Elements
S4 E9

When Did Humans Start Walking? This Fossil Might Hold the Answer

You might want to take a seat for this one: early humans walked on two feet WAY before we previously thought.

By Seeker

Published on 1/27/2020 at 7:04 AM

Elements is more than just a science show. It’s your science-loving best friend, tasked with keeping you updated and interested on all the compelling, innovative and groundbreaking science happening all around us. Join our passionate hosts as they help break down and present fascinating science, from quarks to quantum theory and beyond.

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Elements
S4 E108

The Amazon Rainforest Could Become a Savannah Within 15 Years, Here’s How

New research suggests that if the current rate of deforestation continues, the Amazon rainforest could transform into a savannah within 15 years.

Elements
S4 E107

The First Full-Size 3D Print of a Human Heart Is Here

A team at Carnegie Mellon University has just developed the first flexible, full-size, 3D-print of a human heart.

Elements
S4 E106

The COVID-19 Vaccines Are Here. So What Happens Next?

The COVID-19 vaccines have arrived — here's what we know about the distribution plan.

Elements
S4 E105

The Uncomfortable Truth About Deep Sea Mining

To meet the world's growing demand for batteries, private companies are looking to mine the ocean floor — here’s what we know.

Elements
S4 E104

If the Coronavirus is Mutating, What Does That Mean For Us?

SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is mutating — here's what that means for us.

Elements
S4 E103

The Average Human Body Temperature ISN’T 98.6°F Anymore

New studies have uncovered that the average human body temperature is actually lower than 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

Elements
S4 E102

The World's First Commercially Available Flying Car Is Here

The world's first commercial flying car is here — and it's legal.

Elements
S4 E101

SpaceX’s New Rocket Fuel Could Help Us Finally Launch Humans to Mars

SpaceX is developing a new kind of rocket propellant that could help us finally launch humans to Mars.

Elements
S4 E100

These Power-Free 3D-Printed Objects Can Talk With WiFi

Researchers developed a way for 3D-printed objects to connect to WiFi without electronics or batteries.

Elements
S4 E99

Climate Change Is Causing Natural Disasters, According to Science

Scientists can now prove that climate change is causing natural disasters.

Elements
S4 E98

Why We’re Seeing More Gravitational Wave Events Than Ever Before

LIGO and Virgo recently detected 39 new gravitational wave events, including signals that could help us probe unresolved mysteries of the universe.

Elements
S4 E97

This 'Magic Ion' in Your Tap Water Could Be Making You Happier

Tap water contains traces of lithium, a natural element that’s widely used as a mood-stabilizing treatment — could this 'magic ion' be making us happier?

Elements
S4 E96

Green Hydrogen Is Sparking a Revolution in Sustainable Energy

A viable substitute for fossil fuels, hydrogen has been struggling to gain traction for years — but thanks to Europe, that could soon change.

Elements
S4 E95

How to Wire a Computer Like a Human Brain

The goal of neuromorphic computing is to mimic the neural structure of the brain — meet the generation of computer chips getting closer to reaching that goal.

Elements
S4 E94

The World’s First Room Temperature Superconductor Is Here

Meet the first room temperature superconductor.

Elements
S4 E93

How Graphene Could Help Us Build Bigger and Better Quantum Computers

Quantum computers could be a massive technological leap forward, but they’re sensitive to interference — researchers in Finland may have created a solution.

Elements
S4 E92

How Big Can a Black Hole Get?

New research suggests black holes can get ‘stupendously large’ — so how big can they actually get?

Elements
S4 E91

Fusion Energy Could Be a Reality in Less Than 5 Years

New research suggests SPARC could be the first experimental device to achieve an energy-positive fusion reaction.

Elements
S4 E90

This Mutant Super-Enzyme Can Eat Plastic Waste Within Days

Researchers have re-engineered a plastic-eating enzyme to degrade bottles within days — and it might be ready to start eating our trash as soon as next year.

Elements
S4 E89

The Mystery of Saturn’s Giant Hexagonal Storm May Soon Be Solved

Saturn’s hexagonal storm has been raging for decades for reasons unknown — until now.

Elements
S4 E87

This NASA Spacecraft Could Unveil the Origins of Life

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx launched at asteroid Bennu approx 4 years ago.

Elements
S4 E88

Florida to Release 750 Million GMO Mosquitoes in 2021

The U.S. EPA gave the green light to release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys in 2021 — here’s what we know.

Elements
S4 E86

This Nuclear Battery Could Power Deep Space Missions for Decades

A new method called lattice confinement fusion could be the compact, long-lasting energy source we’ve been searching for to power deep space missions.

Elements
S4 E85

How Quantum Diamonds Will Help Us Detect Cosmic Collisions

Scientists designed a tabletop gravitational wave detector that uses diamonds to see.

Elements
S4 E84

Is the Coronavirus ‘Airborne’ or Not?

Scientists are becoming increasingly concerned that COVID-19 travels as an airborne pathogen — here’s what you should know.

Elements
S4 E83

Earth’s “Evil” Twin May Hold Signs of Life

A team of international astronomers discovered a rare gas in Venus’ atmosphere, suggesting that the planet could be harboring life in its clouds.

Elements
S4 E82

These Are the Most Promising COVID-19 Treatments

Remdesivir and dexamethasone are two of the top contenders for a COVID-19 drug treatment — here’s what we know about them.

Elements
S4 E81

What Exactly Is Blockchain?

Blockchain was built to revolutionize how we share data, but the features that make it secure also make it impractical — here’s what you should know.

Elements
S4 E80

What Really Killed the Dinosaurs?

One of science's biggest mysteries may have finally been put to rest — here’s what we know.

Elements
S4 E79

What Would a Quantum Internet Look Like?

The U.S. Department of Energy recently rolled out a blueprint for quantum internet — here’s what we know.

Elements
S4 E78

Nose Swabs vs. Saliva: Which COVID Test Should You Take?

The U.S. FDA recently approved an affordable saliva-based COVID-19 test — here’s how it works.

Elements
S4 E77

Scientists Explore the Breaking Point Between Classical & Quantum Physics

Scientists explored the breaking point between classical and quantum physics to understand how quantum objects can stay cool despite a growing energy supply.

Elements
S4 E76

This Massive Wall of Galaxies Is Lurking Beyond the Milky Way

Cosmographers revealed a massive wall of galaxies lurking shockingly close-by — here’s why it was hidden from our view for so long.

Elements
S4 E75

Why the New ISS Toilet Cost $23 Million

NASA aims to implement a universal waste management system — starting with their new $23 million space throne.

Elements
S4 E74

Elon Musk Unveils Neuralink's Latest Progress on Brain Machine Interface

Elon Musk recently revealed how Neuralink's implant works... using a pig.

Elements
S4 E73

Are We On Track to Have A COVID-19 Vaccine by 2021?

More than 160 COVID-19 vaccines are in development, but only two candidates are being pushed to market — here's what makes them special.

Elements
S4 E72

11 Billion Years of Our Universe’s History Were Missing… Until Now

After mapping the night sky for 20 years, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey has filled an 11 billion year gap in our knowledge of the universe’s history.

Elements
S4 E71

What Evidence Do We Have for Life on Mars?

One of the main jobs of NASA's Mars 2020 rover is to find signs of ancient microbial life on Mars – here's how it plans to meet that goal.

Elements
S4 E70

Future Missions May Use Neutron Stars to Navigate Deep Space

As NASA sets its sights on distant planets, astronauts will need a way of orienting themselves in space — and pulsars could be the key.

Elements
S4 E69

What Does Race Have to Do With COVID-19?

Communities of color continue to be hit disproportionately hard during the coronavirus pandemic — let’s talk about why.

Elements
S4 E68

Future Batteries Could Be Made Out of Viruses

A pioneering team at MIT is using viruses to make batteries — like the kind you could use in your car.

Elements
S4 E65

Diamonds Could Unlock the Mysteries of Earth’s Core

This innovative experiment uses diamonds to simulate the Earth’s core — so we may not need to go there to understand what it's like.

Elements
S4 E67

This Map Could Provide the Missing Clue to How Mars Became Inhospitable

Researchers have created the very first detailed map of the electric currents responsible for shaping the magnetic field that wraps around Mars.

Elements
S4 E66

China Is Launching Its Own Digital Currency, Here's Why

China might be the first country to abandon physical tender with its digital currency roll-out.

Elements
S4 E64

Nanoplastics Are Changing Everything We Know About Ocean Plastic

Researchers are employing criminal forensics to understand the impacts of nanoplastics on our ocean environment.

Elements
S4 E63

How Heavy Is the Universe?

Scientists have been probing the cosmos to find out how much the universe weighs — but the two approaches are producing inconsistent results and causing a bit of tension.

Elements
S4 E62

Meet the “Wonderchicken” That Survived the Dinosaur Extinction

Scientists recently discovered the oldest fossil of a modern bird, revealing an extraordinary link between the age of dinosaurs and present day.

Elements
S4 E61

We May Finally Know Why Earth’s Magnetic North Keeps Moving

A team of researchers from Leeds University believes it has uncovered why Earth's magnetic north pole keeps shifting.

Elements
S4 E60

The Secrets of ‘Magic’ Angle Graphene Are Now Fully Revealed

Researchers have mapped an entire twisted graphene structure for the first time to figure out what makes it so magical.

Elements
S4 E59

What Perseverance Can Do That Past Mars Rovers Couldn’t

NASA’s Perseverance rover is due to launch in the summer of 2020 — here’s what the new and improved rover can do that other Mars rovers couldn’t.

Elements
S4 E58

We Still Don’t Understand What Water Is, Here’s Why

Water is the most abundant liquid on Earth, but it’s also the most bizarre, leaving researchers to question if it’s actually two different liquids instead of one complicated one.

Elements
S4 E57

Radiation Might Be the Key Ingredient for Extraterrestrial Life

New research reveals that massive amounts of radioactive material might be essential for life outside our solar system.

Elements
S4 E56

This Missing Force Field Could Lead to a Dark Matter Breakthrough

The strong CP problem is one of the biggest puzzles in physics — but axions could be the solution.

Elements
S4 E55

This Cell Might Hold the Answer To a Universal Cure For Cancer

A new immune discovery could provide universal cancer treatment — here's how it works.

Elements
S4 E54

What if the Universe Was Lopsided?

A new study suggests our universe might not be isotropic like we thought, but instead anisotropic — meaning we might live in a lopsided universe.

Elements
S4 E53

This Black Hole Is So Close You Can “See” It, Here’s How

A team of astronomers discovered a black hole lying just 1,000 light-years from Earth — and its presence may hint at the existence of many more.

Elements
S4 E52

This Photon-Printed Carbon Is Stronger Than Diamond

Scientists have designed the first-ever super-light carbon nanostructure that’s stronger than diamond.

Elements
S4 E51

‘Hot’ Qubits Crack a Major Quantum Computing Challenge

Researchers believe they’ve overcome a major obstacle standing in the way of practical quantum computers.

Elements
S4 E50

This Exoplanet Suddenly Disappeared From Space, Where Did It Go?

A planet discovered by Hubble suddenly vanished — here’s where it went and what its disappearance could mean for the study of planetary systems.

Elements
S4 E49

The Mystery of Our Interstellar Visitor May Have Just Been Solved

A new study suggests that 'Oumuamua, our solar system’s first interstellar visitor, has a new origin story.

Elements
S4 E48

The Hidden Phenomenon the First Black Hole Photo Didn’t Show You

A team of scientists are performing calculations to further predict how we could see black holes in far more detail in the future.

Elements
S4 E47

What Does Blood Plasma Therapy Mean for COVID-19?

Exciting preliminary evidence claims that blood plasma therapy might be able to treat COVID-19 — here’s what we know.

Elements
S4 E46

Time Doesn’t Reverse Like Physicists Thought, Here’s Why

An international team of researchers broke the symmetry of time using black hole simulations — and they believe they demonstrated that time cannot be reversed.

Elements
S4 E45

We Still Don’t Know Why Glass Exists, Here’s Why

Scientists remain puzzled by glass and are determined to find the ideal form — but it might not be attainable.

Elements
S4 E44

How an Accident Sparked a Quantum Computing Breakthrough

This series of happy accidents might have upended our approach to constructing quantum computers.

Elements
S4 E43

Why Is Uranus Shooting Plasma Bubbles?

While looking through Voyager 2 data, scientists discovered Uranus’ atmosphere is leaking gas.

Elements
S4 E42

Why the Coronavirus Pandemic Is Affecting Your Dreams

We spoke with Dr. Dierdre Barrett, an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, to find out why your dreams might be more vivid than usual during the pandemic.

Elements
S4 E41

How Contact Tracing Will Help Us Emerge From Lockdown

This tool traces individuals who’ve come into contact with someone infected by COVID-19, which could help us finally emerge from lockdown.

Elements
S4 E40

The Future of Quantum Computing Could Live on a Cryogenic Chip

This new innovation shrinks quantum technology down onto a cryogenic chip.

Elements
S4 E39

Vortex Collisions Could Unravel How Order Turns to Disorder

Scientists at Harvard are using a high-speed camera, colorful dye, and cannons to find out how vortexes lead to turbulence.

Elements
S4 E38

How Slime Mold Is Helping Us Map the Universe’s Dark Matter

Researchers are using slime mold to map the universe's dark matter.

Elements
S4 E37

Farming Metal From Plants Could Be the Future of Sustainable Tech

These plants have evolved to absorb metal from the soil.

Elements
S4 E35

This Doctor Asked His Patient To Play Her Violin Through Brain Surgery

This patient played the violin during her own brain surgery.

Elements
S4 E36

When Will We Have a Coronavirus Vaccine?

We spoke to two vaccine experts about the potential timeline of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Elements
S4 E34

DIY Coronavirus Masks Are Not Created Equal: Here’s What We Know

DIY coronavirus masks are not created equal — these are the materials that work best.

Elements
S4 E33

Here’s the Latest on Hydroxychloroquine and Other Coronavirus Antivirals

‘There are a number of antiviral drugs that are being tested.’ — Here’s the latest on coronavirus antivirals

Elements
S4 E32

This Dead Star Is Twisting Spacetime

A pulsar has just confirmed another piece of the general relativity puzzle Einstein predicted.

Elements
S4 E31

This New Superconducting Camera Could Finally Help Us See Alien Life

With over 1,000 sensors, this superconducting camera can count single particles of light and potentially help us detect alien life.

Elements
S4 E30

Einstein Might Have Been Wrong About Gravity... Here’s Why

According to Einstein's theory of general relativity, gravitons should be massless — but this new theory suggests he might've been wrong.

Elements
S4 E29

How Long Does the Novel Coronavirus Live on Surfaces?

Here's how long the novel coronavirus lives on common surfaces.

Elements
S4 E28

Why Engineers Turned to Origami to Create Reality-Bending Metamaterials

Inspired by origami, researchers at University of Washington have developed a solution to help reduce impact forces, which could one day let us reuse spacecraft or even harvest energy for electronics.

Elements
S4 E24

Meet the Autonomous Insect Robots That Will One Day Swarm the Skies

Meet the fleet of next-generation autonomous robots that are modeled entirely after insects.

Elements
S4 E27

Toxic PFAS Are In Our Drinking Water, How Plasma Tech Could Remove It

PFAs have been used in everyday products around the world since the 1940s, but these human-made chemicals are now present in our air, water, and bodies and we don't know how to get rid of them.

Elements
S4 E26

Did This New Coronavirus Come From Bats? Here’s What We Know

By now, you’ve probably heard of the novel Coronavirus. Like most viruses, it knows no borders and has spread all over the world. So where did this outbreak begin?

Elements
S4 E25

This Is What You Need to Know About the Novel Coronavirus

We sat down with two medical professionals to discuss COVID-19 — here’s everything you need to know about how to stay healthy and how well-equipped we are to handle the virus.

Elements
S4 E23

Graphene ‘Wonder Material’ Can Now Be Made Using Trash

A recent breakthrough from researchers at Rice University promises to make graphene out of garbage in a flash — here’s how this miraculous transformation happens.

Elements
S4 E22

The Race to Mars in 2020

Humans are launching four separate missions to Mars in July 2020.

Elements
S4 E21

Everything We Know About Antarctica’s 'Ghost Particles'

Ultra-high-energy neutrinos are hitting Antarctica, so what experiments are working to discover the particles?

Elements
S4 E20

This Massive Black Hole Is Blasting a Jet at 99% the Speed of Light

Supermassive black hole M87* has been observed shooting jets of physical material into space at extreme speeds that might break the cosmic speed limit.

Elements
S4 E19

Chang’e 4 Mission’s New Images Illuminate the Far Side of the Moon

It’s been one year since China’s Chang’e 4 landed on the far side of the moon—what has it learned so far?

Elements
S4 E18

Japan’s Next Neutrino Hunter Could Revolutionize Particle Physics

Japan approved construction for the world’s next largest neutrino detector—here's what we can expect.

Elements
S4 E17

Hubble Spotted New Evidence That Dark Matter Is "Cold"

We don't know what dark matter is, because we can't detect it. But new observations from Hubble could illuminate dark matter's true identity—and the role it plays in the fate of our universe.

Elements
S4 E15

This New Particle Accelerator Is Smaller Than a Human HAIR

This particle accelerator is so small it fits on a microchip.

Elements
S4 E16

The Fabric of Spacetime Was Rocked By Largest-Ever Neutron Star Merger

Two massive neutron stars collided, and the result rocked our entire universe—here’s what we learned.

Elements
S4 E14

Will Betelgeuse Explode? This Is What Scientists Know So Far

Massive red supergiant Betelgeuse has been losing its sparkle, which has led many scientists to wonder: Is one of the sky’s brightest stars headed toward its demise by way of supernova explosion?

Elements
S4 E13

Light Pollution Is One of the World’s Biggest Buzzkills…Here’s Why

Insect populations are dropping, but turning off your lights could help.

Elements
S4 E12

This 3D-Printed Bunny Could Be the Future of Data Storage

This 3D-printed plastic rabbit is an advanced proof of concept for DNA as data storage.

Elements
S4 E11

Meet the Xenobot, the World’s First-Ever "Living" Robot

These researchers paired biology with artificial intelligence to create the world’s first “living” robots.

Elements
S4 E10

How Is Uranium Made Into Nuclear Fuel?

We're constantly hearing about nuclear enrichment in the news, but what does it mean and when should we be concerned?

Elements
S4 E9

When Did Humans Start Walking? This Fossil Might Hold the Answer

You might want to take a seat for this one: early humans walked on two feet WAY before we previously thought.

Elements
S4 E8

Artificial Leaf Technology Could One Day Power Our World

This artificial leaf creates methanol, absorbs CO2 from the air and is 10 times more efficient than plant photosynthesis. Can you be-leaf it?!

Elements
S4 E7

This Dying Star Created the Highest-Energy Gamma-Ray Burst Ever Recorded

This cataclysmic event just generated the “brightest” light in the known universe — and we detected it using MAGIC.

Elements
S4 E6

Scientists Discovered How Sleep Cleans Toxins From Your Brain

Scientists now know how cerebrospinal fluid cleans the brain as you sleep, removing toxins that could cause Alzheimer's.

Elements
S4 E5

How Renewable Energy Is Releasing a Gas Way Worse Than CO2

Could a switch to renewable sources like wind and solar power actually emit more of the most potent greenhouse gas there is?

Elements
S4 E4

The Dangerous Truth Behind Lunar Dust

During the first lunar missions, NASA discovered the dangerous nature of the moon’s dust. So as we get ready to head back, are we ready to deal with lunar dust?

Elements
S4 E3

This Record-Breaking 3D Printer Could Be the Future of Manufacturing

Stereolithography printing systems have obstacles with speed and size, but with the latest innovation with the HARP printer that might change.

Elements
S4 E2

Scientists Just Fit Our Universe in a Box…Wait What

Scientists just released one of the most advanced simulations of our universe to date, and it fit in a box.

Elements
S4 E1

You Can Now Feel 3D images, Thanks to This New Tech

3D images you can not only see, but feel and hear? This is not a drill.