Hi, I'm Scientific American podcast editor Steve Mirsky. And here's a short piece from the December 2018 issue of the magazine, in the section called Advances: Dispatches from the Frontiers of Science, Technology and Medicine.The article is titled "Quick Hits," and it's a rundown of some science and technology stories from around the globe, compiled by editorial contributor Ankur Paliwal.FROM ECUADORScientists have identified a new hummingbird species in the Ecuadorian Andes. But very few of the birds exist, and the species is considered critically endangered. Its habitat is shrinking as nearby communities burn the native landscape to make way for cattle grazing.FROM GERMANYGermany has launched the world's first hydrogen powered trains in an effort to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. The trains, which can reach speeds up to 140 kilometers per hour, have fuel cells that conve
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