Category: ScienceNews

Chocolate may fill grocery store shelves around the world, but the raw product that powers chocolate is far more selective. The majority of chocolate farms are found in West Africa and South America – just 20 degrees north or south of the equator. Each farm produces chocolate of a different flavor. Some cocoa tastes fruitier; others, more floral. Nutty. Earthy. Spicy. But what drives these different flavor profiles? And can it be recreated in a lab? 

A team led by scientists at the University of Nottingham in the UK sought to find out and published their results in the journal Nature Microbiology this week. 

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A desktop nuclear fusion reactor that uses electrochemistry to up the ante. Also, a global survey of human wildfire exposures finds Africa burning ahead, plus tiny swarming robots and record-breaking 2024 ice melts from glaciers on Svalbard.

Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alex Mansfield Production Coordinator: Jana Holesworth

(Image: The Thunderbird Reactor at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Credit: Berlinguette Group, UBC)

South Florida is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Start-ups, local governments and researchers are working to make the area more resilient, but federal funding cuts may hinder those efforts. William Brangham traveled to the region and reports for our series, Tipping Point. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Thirty years ago, park rangers reintroduced grey wolves into Yellowstone National Park. They wanted to restore the ecosystem and get the elk population, which had decimated the plant community, in check. And it worked – or so the popular narrative suggests. But is it really so simple? Today on the show, we explore how the Yellowstone ecosystem has changed since wolves returned and whether those changes can really be pinned solely on wolves. Plus, how the narrative of the Yellowstone wolf legacy could affect wolf reintroduction elsewhere.

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Imagine, you’re a toxic toad hanging around South America. No other animals are gonna mess with you, right? After all, you’re ~toxic~! So if anyone tries to eat you, they’ll be exposed to something called a cardiotonic steroid — and may die of a heart attack. Well, unfortunately, for you, some animals have developed adaptations to these toxic steroids. Evolutionary biologist Shabnam Mohammadi has spent her career studying how these adaptations work — and says even humans have used these toxins to their advantage since ancient Egypt. So today on Short Wave, we get a little… toxic (cue Brittney Spears). Host Regina G. Barber talks to Shabnam about how some predators can get away with eating toxic prey. 


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Scientists have mapped less than 30% of the world's seafloor. Experts say that getting that number up to 100% would improve everything from tsunami warnings to the Internet and renewable energy. That's why there's currently a global effort to create a full, detailed map of the seabed by 2030. On today's Sea Camp episode, we talk to Dawn Wright, a marine geographer and chief scientist at the Environmental Systems Research Institute about this effort.

 

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What's got rabbit-like ears, huge eyes, nine teeth and a demonic grin? It’s Labubu! These ugly-cute toys have gone viral online, largely thanks to social media’s trending machine. Their fame was previously limited to China and parts of Asia, but since 2024 their popularity has grown and the dolls can now be purchased in more than 30 countries round the world.

This week, the global demand for Labubu inspired us to play around with trend-based science. First up, we hear how the special sauce behind TikTok’s algorithm helps drive viral trends.

Next, we find out that humans are not the only ones that love a fad – chimpanzees are susceptible to them too!

We then discover what connects the hugely popular Beanie Baby toys of the 1990s with modern CubeSat exploration, thanks to aerospace engineer Professor James Cutler, from the University of Michigan.

Plus, we discuss a weird object thousands of light-years away that could lead to new physics.

And why do we find songs annoying after multiple listens?

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Godfred Boafo and Edd Gent Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Imaan Moin, Lucy Davies and Margaret Sessa Hawkins

For many people, fireflies are part of the story of summer, evoking memories of lazy, hot evenings spent trying to catch them in glass jars. Now, one man is still trying to catch them — not with a jar, but with a camera — to raise awareness about the threats facing these glowing insects. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In July, the Trump administration proposed revoking a landmark 2009 finding that’s been the basis for EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. If the proposal is finalized, experts warn that it could jeopardize the health of millions of Americans, especially children. John Yang speaks with pediatrician and clinical professor Dr. Debra Hendrickson for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The rise of artificial intelligence has touched nearly every industry, disrupting long-established workflows and raising concerns about job losses. Now, the fashion world is reckoning with these changes as AI takes hold, from virtual fitting rooms to AI avatars starring in marketing campaigns. Ali Rogin reports on the refashioning of the industry and why it’s raising alarms. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy