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
Oct 28, 2014 • 3min
Online Personalization Means Prices Are Tailored to You, Too
Christo Wilson, a computer scientist at Northeastern University, says prices online are "super subjective" and vary according to your past clicks and purchases or whether you are shopping on a mobile phone. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 22, 2014 • 3min
Fecal Transplanters Fish Out Key Ingredient
The bacterium Clostridium scindens, a member of the gut’s microbiome, appears to ward off the hospital-acquired infection C. difficile. Christopher Intagliata reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 21, 2014 • 4min
Coyote Size Forces Smartness
Topping out at about 20 kilograms, a coyote has to be able to hunt both smaller and bigger prey, and avoid being prey itself, a combination that selects for intelligence. Steve Mirsky reports
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Oct 17, 2014 • 3min
Plant Thorns Increase When Defense Needed
In areas with few herbivores acacia plants don't bother to churn out many of the off-putting thorns. Cynthia Graber reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 16, 2014 • 3min
Lemur Latrine Trees Serve as Community Bulletin Boards
Primatologists spent almost 1,100 hours watching lemurs do their business on their designated tree and concluded that urine and glandular secretions serve as posted messages. Steve Mirsky reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 15, 2014 • 3min
Carnivorous Plant Inspires Anticlotting Medical Devices
By copying aspects of the slick surfaces of insect-catching pitcher plants, researchers created tubes that can carry blood without promoting the formation of blood clots or bacterial attachment. Cynthia Graber reports
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Oct 13, 2014 • 3min
Less Well-Off Donate Bigger Income Percentage
Wealthier people on average gave a lower percentage to charity in 2012 than they did in 2006, while the less affluent increased their giving. Cynthia Graber reports
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Oct 9, 2014 • 3min
To Walk, You Have to Fall in Step
Motion-capture technology reveals that the body falls forward and sideways as we walk, and the feet come down to restore balance. Karen Hopkin reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 8, 2014 • 3min
2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Eric Betzig, Stefan W. Hell and William E. Moerner share the 2014 chemistry Nobel for the development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy, which has enabled the study of single molecules in ongoing chemical reactions in living cells. Steve Mirsky reports
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Oct 7, 2014 • 3min
2014 Nobel Prize in Physics
Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura share the physics Nobel for the invention of efficient blue light–emitting diodes, which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources. Steve Mirsky reports
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