Talk of the Nation on KCCU-HD2

Having a Dog May Mean Having Extra Microbes

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:53:00 +0000

North Carolina State University biologist Rob Dunn and colleagues surveyed people's pillow cases, refrigerators, toilet seats, TV screens and other household spots, to learn about the microbes that dwell in our homes. Among the findings, reported in the journal PLoS One, homes with dogs had more diverse bacterial communities, and higher numbers of "dog-associated" bacteria.

Tackling New Tech In The Golden Years

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:53:00 +0000

Smartphones, tablets and computers could help seniors stay connected to their communities and families. But a hefty price tag, steep learning curves, and designs meant for younger eyes and hands could keep some older adults from logging on. Guests discuss the best ways for seniors to tackle new technology, and how devices can be adapted to accommodate older users.

Tracking Killer Tornadoes

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:53:00 +0000

Transcript

FLORA LICHTMAN, HOST:

The tornado that struck Oklahoma this week was classified as an EF5, highest ranking on the Enhanced Fujita scale. And if you've seen the pictures from Oklahoma, you have a sense of how powerful it was. And this storm visited towns that have been struck in the past. Moore, Oklahoma, had been hit by another EF5 in 1999. In fact, if you look at a national map of tornado probability, you'll see a kind of bull's eye radiating out right from around Moore. But why is that? What makes some parts of the country so susceptible to tornadoes?

Studies Question Potential Alzheimer's Treatment

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:53:00 +0000

Transcript

FLORA LICHTMAN, HOST:

This is SCIENCE FRIDAY. I'm Flora Lichtman, filling in for Ira Flatow today. Last year, researchers reported a breakthrough in treating Alzheimer's disease. They'd found a drug that appeared to reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer's in mice.

Reinventing Farming For A Changing Climate

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:53:00 +0000

Transcript

FLORA LICHTMAN, HOST:

This is SCIENCE FRIDAY. I'm Flora Lichtman. You've likely heard of the legendary explorers Lewis and Clark, but maybe not of the U.S. Army explorer Stephen Harriman Long, an engineer who led a scientific expedition through the Great Plaines 15 years after Lewis and Clark.

His expedition traveled through Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. And what did his crew make of America's Breadbasket? A place wholly unfit for cultivation or agriculture, they said.