60-Second Science
Scientific American
Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 15, 2015 • 3min
Ant Smells Like Blue Cheese for a Reason
The "odorous house ant" smells like blue cheese or rotten coconut because it produces chemical compounds similar to those found in its nose-sakes. Cynthia Graber reports
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Jun 12, 2015 • 3min
Mars Surface Glass Could Hold Ancient Fossils
Scientists have found ancient "impact glass" on the surface of Mars, which formed when asteroids struck, a billion or more years ago. If anything was alive at the time, biological materials could be trapped inside. Christopher Intagliata reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 11, 2015 • 3min
Is Lying a Good Strategy?
A new documentary film presents the science behind when and why people lie. Daisy Yuhas reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 9, 2015 • 3min
Wild Chimps Seen Drinking Alcoholic Beverage
In west Africa researchers observed wild chimps seek out and drink fermented tree sap left outside by humans. Karen Hopkin reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 9, 2015 • 3min
Color You Remember Seeing Isn't What You Saw
People tend to remember a color they saw, for example green-blue teal, as being closer to a more stereotypical variant, such as straight blue or green. Karen Hopkin reports
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Jun 6, 2015 • 3min
Ancient Human Migration Route Marked by Snail Shell "Bread Crumbs"
Fragments of edible marine snail shells found in Lebanon support the idea that ancient humans went from Africa to Europe through the Levant. Cynthia Graber reports
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Jun 5, 2015 • 4min
"Brainprints" Could Be Future Security ID
We all emit slightly different brain waves in response to stimuli, and researchers say that an individual’s specific "brainprints" could be used to validate our identities. Christopher Intagliata reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 4, 2015 • 3min
Frenzy-Feeding Black Hole Makes Galaxy Most Luminous
A galaxy 12.5 billion light-years away gives off the light of 300 trillion suns, because its feeding black hole produces enough heat to set the whole galaxy's dust glowing. Lee Billings reports
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Jun 3, 2015 • 3min
Vaccine Aims at Fly Host of Disease Parasite
An experimental leishmaniasis vaccine relies on eliciting an immune response to a protein from the saliva of the sand fly that carries the leishmania parasite, rather than on anything from the parasite itself. Cynthia Graber reports
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Jun 2, 2015 • 4min
Chimps Would "Cook" Food If They Could
A new study suggests that chimps have the cognitive skills necessary for cooking—such as patience—even if they don't control fire. Christopher Intagliata reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
