03:08 -0500

Our brains focus on one speaker in a cacophony of voices based not only on the audio input we receive, but also on our listening goals. Sophie Bushwick reports

Why Paper Yellows as It Ages

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:24:08 -0500

As paper ages, oxidation changes molecules in cellulose so that they absorb some wavelengths of light and make the paper look yellow. Sophie Bushwick reports

Ice Is Nice for Insect Bites

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:14:08 -0500

To relieve the annoying itch of insect bites, your best bet may be the simple application of ice to numb the bitten area and reduce inflammation. Cynthia Graber reports

Today Is Unlucky for People Who Have Bad Luck Today

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:47:08 -0500

A study of traffic accidents on Friday the 13th found that there are some. Steve Mirsky reports

Anxiety Boosts Threat Odor Perception

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:04:08 -0500

Anxious men are especially good at detecting low concentrations of disagreeable scents, perhaps an evolutionary legacy of predator perception. Cynthia Graber reports

Warmer Temps May Bollux Botanicals

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:56:08 -0500

Although higher temperatures can initially spur plant growth, the boost looks short-lived. Sophie Bushwick reports

Free Apps Drain Battery

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:36:08 -0500

Some free apps use the majority of the energy they pull on tasks other than the app itself--such as uploading user info and downloading ads. Christopher Intagliata reports

Sparrows Sing Higher to Pierce Urban Din

Mon, 9 Apr 2012 19:16:08 -0500

White-crowned sparrows in San Francisco are singing in a higher pitch than they did in 1969 to be heard over louder traffic. Christopher Intagliata reports

Lent End Means Hyena Free Lunch

Fri, 6 Apr 2012 04:00:08 -0500

In northern Ethiopia, hyenas must hunt more during Lent, when local Christians give up meat and provide fewer scraps to the scavengers. Cynthia Graber reports

Focused Students Put Down Their Smart Phones

Thu, 5 Apr 2012 17:45:08 -0500

More effective learners send and receive text messages less frequently during class. Sophie Bushwick reports

Programs Aim to Turn Science Undergrads into K-12 Teachers

Wed, 4 Apr 2012 11:47:08 -0500

At a higher education and science policy roundtable in New York City, University of Colorado at Boulder chancellor Philip DiStefano talked about his institution's efforts to attract science majors to teaching K-12. Steve Mirsky reports

YouTube Winner Sends Spiders to Space

Tue, 3 Apr 2012 12:59:08 -0500

Amr Mohamed's winning entry in the YouTube Space Lab contest will have jumping spiders hunt in zero-gravity on the International Space Station. Mariette DiChristina reports

Dengue Virus Makes Mosquitoes Better Spreaders

Mon, 2 Apr 2012 20:41:08 -0500

The dengue virus makes its mosquito hosts more bloodthirsty and quicker to find a blood meal, thus spreading the virus faster. Christopher Intagliata reports

Struggling Young Readers Like Kindles

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:38:08 -0500

Middle school students in a reading improvement class liked using e-readers for a variety or reasons, and felt their reading improved as a result. Sophie Bushwick reports

Thyme Kills Acne Bacteria

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:25:08 -0500

Natural compounds in the herb thyme were more effective against acne-causing bacteria in cultures than were conventional treatments. Cynthia Graber reports

Rhythm and Music Help Math Students

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 07:00:08 -0500

Kids who learned fractions through a music-based curriculum outperformed peers in traditional math classes. Sophie Bushwick reports

Researchers Ferret Out Reasons for Runner's High

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:55:08 -0500

Dogs and humans release natural painkillers after running, but ordinarily sedentary ferrets that run do not. The chemical compounds may be an adaptation to reward the necessary behavior in running species. Christopher Intagliata reports

Classical Music Slows Mice Transplant Rejection

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:35:08 -0500

Mice with mismatched heart transplants that were exposed to classical music had much slower rejection rates than did mice exposed to other music and sounds. Sophie Bushwick reports

Gun-Toting Increases Bias to See Guns Toted

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:53:08 -0500

A person holding a gun may be more likely to think they see a weapon being carried by another. Christopher Intagliata reports

Emotion in Music Mirrors Speech

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:59:08 -0500

Tonal relationships that express emotions in classical South Indian music are similar to ones used in Western music, and both mimic vocalizations. Cynthia Graber reports

Recycled Toilets Make Path Green

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:17:08 -0500

The Meador Kansas Ellis Trail became the first certified sustainable road under the Greenroads rating system, in part because it contains recycled commodes. Sophie Bushwick reports

Frog Species Found in Big Apple

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:00:08 -0500

A previously unknown species of leopard frog has been found in an urban range centered on Yankee Stadium in New York City. Christopher Intagliata reports

Sex-Deprived Flies Seek Swig Solace

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:32:08 -0500

Sexually frustrated fruit flies preferred alcohol-laced food more than their satisfied compatriots did. Cynthia Graber reports

Green Laser Erases Print

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:05:08 -0500

Quick bursts of green laser light can erase print, without damaging or discoloring the paper. Karen Hopkin reports

Deeper Voice Gives Electoral Advantage

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 22:50:08 -0500

Study subjects tended to pick the deeper-voiced candidate when they heard anonymous voices purported to be running for office. Karen Hopkin reports

Your Mileage Price May Vary

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:31:08 -0500

Adjusted for inflation and for the better mileage you probably now get, the cost to go a mile may be cheaper than it was three decades ago. Steve Mirsky reports

Produce Consumption Ups Eater's Looks

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:17:08 -0500

Consuming more produce increases red and yellow colors in the skin of Caucasians, whom observers then rate as more attractive. Sophie Bushwick reports

QWERTY Keyboard Leads to Feelings about Words

Fri, 9 Mar 2012 22:40:08 -0500

Words with more letters on the right side of a QWERTY keyboard are thought of more positively than are words primarily typed on the left side. Sophie Bushwick reports

Chimp Cops Arbitrate Disputes

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 19:27:08 -0500

High-ranking chimps in a group break up scuffles and keep the peace. Karen Hopkin reports

New Gels Heal Themselves--and Maybe You

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 20:36:08 -0500

Self-healing hydrogels may find uses in industry, including better plastics, as well as in medicine, such as the treatment of stomach perforations and ulcers. Sophie Bushwick reports

Earthshine Sets Example for Life-Light Search

Tue, 6 Mar 2012 20:34:08 -0500

Researchers looking for life on exoplanets tried a proof-of-concept experiment by examining the light bouncing off Earth, via the moon. Cynthia Graber reports

Psoriasis Linked to Protection from HIV-1

Mon, 5 Mar 2012 20:02:08 -0500

Many psoriasis patients have the same gene variants as people who are not significantly affected by an HIV-1 infection. Charles Q. Choi reports

Mars Swings into Opposition March 3

Fri, 2 Mar 2012 21:14:08 -0500

Every two years and two months Earth and Mars line up with the sun, giving us a relatively close view of the Red Planet. Cynthia Graber reports

Fish Finning Fails Financially

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 19:38:08 -0500

An economic analysis of the value of sharks for ecotourism alone finds that each individual is worth far more alive than dead for its fins. Steve Mirsky reports

Do Whale Research without Getting Seasick

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:41:08 -0500

Join the more than 5,000 citizen scientists who are helping researchers identify the songs of individual whales. Mariette DiChristina reports

Oldest New World Cave Art Discovered

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:00:08 -0500

A figure engraved in the bedrock of a Brazilian cave dates back at least 10,000 years. Cynthia Graber reports

New Driver Style Predicts Crash Risk

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 05:00:08 -0500

New drivers with more "g-force events," like quick turns and sudden braking, had more crashes and near hits. Amy Kraft reports

New Male Terminates Monkey Pregnancies

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:08 -0500

Female gelada monkeys spontaneously abort 80 percent of pregnancies by a displaced male when a new male succeeds him. Sophie Bushwick reports

Our Birth Control Undermines Amphibians

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:07:08 -0500

Human oral contraceptives that find their way back into the environment might be having an effect on frog mating. Christopher Intagliata reports

Smoking Messes Mouth Bacterial Community

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:46:08 -0500

Nonsmokers have stable oral bacterial communities, but smokers' oral bacteria is transient, which opens up real estate for bad bugs. Christopher Intagliata reports

Journal Article Tweets May Predict Citations

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:24:08 -0500

The number of times a paper gets tweeted in the first three days after it's published may predict how often it will be officially cited. Steve Mirsky reports

Fruit Flies Take Medicinal Nips

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:54:08 -0500

Fruit flies will purposely ingest alcohol to ward off parasitic wasps. Cynthia Graber reports

Upbleat Finding: Kids Start to Sound Alike over Time

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:08:08 -0500

Baby goats learn to bleat just like the kids they hang out with. Christopher Intagliata reports

Self-Rated Health Predicts Mortality

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:46:08 -0500

Those who rated their health negatively were more likely to have died 30 years later. Sophie Bushwick reports

Cricket Fossil Reveals Ancient Song

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:34:08 -0500

Based on the remains of a long-extinct bushcricket, researchers have reconstructed its call. Sophie Bushwick reports

Deep Sea Is Alive with Sound

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:57:08 -0500

Scientists share the first-ever recordings of deep-sea species. Sarah Fecht reports

Zebra Stripes Clash with Insect Interest

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 12:14:08 -0500

Biting insects prefer a plain brown hide to the zebra's stripes, implying that the stripes are an anti-insect adaptation. Cynthia Graber reports

Champagne Glass Shape Affects Gas Level

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 19:17:08 -0500

When gas bubbles out of champagne, a higher concentration of carbon dioxide collects in a slim flute versus a wide coupe. Sophie Bushwick reports