How do you mend a broken heart? DIY – do it yourself! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The most deadly heartbreak isn’t a bad breakup, but heart disease. It’s the number one killer in America! The only cure? A new heart! Unfortunately, heart donors
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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
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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
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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
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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,
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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
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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
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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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Getting a twenty-one isn’t just a win at blackjack! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. In the endless pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, research is turning to our genetics. Specifically, the work of Tim Frayling and researchers at the University of Exeter. They’re leading an
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Has addiction gone VIRAL? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Retroviruses like HIV make us sick by inserting their genes into our cells. Usually, these genes cause cells to make new copies of the retrovirus. But occasionally, the genes mutate and can’t make new viruses.
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