How Fireworks Illuminate Independence Day, The Way John Adams Wanted
America's second president once said that Independence Day should always feature "illuminations." We'll explain how those pyrotechnics illuminate the sky each July 4.
Monkeys Follow Some Of The Same Economic Principles As Humans Do
Today in 2005, the release of a study that found something interesting: monkeys appeared to have some of the same economic ideas that humans have, especially when it comes to something known as loss aversion.
Some Spiders In Loud Areas Soundproof Their Webs
Spiders know what it's like to get distracted by excess noise. A new scientific paper finds certain arachnids in louder environments build their webs differently than those where it’s quiet.
Scientists Sent A Diaper-Wearing Ferret Named Felicia Through A Particle Accelerator
It's National Ferret Day, and so here’s the story of a ferret named Felicia who made an unusual contribution to the field of physics.
Researchers Added QR Codes To Bees To Figure Out What They Did All Day
We’re learning more about how bees do what they do, and it’s thanks to a new study from Penn State that used bee-friendly QR codes.
Scientists Once Trained Rats To Drive Little Cars
Today in 2019, New Scientist published a study that trained rats to maneuver little cars around to find Froot Loops.
Keeping Mold From Growing On Space Stations Takes Extra Effort, But It’s Worth It
Astronauts who live and work on space stations have to make sure to clean every last spot in their quarters, partly to keep big balls of moldy goo from growing!
Absorbing An Oil Spill With Cork And Lasers
On today's show we’re uncorking a new method to treat oil spills with cork and lasers, an unexpected and potentially greener combination.
Glowing Orbs In The Netherlands Could Light The Way Toward Clean Water
There’s a new way to find out whether fresh water is actually fresh and clean: a set of glowing orbs in the Netherlands called POND.
Legendary Physicists Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard Once Teamed Up To Design A Refrigerator
For Alfred Einstein's birthday, the story of how he and fellow prominent physicist Leo Szilard co-designed a unique kind of refrigerator in the 1920s.