Science Quickly

Learn how overwatered lawns in Los Angeles waste 70 billion gallons of water each year, while the city's trees demonstrate thriftiness and sustainability.

Former head of the CDC, Tom Frieden, discusses the importance of addressing threats to public health and social justice through scientific rigor and social conscience. He highlights the dangers posed by natural diseases, harmful industries, denial of healthcare, and the threat of nationalism.

Fitness bands are not reliable for calorie counting, but are accurate in monitoring heart rate.

Learn how new concrete recipes incorporating by-products from the coal and steel industries can reduce road salt-related cracking on highways. A construction materials engineer discusses the issue and proposes using novel concrete blends made from coal and steel leftovers, which have shown resistance to cracking in experiments. The engineer also mentions a project using a bacterial slurry to fill in salt-induced gaps.

In this enlightening conversation, journalist Christopher Intagliata shares fascinating insights about bumblebees and their surprising attraction to nicotine-laden flowers. He reveals how moderate amounts of nicotine can actually boost bees' memory and foraging skills. This intriguing relationship may benefit both the bees and the plants they pollinate. Intagliata emphasizes the importance of understanding these interactions in the ecosystem, shedding light on the complex dynamics of pollination and plant strategies.

Discover how really big meteorite strikes can cause melting and deformations leading to volcanic eruptions. Explore the Sudbury Crater in Canada and learn how impacts trigger volcanic activity, altering a planet's composition and history.

Genetic changes in domestic chickens and cultural shifts in human food preference are explored. The focus is on the TSHR gene's role in these behavioral traits.

Discover the impact of tilling on earthworm populations and the benefits of switching to no-till agriculture. Explore Charles Darwin's book on earthworms and how it relates to agriculture. Learn how no-till or conservation agriculture can help double earthworm numbers in fields.

Christopher Intagliata, a seasoned science and technology reporter, dives into the unnoticed menace of space dust. He reveals how tiny particles can collide with satellites, unleashing damaging radiation. The discussion highlights the urgency of understanding these micro-debris threats through mathematical modeling, emphasizing the need for protective measures to secure future space missions. Prepare to see the cosmos in a whole new light as Intagliata unravels this hidden danger!

Researchers discover over 2,200 cases of horizontal DNA transfer between different species of insects, suggesting a significant amount of genetic sharing in their evolution.