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Thursday, January 24, 2013

The Salt

Maxing Out The Mini Season For Maine Shrimp

Trawlers in the Gulf of Maine are allowed to catch Maine shrimp during a limited season that started this week.

January 24, 2013 Mainers say the shrimp have a sweet and delicate flavor. But there won't be many of them to go around this year. The fishing season is short, the allowable catch is small and the number of shrimp in the Gulf of Maine has been dwindling for a while now.

Summary

The Salt

In Order To Live With People, Canines Evolved To Love Carbs

Got spaghetti? Dogs digest starch more efficiently than their wolf ancestors, which may have been an important step during dog domestication.

January 24, 2013 Most dogs will eat just about anything. But, that wasn't always the case. The domestic dog's ancestor, the gray wolf, only ate meat. And a new report suggests hanging out with humans — and our garbage — may have helped them evolve to digest a wide range of foods.

Summary

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Shots - Health News

Rules Would Retire Most Research Chimps

Two chimps groom each other at the Save the Chimps facility in Florida. The National Institutes of Health owns about 360 chimpanzees that aren't yet retired and that are living at research facilities; new guidelines say most of its chimps should be retired.

January 23, 2013 An NIH working group recommends that most of the agency's 360 research chimpanzees be sent to a sanctuary — a non-laboratory setting where chimps can live more natural lives. But even if the NIH accepts the recommendations, putting them into effect won't be easy.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

Monday, January 21, 2013

To Catch A Marten: Seeking Clues In Olympic National Forest

A group of volunteers is helping biologists see whether there are any martens left in the Olympic National Forest in Washington state.

January 21, 2013 KUOWScientists are worried about the elusive members of the weasel family that live in parts of Olympic National Forest in Washington state. To see whether martens are endangered, volunteers are installing remote camera traps to take photos of the animals.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Friday, January 18, 2013

Krulwich Wonders...

No Fists, Gentlemen, Just Necks. The Ali & Frazier Of The Giraffe World

A giraffe.

January 18, 2013 A big boxing match usually features two guys, thick with muscle, who know how to bob, weave and use their fists. This bout has two fighters who can't make fists because they don't have hands. What they have are necks. Long necks.

Summary

Figuring How To Pay For (Chimp) Retirement

Hannah and Marty eat watermelon snacks at the Save the Chimps sanctuary.

January 18, 2013 The National Institutes of Health owns or supports almost 700 chimps. But the question of where they go when no longer needed for research is a thorny one: NIH money to support retired chimps in sanctuaries has been limited by Congress.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Salt

Yes, Virginia, Crabs Likely Feel Pain, But They're Still Delicious

Boiling is the easiest way to dispatch a crustacean, but there are some signs that the creatures can feel pain.

January 17, 2013 Prawns will rub themselves when dabbed with acid. And hermit crabs show stress-related behavior after getting shocked out of their shells. Now scientists find that British shore crabs can learn to avoid an electric shock — a key sign that crustaceans really do experience pain.

Summary

Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013

The Kraken Is Real: Scientist Films First Footage Of A Giant Squid

A giant squid stars in this still image taken from the footage Edie Widder shot. It's the first-ever video of these giant squids, and it'll debut in a Discovery Channel documentary airing in late January.

January 13, 2013 For thousands of years, sailors have told stories of giant squids. In myth and cinema, the kraken was the most terrible of sea monsters. Now, it's been captured — on a soon-to-be-seen video.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Saturday, January 12, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013

The Two-Way

Agreed, Baby Pandas Are Cute. But Why?

Panda cub Xiao Liwu was eager to play with a plastic ball during an exam last month. He made his public debut at the San Diego Zoo on Thursday.

January 10, 2013 Xiao Liwu made his public debut Thursday at the San Diego Zoo. As fans crowded around the exhibit, hoping to catch a glimpse of the 5-month-old giant panda cub, we asked the question that perhaps needs no asking. Scientists offer some clues.

Summary

The Salt

Artist's State-Shaped Steaks Explore Beef's Origins

Sarah Hallacher came up with the idea to represent the beef industry as "raw" steaks while she was researching on the web about where her own steak dinner came from.

January 10, 2013 Hoping people will think more about where their meat comes from, art graduate student Sarah Hallacher has visualized the U.S. beef industry with a series of steaks (actually, clay) sculpted into the shape of states and packaged in Styrofoam and shrink wrap.

Summary

Monday, January 07, 2013

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