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Question Your World: What's a Cloaked Nanoparticle?

Everyone’s familiar with the old fable about the wolf in sheep’s clothing. In this story a wolf dresses up like a sheep and sneaks past the farmer to go straight to his fluffy targets. Well, a similar story is currently unfolding in the medical field and it could have a huge impact on cancer patients. Check out the latest Question Your World Radio Report from the Science Museum of Virginia.

Question Your World: What Makes Pi So Special?

pi

Science and math fans around the world have been celebrating Pi day for a while now. Pi is the 3.14 number that helps us understand circles, so what better day to celebrate than March 14? So the question is, what makes Pi so special? Listen to this week’s Question Your World Radio Report from the Science Museum of Virginia to learn more about Pi.

Question Your World: How Does Sugar Impact Our Brain?

sugar

How does sugar impact our brain? Well, this is a tale of two sugars - glucose and fructose. Both occur naturally, but one of them has a vastly different way of communicating with your brain. In one corner we have glucose, commonly found in pineapples and oranges among others. The consumption of this sugar registers a “full” feeling in the brain. So basically you eat enough of the foods with this in it and your brain thinks “Oh boy, I’m stuffed.” Now, in the other corner you have fructose, commonly found in sodas and canned foods. This is where the sugar story gets fascinating. Consumption of foods high in fructose does not register the “full” feeling in the body. Weird, right? Learn more in this week’s Question Your World Radio report by the Science Museum of Virginia.

Question Your World: What Causes a Mid-life Crisis?

So, what causes the mid-life crisis? For a long time it was believed that stress from responsibility played a heavy hand in the ushering in of the ‘mid-life crisis.’ The idea of mortgages, careers, bills, and various other social circumstances sure can be a heavy load for an individual to juggle. However, recent studies indicate that this is perhaps not based around responsibilities as much as it is on our old friend, evolution. Learn more in this week’s Question Your World Radio report by the Science Museum of Virginia. 

Question Your World: What's the Future of Fuel?

What’s the future of fuel? There are many ideas that have been presented ranging from solar to wind to hydropower. The growing energy needs of our planet will require some creative thinking and likely some ideas that don’t reside in the standard energy toolbox that we are accustomed to today. With that said, a sweet new idea has been brought to the table that involves using sugar to help fuel the world of tomorrow. Learn more in this week’s Question Your World Radio report by the Science Museum of Virginia.

More From WCVE Public Radio...

Antares Launch Postponed: Largest Ever From Virginia

Charles Fishburne in Science Matters

The maiden flight of the largest rocket ever to be launched from Virginia's Eastern shore had to be postponed yesterday due to equipment malfunction, but as Charles Fishburne tells us in this Science Matters report, the Antares program is a major step in Virginia's future in space.

Question Your World: How Will We Fuel Long Term Space Exploration?

The Apollo 11 mission in 1969 was one of the most sophisticated scientific experiments of all time. This trip involved over 5 million lbs. of fuel for the round trip to our closest celestial neighbor. That worked well for getting us to the moon and back, but how much fuel could we possibly produce and carry on board for a trip to the distant reaches of our solar system?

Plutonium 238

Virginia Awaits The Return Of The 17-Year Cicada

Charles Fishburne in Science Matters

After spending 17 years underground, billions of cicadas will begin emerging from the earth -- as soon as the ground temperature reaches 64 degrees. 

Fatigue Causes More Crashes, Virginia Tech Institute Finds

Charles Fishburne in Science Matters

Virginia Tech researchers show fatigue is the leading form of distracted driving resulting in crashes and near crashes. 

VCU Medical Center First in Virginia to Implant Telescope for Macular Degeneration

Charles Fishburne in Science Matters

VCU Medical Center is the first in Virginia to implant a telescope optical device to improve vision for patients who have macular degeneration.   In this WCVE Science Matters Report,  Charles Fishburne talks with Dr. William Benson, a cornea specialist and Chairman of the Department of Ophthamology at the VCU School of Medicine, who performed the procedure.