05/15/2015

‘Thrifty’ Metabolisms, Bad News Bees, and a Pricey Jar of Peanut Butter

12:10 minutes

This week for the news roundup, Virginia Hughes of BuzzFeed News reveals the science behind a difficult weight-loss truth: Some people do shed pounds more easily than others. Plus, a new report finds that last summer was particularly tough for embattled bees. And what’s so special about a jar of peanut butter? Hughes explains why the U.S. government has one on sale for $254.

Plus, just in time for Endangered Species Day—which is May 15, 2015—we weigh the pros and cons of delisting once-threatened species. Conservation biologist Joe Roman looks at whether or not certain groups of animals actually need protection after their populations have rebounded.

Segment Guests

Virginia Hughes

Virginia Hughes is science editor at BuzzFeed News in New York, New York.

Joe Roman

Joe Roman is a conservation biologist and a Sarah and Daniel Hrdy Fellow in Conservation Biology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Meet the Producers and Host

About Annie Minoff

Annie Minoff is a producer for The Journal from Gimlet Media and the Wall Street Journal, and a former co-host and producer of Undiscovered. She also plays the banjo.

About Becky Fogel

Becky Fogel is a newscast host and producer at Texas Standard, a daily news show broadcast by KUT in Austin, Texas. She was formerly Science Friday’s production assistant.