Science

Science

Surprise: Cockroaches are Fastidious Groomers!

1:03pm February 22, 2013

Despite inhabiting sewers and cesspools, cockroaches are quite clean — or at least their exteriors are, according to entomologist Coby Schal of North Carolina State University. That's because cockroaches are constantly grooming themselves, particularly their antennae. Publishing in PNAS, Schal and colleagues investigate why they groom.

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Is China's Military Behind Cyberattacks on U.S.?

1:03pm February 22, 2013

A new report released by an American security firm alleges the Chinese military is linked to extensive cyberattacks against American corporations and government agencies. Is China engaged in cyberwarfare? How should the Obama Administration respond to cybersecurity threats?

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Visible spectrum. Certain bright colors and petal shapes attract certain pollinators.

Science

Honey, It's Electric: Bees Sense Charge On Flowers

7:47am February 22, 2013

by Adam Cole

Bees and flowers communicate in colors, scents and shapes. Now scientists have discovered that bumblebees can also sense flowers' electric fields. This sixth sense helps them remember and recognize nectar-rich blooms while foraging.

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Author Katherine Bouton Opens Up About Going Deaf

7:14am February 21, 2013

After going deaf at the age of 30, writer Katherine Bouton's entire life changed. In her new book, "Shouting Won't Help," Bouton shares how she came to terms with hearing loss, and why more attention needs to be paid to a condition that affects nearly 50 million Americans.

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Science
Arts

Art Meets Geek at Toni Dove's Studio

7:14am February 21, 2013

"This is geek central," says artist Toni Dove of her New York City studio. Dove employs an infrared motion-sensing interface, voice recognition software, 3-D mechanical projection screens, video puppets and lots of other tech to bring her mixed media productions to life. Science Friday stopped by for a sneak peak of her newest piece, "Lucid Possession."

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Science
Arts

A New View Of Newton In 'Isaac's Eye'

7:14am February 21, 2013

What would Isaac Newton be like if he had been born a few centuries later? A new play "Isaac's Eye" reimagines Newton and his scientific rival Robert Hooke. Playwright Lucas Hnath and actors Haskell King and Michael Louis Serafin-Wells join Ira Flatow to talk about the play.

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Science

Tracking A Space Rock's Streak Past Earth

7:14am February 21, 2013

Asteroid 2012 DA14 is half the size of a football field, and whizzing towards the Earth at over 17,000 miles per hour. Don't worry, it won't hit us. But on Friday, February 15th it makes its closest approach, scraping by the Earth's surface closer than many satellites. Join Ira Flatow and Flora Lichtman for special live coverage of this near encounter, with first-hand reports from astronomers around the world.

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Dr. J. William Hirzy, a chemistry professor at American Universiy, rests outside the rally route with a graph he uses to teach his students about the relationship between atmospheric carbon dioxide and global temperature.

Protesters Call On Obama To Reject Keystone XL Pipeline

4:33pm February 20, 2013

by Elizabeth Shogren

Tens of thousands of protesters turned out on the National Mall Sunday to encourage President Obama to make good on his commitment to act on climate change. The pipeline would carry tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada, to refineries on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

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Jim Gandy, chief meteorologist for WLTX, in Columbia, S.C.

Forecasting Climate With A Chance Of Backlash

5:31pm February 19, 2013

by Jennifer Ludden

A surprising number of TV weather presenters are vocal deniers of climate change, while others fear audience backlash if they talk about such a polarizing topic. But one meteorologist in South Carolina is waging a climate education campaign, and says it's going over well.

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Is The Call For Universal Pre-Kindergarten Warranted?

6:57am February 18, 2013

Enthusiasm for universal Pre-K education is at an all-time high, and President Obama wants to massively increase the ranks of young children in schools and early learning centers. Some studies have shown significant and long-lasting benefits of early stimulation for children.

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