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Slow down, or you’ll miss today’s Geo Quiz: We are looking for a tiny little town in southeast Australia. It’s located in the state of Victoria. The commission has convinced the town to change its name for one month in order to raise awareness about road safety. Download MP3
Loneliness isn’t just a state of mind. It also affects our bodies. A growing number of studies are showing that a feeling of loneliness is associated with heart problems, viral infections, and an increased risk of death. And those health problems, in turn, are associated with huge differences in gene activity. Some genes, like ones involved in inflammation, are more active in lonely people. Others, such as genes that code for antiviral defenses, are less active.
I have always considered myself a linguistic mutt. I grew up speaking Bengali (my mother tongue), Hindi (India’s national language), and English (a legacy of India’s colonial past). So I was thrilled to learn that the 2011 annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) had a session on bilingualism. It was titled “Crossing Borders in Language Science: What Bilinguals Are Telling Us About Mind and Brain.”
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Jessica Golloher reports from Moscow on how some Russians escape the winter blues with the help of zoo animals. Russia’s long, cold and dark winters have been linked with high rates of depression and stress. Download MP3
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Why do we kiss? And why does it make us feel so good? Find out in our latest online Science Forum discussion. We’re discussing the science of kissing with Sheril Kirshenbaum, author of the new book “The Science of Kissing: What Our Lips Are Telling Us.” Kirshenbaum recently spoke with the The World’s science correspondent, Rhitu Chatterjee. Listen to that interview in the latest World Science Podcast. And join the online conversation with Kirshenbaum. Download MP3Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Worldwide, the percentage of adults who are obese has nearly doubled in the past 30 years. That’s according to a new report in The Lancet. Marco Werman speaks with Professor Majid Ezzati of Imperial College London. He led an international team of researchers who examined health data from 199 countries and territories. Download MP3
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The BBC’s Judy Swallow reports from Kolkata, India, where tea is served by street vendors in disposable clay cups. It turns out those cups are more environmentally friendly than the plastic ones you get from vendors elsewhere in India. Download MP3
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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with writer Seth Mnookin about his new book, ‘The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science and Fear.’ Mnookin explores why an anti-vaccination campaign has been so powerful, even though it was based on fraudulent science. Download MP3Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
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The cholera outbreak in Haiti has spread easily because of the poor sanitation following last year’s devastating earthquake. More than 3,200 people have died of disease since October. The World’s Jeb Sharp spent some time this week with a man who has the job of collecting the bodies of cholera victims. Download MP3
Malaria is a disease of the developing world, but some Americans are being infected with malaria intentionally to help medical research. Reporter Eric Niiler profiles volunteers in a US Army study of an experimental malaria vaccine.
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Beirut’s streets are filled with aging cars spewing clouds of toxic fumes in the air. Ben Gilbert reports that researchers hope to find out exactly how much damage those exhaust fumes are doing to Lebanese health. Download MP3
