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December 1, 2023
Dr. Fei-Fei Li of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI discusses the promise and peril of the ground-breaking technology. Plus, research tracking adults over 50 shows that social activity, intimacy, and personal connections are key to good health as we age. And, new analysis of remains and burial items suggests women and men did both parts of hunting and gathering in the Paleolithic era.
15:01
Is Your ‘Priceless’ Painting a Fake? Better Ask a Scientist
Techniques from physics and chemistry can help scientists and art historians sniff out art forgeries.
11:07
The ‘First’ Battle of Gas Versus Electric
As plug-in electric vehicles struggle to carve out a slice of today’s auto market, it’s worth remembering the first such battle—at the turn of the 1900s.
10:38
Environmental Detectives Use Genetic Tools to Track Invasives
A recently developed technique called “environmental DNA” allows invasive species trackers to get a time-sensitive fingerprint of which species are living where—including underwater.
16:44
Forensic Entomologists Hunt Down Insects to Help Catch Criminals
To help piece together a crime scene, forensic entomologists examine the insects found in the area.
20:52
More Than Cornflakes
John Harvey Kellogg and his brother, W.K., are known today for their most famous discovery—corn flakes—but invented many other health foods along the way.
11:43
Rooting Out the Plant Microbiome
Scientists are uncovering the importance of the plant microbiome for fighting off pathogens and increasing crop yields.
17:08
Is MSG Bad for Your Health?
Four decades of scientific studies suggest the food additive MSG may not deserve its toxic reputation.
10:10
Your Home, Your Bacteria
The surfaces in a home reflect the distinct blend of bacteria that inhabit the people that live there.
7:23
How Did the Violin Get Its Shape?
From its role in biological systems to cultural products, “shape is information that can tell us a story,” says biologist Dan Chitwood.
12:04
The Race to Contain, Rather Than Cure, Ebola
With production of experimental treatments slow-going, rapid diagnostic testing could be the best bet for containing the ongoing Ebola outbreak.