Hey, influencers – have you heard about BEAUTY TIPS from BATS? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. For most mammals, the smaller they are, the shorter their lifespan. But not bats! If humans played by bat rules, we’d live past a hundred and fifty! What
Continue readingTag: genetics
Frozen Fish Sticks
By: Racine Rangel Jump on in – the subzero Arctic water is fine! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science and a chilling case. What’s it like to live in the coldest location on the planet? Polar ice caps, bitter snow storms, and below freezing temperatures.
Continue readingTaste Test
Coffee – it’s an acquired taste! Or is it? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Some of us LOVE the bitter taste of coffee – others prefer sweet colas! Why is that? Marilyn Cornelis of Northwestern University wondered if the answer is in our D-N-A.
Continue readingTangled Tresses
You think you’re having a bad hair day? Ach du lieber! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The Germans call it Struwwelpeter or “Shockhead Peter.” It affects people with dry, frizzy blonde hair. Those who have it comb and brush, spray and spritz, but nothing
Continue readingSuper-Sized DNA
How do YOU spell “alien D-N-A?” This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. You probably know about DNA. It’s the genetic recipe book for all of life – at least, here on Earth! And it uses just four simple ingredients: the bases guanine, cytosine, adenine and
Continue readingWise Old Tortoise
The secret to a long, healthy life? Ask a tortoise! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Lonesome George was a tortoise who passed away in twenty twelve — at a SPRY one hundred years old. Seriously, one hundred is young for a tortoise! Some have
Continue readingGenome Clutter
Gaaah – this place is so cluttered! Do I NEED all this stuff? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying…maybe! Just like that overstuffed closet, your body is crammed with different proteins. Your genes contain blueprints for all of them. But some proteins have multiple,
Continue readingCali-chromosomes
Why do cats come in so many different colors? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science Calico cats are mostly white with patches of orange and black fur. Though the pattern is always different, they almost all have something in common. Ninety-nine percent of calico cats
Continue readingMind Over Molecules
Which is more powerful? Nature or nurture? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying – what about “mind control?” Some aspects of our physiology and personality are encoded by our genes. And we know that environmental factors are also important. Bradley Turnwald and colleagues at
Continue readingThree Mom Mice
Is it the end of men? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Men. Who needs ‘em! Not some female sharks, spiders, and komodo dragons. They can create babies on their own. Mammals are different. For us, certain genes important for embryonic development are turned OFF
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