Videocasts
Get up to speed on current events with the Museum's series of videocasts. Our staff of experts can tell you what you need to know about the latest breakthroughs in health, technology, or science.
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- Comparing Recent Quakes (Videocast)
- The earthquake that rocked Chile on February 27 ranked higher on the Richter scale than the one that hit Haiti in the previous month, but the damage it inflicted was not quite as devastating. In this videocast, we explore the factors that affect an earthquake's impact. (details).
March 03, 2010
- Building a Better Light Bulb (Videocast)
- Twenty-two percent of the energy used in the United States goes toward lighting. Although compact fluorescent bulbs have helped scale back our energy use, consumers are wary of their mercury content. A Massachusetts-based company has come up with an energy efficient, LED bulb for household use that utilizes ... (details).
February 25, 2010
- Shedding Light on Human Genetic Diversity (Videocast)
- Hunter-gathers in southern Africa represent the oldest lineage of humans, so it's important to understand their genetic diversity as it relates to their unique lifestyle and the changing world around them. A group of researchers have recently examined the DNA from five African men, revealing over 1.3 million new genetic variations ... (details).
February 24, 2010
- Advances in Huntington's Disease (Videocast)
- Huntington's Disease is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder caused by an altered gene that makes an extra-long protein. New research suggests that shortening the gene may lead to a possible treatment. Watch this videocast to find out more. (details).
February 18, 2010
- Palm-sized Cancer Testing (Videocast)
- A Harvard graduate student has figured out a way to detect cancer with a device that is far more portable and less expensive than existing lab methods. Watch this videocast to find out how the palm-sized device uses nuclear magnetic resonance to detect cancer in a blood sample. (details).
February 17, 2010
- Earthquake Preparedness in New England (Videocast)
- Although New England is in a less earthquake-prone area than Haiti, it has endured large quakes in the past. In this videocast, special guest Dr. John Ebel from the Weston Observatory of Boston College discusses the likelihood of a New England earthquake and the steps we've taken to prevent catastrophic damage ... (details).
February 11, 2010
- Fossil Feathers Reveal Dinosaur Color (Videocast)
- New fossil evidence has revealed that the Sinosauropteryx, a feathered dinosaur in northeastern China, had white and red-orange stripes along the length of its tail. Watch this videocast to learn how scientists are now able to decipher both the feathers' color and their function. (details).
February 04, 2010
- Fighting Heart Disease with Nanoburrs (Videocast)
- For heart disease patients with damaged arteries, doctors typically use stents to open blocked blood vessels, but the treatment requires surgery, and not all damaged areas are well suited to stents. Watch this videocast to find out about new research to develop "nanoburrs" that find damaged tissue and ... (details).
February 03, 2010
- Super-absorbent Nanoglass Cleans Pollutants (Videocast)
- Some of the best scientific discoveries happen accidentally, and that's exactly what happened at Ohio's College of Wooster, where a project devoted to using nano-engineered glass powder to detect explosives instead led to the realization that the material could absorb pollutants from water. Watch this ... (details).
January 27, 2010
- Do Disinfectants Make Bacteria Stronger? (Videocast)
- Disinfectants are essential to protecting us from harmful bacteria, but could their overuse make the bacteria more drug-resistant? A group of researchers in Ireland set out to find the answer. Watch this videocast to find out more. (details).
January 21, 2010
- Artificial Pancreas Could Aid Diabetes Patients (Videocast)
- People who suffer from Type 1 diabetes must test their blood sugar levels because their bodies lack islet cells, a special type of cell in the pancreas. In this videocast, we explain how a team of bio-engineers at the University of California, San Francisco have set out to mimic the role of the pancreas ... (details).
January 20, 2010
- Spitting Cobras Take Aim (Videocast)
- Some cobra species defend themselves by spitting their venom into the eyes of their predators, which can lead to intense pain and permanent blindness. Watch this videocast to hear from anatomist Bruce Young, whose work at the University of Massachusetts Lowell examines how these spitting cobras aim at the eyes so accurately ... (details).
January 14, 2010
- Storing CO2 Offshore (Videocast)
- With greenhouse gas emissions projected to continue increasing, geoscientists from Columbia and Rutgers Universities suggest that a potential storage solution lies in the basalt rock found in underground basins off the East coast. Watch this videocast to find out more. (details).
January 13, 2010
- How Monarch Butterflies Migrate to Mexico (Videocast)
- Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies migrate from the eastern United States and southern Canada to central Mexico. In this videocast, neurobiologist Steven Reppert talks about new findings surrounding the remarkable navigational tools that the butterflies use to find their way. Reference: "Antennal ... (details).
January 07, 2010
- Top Five Science Stories of 2009 (Videocast)
- Every year, Museum Education Associate Susan Heilman compiles her list of the top ten science stories of the year and presents them at the Museum. Here, she narrows the list down to her top five. Watch the video to see what made the cut. (details).
January 06, 2010
- Pit Stops on the Moon (Videocast)
- Space travel requires a lot of fuel; a single space shuttle launch requires almost 4 million pounds. A group of students and professors from Purdue and Penn State are exploring ways to lighten the load for future rocket missions, and they have developed a new fuel that could make it possible to stop at the Moon for a fill up ... (details).
December 23, 2009
- New Evidence for Warm-blooded Dinosaurs (Videocast)
- New research on how two-legged dinosaurs walked and ran adds new evidence to the argument that these extinct animals were warm blooded. But how can scientists investigate this theory just from fossil bones? Watch this videocast to find out. (details).
December 17, 2009
- Anti-Icing Coating (Videocast)
- New Englanders are well aware that freezing rain can be much more dangerous than snow or sleet. A research team at the University of Pittsburgh has figured out how to treat a surface with nanoparticles so that it can repel water before ice can form. Watch this videocast to find out how the technology works ... (details).
December 16, 2009
- Biologically Inspired Robots (Videocast)
- Guest presenter Casey Kute from Carnegie Mellon University explains how a gecko's wall-climbing abilities inspired the adhesion technology in her robots. Watch the videocast to learn about how these climbing robots might be used, and find out where you can discover them in the Museum. (details).
December 10, 2009
- Virtual Humans Come to the Museum (Videocast)
- Ada and Grace are virtual museum guides who can recognize speech and offer an appropriate response using artificial intelligence. Guest presenter Bill Swartout from the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies talks about this virtual human technology, part of the new "InterFaces" exhibit at the Museum ... (details).
December 09, 2009
- Canning Bisphenol A (Videocast)
- Bisphenol A (BPA) has been making headlines as a potentially harmful chemical in plastic bottles, but a new investigation has also examined the presence of the chemical in canned goods. Watch this videocast to find out if the levels of BPA in your canned food is cause for concern. (details).
December 03, 2009
- How Fast Can Neurons Grow? (Videocast)
- Repetition helps us learn new motor skills, and our brains our adept at remembering the motion long after the training period ends. However, the changes within the brain during the learning process have been unknown — until now. Watch this videocast to learn about new research being done on mice ... (details).
December 02, 2009
- How Do Vaccines Work? (Videocast)
- With H1N1 flu making headlines nearly every day, questions about getting vaccinated are becoming ever more common. Watch this videocast to learn more about how vaccines work to prevent not only various flu strains but also sexually transmitted diseases. (details).
November 19, 2009
- New Technology for Prostheses (Videocast)
- With so many troops sustaining the loss of limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is new interest in prostheses that more closely resemble real arms or legs. This videocast focuses on research at the University of Michigan that could allow amputees to control prosthetic limbs naturally and even have a ... (details).
November 18, 2009
- Pet Obesity an Increasing Problem (Videocast)
- Over the past 20 years, U.S. obesity rates have increased in adults and children, and now it appears that the dramatic rise affects household pets as well. In this videocast, guest presenter Dr. Lisa Freeman from Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine explains how the family pet can ... (details).
November 12, 2009
- Exercise Training and Heart Function (Videocast)
- Guest presenter Dr. Aaron Baggish from Massachusetts General Hospital has been studying hundreds of college athletes to determine how exercise affects the size and shape of the human heart. In this videocast, Dr. Baggish talks about his group's latest research, in which the athletes are studied during ... (details).
November 05, 2009
- Surgical Scalpels Identify Tumors (Videocast)
- When removing a cancerous tumor, surgeons must carefully determine what tissue to remove, and this can be a time-consuming process that requires a pathologist's analysis. Researchers in Germany are developing a method that combines electrosurgery with mass spectrometry to dramatically reduce the time spent identifying tissue ... (details).
November 04, 2009
- A Spooky New Spider Species (Videocast)
- A giant, orb-weaving spider has recently been discovered in Africa and Madagascar. Nephila komaci is notable because the female is five times larger than the male, offering new insight into the evolution of female gigantism. Watch this videocast to find out more. Reference: Kuntner M, Coddington ... (details).
October 29, 2009
- Sniffing Out Toxic Chemicals (Videocast)
- A toxic chemical spill can pose a major threat to a heavily populated area, and chemical sniffing devices can detect only a handful of the toxins that can potentially harm us. A group at the University of Illinois has developed a small device that uses a nano gel that can react to a number of different ... (details).
October 28, 2009
- NanoBees Join War on Cancer (Videocast)
- What happens when you load a nanoparticle with bee toxin and target it to cancer cells? Museum of Science nanotechnology correspondent Alex Fiorentino tells the story of two intrepid Washington University researchers who asked... and found out. (details).
October 22, 2009
- New Research on our Ancient Primate Past (Videocast)
- The recent discovery of the "Ida" fossil in Germany made a big splash, but Afradapis, a new large-bodied primate discovered in Egypt, may provide more clues about our evolutionary past. A new methodology that compares over a hundred primate specimens makes it all possible. Watch this videocast to learn how ... (details).
October 21, 2009
- H1N1 Virus Overwhelms Lungs (Videocast)
- We're all keenly aware that the H1N1 strain of the flu virus is highly contagious and deadly. New research examining hospital records in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and Canada suggests one possible cause: massive lung inflammation, which can lead the deprivation of oxygen in the blood. Watch this videocast to learn more ... (details).
October 15, 2009
- The Ocean-Ice Sheet Connection (Videocast)
- Guest presenter Dr. Fiamma Straneo has recently returned from Greenland, where she measured water temperatures near the edge of three of Greenland's largest glaciers. Watch this videocast to find out what her team discovered about the North Atlantic's role in glacial ice melt. (details).
October 14, 2009
- Exploring the Moon (Videocast)
- Two NASA robotic missions could provide key knowledge for a possible manned return trip to the Moon, including whether there is water beneath the lunar surface. Watch this videocast to hear from Boston University graduate student Tony Case, who worked on equipment that is on board one of these missions ... (details).
October 08, 2009
- Orange Oil-based Tires Are Ready to Roll (Videocast)
- A conventional tire contains about 10 gallons of oil, but scientists at Yokohama Tire have created a tire that uses orange oil instead. In addition to being more Earth friendly, the tire handles better, too. Watch this videocast to find out more. (details).
October 07, 2009
- Using Geophysics for Archaeology Mapping (Videocast)
- Dr. Meg Watters, geophysicist for Time Team America on PBS, explains how her team used non-invasive tools to map a Civil War-era archaeological site. Watch this videocast to find out what she discovered. (details).
October 01, 2009
- Fast-charging Algae Batteries (Videocast)
- Scientists from Uppsala University in Sweden have designed a new battery that recharges extremely quickly and weighs almost nothing. The secret: common pond algae. Watch this videocast to learn more. Reference: "Ultrafast All-polymer Paper-Based Batteries," Nystrom, G., Razaq, A., Stromme, M., Nyholm, L ... (details).
September 30, 2009
- New Information On Glacial Activity (Videocast)
- Using a laser altimeter on a NASA satellite, researchers from the British Antarctic Survey and the University of Bristol are able to better measure thinning glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica, allowing for more accurate predictions of rising sea levels. Watch this videocast to learn more. Reference: ... (details).
September 23, 2009
- The Destructive Power of Black Holes (Videocast)
- NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory allows scientists to observe radiation from material as it falls into a black hole. New findings by guest presenter Dan Evans show how powerful the energy of black holes can be. Watch this videocast to learn why one galaxy with a black hole at its center earned the nickname, "Death Star Galaxy ... (details).
September 17, 2009
- Correcting Color Blindness (Videocast)
- Red-green color blindness is one of the most common genetic traits in humans, and the gene mutation also affects monkeys. A new study examines whether the vision in squirrel monkeys could be improved with gene therapy. Watch this videocast to learn about the results. (details).
September 16, 2009
- Tomato and Potato Blight (Videocast)
- From backyard gardens to commercial farms, New England tomato growers have been experiencing the fungal devastation called "late blight," caused by the same organism that initiated the deadly Irish potato famine in the 1850s. Although this year's crop has suffered, there is hope for the future: an international ... (details).
September 10, 2009
- Nanomagnets Target Treatment to Injured Arteries (Videocast)
- Stems cells can help repair damaged arteries, but it is difficult to get them to target problem areas. Scientists at the University College London have figured out a way to use magnets to help direct the cells. Watch this videocast to learn how this method works. (details).
September 03, 2009
- Appendix: Useless or Not? (Videocast)
- For some time, the appendix has been categorized as a useless organ. However, new research not only suggests a novel function for the appendix but also shows its evolutionary importance. Watch this videocast to find out more. Reference: "Comparative Anatomy and Phylogenetic Distribution of the Mammalian Cecal Appendix," H ... (details).
September 02, 2009
- Robotic Bees (Videocast)
- Harvard scientists have set out to build tiny robotic bees capable of flying independently, sensing their environment, and communicating with each other. Watch this videocast to find out more. (details).
August 20, 2009
- Gene Mutation May Help People Sleep Better (Videocast)
- Researchers at the University of San Fransisco have found a gene mutation that will help us shed some light on sleep. Watch this videocast to learn more. (details).
August 19, 2009
- Blueberry Leaves for Liver Health (Videocast)
- Many health benefits are attributed to the high level of antioxidants found in blueberries, but berries are not the only part of the blueberry plant that may be beneficial to our health. Watch this videocast to learn more. Reference: Takeshita, M., Ishida, Y., Akamatsu, E., Ohmori, Y., Sudoh, M., Uto, H ... (details).
August 13, 2009
- Would a Neanderthal Like Broccoli? (Videocast)
- Now that we understand the genomes for our closest extinct (neanderthals) and living (chimpanzee) relatives, we are again trying to come to grips with what makes us different from them. It turns out that the differences are quite small - watch this videocast to learn more. (details).
August 12, 2009
- Swimming Creatures Stir Up the Ocean (Videocast)
- A new study of jellyfish locomotion shows that small swimming animals may have a big effect on ocean mixing and circulation. Watch this videocast to learn more. (details).
August 06, 2009
- Can Eating Less Really Help Us Live Longer? (Videocast)
- Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have conducted a 20-year study with rhesus monkeys that compared the benefits of eating a low-calorie diet versus an equally nutritious normal diet. Watch this videocast to learn about the results. Reference: "Caloric Restriction Delays Disease Onset and Mortality in Rhesus Monkeys" Ricki J ... (details).
August 05, 2009
- Possible Vaccine to Treat Breast Cancer (Videocast)
- Therapeutic vaccines can be used to boost the body's immune system and help it fight off existing disease. A study at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research examined types of breast cancers that have a particularly bad prognosis to see if they might be treatable with a such a vaccine. Watch this videocast to learn about the study's results ... (details).
July 30, 2009
- Unlocking the Secrets of Snake Movement (Videocast)
- A group of mathematicians from New York University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have been exploring how snakes move across flat ground, and their findings might strike a familiar chord with those who frequent the ice skating rink. Learn more by watching this videocast featuring a special guest from the Museum's Live Animal Center ... (details).
July 29, 2009
- Children's Sharing and Fairness (Videocast)
- In order to make friends in preschool, children have to learn how to share, but they must also balance generosity with their own self-interest. Researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education use games with children to study when children will share and what it means to be fair. In this videocast, ... (details).
July 23, 2009
- Artificial Sweeteners Indicate Wastewater Contamination (Videocast)
- Artificial sugars, like those found in diet sodas, pass through the body and wind up in wastewater, which is difficult to track after it has been treated. Scientists have recently found that some synthetic sugars can serve as a reliable tracker of wastewater after its release into the environment. Watch this videocast to learn more ... (details).
July 22, 2009
- When the Sun is Hidden, New Science is Revealed (Videocast)
- Scientists are looking forward to an upcoming total solar eclipse because it offers a rare opportunity to study the Sun's corona. What can we learn from this super-hot upper atmosphere? Watch this videocast to find out. (details).
July 15, 2009
- Tiny fragments of Salmonella Bacteria Used to Treat Cancer (Videocast)
- Scientists from Australia are using tiny drug delivery packages derived from Salmonella to destroy cancer cells in mice. The packages deliver anti-cancer drugs directly to cancer cells, and have shown promising results in eliminating even drug-resistant cancers. Clinical trials are set to begin next month in Australia ... (details).
July 09, 2009
- Schizophrenia and Chromosome 6 (Videocast)
- Schizophrenia is a devastating brain disorder that affects about 1% of the population in the United States. The exact causes are unknown, but new research approximating the genetic address of schizophrenia in DNA could lead to new therapies. Watch this videocast to learn more. (details).
July 02, 2009
- New Views on Limb Regeneration (Videocast)
- Regeneration is a common phenomenon among plants and animals — including salamanders, who have the ability to regenerate a complete limb after an amputation injury. However, detailed explanations have been elusive, in part because differentiating the regenerating cells is difficult. Watch this videocast ... (details).
July 01, 2009
- Robotic Ferrets (Videocast)
- Screening large shipping containers for illegal substances can be a time-consuming, dangerous process for port security officials. Researchers at the University of Sheffield are developing "cargo screening ferrets" to aid in the search. Watch this videocast to learn how these 30-cm-long robots can navigate a container packed with cargo ... (details).
June 25, 2009
- Cancer in Wildlife (Videocast)
- Cancer is believed to be as prevalent in animals as it is in humans, and in some cases, it can even be spread through contact between animals. As cancer incidence becomes more of a conservation concern, we can learn more about treating human cancers. Watch this videocast to find out more. (details).
June 24, 2009
- Plasma Roots out Bacteria (Videocast)
- A root canal is no fun -- it can be lengthy, painful, and there is a chance of infection that can mean more visits to the dentist. Researchers at the University of California have developed a plasma beam that they believe can be used to remove the threat of post-procedure infection. Learn more by watching this videocast ... (details).
June 18, 2009
- NASA's Newest Mission to the Moon (Videocast)
- On June 18, NASA launched a new two-part satellite to gather information we need for future manned missions to the Moon. Watch this videocast to learn how the spacecraft studies the lunar surface. (details).
June 17, 2009
- Understanding Tuberculosis Bacterium (Videocast)
- Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium that weakens our body's defenses. Bacteria can evolve to become more resistant to our immune systems, and this is believed to be true for the TB bacterium. Fortunately, scientists from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have recently made a breakthrough in understanding its genetic makeup ... (details).
June 11, 2009
- Home Video in Five Dimensions (Videocast)
- First there was VHS, then DVD. Now, Blu-ray is the hottest trend in home video. However, scientists at the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia have invented a new optical technology that could change the face of home video yet again: data storage in five dimensions. Watch this videocast ... (details).
June 10, 2009
- Glowing Monkeys (Videocast)
- In order to study human disease, researchers often use transgenic mice that contain genetic material from other organisms. However, mice are not always the best test subjects for studying human genetics, so researchers in Japan have figured out how to develop transgenic monkeys using green fluorescent protein (GFP) from jellyfish ... (details).
June 04, 2009
- The Epidermal Jungle: Meet your Skin Flora (Videocast)
- A recent study by the Human Microbiome Project took a look at the skin bacteria living at various locations throughout the body. The results show a diversity of bacteria not only among locations, but also between study participants. Watch this videocast to learn more. Reference: "Topographical and Temporal ... (details).
June 03, 2009
- Liquid Water on Mars (Videocast)
- Thanks to the Phoenix lander, we know that water exists on Mars as ice. Recently, scientists at NASA and in Spain have addressed whether liquid water could exist there, even in the harsh Martian climate. Watch this videocast to learn more about their research. Reference: "Stability against freezing ... (details).
May 27, 2009
- A New Plastic Bottle Concern (Videocast)
- Bisphenol A might be the attention getter as far as chemicals in plastic bottles are concerned, but researchers in Germany have found that another plastic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), may contain chemicals that mimic human estrogen. Watch this videocast to learn what type of bottles are affected ... (details).
May 21, 2009
- Meet Ida, the Most Complete Primate Fossil (Videocast)
- Ida, or Darwinius masillae, is the most complete primate fossil ever found. She was so well preserved that we can see the outline of her fur and the contents of her stomach. Watch this videocast to understand the significance of this finding to our understanding of human evolution. (details).
May 20, 2009
- Re-knitting Injured Spinal Cords (Videocast)
- According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, there are over 1 million individuals in the United States living with a spinal cord injury. New research is focusing on getting damaged spinal tissue to regenerate, much in the same way our skin heals when it is cut. Watch this videocast to find out more ... (details).
May 14, 2009
- Nanotechnology Makes Portable HIV Monitoring Possible (Videocast)
- A new device made in Marlborough, MA is using nanotechnology to bring HIV monitoring out of the hospital and into remote regions in need of treatment. The device, called the PointCare NOW machine, labels blood cells with gold nanoparticles instead of traditional fluorescent tags. As a result, it can ... (details).
May 13, 2009
- Young Wildlife Belong in the Wild (Videocast)
- Spring is here, and so are baby animals, like birds, squirrels, deer, and turtles. Although it might be tempting to come to the aid of these seemingly vulnerable animals, it's important to keep them at a distance. Find out why in this videocast, featuring a guest from the Museum's Live Animal Center ... (details).
May 07, 2009
- What Hippos Can Teach Us about Brain Development (Videocast)
- In an isolated island habitat that is short on resources, there is evidence that the bodies and brains of some hippo species have shrunk over time. A new study on brain development seeks to find a correlation between hippos and humans, which might explain the finding of a dwarf-size human skeleton found in Indonesia in 2004 ... (details).
May 06, 2009
- Searching for Small Molecules (Videocast)
- Now that the human genome has been sequenced, we face the challenge of understanding how each of its proteins participates in development and disease. Researchers use small molecules to finely control a protein in order to understand its function, sometimes leading to new therapies. In this videocast, ... (details).
April 30, 2009
- Alligator Immunity (Videocast)
- Alligators are often injured during fights, but despite living in close quarters with thousands of different bacteria, viruses, and parasites, they avoid infection remarkably well. Researchers are trying to learn more about the alligator's immune system to see if some qualities might benefit humans. ... (details).
April 29, 2009
- Another Letter in the DNA Alphabet (Videocast)
- For many years, DNA scholars have believed that the long strand of genetic information was comprised of just four kinds of molecules. However, two groups of scientists have recently reported on a fifth molecule that could tell us how DNA instructs genetic traits. Watch this videocast for more on the impact of this finding ... (details).
April 23, 2009
- Climate Change Affects Flowers at Walden Pond (Videocast)
- Thanks to Henry David Thoreau, there is data on the flowering time for Walden Pond plant species that dates to more than 100 years ago. Local naturalists and scientists have continued to record this data, and now researchers at Boston University and Harvard University are able to understand how plants respond to climate change ... (details).
April 22, 2009
- Stem Cells Clear Corneas (Videocast)
- The cornea is the clear, outer layer of the eye, and it can be damaged by inflammation and disease. Repairing the cornea typically requires a corneal transplant, but University of Pittsburgh researchers have found a way to grow corneal stem cells, which showed promising results in repairing the corneas of lab mice ... (details).
April 16, 2009
- Ozone: A World Avoided (Videocast)
- Ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were first banned over 20 years ago after a group of researchers discovered a seasonal hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Recently, a team of atmospheric chemists at NASA used climate models to predict what would have happened if we had continued to use CFCs without regulation ... (details).
April 15, 2009
- Powering Electronics with Artificial Muscle (Videocast)
- Scientists at the University of Texas at Dallas have developed a new kind of artificial muscle made from carbon nanotubes. The material is 30 times stronger than natural muscle, but literally light as air, meaning it could make electronic devices smaller, more efficient, and extremely light. Watch this videocast to find out how it works ... (details).
April 09, 2009
- Meet Adam, the First Robot Scientist (Videocast)
- With four computers, several incubators, and even a plate washer, Adam is a robot built for the repetitive tasks that come with performing experiments. However, unlike its predecessors, Adam can also interpret the results it finds and then plan and execute the next step. Watch this videocast to learn more about this unusual robot ... (details).
April 08, 2009
- New England Frogs Herald Spring (Videocast)
- Amphibian calls can be among the more prominent announcements of spring, but some species are facing an increasingly difficult struggle for survival. In this videocast, Museum Live Animal Center Curator Bunny Watson explains why, and she describes how we can help by participating in Citizen Science. ... (details).
April 02, 2009
- Can We Keep CO2 Underground? (Videocast)
- Carbon dioxide continues to accumulate in the atmosphere primarily from human activity, such as burning coal or other fossil fuels. Since energy demands are not declining in any meaningful way, the idea of storing carbon dioxide underground is gaining favor. However, the programs that have piloted this ... (details).
April 01, 2009
- Using Bacteria to Detoxify Metals (Videocast)
- Bacteria have long been known to metabolize metals, but scientists at Ohio State University are using an atomic force microscope to view this interaction more closely. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, this research could lead to a bacteria that detoxifies nuclear waste and other harmful metals ... (details).
March 26, 2009
- Looking for Life in Meteorites (Videocast)
- Proteins, which are made up of amino acids, are the building blocks of life. NASA scientists have learned that the primary form of amino acids in meteorites is the same form which comprises all Earth-bound amino acids. Could this mean that life on Earth came from space? Watch this videocast to find out ... (details).
March 25, 2009
- Spring Swimsuit Issue (Videocast)
- Nanotech correspondent Alex Fiorentino models a swimsuit that doesn't get wet. An extreme close-up animation of the action on the surface of the fabric shows how it stays dry. (details).
March 19, 2009
- Anemia and Infection (Videocast)
- Anemia is our blood's diminished capacity to carry oxygen, and it's often linked to iron deficiency. Infection can also cause anemia, and recent research has found an iron-regulating molecule that could tell us why. Watch this videocast to find out more (details).
March 18, 2009
- Alcohol Linked to Breast Cancer Risk (Videocast)
- Drinking a glass of red wine is often associated with certain health benefits. However, new research shows that for some diseases, such as breast cancer, the health risk does not decrease. Watch this videocast to get the facts. (details).
March 12, 2009
- New Dating Technique for Asian Homo Erectus (Videocast)
- Dating fossil material from cave sites like Zhoukoudian, just outside of modern-day Beijing, has been difficult due in large part to their lack of volcanic material. A new technique that measures radioactive decay is making this process easier while providing a more accurate estimate of the cave's first use by Asian Homo erectus ... (details).
March 11, 2009
- Silk from the Ages (Videocast)
- Researchers at the University of Wisconsin and Harvard University have uncovered silk fibers in 4,400-year old artifacts from the Indus Valley Civilization, located in present-day Pakistan and western India. The silk is from wild moths native to Southeast Asia, and its use by the Indus Valley inhabitants ... (details).
March 05, 2009
- Paper Diagnostics for Health (Videocast)
- The Whitesides lab at Harvard is developing sophisticated medical diagnostic devices that are lightweight, disposable, cost pennies to make, and operate without power. They're made out of paper. (details).
March 04, 2009
- Can We Prevent Gray Hair? (Videocast)
- Scientists at the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom have demonstrated ways in which hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plays a role in graying hair. Watch this videocast to find out what this could mean for those of us who dye our hair to disguise the gray. (details).
February 25, 2009
- MS Genetics and Vitamin D (Videocast)
- The risk for developing multiple sclerosis (MS), a debilitating auto-immune disease, can correlate to a population's distance from the Earth's equator. New research suggests a link between one MS-associated gene and vitamin D, which can increase in our bodies when we spend time in sunlight. Watch this ... (details).
February 19, 2009
- Potential Aid for Tracking Prostate Cancer (Videocast)
- Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. The biggest challenge for doctors is determining whether the cancer is aggressive, and patients are often over treated as a result. New research offers insight into singling out aggressive tumors. Watch this videocast to learn more. (details).
February 18, 2009
- Researchers Poised for Volcanic Lightning (Videocast)
- When a volcano erupts, lightning can also occur around the mouth and within the ash plume of the eruption. As it develops, lightning gives off radio bursts of noise, penetrating the ash and clouds that block normal light. By detecting and mapping these bursts in 3-D, researchers can capture lightning flash location, path, and speed ... (details).
February 12, 2009
- Making Solar Energy More Affordable (Videocast)
- Light, flexible solar panels made with nanotechnology will soon bring down the cost of installing household solar energy systems, and new federal and state tax credits are providing additional incentive. (details).
February 11, 2009
- Fertilizing the Ocean to Absorb CO2 (Videocast)
- Phytoplankton are vital to the removal of carbon dioxide from the Earth's atmosphere. Some scientists are considering "fertilizing" the ocean with iron to increase the phytoplankton population, which could absorb more of our emissions. Watch this videocast to find out whether this method could work, and learn about the risks involved ... (details).
February 05, 2009
- Man Drinks Water Out of the Charles (Videocast)
- Nanotechnology can help provide clean water for NASA astronauts, disaster relief teams, and field clinics. The CEO of a Vermont nanotech start-up company drinks water out of the Charles River to make his point, and the Museum tests the water filtering device in front of a live NECN audience. (details).
February 04, 2009
- Extinct Tasmanian Tiger Offers New Lessons (Videocast)
- Scientists at Penn State University have sequenced the genome of the Tasmanian tiger, a marsupial that became extinct in 1936. Watch this videocast to learn how studying an extinct animal's genetic diversity might help us save today's endangered species. (details).
January 29, 2009
- Nano, Silver, and You (Videocast)
- Nano-sized particles of silver are terrific at fighting bacteria and mold, and are being used both in hospital settings and for food storage. But they're also being incorporated into more casual types of consumer products, like children's toys and clothing. Could this lead to a harmful accumulation ... (details).
January 28, 2009
- Getting the Lead Out (Videocast)
- Lead has long been feared as an environmental pollutant and neurotoxin that can cause learning disabilities, seizures — even death. Scientists in South Korea have found a way to use nanoparticles to isolate lead in liquid, including human blood. Watch this videocast to learn how this technology works ... (details).
January 22, 2009
- Nanobama! (Videocast)
- University of Michigan researcher John Hart made tiny 3-D images of Barack Obama by growing millions of carbon nanotubes on etched metal chips. Hugely magnified, the images helped to popularize the potential of nanotechnology and brought attention to the question of the new administration's plans for funding basic science research ... (details).
January 21, 2009
- NASA Technology Can Help Detect Cataracts (Videocast)
- Researchers from the National Eye Institute have teamed up with NASA scientists to find a simple way to test for cataracts, using laser technology originally designed for zero-gravity protein analysis. Watch this videocast to learn how the test works. (details).
January 15, 2009
- Record-breaking Run of Warm Years Is Not Random (Videocast)
- Over the last ten years, the world has seen nine of the hottest years on record since 1880. The hottest 17 years have occurred over the past two decades. A recent study has determined it is exceedingly unlikely (less than 1 in 1000 odds) that these occurrences were mere chance. Watch this videocast to ... (details).
January 14, 2009
- Cellular Reprogramming Changes the Game (Videocast)
- For many years, scientists believed that as a cell developed, it grew into a certain type that was irreversible. New research has found that cells can in fact be reprogrammed to serve a different function. Watch this videocast to learn about how this is possible, and what this cellular reprogramming ... (details).
January 08, 2009
- Top Science Stories of 2008 (Videocast)
- What were the best science stories of 2008? The Museum's Susan Heilman runs down her list of the top five. Watch this videocast to see what made the cut. (details).
January 07, 2009
- Roadable Aircraft Goes from Airport to Highway (Videocast)
- Engineers have been designing flying vehicles for as long as cars and planes have been around, but past models have been unsuccessful. Watch this videocast to learn about a new, promising prototype that can fly to an airport, fold up its wings, and drive on the highway. (details).
December 18, 2008
- Nano-powered Electric Trucks Come to Hawaii (Videocast)
- Last week, the governor of Hawaii announced a plan to bring zero-emission electric trucks to the island of Maui for use by the island's utility crews. The trucks are powered by lithium titanate batteries, which can fully recharge in under ten minutes. Watch this videocast to learn the nanoscale secret ... (details).
December 17, 2008
- An Element Essential to Rainforests (Videocast)
- Researchers at Princeton University have determined that the element molybdenum is essential to plants' ability to use nitrogen. Hear how this rare metal could play a critical role in our ability to reduce the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. (details).
December 11, 2008
- New Fossil Find Offers Clues about Childbirth (Videocast)
- A recent find in Ethiopia of a 1.1-million-year-old female pelvis is altering our views of childbirth, as well as childhood. (details).
December 10, 2008
- Breast Imaging and Cancer Diagnosis (Videocast)
- As basic imaging methods change and radiologists use new methods more frequently, breast imaging is becoming more complex. Hear Dr. Elaine Iuanow from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center describe these technologies and how they can improve upon the initial mammography screening. (details).
December 04, 2008
- CO2-Linked Increase In Ocean Acidity Impacts Sea Life (Videocast)
- An eight-year study of a Northwest Pacific island habitat found ocean acidity is increasing, with rising atmospheric CO2 levels at ten times the rate previously predicted. Annual measurements showed the increased acidity negatively impacted marine species such as California and blue mussels, which declined in size and abundance ... (details).
December 03, 2008
- Thin, Bendable, Transparent Speakers (Videocast)
- New developments in nanotechnology could make bulky stereos a thing of the past. The museum's Alex Fiorentino explains how scientists recently used a thin film of carbon nanotubes to make a clear, flexible audio speaker that really works! (details).
November 20, 2008
- Obesity in the 21st Century (Videocast)
- Obesity is quickly increasing as an epidemic health problem. Dr. Sasha Stiles from the Tufts Obesity Consult Center talks about some of the causes of obesity and presents some options to help combat this disease. (details).
November 20, 2008
- The Athlete's Heart (Videocast)
- Through more than 100 years of study, scientists have recognized that athletes tend to have larger hearts than their sedentary counterparts. However, the explanation for this observation has been a topic of controversy. Does sport cause heart enlargement, or are individuals who succeed at sport simply ... (details).
November 13, 2008
- New Nanomaterial Poses Great Potential (Videocast)
- Researchers have recently announced that they have fabricated the world's largest single sheet of graphene, a derivative of the more familiar graphite found in pencils. The Museum's Tim Miller discusses this potentially revolutionary new material. (details).
November 12, 2008
- Asthma in Boston (Videocast)
- Tufts University's Doug Brugge, PhD has been studying asthma in the Boston communities of Chinatown and Dorchester. His team discovered that people in both populations were far more likely to be diagnosed with asthma if they were born in the United States than if they were born in another country. Why might this be? Hear Dr ... (details).
November 06, 2008
- Electric Eel Mimicry Suggests Shocking Medical Application (Videocast)
- Researchers at Yale University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a computer model that accurately reproduces measured cell output from electric eels. Using this model, they discovered the potential for cells with a higher and more efficient energy output. Their ... (details).
November 05, 2008
- Color Me Purple (Videocast)
- Could purple tomatoes be on your dinner plate one day? In this videocast, hear how researchers at the John Innes Centre in England have genetically engineered a tomato plant to produce purple-colored fruit. The tomatoes have high levels of anthocyanins, which are naturally occurring pigments that give ... (details).
October 30, 2008
- Atomic Force Microscope Reaches New Level of Precision (Videocast)
- Tim Miller reports on a new scientific tool that allows for manipulating materials with atomic precision. (details).
October 29, 2008
- Extremophile Life Found Beneath the Earth's Surface (Videocast)
- A team of scientists led by Dr. Dylan Chivian of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have discovered a unusual kind of bacteria living in complete isolation nearly two miles inside the Earth's crust. These microorganisms live in extreme conditions, with no sunlight, no oxygen, no other living things, and temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit ... (details).
October 23, 2008
- Epigenetics and Cancer (Videocast)
- Not all genetic disorders are as simple as having a bad version of a particular gene. In this segment, the Museum's Duane Hill talks about epigenetics and how normal genes that are incorrectly turned on and off can lead to cancer and some other diseases. (details).
October 22, 2008
- Nobel-winning Technology Illuminates the Brain (Videocast)
- Scientists have recently begun using green fluorescent protein to "light up" the inside of the brain. In this videocast, the Museum's Alex Fiorentino explains how this technology works and discusses its potential use in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. (details).
October 16, 2008
- Solving Paralysis with Computers (Videocast)
- There is currently no cure for the paralysis of limbs caused by significant spinal cord injuries. However, new research could one day restore their function. Watch this videocast to find out more. (details).
October 15, 2008
- Building an Elevator to Space (Videocast)
- The Museum's Tim Miller discusses the Japanese government's new effort to fund research for building a 20,000 mile-long elevator into space. (details).
October 09, 2008
- New Insight into Malaria (Videocast)
- There are over half a billion cases of malaria every year, caused by at least four different parasites. The October 9, 2008 issue of Nature includes articles on the genome sequences of two more malaria parasites. This information could lead to new treatments and potentially a vaccine against this debilitating disease ... (details).
October 08, 2008
- Red Fish, Blue Fish (Videocast)
- For the first time, researchers have observed evolution driven by a sensory system. An international team of researchers has found that two distinct cichlid fish species appear to have developed based on their ability to see either red or blue colors. Hear how scientists are observing evolution in action in Africa's Lake Victoria ... (details).
October 02, 2008
- Quicker Than Lightning: High Speed Video Reveals New Observation (Videocast)
- Using high-speed video, researchers in South Dakota, Arizona, and Brazil have captured lightning flashes with an extraordinary level of detail. The speed and sensitivity of the cameras offer new perspective on known aspects of lightning, as well as new observations of "recoil leaders" — bright, ... (details).
October 01, 2008
- Geology, Archaeology, and History (Videocast)
- Geologist Dr. Allen Gontz talks about how landscapes are affected by natural geology and human presence. His projects use high-tech, non-invasive methods to study Boston's history. (details).
September 25, 2008
- Intestinal Bacteria Affects Type 1 Diabetes (Videocast)
- In Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys the pancreas cells that are responsible for producing insulin. When researchers modified the immune systems of mice, they could protect the insulin-producing cells, but only if the mice also had bacteria in their guts. Watch this segment to learn ... (details).
September 24, 2008
