Has Earths Gravitational Pull Been Changing? Don, why are you slouching? Dont you know its bad for you? Did you know that about 200 tons of debris strike the Earth every day? So I was thinking! Although most of this stuff burns up in the atmosphere,...
How Did Dogs Become Mans Best Friend? Weve all heard the phrase dog is mans best friend. But how did dogs get to be so friendly with humans? It turns out that dog domestication wasnt simply a matter of teaching Fido to play fetch. Scientific research...
Years Ago, The Year Was 400 Days Long Don: Ya?l, do you notice the days changing length over the course of the year? Ya?l: Sure, Don, it stays light later in the summer and gets dark earlier in the winter. Don: No, thats not it. I mean the whole day...
Tips For Predicting Baseball Scores If youre a true sports fan, youve probably lost sleep wondering if jet lag affects the performance of your favorite teams. Youre not the only one. To answer this important question, scientists analyzed three years...
Why Cashews Arent Sold In The Shell Part of the fun of eating almonds or pecans is cracking the shell and getting the nut. But, some nuts, like cashews, are almost always sold shelled and roasted. Why arent cashews sold in the shell? Cashews are in t...
Can Animals Use Sign Language? Its time to go again to the A Moment of Science mailbag. A listener writes: Dear A Moment of Science, I know that gorillas and chimpanzees can learn sign language and use it to communicate. But can other animals use sig...
Believe In God And Feel Better Whether or not a treatment for an illness or disorder works usually doesnt depend on whether we believe it will work. For example, if you have an MRI, barring a malfunction, the technology will work even if you dont und...
Where Does The Brain Process Moral Decisions? Ya?l And Don Try An Experiment Don: Ya?l, suppose theres a trolley thats about to run over five people. Do you flip the switch that will steer the trolley onto a different track if that means only one per...
When Good Bananas Go Bad Have you ever wonder why bananas seem to go bad so quickly? And why do they develop those brown spots? Well, those spots are a natural part of the ripening process. You see, just like all fresh produce, your bananas are alive...
Heart Rate: What A Babys Heart Rate Should Be Picture new parents cooing at their baby on the couch. The babys quiet and calm, and everyones at rest. So their heart rates are low, maybe 60 or 70 beats a minute for the adults. What about the baby? How...
Can Oxygen Be Toxic? In order for us to live we must have oxygen, so how can it be bad for us? Today we explain how oxygen can be toxic. Toxic? Really? Unbeknown to most people, too much oxygen can be toxic. After several days of breathing nothing bu...
What Animals Are Most Like People Once again we go to the mailbag. A listener writes: Dear A Moment of Science, Besides chimps, which animals do you think are the most like people? Its Prairie Dogs! Scientists have closely studied prairie dog chirps...
Think Positive And Feel Positive When youre in a stressful situation, are you confident or insecure? Do you react positively or negatively? Negative Thinking The answer may depend in part on whom youre around. A study by researchers at the University...
What Does Ecstasy Do To Your Brain? If youve read or heard the news youve probably heard about a drug called ecstasy, or e for short. Favored by users for its intensely pleasurable high, and condemned by the government for the neurological harm it ca...
Marine Animals Have Interesting Sleeping Habits Many people know that marine mammals, like whales, porpoises and dolphins, breathe air, like we do. But, many people dont know that marine mammals have developed some interesting sleeping habits in orde...
