Many researchers studying the origins of COVID-19 have reached the conclusion that it started in Wuhan, China with a jump from animals to humans. While this has not been conclusively determined, support for this claim can be found in the fact that humans have been shown to be infecting animals as well. In South Africa, they realized that lion keepers at a private zoo had infected lions. Listen to learn about this twist in COVID-19 pandemic transmission and what it teaches us about the ways in which viruses can mutate and spread.
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January 10, 2022
4:00
Scientists are trying to understand why the omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading so fast. They already know that omicron can infect vaccinated people, which is a big advantage for the virus. What researchers have also discovered is that omicron multiplies much faster than delta, a previous variant, and infects cells higher in the respiratory tract. Listen to learn how these and other adaptations make omicron a more contagious, although not necessarily more deadly, virus.
Read MoreSeptember 2, 2020
4:06
Zoos animals and their keepers are welcoming visitors after months of closures due to the pandemic. Some of the animals were content to interact with their own social groups while the zoo was closed. Others seemed bored without the usual flow of visitors, and keepers had to find creative ways to keep them occupied. Listen to hear an animal keeper explain which animals missed people the most and how her team used Facebook to keep animals entertained.
Read MoreMay 27, 2020
1:44
Dogs have powerful noses, and their sniffing skills might be able to help with keeping the pandemic under control. Many diseases have particular smells. Scientists are working to identify the scent of COVID-19 and training dogs to find it in humans. The trained animals would be able to quickly screen hundreds of people in places such as airports and train stations. Listen to hear how trainers teach dogs to find certain scents and when the first group of sniffers could be ready to work.
Read MoreMay 2, 2017
2:57
A female baby mountain lion has been found in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Mountain lions in the recreation area are very isolated as the park is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, agricultural fields, and greater Los Angeles. Therefore, scientists believe that the baby mountain lion is likely a product of inbreeding among related lions with limited mating choices. This could lead to genetic defects and abnormalities in the mountain lions. Listen to learn more about the newborn mountain lion and the concerns about mountain lion inbreeding.
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