Science Quickly

Exploring the insulation mechanism of marine animals and their potential for furry wetsuits. MIT researchers are studying how marine mammals stay warm and considering developing furry wetsuits for humans.

Women applying for geoscience postdoctoral positions are less likely to receive excellent letters of recommendation compared to men, revealing gender bias in the field.

Guest Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Nobel laureate in Chemistry for design and synthesis of molecular machines, talks about the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded for designing and synthesizing molecular machines. He discusses the potential applications of these machines in medicine and smart materials.

Nobel laureates David J. Thouless, F. Duncan Haldane, and J. Michael Kosterlitz discuss their groundbreaking research on topological phase transitions and their implications for materials science and technology.

In this engaging discussion, Yoshinori Ohsumi talks about his groundbreaking Nobel-winning research on autophagy, the cellular recycling process. He explains how autophagy plays a crucial role in energy production and stress response. Ohsumi shares insights into its significance for various biological functions essential for life. His discoveries not only reshaped our understanding of cellular processes but also pave the way for advancements in health and disease management.

This podcast discusses the genetic legacy of the Great Migration of African-Americans, highlighting the implications for medical research and reducing health disparities in minority communities.

Climate change threatens the reproductive success of a hardy tundra shrub due to the declining number of fly pollinators in the Arctic. A study identifies a specific fly species as the key pollinator, but shorter flowering seasons are concerning.

Discover the super survival skills of tardigrades, microscopic creatures that can withstand extreme conditions like dehydration, space travel, and high radiation. Scientists have uncovered a protein in tardigrades that shields their DNA from radiation damage, which could have potential applications for human cell protection.

A study explores the link between major earthquakes and tidal stress caused by gravitational forces during new and full moons, potentially increasing earthquake magnitude.

Discover how ants in the Sahara Desert navigate using path integration and optic flow, tracking the sun's motion and counting their steps. Also, learn about an experiment on ants being carried to estimate distance by visual information.