Researchers report “climate of fear” in U.S. science

Nearly 2,000 of the nation’s leading scientists have signed an open letter denouncing the Trump administration’s attack on science and scientists. The scientists are all members of the prestigious National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics and include Nobel Prize winners. The letter decries the slashed funding, mass firings, and overreach from the government into research across disciplines. You can read their...

Cutting USAID Threatens Public Health around the World

The U.S. Department of State recently announced plans to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID. While some of USAID’s functions will continue under the Department of State, there is real concern that the cuts will jeopardize public health efforts across the world, including immunization programs and other efforts that have saved the lives of millions of children. Senior health and medicine editor Tanya Le...

Why is 50 degrees balmy in the spring and chilly in the fall?

Why is 50 degrees balmy in the spring and chilly in the fall? It turns out there are real, physiological reasons why the same temperature can feel so different depending on the season. Today we dive into the science of how our body “acclimatizes” to a cold winter.

How a cold winter changes your body

Why is 50 degrees balmy in the spring and chilly in the fall? It turns out there are real, physiological reasons why the same temperature can feel so different depending on the season. Today we dive into the science of how our body “acclimatizes” to a cold winter. Credits: Hosted and reported by Kelso Harper Additional reporting by Allison Parshall Filmed by Carin Leong Edited by Kylie Murphy Additional imagery from Getty Images, Cara Ocobock Music...

How to Save a Wolf from Extinction

The critically endangered Mexican wolf was mounting a comeback, thanks to a conservation program that dropped fostered wolf pups into wild dens. Then politics happened.

The science of squirting

“Is it pee? Is it ejaculate? Is it a secret third thing?” Squirting is a highly politicized physiological phenomenon—and research shows it isn’t “just” pee. In this episode of Science Quickly, our host Rachel Feltman chats with Wendy Zukerman on how her show, Science Vs, tackled the controversial science of squirting. Listen to the full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxNwAaayldA

Deep space chorus waves threaten space travel

Energy bursts can ripple through the Earth’s magnetic field, creating “chorus waves.” They can also create supercharged “killer electrons,” and we just learned that these might impact space travel as far as 165,000 km away from Earth, three times further than we previously thought. Link: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-sings-with-mysterious-chorus-waves-and-deep-space-does-too/

What’s Really Happening During ‘Squirting’? Wendy Zukerman is on the Podcast to Tell Us

The human body is capable of some truly incredible things. One of the most mysterious and debated phenomena is a release of fluid during sex that is often referred to as “squirting.” What’s actually happening, and why does it stir so much speculation? Wendy Zukerman, host of the hit podcast Science Vs, breaks down the science behind this fascinating topic, exploring what we know, what we do...