Quantcast
Channel: NPR People: Hmmm.... Krulwich on Science Podcast
Browsing latest articles
Browse All 10 View Live

A Mystery: Why Can't We Walk Straight?

Try as you might, you can't walk in a straight line without a visible guide point, like the sun or a star. You might think you're walking straight, but a map of your route would reveal you are doomed...

View Article



New Language Discovered: Prairiedogese

Deep in the Arizona desert, one man has been deciphering the chatter between rodents, hoping to prove that communication among highly social animals is more sophisticated than we think.

View Article

Tools Never Die. Waddaya Mean, Never?

Krulwich makes a bet he can find tools that have gone extinct — but it turns out old technology doesn't disappear like you'd think. Tools from centuries ago are still being made — and used, by more...

View Article

Flamingos Drop From Siberian Sky: Locals Mystified

Deep in the middle of a Siberian winter, a frozen bird fell from the sky. Then another. Not what you expect while ice fishing in the Russian wilderness.

View Article

Cosmonaut Crashed Into Earth 'Crying In Rage'

Everyone knew the mission would fail — the technicians, the pilot and the friend who would replace him if he deserted the mission. But Soviet leaders demanded a triumph in space, and so in 1967,...

View Article


Nature's Secret: Why Honey Bees Are Better Politicians Than Humans

Democracy in the human world can be a messy and acrimonious business, but in the bee world, a little waggle dance can help you get all the votes you need.

View Article

When Does A Person Start To Boil?

Have you ever wondered how much heat you can take? 232 years ago, three men decided to find out.

View Article

Cuddling With 9, Smooching With 8, Winking At 7

Most people have a favorite number. But why do people choose the numbers they do?

View Article


Lucretius, Man Of Modern Mystery

In his new book, author and Harvard literature professor Stephen Greenblatt explores the 2,000 year-old writings of Lucretius and his "spookily modern" creation tale.

View Article


Wanna Live Forever? Become A Noun

Joseph Guillotin, Henry Shrapnel and Jules Leotard became immortal — by entering the English language. But when your entire life is reduced to a single definition, the results are sometimes upsetting.

View Article
Browsing latest articles
Browse All 10 View Live


Latest Images