Dinosaurs: from giant reptiles to warm-blooded, feathered creatures, how our understanding of what they looked like has changed – podcast

Plus, what Israel's latest election could mean for its foreign policy. Listen to episode 11 of The Conversation Weekly podcast.

Daniel Merino, Assistant Editor: Science, Health, Environment; Co-Host: The Conversation Weekly Podcast • conversation
April 15, 2021 • ~4 min

Parrot mummies hint at ancient trade in Atacama Desert

Parrot mummies found in the Atacama Desert reveal that, between 1100 and 1450 CE, traders brought birds from over 300 miles away to oasis communities.

A'ndrea Elyse Messer-Penn State • futurity
March 30, 2021 • ~8 min

Why so many colorful little warblers? These 2 genes

"Wood warblers are an incredibly colorful and diverse group of birds, with more than a hundred species in total." Here's why.

Gail McCormick-Penn State • futurity
Nov. 30, 2020 • ~8 min

Why so many colorful little warblers? These 2 genes

"Wood warblers are an incredibly colorful and diverse group of birds, with more than a hundred species in total." Here's why.

Gail McCormick-Penn State • futurity
Nov. 30, 2020 • ~8 min

How do geese know how to fly south for the winter?

Geese honk loudly and point their bills toward the sky when they're ready to start the migration. Here's how they know it's time, how they navigate and how they conserve energy on the grueling trip.

Tom Langen, Professor of Biology, Clarkson University • conversation
Nov. 16, 2020 • ~8 min

Curious Kids: How did some animals evolve wings to fly?

Today's birds evolved from feathered dinosaurs.

Matthew Wills, Professor of Evolutionary Palaeobiology at the Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath • conversation
Oct. 22, 2020 • ~5 min

Colorful bird feathers may explain evolution paradox

"Ever-increasing specialization and precision should be an evolutionary dead end, but that is not the case." Bird feathers may solve the evolution mystery.

Mikayla Mace-Arizona • futurity
Aug. 14, 2020 • ~9 min

Blue dye from red beets – chemists devise a new pigment option

A simple chemical reaction turns the red pigment of beets into a new, nontoxic blue dye.

Erick Leite Bastos, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Universidade de São Paulo • conversation
April 3, 2020 • ~5 min

Blue dye from red beets – chemists devise a safer new pigment option

A simple chemical reaction turns the red pigment of beets into a new, nontoxic blue dye.

Erick Leite Bastos, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Universidade de São Paulo • conversation
April 3, 2020 • ~5 min

Blue dye from red beets

Chemists have turned the red pigment of beets into a new, nontoxic blue pigment.

Erick Leite Bastos, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Universidade de São Paulo • conversation
April 3, 2020 • ~5 min

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