The Mystery of Wombat Poop

The Mystery of Wombat PoopTop of Mind with Julie Rose • Season 1, Episode 956, Segment 6

Dec 3, 2018 • 14m

Guest: David Hu, Professor of Fluid Mechanics, Georgia Tech Cubes occur very rarely in nature. There are some minerals – like iron pyrite, aka fool’s gold – that naturally form in cubic crystals. Another notable exception is the Australian marsupial called a wombat – it’s shaped like a fuzzy, overstuffed football, but its droppings have flat edges. Wombats poop cubes. And until recently, nobody knew why.

Other Segments

Mexico's New President Embraces the "Common Man"Dec 3, 201820mGuest: Claudio Holzner, Associate Professor of Political Science, Director of the Center for Latin American Studies, University of Utah Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was sworn in on Saturday, promising to clean up corruption, reduce poverty and make Mexico safer. His landslide election victory earlier this year ousted the conservative political party that has run Mexico for decades. But what kinds of changes will be bring? And what will his presidency mean north of the border for for trade and immigration policy?

Guest: Claudio Holzner, Associate Professor of Political Science, Director of the Center for Latin American Studies, University of Utah Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was sworn in on Saturday, promising to clean up corruption, reduce poverty and make Mexico safer. His landslide election victory earlier this year ousted the conservative political party that has run Mexico for decades. But what kinds of changes will be bring? And what will his presidency mean north of the border for for trade and immigration policy?

Robin Hood ResurgentDec 3, 201815mGuest: James Deutsch, Curator, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Professorial Lecturer in American Studies, George Washington University There's a new action flick out -- another rendition of folklore hero Robin Hood. Hollywood has done a lot of Robin Hood retellings. Frank Sinatra, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, and Russell Crowe have all played the title role in past adaptations, and there are several more reboots in the works. Something keeps luring Hollywood back to the folklore hero again and again.

Guest: James Deutsch, Curator, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Professorial Lecturer in American Studies, George Washington University There's a new action flick out -- another rendition of folklore hero Robin Hood. Hollywood has done a lot of Robin Hood retellings. Frank Sinatra, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, and Russell Crowe have all played the title role in past adaptations, and there are several more reboots in the works. Something keeps luring Hollywood back to the folklore hero again and again.

A Revolutionary Tool toMonitor CancerDec 3, 201816mGuest: Ryan Kelly, Professor of Chemistry, Brigham Young University When doctors want to know how a cancerous tumor is responding to treatment, they usually have to take a sample of tissue straight from the growth. Doing a biopsy is painful and risky. But to know if the cancer is shrinking or spreading, doctors need a pretty large sample of cells. BYU chemistry professor Ryan Kelly and his former colleagues at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed a technique for getting even better information out of a blood sample, rather than a biopsy.

Guest: Ryan Kelly, Professor of Chemistry, Brigham Young University When doctors want to know how a cancerous tumor is responding to treatment, they usually have to take a sample of tissue straight from the growth. Doing a biopsy is painful and risky. But to know if the cancer is shrinking or spreading, doctors need a pretty large sample of cells. BYU chemistry professor Ryan Kelly and his former colleagues at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed a technique for getting even better information out of a blood sample, rather than a biopsy.

Some Americans Can't Worship Without FearDec 3, 201815mGuest: Christopher Scheitle, Assistant Professor of Sociology West Virginia University It’s not uncommon in America for places of worship to be the target of crime – burglary, arson, graffiti – and violent attacks. Barely a month ago, 11 people were murdered by a shooter at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. How often are American churches targets of crime? And which faiths are most often targeted?

Guest: Christopher Scheitle, Assistant Professor of Sociology West Virginia University It’s not uncommon in America for places of worship to be the target of crime – burglary, arson, graffiti – and violent attacks. Barely a month ago, 11 people were murdered by a shooter at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. How often are American churches targets of crime? And which faiths are most often targeted?

Helping Drug-Sniffing Dogs Do Their JobDec 3, 201823mGuest: Fred Helfers, Drug-Sniffing Dog Trainer and Retired Police Narcotics Detective Sniffer dogs are used by police forces worldwide to search for drugs, dead bodies, arson evidence – and even money. Dogs are being used to help diabetics monitor their blood sugar, and research is underway to see if they can help detect cancer. But the more we rely on dogs to do vital work, the more critical it is that they be rigorously trained and tested.

Guest: Fred Helfers, Drug-Sniffing Dog Trainer and Retired Police Narcotics Detective Sniffer dogs are used by police forces worldwide to search for drugs, dead bodies, arson evidence – and even money. Dogs are being used to help diabetics monitor their blood sugar, and research is underway to see if they can help detect cancer. But the more we rely on dogs to do vital work, the more critical it is that they be rigorously trained and tested.