Kangaroos with Puppy Dog Eyes

When faced with an impossible task, new research shows that the marsupials look to humans for help Let’s say you have a dog. Or, maybe you’re watching a friend’s pup. You have a treat in your hand. So you have the dog’s attention. Then you put the treat into a doggy-proof box and let them figure it out. What do you think the dog will do? If you’re...

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Kangaroos With Puppy Dog Eyes

When faced with an impossible task, new research shows that the marsupials look to humans for help Let’s say you have a dog. Or, maybe you’re watching a friend’s pup. You have a treat in your hand. So you have the dog’s attention. Then you put the treat into a doggy-proof box and let them figure it out. What do you think the dog will do? If you’re...

3d

COVID, Quickly, Episode 1: Vaccines, Variants and Diabetes

Today, we begin a new podcast series: "COVID, Quickly." Every two weeks, Scientific American's senior health editors, Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman, catch you up on on the essential developments in the pandemic, from vaccines to the virus, and everything in between. Tanya Lewis: Hi, and welcome to Covid, Quickly, a new Scientific American podcast series!...

2w

COVID, Quickly Episode 1: Vaccines, Variants and Diabetes

Today, we begin a new podcast series: "COVID, Quickly." Every two weeks, Scientific American's senior health editors, Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman, catch you up on on the essential developments in the pandemic, from vaccines to the virus, and everything in between. Tanya Lewis: Hi, and welcome to Covid, Quickly, a new Scientific American podcast series!...

2w

Machine Learning Pwns Old-School Atari Games

You can call it the ‘revenge of the computer scientist.’ An algorithm that made headlines for mastering the notoriously difficult Atari 2600 game Montezuma’s Revenge, can now beat more games, achieving near perfect scores, and help robots explore real-world environments. Pakinam Amer reports. <jingles> This is Scientific American’s 60 Second...

2w

E-Eggs Track Turtle Traffickers

Decoy sea turtle eggs containing tracking tech are new weapons against beach poachers and traffickers. Poachers take note. If you’re thinking about stealing eggs from the nests of sea turtles on the beaches of Costa Rica, well, you may wind up getting more than you bargained for. Because researchers have combined GPS technology with 3D printing...

2w

Bromances Could Lead to More Romances for Male Hyenas

Spotted hyena males do not fight for mates, so how are certain males shut out of the mating game? Jason Goldman: Morning in Tanzania. The sun rises over the Ngorongoro Crater. The spotted hyenas are beginning their day, while Eve Davidian from Germany's Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research sits nearby in a truck, watching and waiting. ...

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A Heroic Effort to Measure Helium

After an intense game of cat and mouse with different particles, atomic physicists have measured the radius of the helium nucleus five times more precisely than before. Christopher Intagliata reports. How big is a helium atom? Or maybe the better question is how small. After an intricate game of particle-jockeying, physicists have now measured the...

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Scientists Take a Cattle Head Count in India

The research team determined that the city of Raipur in central India has at least one street cow for every 54 human residents. Christopher Intagliata reports. Cattle are a common sight in Indian cities. But some end up in busy intersections and on highways—causing accidents and traffic jams.  [SOUND OF HONKING] [Voiceover: "From blocking traffic...

Jan 2021

Scientists Take a Cattle Headcount in India

The research team determined that the city of Raipur, in central India, has at least one street cow for every 54 human residents. Christopher Intagliata reports. Cattle are a common sight in Indian cities. But some end up in busy intersections and on highways—causing accidents and traffic jams.  [SOUND OF HONKING] [Voiceover: "From blocking traffic...

Jan 2021