Museum of Science, Boston | Videocasts

Events & Activities

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.

MoS | Page Tools

Subscribe: iTunes
Subscribe: RSS

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

High-tech Fingerprinting (Videocast): Two new fingerprinting methods sharpen the ability to identify criminals and combatants. The first is wipe-, heat-, and spray-paint-resistant, detecting corrosion on metals caused by salt in the fingerprint. The second method analyzes the chemical makeup of the fingerprint, not only revealing compounds ... (details).

Making Drugs in Yeast (Videocast): Many of our pharmaceuticals - antibiotics, painkillers, and antioxidants - come from plants, but their synthesis is very complex and therefore difficult to replicate. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have created a strain of yeast which may be able to produce some of these important drugs, and perhaps some new ones as well ... (details).

Genes and Social Behavior in Fire Ants (Videocast): Can genes from one individual influence social behavior? In this segment, hear the Museum's Duane Hill describe research on a gene in fire ants that affects the number of queen ants a colony is willing to tolerate. (details).

How Do Children Develop Stereotypes? (Videocast): Researchers at Harvard University are studying aspects of our psychology that determine how we acquire prejudices. In this segment, hear Andrew Baron from the Laboratory for Developmental Studies discuss the consequences of an apparently ingrained, automatic preference for your "own" group. (details).

Alive or Not Alive, That Is the Question (Videocast): Viruses have long challenged the definition of what it means to be alive. A recent discovery of a giant mimivirus, complete with its own set of parasites, may cause scientists to once again redefine life itself. (details).

Bending Light Backwards (Videocast): Researchers at University of California, Berkeley have engineered two new 3-D materials that can do something that never occurs in nature: bend light backwards. Watch this video to find out more. (details).

Studying Smog in Beijing (Videocast): A group of scientists from the Scripps Institute for Oceanography and Seoul National University are running a fascinating series of experiments on the South Korean island of Cheju to assess the impact of China's mandated emissions cutbacks during the summer Olympic Games. (details).

Children's Understanding of Apologies (Videocast): Parents often prompt their children to apologize following transgressions. However, how much do young children understand about apologies? Craig Smith at Harvard Graduate School of Education has been studying the emotive responses of children and describes his work in this segment. (details).

New Catalyst a Major Step Toward Practical Energy Storage (Videocast): Research led by MIT professor Daniel Nocera has resulted in an oxygen-producing catalyst that is the linchpin for efficiently and inexpensively splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. This is a major step toward enabling the clean and widespread storage of solar and wind energy in an on-demand, emission-free form ... (details).

Children Are Expert Face Recognizers (Videocast): In the Living Laboratory at the Museum of Science, researchers have designed a new experiment to discover what strategies children use when recognizing human faces and monkey faces. Hear Dr. Meg Moulson from the Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience at Children's Hospital Boston describe the experiment ... (details).

New Insight for HIV Vaccine (Videocast): The unique outer shell of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) protects the virus and has prevented design of a vaccine. Now scientists at the National Institutes of Health have successfully determined the structure of the outer shell protein in its native form. Studying the shape and movement of ... (details).

Perception of "Other-Race" in Babies (Videocast): Babies are born with the ability to distinguish between faces of all types, but as they grow older, they become less able to identify faces they don't see often. Hear how Dr. Ben Balas from Children's Hospital Boston is studying babies' brain activity to learn more about this change in facial recognition ... (details).

Talking Fish (Videocast): Scientists at Cornell University have been studying vocal communication in fish. They have found that the basic neural pathways that control their "talking" may be a shared evolutionary trait that has passed all the way to land animals, including humans. (details).

Honey, What Can't You Do? (Videocast): Honey is prized for its many culinary qualities, and research now shows that it is equally good at killing some of today's most resistant bacteria. Watch this video for more information. (details).

Nanoparticles May Stop the Spread of Cancer (Videocast): Researchers at the University of California at San Diego are studying nanoparticles in order to selectively kill cancer cells. The scientists have discovered that the nanoparticles are extremely effective at killing certain blood vessel cells that tumors need in order to spread to other parts of the body ... (details).

The Downside of our Gut Bacteria (Videocast): Bismuth, a common metal used in industrial and commercial products, can transform into a toxic compound after interacting with the bacteria residing in our intestines. Watch this videocast to find out more. (details).

New Material Provides for Safer Cleanup of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (Videocast): Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) last about ten times longer and use only about a quarter of the electricity when compared to incandescent bulbs. Although the environmental benefit of using CFLs is clear, they contain mercury and thus require careful cleanup if broken (see guidelines below for details) ... (details).

Genetically Altered Cassava (Videocast): Eight hundred million people around the world rely on the Cassava plant for the bulk of their daily calories. Watch this videocast to learn how scientists have genetically altered the plant to provide a nearly complete set of necessary nutrients. (details).

Engineering the Big Bang (Videocast): CERN's Large Hadron Collider is the biggest atom smasher ever built. Learn about how this giant machine works, and hear the types of questions it will help answer. (details).

Not All Baseballs Are the Same (Videocast): A UMass-Lowell Baseball Research Center study details the testing of different baseballs used in various levels of amateur play. Watch this videocast to see how the materials and construction of a baseball can affect its performance. (details).

One, Two, Three Strikes You're ... Ouch! (Videocast): Enjoyed by people of all ages, baseball is America's favorite pastime. A new study of high school baseball players describes common injuries and their causes. Watch this videocast to find out which injuries are most common, and learn about recommended ways to keep young baseball players safer. (details).

Using Viruses to Fight MRSA (Videocast): The MRSA "superbug", a bacterium resistant to multiple antibiotics, is responsible for many post-operative deaths. As MRSA adapts to more antibiotics, scientists turn to a natural foe of these bugs: bacteriophage, a virus that specifically attacks the bacteria. Watch this videocast to learn about researchers ... (details).

Mosquito Repellents With Potential (Videocast): Researchers in Florida have identified a number of compounds that may be significantly more effective in protecting against mosquito bites than DEET, the most widely used repellent in the world. Find out details of their work in this segment. In the second video, watch Science Improv's take on this new research ... (details).

Personal Robots (Videocast): The personal robotics market is the fastest-growing part of the robotics industry. Watch this videocast to hear graduate student Mikey Siegel discuss his MIT Media Lab research into human-robot interaction. (details).

The Phoenix Mars Lander (Videocast): On May 25, the Phoenix lander successfully touched down on the arctic plain of Mars. Watch this videocast to learn more about the landing and the mission's next stage: digging through the surface in search of water. (details).

How to Eat Your Veggies (Videocast): Vegetables help keep us healthy by providing us with vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients. New studies try to determine the best way for us to eat them: raw, boiled, steamed, or fried? It actually depends on what you want to get out of your vegetables. (details).

Solar Popcorn (Videocast): Museum presenter Tim Miller discusses groundbreaking research from the University of Washington that may dramatically increase the efficiency of certain solar cells. (details).

WorldWide Telescope Brings Universe To Your Computer (Videocast): Professor Alyssa Goodman of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics showcases the WorldWide Telescope — free software recently released by Microsoft that brings the best images of both land and space-based telescopes to your computer. Watch this videocast to learn how the program creates ... (details).

Monkeypox: An Emerging Disease in the "Hot Zone" (Videocast): Monkeypox is a virus that causes a disease resembling smallpox in humans. Little is known about this disease, which, given the right circumstances, could spread to other parts of the world. Hear Dr. Kate Rubins from the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research talk about her monkeypox studies in the Democratic Republic of Congo ... (details).

Stratospheric Skydive (Videocast): Learn about Frenchman Michel Fournier's goal to break the world records for highest skydive, longest and fastest free fall, and highest manned balloon flight. (details).

Citizen Science Comes to the Museum (Videocast): Want to get involved in some real scientific research? A quick Internet search reveals dozens of Citizen Science projects ranging from counting stars to monitoring spiders -- and everything in between. Watch this videocast to learn more about Citizen Science and the Museum's own upcoming project, Firefly Watch ... (details).

Pebble Bed Reactor Technology (Videocast): In this segment, learn about pebble bed modular reactors which hold promise as a safe and economical nuclear energy technology. (details).

Exercise Can Shape Your Heart (Videocast): Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have compared rowers to football players to see how their hearts might be affected by their exercise regimens. After the 90-day study period, all athletes' hearts displayed significant structural and functional changes, which were specific to the sport they practiced ... (details).

Frogs Without Lungs (Videocast): Researchers recently determined that the rare Bornean flat-headed frog does not have lungs. These frogs breathe through their skin instead, obtaining oxygen from the cold, fast-moving water they live in. This is the first species of frog found to be lungless. (details).

Evaluation Establishes Credibility of Computer Climate Models (Videocast): Computer climate models play an important role in determining man-made effects on climate change, as well as predicting future temperature increases. Meteorologists at the University of Utah have evaluated 57 climate models that were developed over the past 20 years in the United States, China, Russia, ... (details).

Drug Resistant Fungus (Videocast): The fungus Candida albicans, which infects people with compromised immune systems, is becoming increasingly resistant to current drug therapies. Researchers have recently determined why and are now looking for new treatments. (details).

Space Radiation May Be Too Dangerous For a Trip to Mars (Videocast): According to report released March 31 by the National Research Council, the biggest challenge to a permanent Moon base or a manned mission to Mars might not be supplies or life support systems, but radiation sickness. Close examination of the spacesuits used by Apollo Moon crews-- so far the only ... (details).

Scientists Create Artificial Enzyme (Videocast): The Museum's Tim Miller discusses the creation of the world's first artificial enzyme, a protein that can catalyze a reaction that does not occur in nature. He also talks about its potential future applications. (details).

Giant Sea Creatures (Videocast): Scientists aboard the research vessel Tangaroa made some "giant" discoveries during a recent expedition off the coast of Antarctica. Hear about what they found and how it will help us study global warming. (details).

Toxic Newts and the Snakes Who Eat Them -- and Live (Videocast): On the North American west coast, populations of rough-skinned newts and common garter snakes are locked in a co-evolutionary arms race. In this videocast, learn about the toxic newts who are in turn preyed upon by super-resistant snakes. (details).

United Nations Improves Water and Sanitation Worldwide (Videocast): Each year, about 1.5 million child deaths are attributed to a lack of clean drinking water and sanitary toilets. Roughly a billion people worldwide don't have clean drinking water, and 2.6 billion do not have sanitary latrines or toilets — spurring the United Nations to set a millennium development goal to halve these numbers by 2015 ... (details).

Innovative Sensor Uses Immune Cells (Videocast): When tracking highly infectious diseases or bioterrorism threats, time is of the essence. Scientists at MIT Lincoln Laboratory have developed biosensor technology that can detect pathogens in less than five minutes. Based on the type of immune cells that produce antibodies, the technology is sensitive, accurate, and portable ... (details).

Robotic Spacewalker Set to Launch (Videocast): The March 11 Space Shuttle mission delivers two important additions to the International Space Station: part of Japan's Kibo laboratory and Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency's robotic spacewalker. In this videocast, hear about how the 12-foot Dextre fits into the space station's repair routine, mimicking ... (details).

Concept Nanotech Computer (Videocast): Museum of Science's Tim Miller discusses a nanotechnology concept unveiled by the Nokia Corporation. Watch the video for a preview of the kinds of new devices that engineering may bring us in the coming decade. (details).

Treating Diabetes with Stem Cells (Videocast): Diabetes, caused by a lack of insulin-producing pancreatic cells, affects 10% of Americans. Scientists can now transform human embryonic stem cells into functioning pancreatic cells. When injected into diabetic mice, these cells produce insulin in response to glucose levels in the blood. (details).

Using Food Preservatives to Prevent Radiation Sickness (Videocast): Researchers are working on a pill made from common food preservatives that would be delivered via carbon nanotubes. The medication could prevent deaths from acute radiation exposure. (details).

Considerations For Lowering Carbon Emissions (Videocast): Several studies show that lowering carbon emissions may not be as straightforward as we first thought. In particular: > CO2 emitted from land-use change makes biofuels from food stock undesirable. > A high-fat or high-meat diet may result in as great a carbon emission increase as driving an SUV rather than a sedan ... (details).

Turning Brown Eyes Blue (Videocast): Remember learning that blue eye color is a recessive characteristic? Scientists have just discovered what determines "true blue" eyes and suspect that this trait can be traced to a common ancestor. (details).

Space Shuttle Atlantis Delivers Science Lab (Videocast): The February 7, 2008 Space Shuttle mission brings Columbus -- a large science laboratory built by the European Space Agency -- to the International Space Station, considerably increasing the amount of research underway on the station. In this videocast, hear about the shuttle mission, and the module's ... (details).

Controlling Robots with Wooden Blocks (Videocast): Programming a computer can seem like a difficult task. Tufts University's Michael Horn has designed a new system using wooden puzzle-like pieces to make programming easier. Watch this videocast to see how even a child can program a computer to tell a robot what to do. (details).

Nanotubes for Hydrogen Cars (Videocast): Tim Miller from the Museum of Science discusses recent research efforts to use carbon nanotubes as a fuel carrier for hydrogen. (details).

Kite-Powered Cargo Ships (Videocast): With fuel costs rising and environmental concerns mounting, the world's shipping companies are beginning to look at greener, cheaper methods of propulsion. Watch this videocast to learn about the MV Beluga SkySails, a 10,000 ton, 430-foot vessel that is partially powered by a giant kite the size of a tennis court ... (details).

Computer Characters Making Friends (Videocast): Relational agents -- computer characters designed to interact with humans -- can encourage exercise and education. Northeastern University Professor of Computer Science Dr. Timothy Bickmore talks about "Tinker," the Museum of Science's own relational agent who will be stationed at Cahners ComputerPlace to talk to visitors beginning February 24 ... (details).

Study Links CO2 Warming with Increased Air Pollution Deaths (Videocast): Stanford Professor Mark Jacobson's February 12, 2008 paper in Geophysical Research Letters finds the warming associated with increased carbon dioxide levels may increase the number of deaths due to air pollution. In the United States, about 500 additional deaths are estimated for each degree Fahrenheit increase ... (details).

Autism in California is Not Linked to Vaccine Preservative (Videocast): Autism is a complex developmental disorder whose cause is not understood. It is likely that a combination of genetic changes as well as environmental factors trigger the development of the disease. Researchers in California have examined state records of autism cases to see if there is a link between ... (details).

Spider Silk Moth (Videocast): Stronger than steel thread, spider silk has been long been recognized as a useful material because of its flexibility and durability. However, until recently, it was very difficult to produce. In this videocast, learn about how a scientist in Japan has discovered a new way to more easily create this unique type of silk ... (details).

Mars Impact (Videocast): A large asteroid is hurtling towards Mars, and it could strike the planet at the end of January. Watch this videocast to find out the likelihood of an impact, as well as what we could learn from it. (details).

Top 10 Science Stories of 2007 (Videocast): Some of the most important and interesting science stories of the past year focused on stem cells, the polar ice caps, Tyrannosaurus rex, and the Google X-Prize. (details).

Bone Marrow Transplant for Sickle Cell Anemia (Videocast): Working with anemic mice, scientists at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have corrected a genetic mutation in reprogrammed skin cells and then returned the "fixed" cells to the mice in successful treatment of sickle cell anemia. In this videocast, you can hear about this proof-of-concept ... (details).

Maggots as Biosurgeons (Videocast): The practice of using maggots to clean open wounds has a long, misunderstood history. Today, scientists are investigating how maggots perform very beneficial services for the treatment of chronic wounds and associated bacterial infections. (details).

"Feeling" Cancer Cells (Videocast): Using an atomic force microscope, scientists at UCLA can distinguish metastatic cancer cells from normal cells by "feeling" how soft they are. The cancer cells are strikingly softer than normal cells, making diagnosis easier and more accurate compared to traditional techniques. (details).

Epilepsy in the Twenty-first Century (Videocast): Mass General Hospital Epilepsy Service Director Dr. Andrew J. Cole discusses current treatments for epilepsy. He also describes where future research of this neurological disease is headed. (details).

The Great American Smokeout (Videocast): On the day of the Great American Smokeout, Dr. Howard Koh gives the latest statistics about smoking and provides information on how to quit. Koh is associate dean at the Harvard School of Public Health. (details).

Scrap Silicon to Solar Cells (Videocast): The National Pollution Prevention Roundtable recently gave its Most Valuable Pollution Prevention award to IBM for developing and implementing a chemical-free process to reuse scrap silicon wafers or sell them to solar cell manufacturers. By sharing the technology, IBM hopes to turn the estimated 3 million ... (details).

Insulin Production in Diabetes (Videocast): Kathryn Lipson, a graduate student at UMass Medical School, describes her research involving regulation of an enzyme important to insulin production. Her findings could lead to new drugs that control blood sugar levels for people with diabetes. (details).

Lung Stem Cells and Lung Cancer (Videocast): An assistant professor at Children's Hospital Boston's stem cell program, Dr. Carla Kim discovered the first group of stem cells in the lung. Watch her discuss the role these cells play in normal lung tissue as well as how they may be involved in development of the earliest form of lung cancer. (details).

Lessons from Nature: How Insects are Improving Solar Cells (Videocast): Learn how scientists are trying to mimic the eyes of moths and the wings of cicadas to produce solar cells that are both anti-reflective and self-cleaning. (details).

HPV Test Versus Pap Test (Videocast): Two recent studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine compare the new HPV test to the standard pap test for its ability to detect precancerous and cancerous cervical lesions. (details).

Genetically Modified Trees Clean Polluted Groundwater (Videocast): According to research by the University of Washington's Sharon Doty, genetically modified poplar trees removed 91% of the pollutant trichloroethylene (a degreaser and the most common groundwater contaminant in U.S. Superfund sites) from a liquid solution. The modified trees worked 100 times faster than ... (details).

Missile Detection Technology For Cancer Therapy (Videocast): Watch Dr. Alan Fenn of MIT describe how he turned microwave technology developed for the Air Force into a treatment for breast cancer tumors. (details).

Fuel from Garbage? (Videocast): The idea of turning municipal waste into energy sounds like something from a science fiction movie, but scientists at MIT and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are using the extreme temperature of plasma to develop a fascinating technology that addresses the dual problems of too much trash and rising energy concerns ... (details).

Embryonic Stem Cells Heal Broken Hearts (Videocast): Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and by 2010, it is estimated to be the leading cause of death in developing countries as well. Unfortunately, the heart is one of the least regenerative organs in the body, and loss of heart muscle often leads to heart failure. In ... (details).

Cleaning Precious Artwork Using Nanotechnology (Videocast): Chemists at the University of Florence, Italy have discovered a new twist on a common method for cleaning works of art. The nanomagnetic material serves as a sponge that can soak up a cleaning solution before being directly applied to different types of artwork. It can later be removed safely with a simple magnet ... (details).

A Topical Anthrax Vaccine (Videocast): A promising new vaccine against anthrax is made of nanoemulsions and applied directly to the nose; no needles required! (details).

The Skeleton Regulates Blood Sugar (Videocast): It turns out that our skeletons are not just a physical support for our bodies. New research shows that bone cells are involved in regulating blood sugar levels. Scientists at Columbia University Medical Center have discovered that bone cells produce a protein that can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and obesity in mice ... (details).

Cancer-Fighting Viruses (Videocast): Dr. Destin Heilman from Worcester Polytechnic Institute speaks about finding new cancer therapies in nature. His research focuses on viruses and viral proteins that can seek and destroy cancer cells, leaving healthy cells unharmed. (details).

California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard Leads Greenhouse Gas Regulation (Videocast): Transportation experts from U.C. Berkeley and Davis have released details of California's new Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Effective January 2010, the new standard is designed to cut carbon emissions at least 10 percent by 2020. It will require transportation fuel providers to track the entire life ... (details).

FDA Reports on Nanotechnology (Videocast): The FDA's Nanotechnology Task Force takes an important step towards evaluating nanotechnology based consumer products. (details).

Studying Dolphin Communication (Videocast): Hear Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, director of the Dolphin Communication Project, discuss the technology and methods she uses to observe how dolphins communicate with each other. (details).

Talcum Powder as a Lung Cancer Treatment (Videocast): Researchers at the University of Florida have found that talcum powder may stunt the growth of lung tumors by cutting off their food and oxygen supply. (details).

A Rice-Based Cholera Vaccine (Videocast): Using rice, scientists in Japan have developed a prototype vaccine for cholera. Hear why this vaccine holds promise for global treatment and how the same technology could be used to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like anthrax and HIV. (details).

Using Gelatin-Based Nanoparticles to Treat Breast Cancer (Videocast): Prof. Mansoor Amiji at Northeastern University has developed a gene delivery system that targets breast cancer cells using nanoparticles made of gelatin. The therapy has reduced the size of tumors in mice by shutting down the road for oxygen and nutrients to enter. (details).

Molecular Sand Castles (Videocast): Dr. Annaliese Franz is a researcher from Harvard University and the Broad Institute. Hear why she uses silicon (more commonly known as sand) to build new chemical molecules that can be used as therapeutics. (details).

Reprogramming Human Stem Cells (Videocast): Four stem cell research papers published on June 6, 2007 (in the journals Nature and Cell Stem Cell) describe successes in reprogramming mouse cells. Hear about the exciting science breakthroughs in this SciTech segment. (details).

The World of Carbon Nanotubes (Videocast): In this presentation, Tim Miller discusses a newly discovered form of carbon, and some of its amazing properties and applications. (details).

Stopping Time: Guest Event with Eric Mazur (Videocast): When you watch sports on TV and a replay gets shown in "slow motion," you can see things happening that you couldn't see before. If the replay is slowed to a stop, it becomes a still image showing a single moment in time. A similar technique is used by scientists who want to see what nature is doing, but can't because it's happening too fast ... (details).

Musical Proteins (Videocast): Researchers at UCLA have found a new way to transform DNA from protein sequences into classical music. (details).

Bacteria May Provide Asthma Protection (Videocast): Helicobacter pylori is a bacteria that can cause stomach cancer and peptic ulcers in people. The bacterium infection is wide-spread in people in developing countries but much less so in developed nations, and has been disappearing in industrialized countries with each generation. Find out how getting ... (details).

Nanoscale Generators Power Up (Videocast): Tim Miller discusses new research which demonstrates how nanoscale generators are able to produce electrical power. (details).

Smoking Cessation May Ease Arterial Stiffness (Videocast): Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for lung disease and cancer, but also for cardiovascular disease. In a research study published in the scientific journal Hypertension (March 2007, 49:1-5), scientists in Ireland studied the relationship between cigarette smoking and arterial stiffness in people who have high blood pressure ... (details).

Researchers Reawaken Sleeping Virus to Fight Cancer (Videocast): Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have found a new way to wake up a dormant virus that is present in 95% of the human population, and use it to image or even possibly destroy certain cancerous tumors. The team of researchers, led by Dr. Martin Pomper, a radiologist specializing in molecular imaging, and Dr ... (details).

A Nanotech Approach to Hunting Bacteria (Videocast): The days of analyzing bacteria like salmonella or e. coli by waiting 24 hours or more to grow cultures may be ending. Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a fast, simple way to find and measure bacteria using billionths-of-a-meter sized iron oxide nanoparticles. With bacterial ... (details).

Viagra: Good for the Heart, Too? (Videocast): Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have demonstrated that Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs can help to reduce the damage done to the heart before and during a severe heart attack, and also help the heart to repair itself after the attack occurs. In the February issue of the Journal ... (details).

Department of Energy Headquarters Greening Up (Videocast): Museum of Science's Tim Miller discusses new legislation to install solar panels on the roof of the Department of Energy's headquarters in Washington, D.C. (details).

Nanotech Safety: Measuring Exposure to Nanomaterials (Videocast): As communities start asking questions about the health and safety of nanomaterials being used in everything from ultralight tennis rackets to cancer research, the key to wisely regulating the booming field of nanotechnology lies in understanding how our bodies and the environment will react to tiny nanoscale particles ... (details).

Strong, Stretchy Nanocomposites Mimic Spider Silk (Videocast): Researchers at MIT have developed a new nanocomposite that is superior to previous synthetic materials in strength and stretchiness by using extremely tiny clay disks to mimic the the structure of natural spider silk at the billionths-of-a-meter scale. (details).

Tim's Top Ten Science Stories of 2006 (Videocast): The Museum's own Tim Miller has compiled this list of his personal top ten science stories of 2006. Tim's criterion was the relevance of the story to the intersection of science and society. (details).

The Air is Thick with Bacteria (Videocast): A new census is in: the air that floats invisibly in front of you is teeming with bacteria, according to new research published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. A new technology means that scientists can survey these microbes much more closely than ever. Watch the video to learn more ... (details).

Diagnosing Disease on a Chip (Videocast): A new technology could put disease detection in the palm of a doctor's hand. The "GreeneChip," developed by doctors at Columbia University, can identify almost 2,000 human pathogens using urine, tissue, or blood samples. Watch the video to learn more. (details).

EPA regulates silver nanoparticles (Videocast): The Enivronmental Protection Agency rules that companies who use small particles of silver as an anti-bacterial agent in consumer products must provide evidence that the particles do not pose a threat to the environment. (details).

Getting to the Root of Red Wine's Protective Effects (Videocast): When it comes to preventing heart disease and increasing longevity, not all red wines are created equal. New research, published the journal Nature, shows that wines from a specific geographic region have more of the compounds implicated in protecting blood vessels and extending life. Watch the video to learn more ... (details).

Chocolate Cheaters Give Researchers a Surprise (Videocast): Thanks to some chocolate-sneaking study participants, researchers at The Johns Hopkins University have shown how small daily doses of chocolate can protect against heart attacks. Watch the video to learn more. (details).

Heating up head lice (Videocast): Scientists at the University of Utah have created a device that successfully treats head lice by drying them out. Their invention is a result of bird lice biology studies and a coincidental case of human lice; a great example of basic research producing a practical solution to a widespread problem. ... (details).

The Sound of Skin Cancer (Videocast): Melanoma is the least common but most deadly form of skin cancer, and it affects more than 50,000 people in the United States every year. Scientists at the University of Missouri-Columbia have created a way to detect metastatic melanoma by listening to sounds the cancerous cells make when hit with light ... (details).

Deadly Toxin Helps Prevent Scars (Videocast): One of the world's most potent toxins can improve scarring in facial wounds, according to researchers at the Mayo Clinic. Watch the video to learn more. (details).

Nanoantenna for Optical Data Storage (Videocast): A nanoantenna from Harvard University focuses a laser beam to a spot just 40 nanometers wide, forecasting some pretty big improvements in optical data storage. (details).

Can Blue War Paint Fight Cancer? (Videocast): Studies indicate that broccoli (and cauliflower and cabbage) contain compounds that can battle breast cancer. One of those compounds is called glucobrassicin. How the chemical is processed by the body and how exactly it fights cancer cells is still being studied. One problem researchers have is ... (details).

Nanobumps Improve Joint Replacements (Videocast): Research from Brown University shows that adding nanoscale texture to the surface of orthopedic implants not only helps prevent infection, but it also helps the implant join to a patient's natural bone. (details).

Nanobumps for Joint Replacements (Videocast): Amy Swint discusses a new nanomaterial designed to prevent infection following knee and hip replacement surgeries. (details).

Gold Particles Target Tumors (Videocast): Museum of Science's Tim Miller discusses recent breakthroughs in a new form of cancer treatment that uses infrared light and tiny gold particles to find and destroy tiny tumors inside the body. (details).

Nanotechnology Married to Neuroscience (Videocast): Researchers at Harvard University have joined a single nerve cell to a tiny transistor, and they used the transistor to send and receive signals through the cell. (details).

Gold Nanoshells Target Tumors (Videocast): Tim Miller discusses a groundbreaking new cancer treatment that uses gold to target potential tumors. (details).

Soybeans Greener Than Corn and Next Generation Biocrops (Videocast): The first full analysis of the complete production cycles of soybean biodiesel and corn grain ethanol finds soybeans have lower environmental impact and a higher net energy benefit than corn ethanol, but that "neither can replace much petroleum without impacting food supplies." A University of Minnesota ... (details).

Nicotine and Pregnancy (Videocast): Scientists are just beginning to understand how nicotine exerts its harmful effects on the developing fetus. Learn more in this New England Cable News segment from the Current Science and Technology Center. (details).

Inflatable Space Stations (Videocast): At 10:53 Eastern on July12, the Genesis 1 inflatable spacecraft was carried to orbit atop a repurposed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile from a missile base in the Ukraine. This craft is a one-third scale model of what could one day be a component of the first private space station. (details).

Nanofibers for New Fabrics (Videocast): Amy Swint discusses a new nanofiber material and its applications to the next generation of waterproof breathable fabrics. (details).

DDT in Our Environment (Videocast): The United States banned the pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) in 1972 due to its adverse environmental impact. This stable compound can still be detected today in 5-10 of U.S. citizens, and almost all Americans have the breakdown products of DDT in their bodies. The University of California ... (details).

Making Hydrogen by Mimicking Nature (Videocast): Daniel Davis discusses a new technique that uses a process found in plants to manufacture hydrogen gas. (details).

Molecular Cages for Hydrogen (Videocast): Daniel Davis discusses a potential new method for the storage and transportation of hydrogen. (details).

Nanoscale Surface Coating (Videocast): Daniel Davis discusses a new nanoscale surface coating that could have applications in stain-resistant pants and improved battery technology. (details).

Nanotech Investment (Videocast): Dan Davis discusses emerging nanotechnology investment opportunities on CNBC's "Squawkbox." (details).

Nanoparticles for Environmental Cleanup (Videocast): Joel Rosenberg discusses the potential for iron nanoparticles to be used in environmental remediation. (details).

Seeing the Flu (Videocast): Joel Rosenberg discusses Harvard University research that uses optical microscopy to visualize the flu virus.. (details).

Nano Batteries (Videocast): Joel Rosenberg discusses development of a nanoscale power source at the University of Tulsa. (details).

Shrinking Fiber Optics (Videocast): Joel Rosenberg discusses work at Harvard University to miniaturize fiber optic components. (details).

Subscribe to RSS

Stay on top of the latest developments in science and technology by subscribing to our RSS feeds.

Visit MoS

Become a Member

Membership makes sense!