Jessica Young

Well, there's a new study on how the longevity of a vaccine may be decided by our bone marrow. And then another one on the math and science behind hula hooping. And we have a roundup of what to look for over the next year in space news. Love it. All that on this episode of Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.

Well, there's a new study on how the longevity of a vaccine may be decided by our bone marrow. And then another one on the math and science behind hula hooping. And we have a roundup of what to look for over the next year in space news. Love it. All that on this episode of Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.

Well, there's a new study on how the longevity of a vaccine may be decided by our bone marrow. And then another one on the math and science behind hula hooping. And we have a roundup of what to look for over the next year in space news. Love it. All that on this episode of Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.

Yeah, exactly, or the yellow fever vaccine. And this contrast is actually what led Stanford medicine professor Bali Pulendran to wonder, like, why? Why are some vaccines able to stimulate immunity for a few months, but others last a lifetime?

Yeah, exactly, or the yellow fever vaccine. And this contrast is actually what led Stanford medicine professor Bali Pulendran to wonder, like, why? Why are some vaccines able to stimulate immunity for a few months, but others last a lifetime?

Yeah, exactly, or the yellow fever vaccine. And this contrast is actually what led Stanford medicine professor Bali Pulendran to wonder, like, why? Why are some vaccines able to stimulate immunity for a few months, but others last a lifetime?

And it was through this basic research question that Bali and a team at Stanford Medicine uncovered a major insight having to do with megakaryocytes.

And it was through this basic research question that Bali and a team at Stanford Medicine uncovered a major insight having to do with megakaryocytes.

And it was through this basic research question that Bali and a team at Stanford Medicine uncovered a major insight having to do with megakaryocytes.

So ultimately, Bali wants this basic research to lead to better vaccines for everyone.

So ultimately, Bali wants this basic research to lead to better vaccines for everyone.

So ultimately, Bali wants this basic research to lead to better vaccines for everyone.

It involves lots of mathematical modeling and physics, too. They created these little hula hooping robots using 3D printed models of different shapes. Some robots had cylinder shapes, others cones, others were hourglass-like. They wiggled all of these shapes with a tiny little hoop just under six inches across.

It involves lots of mathematical modeling and physics, too. They created these little hula hooping robots using 3D printed models of different shapes. Some robots had cylinder shapes, others cones, others were hourglass-like. They wiggled all of these shapes with a tiny little hoop just under six inches across.

It involves lots of mathematical modeling and physics, too. They created these little hula hooping robots using 3D printed models of different shapes. Some robots had cylinder shapes, others cones, others were hourglass-like. They wiggled all of these shapes with a tiny little hoop just under six inches across.

These shapes, of course, were meant to represent a simplified scaled-down version of a human hula hooping.

These shapes, of course, were meant to represent a simplified scaled-down version of a human hula hooping.

These shapes, of course, were meant to represent a simplified scaled-down version of a human hula hooping.

No, totally. I was worried about that, too. But the researchers said that you can actually just give the hula hoop more energy by moving your hips more quickly, like upping the frequency of that circular motion. And also, obviously, hula hooping isn't just for the waist. You can hula hoop on your neck or wrists or ankles.

No, totally. I was worried about that, too. But the researchers said that you can actually just give the hula hoop more energy by moving your hips more quickly, like upping the frequency of that circular motion. And also, obviously, hula hooping isn't just for the waist. You can hula hoop on your neck or wrists or ankles.