April 19, 2024
Superfund sites contain extreme pollution. Flooding—made worse by climate change—could carry their toxic contaminants into surrounding areas. Plus, researchers in Buenos Aires have figured out a way to tap into bird dreams. And, a citizen science project aims to sample the waters of hundreds of lakes worldwide for environmental DNA.
4:29
Engineering in Service of a Dark Art
A biologist takes shadow puppetry to the next level.
11:49
For Asteroid Ideas, NASA Looks to the Crowd
When NASA asked the public for ideas on tracking and exploring asteroids, the agency received more than 400 ideas.
17:36
Teaching Newton’s Laws Through Rhyme
Science teacher Christopher Emdin knows how to get his students interested in science: Rap about it.
17:12
Reexamining the Definition of Cancer
Will redefining cancer help prevent overdiagnosis and overtreatment?
Moon Medicine, Super Shrews, Grizzly’s Best Friend, More
Each week we’ll round up links to science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our fancy.
Carl Sagan Reflects On The Pale Blue Dot
A new image from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft features Earth as a speck, recalling our planet’s first portrait taken from the outer solar system more than 20 years ago.
12:15
Melding Two Memories Into One
Researchers linked a mouse’s innocuous memory to a fearful one—essentially creating a false memory.
24:32
Phil Mickelson Takes a Swing at Science
Mickelson, an advocate for math and science education, says science sharpens his golf game, too.
9:00
‘Moth-ers’ Shine a Light on Nighttime Beauties
Much-maligned moths are more than the butterfly’s drab cousin.
9:33
MERS Virus Update
An update on a SARS-like virus centered in the Middle East.
11:43
Uncovering the Mystery of J.K. Rowling’s Latest Novel
Determining an author’s linguistic fingerprint using forensic stylometry.
24:01
The ‘Uncool’ Passion of Jonathan Franzen
The best-selling novelist has a soft spot for birds.
Does Posture Affect Putting? And Other Golf Questions, Addressed
Where your eyes focus, how you stand, and what your brain’s doing can all play a role in your golf game.
Stellar Gold Rush, Monster Viruses, and the Mystery of Yawns and Cries
A roundup of science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our fancy.
The One That Didn’t Get Away
James Prosek paints the final moments of his saltwater subjects.
11:12
Volcano ‘Screams’ Before Eruption
Some volcanoes experience a large number of pre-eruption earthquakes.
17:11
Capturing the Sounds of Biodiversity
Researchers created a monitoring system to automatically record and analyze soundscapes of an area.
5:59
Eruptions on the Sun Set Off ‘Solar Tsunamis’
Scientists use the waves to measure the sun’s magnetic field, which is sometimes weaker than a fridge magnet.
10:40
Astronomers Spot Another Moon Around Neptune
The newly discovered moon, currently named S/2004 N 1, is just 12 miles across.