On Demand
Science
Long-Term Love on the Brain
The Leonard Lopate Show
January 08, 2009
Passionate love doesn’t have to decline over time. A new study has found that the brains of people in long-term, loving relationships show activity in the same regions that are activated when people first fall in love.
Mulchfest Recycles City Christmas Trees
January 05, 2009
New Yorkers have from now until January 16th to have their trees mulched by the city. Sanitation crews will be out collecting leftover trees. Last year parks officials recycled more than 13,000 trees....
Sour Economy Increases Appeal of Drug Trials
January 05, 2009
More and more people looking for work are selling not their skills or their experience, but their bodies – to science, that is, for paid drug trials. The practice isn’t new, but it’s expanded a....
In Brooklyn, Steam and Whistles Usher in 2009
January 01, 2009
It's not just about dropping crystal balls and confetti. On the Clinton Hill campus of Pratt Institute, a few hundred revelers gathered last night for a once-a-year cacophony: factory whistles, steam....
Head Cases: The World of Traumatic Brain Injury
The Leonard Lopate Show
January 02, 2009
We visit the world of traumatic brain injury, from how the injuries treated, to the unusual behavior they can cause – like a woman who lost much of her memory and has to be reintroduced to her husband over and over again.
Underreported: Disappearing Fireflies
The Leonard Lopate Show
December 18, 2008
Fireflies seem to be disappearing throughout the world. We look into where they’re going, why they might be disappearing, and how their absence could affect our ecosystem.
Underreported: NF3s and Global Warming
The Leonard Lopate Show
December 11, 2008
Switching to solar energy may not be as green as it seems. Many of the newest solar panels are made with a gas, NF3, that is 17,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming. NF3 is also used in the manufacture of flat-screen TVs, iPhones, computer chips, and lots more.
It's Getting Tougher to Breathe in Some New York City Schools
December 08, 2008
More than half are in Brooklyn, with large numbers in Queens and Manhattan. Local sources of pollution include Brooklyn's Pfizer Plant and Navy Yard, Long Island City's Keyspan Power Station, and New....
Cool New Treatment for Cardiac Arrest
December 04, 2008
City ambulances will be taking a new tack with patients struck by cardiac arrest. Starting next year, EMS paramedics will take many heart attack victims to certain hospitals where their bodies can b....
City Ambulances put Heart Attacks on Ice
December 04, 2008
New York City ambulances will no longer automatically take heart attack patients to closest hospital. Instead, they will only go to facilities with special body-cooling units. As WNYC's Fred Mogul re....
Please Explain: The Sun
The Leonard Lopate Show
November 21, 2008
The Sun makes up about 99% of the total mass of the Solar System. Find out what the sun is made of, how hot it is, and why humans couldn’t survive without it.
Please Explain: Autism
The Leonard Lopate Show
November 14, 2008
Since the 1980s, the percentage of people diagnosed with autism has risen dramatically, and no one is exactly sure why. Find out how autism affects the brain, and what the latest theories are on how to treat it.
Advocates Push Stem Cell Research Funding
November 11, 2008
With New York state leaders slashing the budget to shrink the deficit, many programs are in jeopardy. Here’s what it could mean for the $600 million fund for stem cell research. REPORTER: Preside....
Virgin Birth in Sharks
The Leonard Lopate Show
November 06, 2008
Scientists have confirmed the second-ever case of a “virgin birth” in a shark, indicating that female sharks can reproduce without mating.
The Good Nuclear
Studio 360
November 07, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama has embraced nuclear power as part of the solution to the climate crisis, and an antidote to America’s dependence on foreign oil. According to psychiatrist Robert DuPont, the biggest hindrance to nuclear power may be fear itself. DuPont tries a little cultural therapy on our national psyche with Kurt Andersen.
Alex the Parrot
The Leonard Lopate Show
November 03, 2008
The African Grey parrot Alex mastered a vocabulary of more than 100 words and could answer questions about color, shapes and numbers. Scientist
Please Explain: Botox
The Leonard Lopate Show
October 17, 2008
Botox is the most common cosmetic procedure in the U.S.. In addition to erasing wrinkles, it’s also sometimes used to treat migraines and excessive salivation, among other conditions. Find out what Botox is, and what the risks and benefits are.
Please Explain: Botox
The Leonard Lopate Show
October 17, 2008
Botox is the most common cosmetic procedure in the U.S.. In addition to erasing wrinkles, it’s also sometimes used to treat migraines and excessive salivation, among other conditions. Find out what Botox is, and what the risks and benefits are.
NY is Northeast's Wind Capital
October 10, 2008
America’s wind energy boom has largely bypassed the densely populated Northeast. But the region’s trying to catch up. Recently, Maine issued more wind project permits than the rest of New England....
30 Issues (Wiki): Drill Baby Drill? Oil vs. Alternative Energy
The Brian Lehrer Show
October 10, 2008
You produced it. Listeners helped produce today's segment using the 30 Issues Wiki. Contribute to next week's segment here!Then
Then
Please Explain: Photosynthesis
The Leonard Lopate Show
October 10, 2008
Find out how photosynthesis works, and why it brings us beautiful fall foliage this time of year. Leonard talks to educator
Weigh in: Where in the New York area have you spotted dramatic fall foliage so far this season?
New Yorker Named One of Three Winners of Nobel Prize
October 08, 2008
Dr. Martin Chalfie helped isolate GFP -- Green Fluorescent Protein, a substance that makes certain jellyfish glow. It can be used to explore human cells. CHALFIE: If you’re interested in trying t....
From the Archives: "Oppenheimer" (Originally Aired 10/7/05)
The Fishko Files
October 03, 2008
When this Fishko Files first aired in October 2005, a new opera by John Adams and Peter Sellars about building the atomic bomb was having its first performances at the San Francisco Opera. The "Dr. Atomic" of its title is the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and, as Sara Fishko tells us, Oppenheimer’s rise and fall has been the stuff of dramas of ALL kinds. How do we see him, more than six decades after the bomb was built? Here is an encore podcast of The Fishko Files...
Please Explain: Alzheimer’s
The Leonard Lopate Show
October 03, 2008
An estimated 27 million people worldwide are afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. Find out what Alzheimer’s is all about, and whether there are ways to prevent it or slow its progress.