Science Journal for Kids

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頻道・共 3 個節目

教學

教學

每週更新
科學

科學

2023/12/14更新
科學

科學

每週更新

2025/08/07

E166: Do some dog breeds have a better sense of smell? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/do-some-dog-breeds-have-a-better-sense-of-smell/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/ydH_4wytXJY Summary: Researchers compared the smelling abilities of dogs across different breeds to see which types of dogs might make the best searchers. Abstract: Have you ever seen a search dog? What breed of dog was it? Search dogs are specially trained to detect explosives, drugs, or diseases. To be good at this job, search dogs must have a sharp sense of smell and the ability to cooperate with humans. Common breeds of search dogs include German and Belgian shepherds, Labradors, and border collies. But are these dogs better at smelling than other breeds? Or is it their training and cooperation that make them good at the job? We wanted to find out whether some dogs are naturally better at smelling than others. So we used a test called the Natural Detection Task to compare how well dogs can find food using their nose without any previous training. We tested all the dogs with the same setup. We then compared specific breed groups and different breeds. We found that some breeds were better at smelling than others. But dog breeds that humans have selectively bred for their ability to smell were not always the better performers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

2025/08/07

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9 分鐘
2025/05/11

E159: How can we predict extreme winter weather? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-we-predict-extreme-winter-weather/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/aX88S-pYOnc Summary: Scientists analyzed data to determine what factors affect the formation of a weak polar vortex. Abstract: Some winter days are so cold and snowy that you feel like you are living at the North Pole. But what causes the weather to be so cold? Freezing temperatures and heavy snow at lower latitudes often follow a weak polar vortex. A polar vortex is a band of strong winds that traps a large mass of cold air above the North and South Poles. When the polar vortex weakens, extreme cold air moves away from the poles. We wanted to work out what factors cause a weak Arctic polar vortex event. We found that warmer ocean temperatures cause air pressure changes. This change in air pressure causes a shift in the polar vortex in the upper atmosphere. Our results can help predict weak polar vortex events in winter. Predicting these events will improve the ability to forecast extreme cold and snow. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

2025/05/11

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9 分鐘
2022/10/11

E1: How do ravens' thinking skills compare with apes'? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at https://sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-do-ravens-thinking-skills-compare-with-apes/ or watch at https://youtu.be/QKUQe-pur9M Summary: Scientists wanted to know how ravens’ intelligence and cognitive skills compared to apes. Abstract Ravens behave in ways that suggest they are really smart. Most scientists studying animal intelligence focus on monkeys and apes like macaques and chimpanzees. One group of scientists made a set of puzzles that tested primates’ physical and social thinking skills. We wanted to know more about ravens’ intelligence, and we wanted to be able to compare ravens and great apes. So, we changed the set of puzzles to make sure they could be solved by a bird using a beak instead of fingers. We found that ravens did just as well as the apes on almost all of the puzzles! About us: Science Journal for Kids is a non-profit organization that “translates” academic papers into easy-to-understand science articles for school students. Why? Because children have the right to know about the latest scientific discoveries. #science #article #teach #STEM #students #neuro #brain #intelligence #cognitive #ravens This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

2022/10/11

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10 分鐘
2022/10/11

E2: Can you help stop online racism? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/can-you-help-stop-online-racism/ or watch at https://youtu.be/9YHNtPpRBWY Summary: Researchers wanted to understand the impacts of online racism on the lives of Black students and how to encourage White students to take a stand against it. Abstract Imagine you read a comment on a school social media site that made a negative statement about your race. How would that make you feel? Angry? Frustrated? Now imagine that nobody stood up to the person that made the comment. Would that make you feel worse? You might think other people agree with them, or you may feel disconnected from the school. Unfortunately, this is how many Black students feel because of the online racism they face today. We wanted to find out more about the impacts of online racism. We also wanted to discover what makes students more likely to stand up to online racism, and if this helps to reduce its negative impact. Our study showed that online racism negatively affects how Black students feel. But when they see White students standing up to the post, they feel better. We found that White students are more likely to stand up to online racism if they understand how it impacts Black students, and if they know what to say. About us: Science Journal for Kids is a non-profit organization that “translates” academic papers into easy-to-understand science articles for school students. Why? Because children have the right to know about the latest scientific discoveries. #science #article #teach #STEM #students #racism #socialmedia #intervention #ally This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

2022/10/11

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8 分鐘
2025/09/24

E171: Why is bird flu making cows sick? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/why-is-bird-flu-making-cows-sick/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/Hf7bk_O6LIA Summary: Scientists tracked how the bird flu virus spread from birds to dairy cows and other animals. Abstract: Did you know bird flu can affect animals other than birds? Bird flu usually affects wild birds like geese and farm birds like chickens. But sometimes it can “jump” to other animals. This includes cats, cows, and even humans. We wanted to understand this process better. When cows started getting sick from bird flu and stopped producing milk, we examined how this happened. We looked at the amount of virus and where it was present in the cows. We sampled their milk and several other tissues. We found that the virus mainly infected the mammary glands, which produce milk. We studied the genetic changes in the virus’ genetic code. This helped us better understand how it spreads. We discovered that the bird flu virus moved between cows and from cows to other animals in the farms easily. We also learned that the virus moved between farms. It is important to track outbreaks and reduce activities that could spread the bird flu virus. This can help us prevent more animals and humans from getting sick. You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it. If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

2025/09/24

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9 分鐘
2023/12/14

Ask-a-Scientist E10: Dr. Will Beckerson, zombie insects researcher

Read Will's kid-friendly article "How do some fungi turn insects into zombies?" in two reading levels (for middle to high school) and in Spanish at https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-do-some-fungi-turn-insects-into-zombies/. Find the original paper we adapted at https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.01872-21. Read a follow-up kid-friendly article "Which chemical makes ants walk like zombies?" at https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/which-chemical-makes-ants-walk-like-zombies/ See photos of zombified insects and of Will's tattoos and read the full transcript of the interview in our companion post at https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/lesson-ideas/ask-a-scientist-podcast-e10-will-beckerson-zombie-insects-researcher/. Learn more about Will's most recent work, including a Zombie Ant VR game and his popular TikTok channels at https://www.williamcbeckersonphd.com/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

2023/12/14

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32 分鐘
2025/05/21

E160: How many legs does it take to escape a predator? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-many-legs-does-it-take-to-escape-a-predator/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/5orR9Vr5BBM Summary: Researchers wanted to learn whether using two legs instead of four helps jumping rodents escape their predators Abstract: Why do animals have such different shapes and sizes? Many animals are hunted by predators. Prey animals have features that help them escape these predators. For example, some animals like frogs have two powerful back legs to jump away from predators. Other animals, like deer, have four legs that help them run away to safety. Some rodents use two legs, while many other rodents use four legs. But which ones are better at avoiding predators? We compared the bipedal kangaroo rat with the pocket mouse, woodrat, and ground squirrel. We created fake predator attacks and measured how each rodent responded. We found that pocket mice and kangaroo rats jumped away the fastest. This might be because both are small and have strong back legs. Woodrats and ground squirrels jumped lower and slower. So, rodents jumping with two legs were better at reacting to attacks. This means using two legs may be an advantage for rodents when avoiding predators. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

2025/05/21

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10 分鐘
2025/04/28

E158: How can rivers flow through the air? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-rivers-flow-through-the-air/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/_za5Bb3Q9s8 Summary: Researchers wanted to know how dense atmospheric river clusters form and how climate change might increase their frequency and intensity. Abstract: In 2022 and 2023, California experienced a series of atmospheric rivers that caused major damage. Atmospheric rivers are huge storms that carry a lot of water through the air. When they hit land, they can cause heavy rain or snow. Atmospheric rivers become extreme events when they are very strong and intense. They can then lead to flooding and landslides. Some happen one after another, forming what's called an atmospheric river cluster. These clusters can be very dangerous because they bring even more rain in a short amount of time. We wanted to look at how these clusters form. We also explored how climate variability could make clusters happen more often. We found that dense clusters (storms that happen close together) bring the most rain. They also cause the most flooding. Changes in temperature and weather patterns might make these intense clusters more frequent. But why do we need to understand more about atmospheric river clusters? So we can better prepare for flooding and extreme weather in the future. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

2025/04/28

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8 分鐘
2025/08/13

E167: How can rats help fight tuberculosis? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-rats-help-fight-tuberculosis/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/aQSq5wYeH_4 Summary: Researchers compared the ability of African giant pouched rats to identify tuberculosis in adults and children to standard microscope smear tests. Abstract: Can you imagine a rat sniffing out a disease? The African giant pouched rat can! Scientists trained these rats to identify if a person has tuberculosis (TB). TB is a bacterial disease that most commonly affects the lungs. It spreads easily and can be dangerous if untreated. When rats smell samples of mucus a person coughs up, they can smell if it has TB bacteria. We wanted to know if rats are better at identifying cases of TB compared to a standard microscope test. We also wanted to know if rats can better identify TB in children than in adults. We found that rats can identify TB in samples that the microscope test said were negative. We also learned that the rats are more likely to identify TB in children – even when they have low levels of bacteria. Using rats can help more people receive treatment for TB and reduce the spread. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

2025/08/13

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11 分鐘
2023/07/25

Ask-a-Scientist E7: Dr. Sarah Kienle, leopard seals researcher

Read the interview transcript at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/lesson-ideas/ask-a-scientist-podcast-e7/ You can read the student-friendly article by Sarah "How can leopard seals survive climate change?" at https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-leopard-seals-survive-climate-change/ as well as watch a video of leopard seals. This article is also available in Spanish and in a text-to-speech audio version. For a full transcript and photos, go to https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/lesson-ideas/ask-a-scientist-podcast-e7/ Their original paper was published in the journal Frontiers Marine Science: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.976019/full Get the latest updates on Sarah's research at https://www.sarahskienle.com/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

2023/07/25

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30 分鐘

We publish cutting-edge peer-reviewed science research adapted for students and their teachers.

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Science Journal for Kids

熱門節目

E166: Do some dog breeds have a better sense of smell? [SJK Audio Edition]

E159: How can we predict extreme winter weather? [SJK Audio Edition]

E1: How do ravens' thinking skills compare with apes'? [SJK Audio Edition]

E2: Can you help stop online racism? [SJK Audio Edition]

E171: Why is bird flu making cows sick? [SJK Audio Edition]

Ask-a-Scientist E10: Dr. Will Beckerson, zombie insects researcher

E160: How many legs does it take to escape a predator? [SJK Audio Edition]

E158: How can rivers flow through the air? [SJK Audio Edition]

E167: How can rats help fight tuberculosis? [SJK Audio Edition]

Ask-a-Scientist E7: Dr. Sarah Kienle, leopard seals researcher

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Science Journal for Kids

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