Pimples – they pack a PUNCH! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying “put up yer dukes!”. Our skin is home to more than one TRILLION microorganisms, battling for domination! So Anyo Tsuro and colleagues from Osaka City University staged a Battle of the Bacteria!
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Daily Dollop
One Yoplait please…doctor’s orders! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Loading up my grocery cart – with yogurt! Which is healthy, right? Yes! Maybe more than you think! Enter University of South Australia’s Alexandra Wade and colleagues at the University of Maine. They asked around
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There’s a new energy source … hiding in the shadows! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. A shady glade … ideal for cooling off! But when it comes to solar power, LESS sun means less energy! As skyscrapers climb and open sunshine becomes less available,
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Ants in your plants? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Fixing up your fixer-upper? As every homeowner knows – the work NEVER ends! Azteca ants make their homes in Cecropia trees. The trees offer them food and shelter. But what happens when they need a
Continue readingBlocking with Tetris
Tetris – the perfect fit for blocking boredom – and more? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Ahhh…cleared another line! Tetris is a quick, fun escape from boredom or frustration. And when we emerge from the shape-shifting trance we feel… better! Could this disconnection from
Continue readingFear Factor
RoboCop — meet RoboFish! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Enter the mosquitofish, hero-turned-villain. Mosquitofish were introduced in Australia to eat malaria-carrying mosquitos. But they ended up attacking native wildlife, like tadpoles. Can they be stopped? Giovanni Polverino from the University of Western Australia and
Continue readingNibbling Cancer Away
Imagine a meal even Ms. Pacman can’t swallow whole! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Macrophages are large immune cells with an even LARGER appetite – they’re known for swallowing bacteria whole! Ramraj Velmurugan from Texas A&M University and colleagues wondered – just how big
Continue readingTracking by Burp
Love is in the air tonight … or is that giraffe DNA? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Imagine trying to study animals that are always in hiding! Animal ecologists can relate! Scientists can learn a lot about elusive sea creatures by analyzing their environmental
Continue readingBat-ty GPS
Oh no! Our GPS has gone BATTY! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Carrying a toddler around all day? Who can relate? Egyptian fruit bats!! Mother bats carry their newborns everywhere when looking for food. But eventually, these pups learn to spread their wings and
Continue readingFeather Weather
Flying off to a beach vacation? Pack sunscreen, bathing suits, and…feathers?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Birds also migrate thousands of miles to warmer climates! But while we humans fly in air-conditioned comfort, how do these birds of a feather stay cool? Kasper Delhey
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