There has been a boom of syphilis cases, including a 180% increase in congenital syphilis cases, despite other STI levels staying stable. Also, the world's largest deep-sea reef stretches for hundreds of miles in near-freezing waters and total darkness, but it’s bustling with life.
Syphilis Cases Are Up 80% Since 2018Syphilis is rearing its ugly head again in the United States. A new report on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a shocking statistic: Cases of syphilis are up by nearly 80% among adults since 2018. Congenital syphilis cases, which occur when an infection is passed from parent to child during pregnancy, are up by more than 180%.
Strangely, cases of other STIs have stayed about the same or decreased in the same timeframe. Rachel Feltman, host of “The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week,” joins Ira to talk about this and other science stories from the week, including the first cases of transmitted Alzheimer’s disease, and why closing the toilet seat doesn’t keep aerosolized viruses from contaminating other bathroom surfaces.
Revealing The Largest Deep-Sea Coral Reef In The WorldScientists recently discovered the largest known deep-sea coral reef in the world. It’s called Million Mounds, and it stretches from Miami, Florida, to Charleston, South Carolina, covering around 6.4 million acres of the seafloor.
Unlike the colorful reefs found in sunlit tropical waters, this one is mostly made up of a stony coral that’s usually found from about 650 to 3,300 feet underwater—depths where it’s very cold and pitch black.
Ira Flatow talks with Dr. Erik Cordes, marine biologist and professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who collaborated on the study. They discuss what makes deep-sea corals different from those found in shallower waters, why it’s important to map them, and what it’s like to visit one in a submarine.
Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.
To stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.
Artificial Sweetener Safety, Nuclear Weapons Tech. Aug 4, 2023, Part 1
The Cat’s Meow, Chumash Marine Sanctuary, EV Tires. July 28, 2023, Part 2
Kākāpō Conservation, NYC Parrots, One Year After the Dobbs Decision. July 28, 2023, Part 1
How Does The Brain Control Your Every Move? July 21, 2023, Part 1
What To Know Before You Go See ‘Oppenheimer’. July 21, 2023, Part 2
Lab-Grown Meat Approval, Underground Climate Change, Utahraptor. July 14, 2023, Part 2
Youth Mental Health Crisis, Repairing Sharks’ Bad Reputation. July 14, 2023, Part 1
Accessible Birding, Space Sounds, Wasps. July 7, 2023. Part 2
Beavers, Pando Tree, $7 Violin. July 7, 2023. Part 1
Cloning for Conservation, Cubesats, Queer Ecology, Henry Petroski. June 30, 2023, Part 2
Hum Of The Universe, Cephalopod Event In Miami. June 30, 2023, Part 1
Social Media Chaos, Remembering Whale Song Scientist Roger Payne. June 23, 2023, Part 2
Cephalopod Week Salutes See-Thru Squid, Hyperbole In Science Publishing, Art and the Brain, Rover Competition. June 23, 2023, Part 1
Avian Flu, Curly Hair. June 16, 2023, Part 2
Science Books For Summer Reading. June 16, 2023, Part 1
Living Underwater For 100 Days, Refineries’ Excess Emissions, Owl Facts. June 9, 2023, Part 2
Wildfire Smoke, Jurassic Park Reflection, Mosquito DNA Editing. June 9, 2023, Part 1
Dwarf Tomatoes, Saguaro Cactus, Sonoran Desert. June 2, 2023, Part 2
Rewilding, Allergy Season, Sharing Science Rejections. June 2, 2023, Part 1
Zoonomia Genetics Project, Telomeres, Mutter Museum. May 26, 2023, Part 1
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Dairyland Frights
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL