Garlic Substitute

Hmmm… What’s that delicious smell? Could it be… garlic breath? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Scientists know that some components of garlic, like ajoene, have bacteria-fighting potential. But turns out it’s a little tricky to obtain. Ajoene makes up about zero point five PERCENT

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Coral Conundrum

An up close image of coral underwater. The coral in the foreground is bleached white while the coral in the background is brown. Small fish swim in the background.

Could fun in the sun – mean grief in the reef? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The sun’s ultraviolet rays cause suntans, sunburns… and an increased risk of skin cancer. Sunscreen protects our skin by using chemicals like oxybenzone to absorb harmful U-V rays.

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Dino Dominance

Did the dinosaur age begin with a bang? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Scientists believe dinosaurs met their end from through some kind of natural disaster. But their origins remain a mystery. It seems they were very rare at first, before suddenly ballooning in

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Mushroom Counterfeiters

Counterfeit mushrooms? That’s nothing to sniff at. This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Italian alba white truffles are a fungal delicacy. Connoisseurs love their distinct aroma and taste. So much so, that their going rate is about three thousand dollars per pound! Unfortunately, the aroma

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Power House

Hey couch potatoes! Could watching TV power… your home? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Despite our best intentions, we constantly waste energy. Not because I fell asleep watching Jeopardy, again, but due to heat loss. Phones, computers, cars – almost any device or large

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Password Protection

“Totally random!” It isn’t just Valley speak! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Still using your cat’s birthday for your bank password? Me too! But random number generators are key to protecting websites and keeping sensitive information safe. Unfortunately, computer codes that produce random numbers

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Original Yeast

Bread, beer, infections—what’s the common thread? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science saying, in many cases, it’s yeast. But where did the FIRST yeast start? Meet scientists Gianni Liti from the Université Côte d’Azur and Joseph Schacherer from the Université de Strasbourg. They studied the

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That’s So RETRO-grade!

Unsure of when Mercury’s in retrograde? Blame Einstein! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Forwards, backwards – understanding Mercury’s kooky orbit has never been easy! Scientists were unable to do it for years. Then along came Einstein with his theory of relativity. In brief, the

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