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
Nov 16, 2019 • 4min
Egyptian Vats 5,600 Years Old Were For Beer Brewing
Archaeologists working in the ancient city of Hierakonpolis discovered five ceramic vats containing residues consistent with brewing beer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 13, 2019 • 4min
Famously Fickle Felines Are, in Fact, Clingy
Cats are clingier to their human owners than their reputation would suggest. Karen Hopkin reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 12, 2019 • 3min
Aversion to Broccoli May Have Genetic Roots
Study subjects with a gene variant that heightened their sensitivity to bitterness tended to eat fewer vegetables than people who didn’t mind bitter flavors. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 9, 2019 • 4min
Marine Mammal Epidemic Linked to Climate Change
A measleslike virus is ricocheting through marine mammal populations in the Arctic—and melting sea ice might be to blame. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 7, 2019 • 4min
Ant Colonies Avoid Traffic Jams
Researchers tracked thousands of individual ants to determine how they move in vast numbers without stumbling into gridlock.
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Nov 6, 2019 • 4min
Ranking Rise May Intimidate Opponents
In an analysis of chess and tennis matches, players rising in the rankings did better than expected against higher-ranked opponents and better than similarly ranked players who were not rising.
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Nov 5, 2019 • 4min
Familiar Tunes Rapidly Jog the Brain
Within just a third of a second of hearing a snippet of a familiar refrain, our pupils dilate, and the brain shows signs of recognition. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 1, 2019 • 4min
Science News Briefs from around the Globe
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Brazil to Hong Kong, including one about male elephants in India exhibiting unusual social behaviors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 31, 2019 • 4min
We Owe Our Pumpkins to Pooping Megafauna
The pumpkin’s ancestor was an incredibly bitter, tennis-ball-sized squash—but it was apparently a common snack for mastodons. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 29, 2019 • 3min
Bird Egg Colors Are Influenced by Local Climate
In cold, northern climates, eggs tend to be darker and browner—heat-trapping colors that allow parents to spend a bit more time away from the nest. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
