60-Second Science
60-Second Science
Leading science journalists provide a daily commentary on some of the most interesting developments in the world of science. For a full-length, weekly podcast you can subscribe to Science Talk: The Podcast of Scientific American. To view all of our archived podcasts please go to ...
Diet and the Brain
A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that brain chemicals linked to addiction are in play with a high-sugar diet, and a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that a high-carb diet had lasting mood-elevation ...
Butterfly Shows Speciation Signs
A study in the journal Science looks at Heliconius butterflies in Ecuador, in which a single gene change that influences mate choice may be the first step in the splitting of the population into two species. Cynthia Graber reports
Babies Already Have An Accent
A study in the journal Current Biology finds that babies, because they listen in the womb, cry in distinctive ways that reflect the language spoken by their parents. Karen Hopkin reports, with commentary by Christopher Hopkin.
Good Sprinters Have Long Toes
A study in the Journal of Experimental Biology finds that successful sprinters have longer toes and Achilles tendons that produce less leverage than non-athletes of similar height. Karen Hopkin reports
Sneezes Provoke Fears Beyond Illness
A study in the journal Psychological Science finds that people who hear someone nearby sneezing become more concerned in general, not just about catching a cold or flu. Karen Hopkin reports.
Sugar Negates Worm's Life-Extending Mutation
A study with roundworms in the journal Cell Metabolism found that a diet rich in sugar offset a mutation that ordinarily doubled the worms' life spans. Rachel Kremen reports
Apnea Treatment Improves Golf Game
A study presented at CHEST 2009, the meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, found that golfers with apnea who got treatment lowered their handicaps by as much as three strokes. Steve Mirsky reports.
Dogs Can't Smell a Liar
A study in the journal Behavioural Processes finds that dogs cannot reliably tell if someone is fibbing to them. Karen Hopkin reports
Resuscitating Lungs for Transplant
A study in the journal Science Translational Medicine details a new procedure for making damaged, donated lungs functional, potentially doubling the number of lungs available for transplant. Cynthia Graber reports
Clean Smell Promotes Good Deeds
A study in the journal Psychological Science finds that people in a room recently sprayed with citrus-scented cleanser were fairer and more generous than a control group. Cynthia Graber reports
Dieting and the TV-to-Treadmill Ratio
A study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine finds that the ratio of TV sets to exercise equipment in the home is predictive of weight loss success. Karen Hopkin reports
Household Hints to Halt Heating
A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that Americans could easily cut carbon emissions by more than France's entire output. Karen Hopkin reports
Less Fungus among Us Warm-Blooded
A study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases finds that one major advantage of being warm-blooded is that the great majority of fungi cannot infect us. Karen Hopkin reports
Red Wine with Fish? Iron-ic Answer
In a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers found that red wine only clashes with fish if the wine has high levels of iron. Steve Mirsky reports
Red Wine with Fish? Iron-ic Answer
In a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers found that red wine only clashes with fish if the wine has high levels of iron. Steve Mirsky reports
Light All Night Not Alright
In a study presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, researchers found that mice that were exposed to light all night long showed signs of depression. Karen Hopkin reports
Web Boosts Grandpa's Brain
In a study presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, researchers reported that older adults exposed to Web surfing for the first time showed increased brain activity in regions associated with language and working memory. Karen ...
Brain's Speech Center Finally Talks
In a study in the journal Science, researchers analyzed the inner workings of Broca's area, long known as the brain's speech center, in pre-op brain surgery patients. Cynthia Graber reports
Carbonation Has a Taste
In a study in the journal Science, researchers found that the taste buds for sensing sour also respond to carbonated beverages, because the fizz gets turned to chemical components, one of which is protons--basically simple, sour acid. Karen Hopkin reports