For your consideration: a baffling conundrum – a question without an answer. Next stop . . .The Twilight Zone! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. I’ve been puzzling over this Sudoku for HOURS! Maybe it’s time for . . . a trip to the inner
Continue readingAncient Energy Boost
Hunter! Gatherer! Farmer! Who works the hardest – or smartest? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Humanity’s evolution from earlier species took a LOT of energy. Bigger brains, needier children, and longer lifespans meant we had a lot on our PLATES – literally! How did
Continue readingScarred Heart
Is there a cure for an achy breaky heart? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Inquiring romance novelists want to know – how do you mend a broken heart? Or at least – a SCARRED heart? Scarring of heart tissue is a common symptom of
Continue readingVirtually Painless
Lost at Minecraft AGAIN? Painful! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, asking…but what if video games could bring pain RELIEF? Henry Xiang and team from the Nationwide Children’s Hospital tried this out on pediatric burn patients. They designed a virtual reality game requiring patients to
Continue readingScent Smarts
Big city life – the sights, the sounds, the smells…is that PIZZA?!? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We can smell a warm slice ANYWHERE! But how is it that our nose ALWAYS knows? Srinath Nizampatnam and colleagues at the University of Washington in St.
Continue readingBlood Reboot
Let’s get these blood cells into shape! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science Sickle cell anemia is a genetic condition that makes round red blood cells crescent- shaped. These cells can’t carry oxygen, which causes them to die early, blocking blood vessels. Patients with sickle
Continue readingFriendly Neigh-bears
Howdy, neigh-bear! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, and the story of three bears… The Indigenous First Nations of modern British Columbia hold strong connections to wildlife. One venerated animal? The grizzly bear, which has shared their homeland for millennia. Recently, grizzlies appeared in new
Continue readingSchool Spirit
You gotta dress to impress! Even in grade school! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. School uniforms – love ‘em or hate ‘em? Some educators believe wearing uniforms improves student behavior and strengthens school spirit. Others think dressing alike prevents students from expressing their true
Continue readingFungal Construction
Doesn’t Bob the Builder seem like a fun-gi? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Wood, steel, concrete – SO last season! What’s the next ‘it’ construction material? Ross McBee from Columbia University and his teams bet on LIVING BRICKS! They started with brick-shaped molds full
Continue readingWorth a Shot
Is your sleep quality ON THE ROCKS? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. WINE-ing about not getting a good night’s sleep? Maybe that after-work cocktail is to blame! Dandan Zheng and researchers at Penn State University wondered whether alcohol intake affects sleep. To find out, they
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