SSS 2011-11-14

This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Cynthia Graber. This will just take a minute. Think of the weirdest creatures you've ever seen in a sci-fi film. Now think of this: there are far stranger, albeit smaller, critters living in your o

SSS 2011-11-16

Ever wander through a supermarket and past the open refrigerated cases that house cream cheese, butter and OJ? The refrigerated shelves are protected by jets of air that blow across the front. These jets form an air shield to keep the warm air out. T

SSS 2011-11-17

This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm John Matson. Got a minute? On November 8th, Russia launched a probe toward the tiny Martian moon Phobos. The launch was picture-perfect, and the spacecraft, called PhobosGrunt, soared into the nigh

SSS 2011-11-18

On November 8th, Russia launched a probe toward the tiny Martian moon Phobos. The launch was picture-perfect, and the spacecraft, called PhobosGrunt, soared into the night sky over Kazakhstan. The good news stops there. For instead of boosting itself

SSS 2011-11-15

This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Christopher Intagliata. Got a minute? I've always thought that when I get a fever, it's my body trying to make things uncomfortable for the invading pathogen. And that's often truehigher temperatur

SSS 2011-11-01

Venice's Church of the Most Holy Redeemer has held a musical celebration every year since its construction in 1592. And recently, the church has inspired debate among historians: How could its echoing chambers clearly portray the complicated music pe

SSS 2011-11-02

For many potential entre animals this is one of the scariest sounds around. Scientists long thought the lion's distinctive roar was due to thick layers of fat inside the vocal cords. But new research suggests that it's not the fat that makes the roar

SSS 2011-11-03

This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Karen Hopkin. This will just take a minute. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. But sometimes what makes you stronger can kill you, at least when it comes to blood clotting. Because

SSS 2011-11-04

This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Sophie Bushwick. Got a minute? The early bird gets the wormand may avoid skin cancer. Because a new mouse study suggests that, for humans, tanning in the mornings may be less likely to permanently

SSS 2011-11-07

The early bird gets the worm, and may avoid skin cancer. Because a new mouse study suggests that for humans, tanning in the mornings may be less likely to permanently damage in DNA and cause skin cancer. A mouses levels of the DNA repair protein XPA

SSS 2011-11-08

This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Cynthia Graber. This will just take a minute. Einstein, Newton and many other legendary scientists did groundbreaking work in their 20s. But if your hair has gone gray and no Nobel seems likely, do

SSS 2011-11-09

Food is the body's fuel. Now a study finds that the amount of energy in that fuel can depend not just on its calorie contentbut on how it's prepared. And the research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could explain an

SSS 2011-11-10

Food is the body's fuel ,now a study finds the amount of the energy in that fuel can depend not just on it's calorie content but on how it's prepared,and the research published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences could explain an i

SSS 2011-11-11

This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Christopher Intagliata. Got a minute? A hungry fish can kill prey with a quick bite. That is, of course, if its prey hasn't already died of fright. Take tasty dragonflies. The mere presence of pred

SSS 2011-11-21

Male nursery web spiders often woo potential lady-friends with gifts wrapped in silk. Mating may ensue, during which a female unspools the present, expecting to find a tasty treat. But the males can be unscrupulous. Some offerings contain inedible pl

SSS 2011-11-22

Having a high IQ may have its drawbacks: a new study finds that highly intelligent children are more likely to try illegal drugs in their teenage and adult years. The work is published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. An ongoing s

SSS 2011-11-23

Confessing to a crime usually is not enough to throw you behind bars. Many states require independent evidence to corroborate a confession. But if a suspect confesses and forensic investigators know, it can cause them to favor evidence in support of

SSS 2011-11-24

Here are some Thanksgiving tips from food safety expert Ben Chapman, at North Carolina State University. First, do not wash the turkey. The water splashing off of poultry can toss bacteria around your entire food preparation area. Which is how Aunt S

SSS 2011-11-25

Here is some thanksgiving tips food and safety expert Ben Chatman in North Carolina State University. First, do not wash the turkey, which***. The water splashing off a portroy can toss bacteria around your entire food preparation area. Two, s** is t

SSS 2011-11-28

This is Scientific American, 60-second science. I'm Sophie Bushwick. Got a minute? How many Michael Jackson songs do you think became Number one hits? How tall do you think the Eiffel Tower is? How good is your posture? Believe it or not, how you sit