Your daily 90-second dose of real science for real people, with Sandra Tsing Loh!
Revenge is sweet. Science says so! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We love a happy ending! The hero riding off into the sunset, while the villain reaps what he sowed. We pay to see this movie again and again. Is enjoying it part of
Next time you’re sitting at a tippy restaurant table, don’t get mad. Think Wobbleology! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Wobbleology is the science of, yes, wobbly restaurant tables. New Scientist magazine coined the term. But the credit goes to these folks: researchers at Monash
What makes Internet trolls tick? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying: You’ve experienced trolls: people who will write anything online to make someone else look silly. These tricksters spew a lot of bile, but what are they like in real life? Maybe not that
When you’re asleep, how is your baseball game? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Every night, while we sleep, new memories from the day are thrown at our brains like baseballs from a pitcher’s mound. Our brainwaves swing at the perfect time to hit the
Is seeing REALLY believing? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Our world is full of things that demand our attention. Signs, lights, people! It should be overwhelming. But our brains are GOOD at prioritizing. How do they decide what’s most important? Meet Jacqueline Snow and
Think filing your taxes is a pain? Imagine doing it in macramé! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. It may sound far-fetched but that’s exactly how the ancient Incas kept records. With colored, knotted strings called khipu. Colonial documents verify that khipu were used in
Is the key to your teen’s happiness… a smartphone? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. They’re texting, on Facebook, or playing games. They SEEM to be enjoying themselves. After all, they KEEP playing Candy Crush and scrolling through their news feed. But could all of
Too much to do on your to-do list? Sleep on it! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. It can be hard to fall asleep with unfinished tasks bouncing around our head. Many of us prepare for the next day with a to-do list. Others just
Do our pets experience the placebo effect? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The placebo effect is when people’s belief that a treatment is working makes them feel better. But we can also imagine that a treatment is making our pets better. So how can
Can your bridesmaids predict your lifespan? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Scientists say personality somewhat predicts mortality. For example, inactive, fatty-food-loving people are susceptible to early heart attacks. Psychologists at Washington University in St. Louis were interested in this mortality connection. Problem is, most