Curiosity Weekly

Scientific testing on animals has existed for hundreds of years and is considered a controversial element of how modern research is done. To discuss the past, present, and future of animal testing, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by veterinarian and bioethicist Dr. Lisa Moses. Sam also looks at a new study exploring an alternative treatment to sleep apnea and one that looks into how people living at high altitudes can provide inspiration for diabetes medication.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As reliance on digital technology increases, there are plenty of people who are rejecting their screens and moving back to physical devices and experiences. The analog movement isn’t just a social media trend, there’s real science backing the potential psychological benefits of being offline. Here to discuss how our digital habits affect us is Dr. Natalia Khodayari, a postdoctoral scholar at UC Davis. Host Dr. Samantha Yammine also looks into a new study that solved the mystery of how horses whinny and a paper on the effects of dim lighting on our eyes.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 These days, discovering a new species of dinosaur looks a lot different than it does in the movies. Technology enables paleontologists to search for dino bones with care and precision. Here to discuss his recent discovery of the Spinosaurus mirabilis is Dr. Paul Sereno. Host, Dr. Samantha Yammine also looks into Humanity’s Last Exam which is a test designed for AI to fail and a study that shows how repeated exercise rewires our brains.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The brain is a complex and adaptable organ; one that can be transformed by a multitude of external factors. This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine investigates the ways the brain can be altered from the outside in. First, she looks into new research on the brain’s response to consistent meditation practice. Then, she sits down with Dr. Ishrat Husain to discuss the efficacy of psychedelics in medical settings on mental health. And lastly, she digs into how modern football helmets utilize science and engineering to better protect the brain from concussions.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The trees are talking about us… but not the way you think. Almost thirty years ago, Dr. Suzanne Simard discovered a vast network of fungal threads beneath the forest floor that functions as a complex communication network. This episode, Dr. Simard joins Dr. Samantha Yammine to discuss how trees connect with one another and how that discovery changed the way we think about forest ecosystems. Sam also looks into an Austrian cow who’s learned how to use tools and a new study that claims to be able to regrow cartilage.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s hard to imagine just how much misinformation lives online and it turns out that people are only able to identify it a fraction of the time. To speak more on developing the essential skill of recognizing misinformation online, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Professor Timothy Caulfield. Sam also investigates a new study on motivation that might help us all tackle tasks we’ve been avoiding and explains how artificial snow is made.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They say it’s better down where it’s wetter… but is it really? Aquanauts have more in common with astronauts than they do with singing marine life. In fact, NASA conducts research into the biological and psychological effects of space on the ocean floor. This episode, Sam is joined by Dr. Dawn Kernagis, an aquanaut and neuroscientist who spent 16 days living underwater for NASA’s NEEMO 21 Mission. Sam also digs into the recent updates on NASA’s Artemis Mission and how AI is being used to standardize pain classification.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If everyone wants happiness, why does it so often seem hard to achieve? This episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by psychologist Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky to talk about positive psychology and what science tells us about how to be happy. Sam also explores a new study that says swearing can give you a physical boost and, to celebrate the Olympics, she digs into the physics behind curling.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s not a stretch to say that everyone suffers from unwanted body odor from time to time. Whether it’s stress, exercise, or heat, there are plenty of reasons why we sweat and there is a lot to learn about our bodies from the odors they create. To learn more about the science of body odor, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Chris Callewaert, aka Dr. Armpit. Before that, Sam also digs into a new skin patch that might help out our friends with peanut allergies. Then, she explores a new theory into how the Black Death pandemic was able to spread so easily way back in the 1300s.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s easy to think that every major scientific breakthrough in history was met with acceptance and enthusiastic fanfare, but that is not the case. Many modern scientific truths were discovered by researchers who were punished for their ideas at the time. To discuss this topic, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Matt Kaplan, author of the book I Told You So: Scientists Who Are Ridiculed, Exiled, and Imprisoned For Being Right.     Then, Sam takes a look into a new study that may have cracked the code on why women are more likely to experience symptoms of IBS. And, just in time for Valentine’s Day, she also explores the history and anthropology of kissing.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exploring the science behind pet ownership is a more complicated process than you might think. This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by the author of The Science of Pets, Jay Ingram. They talk about the relationship between animals and humans and how we may not always see eye to eye when it comes to interpreting certain behaviors. Sam also looks into the history of species variation in dogs and how human emotions make it difficult to decipher dog emotions.     Puppy Bowl XXII simulcasts across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, TruTV, HBOMax, and Discovery on Sunday, February 8, 2026 at 2PM ET/11:00AM PT.     Watch it after on HBOMax and Discovery+.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We know that the health of the planet affects human health but what about the other way around? This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Kaylee Byers to discuss how human and animal health is interconnected, particularly in urban environments. Sam also investigates new research that looks into the largest spider colony in the world and the biology of addiction.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are always constraints when it comes to conservation. Finances, logistics, population dynamics, medicine, and general care all need to be considered when asking: how do we best care for our planet? This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Forrest Galante, a wildlife conservationist and biologist to discuss his new series Vantara: Sanctuary Stories, now streaming on HBOMax and Discovery+. Sam and Forrest talk about the peaks and valleys of modern conservation and how the animal sanctuary Vantara is unique in the way it cares for the hundreds of thousands of animals that live there. Sam also explores a new study that provides evidence that helping others slows cognitive decline and recent research on how elite performers reach the pinnacle of their fields.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To understand how our universe might end, scientists often have to go back to the beginning. This episode of Curiosity Weekly, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by astrophysicist Dr. Katie Mack to discuss theoretical cosmology, astrophysics, and what scientists are thinking might happen to our universe in the distant future. Sam also explores a newly discovered fire amoeba and a recent study exploring how exercise slows cancer growth.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a new year which means many of us are focusing on resolutions designed to take better care of our bodies as we age. But, even those conducting research on healthy aging find it a complicated concept to define. To help navigate the topic, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Paul Robbins, a professor and co-director of the Masonic Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism at the University of Minnesota. Then, Sam investigates what researchers learned from studying the biology and lifestyle of a woman who lived to the age of 117 and how manipulating the mitochondria in a cell can prevent degeneration.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Allergies are estimated to affect upwards of 30% of people globally, so why are they so often swept under the rug? People in restaurants lie about their allergies, food labelling is difficult to understand, and those with the allergies are often forced to be their own advocate to avoid a potentially life-threatening medical situation. On this episode, senior producer Teresa Carey interviews allergist Dr. Samira Jeimy to discuss the day-to-day realities of allergies, new potential medications, and why better societal support is needed for those with severe allergies. Host Dr. Samantha Yammine also explores how multilingualism can slow brain aging and a new study that is trying to cleanse wine from the taste of wildfire smoke.     Link to Show Notes HERE. Curiosity Weekly is off for the holidays! Tune in on January 7th for a new episode.   Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Language has always evolved but it seems like technology has sped that process up to a staggering degree. Memes, algorithms, AI, and social media are altering the words we use and the way we use them. To speak more about the phenomenon, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Adam Aleksic, an etymologist and author of the book Algospeak. Sam also explores a new search engine that’s being called the Google of DNA and how a fungus once thought to be an Egyptian curse, might just have cancer-fighting properties.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Climate change is one of the most powerful forces shaping our world today. With an uptick in extreme weather events, it’s time to focus on how to adapt to this new normal from a public health perspective. Senior Producer Teresa Carey speaks with Dr. Georges C. Benjamin about the health impacts of climate change and how people can support their communities during climate events. Then, host Dr. Samantha Yammine explores two new studies: one that may provide a welcome treatment for those suffering from vision loss, and the other that explores just how much energy our bodies are able to expend when we exercise.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, so you’d think we’d know more when it comes to understanding what is going on in our bodies and brains when we’re doing it. But studying sleep is surprisingly complex and there are a lot of ideas trying to untangle why we need sleep. This episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Jeffrey Iliff from the University of Washington School of Medicine to talk about how sleep affects our brains. Sam also explores what we can learn about human sleep from animal sleep patterns and a new study that sorts people into five distinct sleep profiles.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meteorologist and storm chaser Dr. Reed Timmer doesn’t just study extreme weather, he drives straight into it with a custom build, storm proof vehicle. Host Dr. Samanthat Yammine talks with him about the science of surviving the planet’s increasingly volatile storms, the data he’s able to collect up close, and what it takes to study a storm system from the inside. Watch him put science to the test on Discovery’s In the Eye of the Storm on HBOMax.     Then, meet Ice XXI: a form of ice that researchers were able to create at room temperature that might just tell us more about how ice is formed in space. After that, Sam explores a groundbreaking new study that shows how mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have the potential to extend the lives of certain cancer patients.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will eating mint cancel out the feeling of spice in your mouth? How do you manipulate aroma compounds to mimic the taste of lemon? When it comes to the science of flavor, there is no shortage of questions to ask. On this episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by renowned flavor scientist, author, and co-founder of Noma’s Fermentation Lab, Dr. Arielle Johnson. Together, they discuss how food and science intersect and the fascinating ways our bodies distinguish flavor. Then, a new study looks into how UV light can destroy airborne allergens and Sam digs into the ins and outs of ultra-processed foods.    Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If sitting down to solve a math problem is your personal nightmare, you’re not alone. On this episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by drag queen and math communicator Kyne Santos to talk all things math and how it fuels our everyday lives. Sam also digs into how caffeine can make us persist in impossible tasks and, thanks to listener submissions, she follows up on a previous story about microplastics in our brains.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all know that science shapes science fiction, but what happens when the opposite is also true? This episode, senior producer Teresa Carey speaks with legendary science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson about the intersection of science and science fiction and how the latter allows us to think about the effects of scientific advancement. Host, Dr. Samantha Yammine also digs into what happens in the brain in the moments after death and how some sea turtles are making their way into the polluted waters of Southern California.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Humans and nature have always coexisted. But, human intervention makes our modern world look very different than it once did. This episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine digs into how humans are reshaping the wild. Sam speaks to Dr. Harland Patch about the decline of insect populations around the world and how we can provide better environments for pollinators. She also dives into the world of CRISPR gene editing among Argentinian polo horses and why so many people seem to be getting diagnosed with Lyme disease.    Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GPS runs our world, but the system is far from perfect and much more fragile than people believe. This episode, GPS expert Logan Scott speaks with senior producer Teresa Carey about the past, present, and future of GPS and how to avoid catastrophe when something goes wrong. Host, Dr. Samantha Yammine also explores the first new potential treatment for Huntington’s disease and how queen ants are creating clones of other species.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the climate shifts into a new normal, plenty of questions are being asked about the state of urban planning around the world. Mainly: how can we better adapt our cities to climate change? What does it mean to create a climate-resilient city? This episode, Senior Producer Teresa Carey is joined by Jesse M. Keenan, an expert in climate adaptation and sustainable urban development, to discuss how we can adjust the current systems in place to better address climate change.     Dr. Samantha Yammine also digs into the exciting world of keratin toothpaste and a new study that explores honesty in science communication.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you call it citizen science, participatory science, or community science, research conducted by everyday people has led to major discoveries across a wide range of fields. This episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Caren Cooper to discuss the benefits and mechanics when it comes to public participation in science. Dr. Cooper is an expert in the field and the author of Citizen Science: How Ordinary People are Changing the Face of Discovery. Then, Sam explores a recent study that looks into why chocolate tastes so good and research that may have found an antidote to carbon monoxide poisoning.      Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some of society’s greatest scientific achievements were made based on research that might sound silly or bizarre to the average person. But curiosity-driven exploration is just as important to science as research that starts out with clear-cut applications in mind.     So, this episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Carly Anne York. Dr. York wrote The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog: And Other Serious Discoveries of Silly Science and they talk about how crucial curiosity is when it comes to learning about the world around us. Then, speaking of silly science, Sam and the production team dig into some of the winners of this year’s Ig Nobel Prize. After that, Sam explores a study that proves the communication between moths and tomato plants.    Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Understanding exactly how the billions of neurons and trillions of connections in our brains could be one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in history. And, surprisingly, we’re not as far off from that as you might think. In episode 2 of our brain series, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Forrest Collman who helped create the most detailed brain diagram ever made. Sam also digs into how much microplastic is really in our heads and how our brain might be an unreliable narrator.    Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neuroscience is tricky… to say the least. Dedicated scientists have been exploring the organ since ancient times but there is still so much we don’t know about what goes on between our ears. In part 1 of our brain series, host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Toker about his research on consciousness through experimenting with lab-grown organoids. He explains what we can learn about the brain from better understanding consciousness. Then, Sam explores why our brains love to fixate on the mistakes we make and whether or not we can actually perceive more than five senses in our bodies.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s no real replacement for traditional medicine, but what if there was an intuitive way to prevent the effects of things like depression, anxiety, and chronic pain? Social prescription is the act of being prescribed activities that center around connection with community, art, and nature. And it’s backed by science! Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by author Julia Hotz to talk about the ins and outs of social prescription and how becoming more active in your environment and community can help prevent certain health outcomes. Then, Sam explores a fascinating new vaccine side effect and what fanfiction can tell us about how we experience art and culture.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our attention spans are… not doing so great these days. With copious amounts of technology, apps, news articles, and social media posts at our fingertips, it makes sense that a lot of people are noticing how much more difficult it is to get into a state of deep reading. On part two of our literacy series, editorial correspondent Teresa Carey speaks with two experts on the subject: Dr. Maryanne Wolf and Dr. Daniel Willingham. They discuss the benefits of reading on both our brains and our culture, especially for kids. Host, Dr. Samantha Yammine also digs into the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on science communicators and a new probiotic tool that can help save our coral reefs from disease.    Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Literacy is murkier than we think. This episode, as a part one of our literacy series, we explore recent research related to one of the most important milestones in our academic lives: learning to read. Host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Emily Wood, a speech language pathologist who studies the methods we use for testing literacy in kids. She speaks with Sam about how we can better address gaps in reading among children and what options are available for multilingual kids in the classroom. Sam also looks into a study that reports on the benefits of handwriting vs typing while learning to read and a study about how using AI in the classroom might not be the best idea.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every parent has wondered if their baby’s crying is normal at some point or another. While there is no “normal,” evidence shows that genetics might actually have a part to play in how long babies cry for. And another universal experience, harking back to “the good old days” in pop culture and our personal lives. Senior Producer, Teresa Carey, speaks with Dr. Clay Routledge about the good feelings - and sometimes sad memories - that come with nostalgia. And finally, host Samantha Yammine explains neuroplasticity and what physically changes in your brain when you practice something. Even juggling.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Los Angeles is home to the only place in the world where ancient fossils are being actively excavated in the middle of the city: The La Brea Tar Pits. Today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks to the deputy director and assistant curator of the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Dr. Regan Dunn. They talk about what makes this site so fascinating and what we can learn from what we find hidden in the tar. Sam also explores a recent study on methane capturing at a California dairy farm. Then, she is joined by Aly Moore to discuss the benefits of entomophagy aka eating insects.      Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications are everywhere. But with so much information available about this category of drug, it can be hard to know what to trust. Today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with Dr. Emma Beckett, a food and nutrition scientist, to unpack the facts and fictions behind GLP-1s and how we talk about them. Sam also talks with a research team who uncovered a brand new color using cutting-edge technology: Olo. Then, Sam gets to the bottom of a recent study that turns human blood toxic to mosquitos.     Tune into Animals on Drugs, hosted by recent guest Forrest Galante, airing on July 28th on Discovery.      Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Forensic DNA is supposed to be the end all be all when it comes to solving crime, so why are there so many false convictions when it comes to using DNA evidence? Today, Senior Producer Teresa Carey talks to Dr. Gregory Hampikian about forensic DNA, fingerprints, AI, and the limitations of scientific evidence in criminal investigations. Host, Dr. Samantha Yammine also explores the Effort Paradox (aka why doing things that are hard can feel good) and how using RICE (that’s rest, ice, compression, and elevation) for injuries is an outdated method for healing.     Don’t forget that season two of Eye of the Storm premieres July 27th on Discovery and HBO Max.      Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharks are vanishing from South Africa’s coast and Alison Towner knows why. One of the world’s top great white experts and a leading woman in STEM, Alison joins Dr. Samantha Yammine to break down her new Shark Week specials: Air Jaws: Return of Colossus and Great White Assassins and reveal what’s really happening to these iconic predators. Then, Sam dives into new findings about hammerhead shark migration and why that little blue seafood label matters for ocean conservation. Plus, Paul de Gelder shares what to watch for in How to Survive a Shark Attack. All premiering during Shark Week, starting July 20, 2025 on Discovery!     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shark Week returns July 20 on Discovery!     This episode is the Shark Week audio companion Part 1! Dr. Samantha Yammine dives into the most surprising shark science of 2025, from sharks that make noise to the nano-scale ‘sharkitecture’ inside their skeletons. Sam also interviews Forrest Galante, wildlife biologist and featured Shark Week expert in Alien Sharks. Plus, Luke Tipple, an underwater face on this year’s Shark Week, explains why people are Dancing With Sharks in 2025. Don’t miss it!     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The skincare industry is riddled with false advertising, misleading labels, and supposed “miracle cures.” So, as a consumer, how are you meant to know what’s fact and what’s fiction? Today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine explores the science behind skincare, from how the collagen industry is causing deforestation in the Amazon for a product that might not actually work to why it’s important to get enough vitamin D. Then, Sam is joined by skincare expert Dr. Michelle Wong, aka @labmuffinbeautyscience to chat about all things sunscreen and the science of SPF.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve heard of the attention economy, but what about the intention economy? Rather than competing for consumers’ attention, our devices are now attempting to predict our purchasing patterns through AI. And who better to discuss that issue than Dr. Cansu Canca, a leading expert in AI ethics and founder of the AI Ethics Lab? She joins Senior Producer, Teresa Carey, to discuss this shift in how we use technology. Sam also digs into a concept called reverse bedtime procrastination and why it’s keeping us from getting a good night’s sleep. And finally, Sam investigates the ins and outs of the Dance Your PhD contest.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Genetic testing has had some ups and downs over the past few years, with wide swaths of data sets setting a precedent for potential individualized healthcare. But, oftentimes, that data misrepresents African-descended individuals and doesn’t paint the whole picture. Population geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine to discuss what we can learn from genetic testing, and the gaps that sociologists are trying to fill in.     Sam also explores a fascinating new study that claims to have nailed down the perfect cacio e pepe recipe and a potential solution to the growing strain on global rice yields.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Pride Month! To help us celebrate, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Shawn Hercules, a queer, non-binary cancer researcher and science communicator. They’ll discuss Shawn’s research into breast cancer among people of African ancestry, how policies around gender affirming care can positively affect healthcare at large, and the importance of diverse voices in scientific research. Sam also explores the right to disconnect – aka how important it is to log off from work and give your brain some rest. After that, she explains the ins and outs of deep sea mining and how it has the potential to disrupt deep sea ecosystems.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The key to protecting our oceans is understanding them. So, today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine leans into learning about the power and struggles of the environments that keep our planet blue. From the power of bioluminescence and how it’s changed how we study molecular biology to the importance of salt for our bodies and cultures, there is so much to absorb when it comes to our oceans. Then, producer Teresa Carey speaks with Dr. Gabby Ahmadia from the World Wildlife Fund about the importance of community-based conservation, research in coastal communities and how, with the right methodologies and funding, there is hope for our ocean’s health in the future.   Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You might think you have nothing to hide on your devices but everyone does. From bank accounts to passwords to travel plans, protecting your digital privacy is one of the biggest issues we face today. Digital privacy expert Eva Galperin joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine to discuss the importance of protecting your data and how to best do so. Sam also explores recent updates on a nuclear battery that can keep devices charged for years as well as a man who might be the key behind creating a universal antivenom to protect against snakebites.     Be sure to watch #ImplosionTheTitanicSubDisaster on Wednesday, May 28 at 9pm on Discovery. It's a two-hour special that uncovers the extraordinary story of what caused the OceanGate disaster in 2023 and how it might have been prevented. For the first time ever, Josh Gates unveils groundbreaking new footage including an unsettling interview and a problematic test dive inside the Titan only months before the submersible started missions to the Titanic shipwreck.    Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Looking up at the dark sky on a clear night means seeing the lit up little satellites move their way around the night sky. Those satellites might be pretty to look at but researchers are currently working to solve a decades-old problem: what happens when they encounter space junk? Today, producer Teresa Carey speaks with Dr. John Crassidis from the University of Buffalo about this issue and what options aerospace engineers have to solve it. Then, host Dr. Samantha Yammine digs into a recent paper that explores the physics behind the perfect cup of coffee and the recent sighting of the elusive colossal squid.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and we’re using this week’s episode to highlight scientists and researchers from those regions to emphasize their contributions to science across all different fields of study. Then, Sam speaks with Dr. Steven Mana’oakamai Johnson. He explains how people are responding to climate change across the Pacific Islands and the importance of local knowledge when it comes to understanding and preparing for new types of weather systems in that region. And finally, Sam investigates a recent study where researchers created an artificial leaf that could have a real impact when it comes to renewable energy.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Birdwatching has taken off as a hobby in recent years, and for good reason! Birds are vital members of our planet’s ecosystems and are major bioindicators when it comes to understanding how climate change is affecting different environments. Joining host Dr. Samantha Yammine today are two passionate birders who use science to understand bird behavior and how we can better support our friends in the sky. Corina Newsome is a wildlife biologist and one of the co-founders of Black Birders Week. She speaks on the importance of birding as it relates to accessibility and environmental justice. Then, senior producer Teresa Carey is joined by Miyoko Chu from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to discuss window collisions and what birds can tell us about the climate. Finally, Sam reads a question from a listener and explains the sociological phenomenon of collective effervescence.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The tasks that AI is able to perform has grown exponentially over the years but there are a few things AI still struggles with, like accurately mimicking scientific methodology. Dr. James Zou joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine today to discuss recent updates in AI’s ability to play the role of scientist. He is an associate professor of Biomedical Data Science at Stanford University where he created a research lab of AI scientists. Sam also investigates the ins and outs of lab-grown meat and how MDMA is being used to treat PTSD.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When tackling solutions to climate change, we tend to focus on westernized approaches rather than listening to Indigenous Peoples about the best ways to protect our earth. So, today, just in time for Earth Day, Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with Dr. Myrle Ballard about natural resource and environmental management from Indigenous perspectives. Then, Sam gets into a new AI-powered brain implant that was able to translate thought into speech and how thawing permafrost in the arctic has the potential to release ancient viruses.    Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Icebergs are natural behemoths, littered across the ocean. They are both subjects of awe and fear among sailors so today, Dr. Samantha Yammine discusses the ins and outs of these ginormous monoliths with an experienced sailor and iceberg admirer, producer Teresa Carey. Then, Sam speaks to Dr. Beth Culp, a lead author on a recent study that maps out your gut’s microbiome. After that, Sam asks the question we’ve all been thinking about: what’s the science behind non-alcoholic wine?    If you're curious about a new theory on what happened to the Titanic, tune into Expedition Files on Wednesday, April 16 at 9pm Eastern on Discovery.    Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fungal parasites like the ones shown in The Last of Us might not be starting up a zombie apocalypse anytime soon but that doesn’t mean they’re not causing trouble in other ways. Host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with Dr. Carolyn Elya, a mycologist specializing in fungi’s unique ability to take over the brains of insects. They discuss how that compares with the fungal zombies in the show and whether concerns over fungal influence on our brains are legitimate. Sam also explores how researchers were recently able to bend soundwaves creating what they call, “Audible Enclaves.” Then, Sam answers the age-old question: how do mRNA vaccines really work?     Tune into the second season of The Last of Us, premiering April 13th on Max.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re all about answering questions here at Curiosity Weekly. Questions like: where do baby sea turtles actually go when they waddle from their cozy beach nest into the ocean? Host Dr. Samantha Yammine explores the mysteries of adolescent sea turtles before bringing on our special guest, Jessica Malaty Rivera, to answer even more questions, this time about the recent uptick in measles cases in the U.S. and common misconceptions about the MMR vaccine. Finally, is there really a difference between diamonds from the earth and ones grown in a lab? Listen in to find out!   Link to Show Notes HERE.   Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Spring has officially sprung! The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing and flowers are blooming. But, have you ever wondered the journey that flowers take from the soil to your vase at home? Today on Curiosity Weekly, author Amy Stewart joins Dr. Samantha Yammine to chat about the global flower trade. Sam is also joined by producer Teresa Carey for a climate tech showdown, where Teresa tries to stump Sam and the listeners with some of the wildest ideas in climate tech. Then, you’ll learn about the secret ingredient hidden in your can of chickpeas that’s changing the way we make vegan food.    Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Women’s History Month and to celebrate we have Katie Hafner on Curiosity Weekly to discuss the history of women in STEM and ways we can highlight their contributions today. Then, Sam looks into the Wooly Devil, aka the first new plant genus found in a national park in almost 50 years. Finally, Sam and producer Teresa Carey talk about what to know regarding male contraception.   Link to Show Notes HERE.   Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cells may be the building blocks of life (and highschool biology), but who knew they were so complicated? Dr. Samantha Yammine digs into different types of cells and their functions with editorial correspondent Teresa Carey as they discuss the difficulties in defining what a cell even is. Then, Sam speaks with Dr. Sébastien Calvignac-Spencer, a pathogen evolutionary biologist about his work investigating diseases from history. Finally, some curious researchers and entrepreneurs are cultivating actual salmon meat in bioreactors so Sam investigates the process behind growing fish in a lab including the potential ecological effects of cell-cultured salmon hitting the market.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new season of Naked and Afraid premieres Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 8pm EST on Discovery.     To celebrate, host Dr. Samantha Yammine talks to legendary survivalist Rob Nelson about his experiences thriving in some of the most extreme conditions on the planet. Rob also gets into some of the facts and myths behind common survival techniques. Then, Sam is joined by Naked and Afraid survivalist, Mandy Horvath. Mandy is the show’s first bi-lateral amputee contestant and she speaks on the physical, environmental, and emotional challenges of participating on the show. Sam also digs into the science behind what’s really going on with our bodies when trapped in the wilderness.     Link to Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Tiara Moore who is a marine ecologist and the founder of Black in Marine Science to talk about her research as well as her advocacy work to ensure equitable systems are in place for Black scientists within the scientific community. Sam digs into a deep sea sponge that has inspired researchers to create a filter that can protect our oceans from a future oil spill and a recent study released where scientists created mice using the DNA from two sperms.     Link to full Show Notes HERE    Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The White Lotus is about to be back on our screens on Max so today, we’re diving into the latest trend among elite travelers: longevity tourism. Then, our host Sam speaks to Dr. Jodi Halpern about the mental health effects that come along with the rise of AI technology. And finally, we explore the ins and outs of fracking. Link to all sources here Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, today our host Dr. Samantha Yammine digs into the science behind what really causes butterflies in your stomach when you’re experiencing infatuation. Then, astrobiologist Dr. Lynn Rothschild joins us to discuss extremophiles and what they can tell us about potential life on other planets. And finally, we discuss the ins and outs of the FDA’s recent ban of Red Dye 3.   Red Dye 3 “FDA bans red dye No. 3 from foods, nearly 35 years after it was barred from cosmetics because of potential cancer risk.” by JoNel Aleccia. 2025Source 2, Source 3, Source 4, Source 5, Source 6, Source 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,17 Extremophiles “Lynn J. Rothschild.” by NASA. 2024.Butterflies “Why Do I Feel Butterflies in My Stomach When I’m on a Date?” by Trisha Pasricha. 2023Source 2 , 3 , 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we dive into the science around man’s best friend to celebrate the Puppy Bowl airing on Animal Planet, February 9th. Sam explores what’s really going on with the recent phenomenon of people teaching their dogs to communicate through word buttons. Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach joins the show to discuss her research into the mental health benefits of emotional support animals. Finally, we tackle the power and possibility of a dog’s sense of smell.     Canine Chat  “Soundboard-trained dogs produce non-accidental, non-random and non-imitative two-button combinations.” by Amelia P. M. Bastos, Zachary N. Houghton, et al. 2024.  Source 2  Source 3 Source 4  Emotional Support Animals   “Exploring Benefits of Emotional Support Animals (ESAs): A Longitudinal Pilot Study with Adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI).” by Janet Hoy-Gerlach, Aviva Vincent, Barry Scheuermann, Mamta Ojha. 2022. Source 2  Source 3 Source 4 Source 5 Sniffer Dogs   “Massachusetts schools use dogs to sniff out Covid-19.” by Gary Tuchman. 2024. Source 2 Source 3 Source 4 Source 5 Source 6 Source 7 Source 8 Source 9 Source 10  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, we dive into the tech helping us respond to the growing risk of wildfires, including the use of AI systems and smoke detectors. Then, Sam speaks to Dr. Linda Charmaraman from the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab about a recent study that looks into misinformation on TikTok when it comes to diagnosing ADHD. Finally, we talk about how both blind and sighted humans are encouraging greater neuroplasticity in their brains through learning echolocation.    Wildfire Tech   “Canada Report: 2023 Fire Season.” Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. 2023. “Fact Sheet: Climate Change and Wildfires.” Canadian Climate Institute. 2024.  Source 3, Source 4, Source 5, Source 6, Source 7, Source 8, Source 9, Source 10, Source 11, Source 12 #ADHDtest Source 1, Source 2, Source 3Human Echolocation Source 1, Source 2, Source 3, Source 4Newscast Soundbites Source 1, Source 2 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Electro-Agriculture  “Scientists Grow Crops in Near-Total Darkness Thanks to New ‘Electro-Agriculture’ Technique.” by Adam Kovac. 2024 “Electro-agriculture: Revolutionizing farming for a sustainable future.” by Bradie S. Crandall, Marcus Harland-Dunaway, Robert E. Jinkerson, et al. 2024   Space Exploration with Dr. Robert Lillis “An ESCAPADE to Mars, on the cheap.” The Planetary Society. 2021.“ESCAPADE: Mission to Mars.” Rocketlab. “Mission to Mars - ESCAPADE.” Rocketlab.“Dr. Rob Lillis.” Harvath Law Group.  “MAVEN Maps Electric Currents around Mars that are Fundamental to Atmospheric Loss.” by William Steigerwald. 2020.    Stem Cell Vision Repair  “Induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived corneal epithelium for transplant surgery: a single-arm, open-label, first-in-human interventional study in Japan.” by Takeshi Soma, Yoshinori Oie, Hiroshi Takayanagi, Shoko Matsubara, et al. 2024 “World First: Stem Cell Transplant Restores Vision in Multiple People.” by Carly Cassella. 2024.  “Stem cell transplant shows promise for vision loss.” by Rebecca Turner. 2024.“Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency.” ColumbiaDoctors. “Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.” UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center.  Newscast Soundbites  Mars Exploration Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Curiosity Weekly from Discovery! This week, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Anastasia Buyalskaya, a behavioral scientist, to unravel habit formation and debunk the 21-day myth. We also learn about a newly discovered link between musical training and left-handedness. Plus, hear about some space station bacteria that are flexing their superpowers!     Habit Formation    “What Machine Learning Can Teach Us About Habit Formation.” by Anastasia Buyalskaya. 2024.   Space Bacteria    “Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria Found on ISS Mutating to Become Functionally Distinct.” by Elizabeth E. Keller. 2024. “Mutant Superbugs Pose a Threat to Human Life in Space.” by Javier Yanes. 2024.   Leftie Musicians    “Left-Handed Musicians Appear to Develop Unique Brain Pathways for Language Processing.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.   Newscast Soundbites  Microorganisms discovered on the Mir Space Station Space Station Live: Studying Basic Biology in Space  There Are Microbes in Space?!   Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Curiosity Weekly from Discovery, hosted by Dr. Samantha Yammine. Once a week, we’ll bring you the latest and greatest in scientific discoveries and break down the details so that you don’t need a PhD to understand it. From neuroscience to climate tech to AI and genetics, no subject is off-limits. Join Sam as she interviews expert guests and investigates the research guiding some of the most exciting scientific breakthroughs affecting our world today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the link between body temperature and depression, how taking the the Polar Bear Plunge could soothe symptoms of menopause, and a new sticker that can detect organ failure.   Depression Temp  •“Are Body Temperature and Depression Linked? Science Says, Yes.” by Jess Berthold. 2024.   •“Surprising Link Discovered Between Body Temperature and Depression.” by Jess Berthold. 2024.   Cold Water Menopause  •“Cold water swimming improves menopause symptoms.” EurekAlert! 2024.   •“Is cold water swimming in the winter healthy?” by Bard Amundsen. 2021.   Ultrasound Sticker  •“This ultrasound sticker senses changing stiffness of deep internal organs.” by Jennifer Chu. 2024.   •“Wearable bioadhesive ultrasound shear wave elastography.” by Hsiao-Chuan Liu, et al. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new blood test that could revolutionize bipolar diagnoses, how music could help knock out pain, and how a changing climate is changing puffins.   Bipolar Blood Test  •“Simple blood test can help diagnose bipolar disorder.” University of Cambridge. 2023.   •“Bipolar Disorder.” NIH. n..d.  •“Diagnosis and management of bipolar disorders.” by Fernando S. Goes. 2023.   Music & Pain  •“Emotional responses to favorite and relaxing music predict music-induced hypoalgesia.” by Darius Valevicius, et al. 2023.   •“Editorial: Perspectives on music and pain: from evidence to theory and application.” by Annabel J. Cohen, et al. 2023.   Puffin Hybrid  •“Hybridization of Atlantic puffins in the Arctic coincides with 20th-century climate change.” by Oliver Kersten, et al. 2023.   •“Atlantic Puffin.” n.a. N.d.   •“Puffin FAQs.” Audubon. N.d.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about mind-reading machines, the brightest object in the known universe, and the potential power punch of cinnamon.  Mind-Reading  •“Mind-reading devices are revealing the brain’s secrets.” by Miryam Naddaf. 2024.   •“The brain-reading devices helping paralysed people to move, talk and touch.” by Liam Drew. 2022.   •“The rise of brain-reading technology: what you need to know.” by Liam Drew. 2023.   •“How our brains decode speech: special neurons process certain sounds.” by Saima Sidik. 2023.   Universe’s Brightest Object  •“Astronomers discover universe’s brightest object - a quasar powered by a black hole that eats a sun a day.” by Tory Shepherd. 2024.   •“What is a quasar?” by Andy Briggs. 2021.   •“Revealed: the oldest black hole ever observed, dating to dawn of universe.” by Hannah Devlin. 2023.   Cinnamon  •“Cinnamon supplements reduce blood glucose in people with prediabetes.” by Dani Mann. 2024.   •“Cinnamon and Diabetes.” n.a. 2023.  •“Prediabetes (Borderline Diabetes).” by Mike Watts. 2022.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a supervitamin you might already be taking some good news about the health of the world’s forests, and a new study that mapped ketamine’s effects on the brain.   B12  •“Vitamin B12 emerges as key player during cellular reprogramming.” by Alba Vilchez-Acosta. 2023.   •“Vitamin B12: A key player in cellular reprogramming and tissue regeneration.” ScienceDaily. 2023.   Healthy Forests  •“Twenty-year study confirms California forests are healthier when burned - or thinned.” by Kara Manke. 2023.   •“2023 North American Wildfires.” CDP. 2023.   •“Forest restoration and fuels reduction work: Different pathways for achieving success in the Sierra Nevada.” by Scott L. Stephens, et al. 2023.   Ketamine & the Brain  •“New Study Maps Ketamine’s Effects on Brain.” by Christopher D. Shea. 2023.   •“Ketamine.” reviewed by Melisa Puckey. 2023.   •“Whole-brain mapping reveals the divergent impact of ketamine on the dopamine system.” by Malika S. Datta, et al. 2023.   •“Understanding Ketamine Treatment for Depression.” n.a. 2023.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the possible dangers of growing leafy greens in microgravity, a study that let AI tag along with a toddler to learn language the human way, and research on stabilizing elephant populations on the African savannah.   Microgravity Gardening  •“Simulated microgravity facilitates stomatal ingression by Salmonella in lettuce and suppresses a biocontrol agent.” by Noah Totsline, et al. 2024.   •“The Future.” NASA. N.D.   •“What will astronauts eat during long missions in space?” Leidos. 2023.   AI Learns Language  •“AI learns language through the experience of a single child in groundbreaking study.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.   •“Grounded language acquisition through the eyes and ears of a single child.” by Wai Keen Vong, et al. 2024.   Elephant Numbers  •“Protecting and connecting landscapes stabilizes populations of the Endangered savannah elephant.” by Ryan M. Huang, et al. 2024.   •“The African Savanna.” by Michael Swiderek. 2021.   •“Africa’s great savannahs may be more endangered than the world’s rainforests.” by Jeremy Hance. 2012.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a bacteria that turns plastic into spider webs, a massive deep-sea discovery right in our own backyard, and how CRISPR could reshape agriculture for an entire continent.  Silk-Making Bacteria  •“Researchers Engineer Bacteria That Eat Plastic, Make Multipurpose Spider Silk.” Technology Networks. 2024.   •“Two-step conversion of polyethylene into recombinant proteins using a microbial platform.” by Alexander Connor, et al. 2023.  •“Our planet is choking on plastic.” UNEP. n.d.   •“In Images: Plastic is Forever.” UN. n.d.  Deep Coral  •“World’s largest deep-sea coral reef found lurking beneath the Gulf Stream ‘right on the doorstep’ of US coast.” by Harry Baker. 2024.   •“Status of Coral Reefs.” Reef Resilience Network. N.d.   •“Life Below Water.” UN. 2020.   CRISPR Agriculture  •“CRISPR-edited crops break new ground in Africa.” by Heidi Ledford. 2024.   •“Witchweed.” USDA. n.d.   •“Africa’s agricultural revolution: From self-sufficiency to global food powerhouse.” By Gareth Hodder & Brenda Migwalla. 2023.   •“GMOs or non-GMOs? The CRISPR Conundrum.” By Aftab Ahmad, et al. 2023.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new polymer that could battle antibiotic resistant infections, a possible new way to detect life on other planets from afar, and what to expect when you’re expecting to adopt a furry friend. Powerful Polymer  •“Texas A&M Team Develops Polymers That Can Kill Bacteria.” by Shana K. Hutchins. 2023.   •“The global threat of antibiotic resistance.” ReAct. N.d.   •“Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of N-methylpyridinium-fused norbornenes to access antibacterial main-chain cationic polymers.” by Sarah N. Hancock, et al. 2023.   Exoplanet CO2   •“A carbon-lite atmosphere could be a sign of water and life on other terrestrial planets, MIT study finds.” by Jennifer Chu. 2023.   •“Atmospheric carbon depletion as a tracer of water oceans and biomass on temperate terrestrial exoplanets.” by Amaury H.M.J. Triaud, et al. 2023.   •“How do astronomers find exoplanets?” by Daniela Breitman. 2017.   Adoption Science   •“What To Expect When You Adopt A Shelter Pet, According To Scientists.” by Holly Large. 2023.   •“18 Interesting Pet Adoption Statistics & Facts to Know in 2024.” by Misty Layne. 2024.   •“Do Dogs Cry? Signs Your Beloved Pup Might Be Sad.” by Tom Hale. 2023.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about why you may want to consider letting yourself daydream, how a sense of humor might protect you from depression and anxiety, and the effects of caffeine on the performance of soccer players.   Daydream Brain   •“What Happens in the Brain While Daydreaming?” by Catherine Caruso. 2023.   •“Is the role of sleep in memory consolidation overrated?” by Mohammad Dastgheib, et al. 2022.   •“Cortical reactivations predict future sensory responses.” by Nghia D. Nguyen, et al. 2023.   •“Why Daydreaming Is Good For Us.” by David B. Feldman Ph.D. 2017.   Power of a Laugh  •“Your type of humor might say something about your risk of depression and anxiety.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2023.   •“Understanding the Association Between Humor and Emotional Distress: The Role of Light and Dark Humor in Predicting Depression, Anxiety, and Stress.” by Alberto Dionigi, et al. 2023.   Caffeine & Soccer   •“Caffeine highs and lows footballers should be aware of.” n.a. 2023.   •“The effects of acute caffeine ingestion on decision-making and pass accuracy in young soccer players: A preliminary randomized controlled trial.” by Negar Jafari, et al. 2023.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how babies pick up language before they’re even born, an AI that takes on the busy work for doctors, and new insight into how humans collaborate.   Baby Language  •“Babies’ Brains Are Primed For Their Native Language Before Birth.” by Nyla Husain. 2023.   •“Prenatal experience with language shapes the brain.” by Benedetta Mariani. 2023.   •“The What and When of Universal Perception: A Review of Early Speech Sound Acquisition.” by Katerina Chladkova & Nikola Paillereau. 2020.   AI Medicine  •“Medical AI tool from UF, NVIDIA gets human thumbs-up in first study.” by Jim W. Harper. 2023.   •“AI Training AI: GatorTronGPT at the Forefront of University of Florida’s Medical AI Innovations.” by Mona Flores. 2023.   •“A study of generative large language model for medical research and healthcare.” by Cheng Peng, et al. 2023.   •“Physicians, paperwork, and paying attention to patients.” by Dr. Monique Tello. 2016.   Human Collaboration   •“How we play together.” n.a. 2023.   •“The evolution of human cooperation.” Coren L. Apicella & Joan B. Silk. 2019.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

oday, you’ll learn about a new test that can show how well each of your organs are aging, some interesting links between comfort food and stress, and a surprising finding about certain snails.  Organ Age  •“Are your organs ageing well? The blood holds clues.” by Max Kozlov. 2023.   •“Blood test shows if organs are ageing fast or slowly.” by Michelle Roberts. 2023.   Comfort Food   •“Comfort eating can impair body’s recovery from stress, study shows..” by Rachel Hall. 2023.   •“Stress and Eating Behaviors.” by Yvonne H. C. Yau & Marc N. Potenza. 2013.   •“Fatty foods can impair the body’s response to everyday stress - study.” by Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten. 2023.   Speedy Snails   •“Japanese snail adaptation and speciation in anti-predation escape behavior.” by Yuta Morii. 2023.   •“The divergence of mobility and activity associated with anti-predator adaptation in land snails.” by Yuta Morii, et al. 2023.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new ink that can 3D print inside your body using soundwaves, why saying no to invitations isn’t as bad as you might think, and some new drugs that could potentially make your dog live longer.   3D Ink  •“Soundwaves Harden 3D-Printed Treatments in Deep Tissues.” by Michaela Martinez. 2023.   •“Dental curing light.” Wikipedia.   •“Self-enhancing sono-inks enable deep-penetration acoustic volumetric printing.” by Xiao Kuang, et al. 2023.   RSVP No  •“Just say no to that invitation.” n.a. 2023.   •“Saying No: The Negative Ramifications From Invitation Declines Are Less Severe Than We Think.” By Julian Givi & Colleen P. Kirk. 2023.   Old Dogs  •“Could a Drug Give Your Pet More Dog Years?” by Emily Anthes. 2023.   •“Forget Botox. Anti-Aging Pills May Be Next.” by Andrew Pollack. 2023.   •“We’re helping dogs like yours live longer.” Loyal website. N.d.   •“Discovering the keys to a healthy lifespan.” Dog Aging Project website. 2023.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about an ancient diagnostic tool getting an AI upgrade, the world’s slipperiest surface, and some insight into the minds of everyone who loves this show!   Healthy Tongue •“Eyes may be the window to your soul, but the tongue mirrors your health.” University of South Australia. 2023.   •“Ancient tongue diagnosis for the 21st century dental hygienist.” by Kathryn Gilliam. 2023.   •“Analysis of Tongue Color-Associated Features among Patients with PCR-Confirmed COVID-19 Infection in Ukraine.” by Liudmyla Horzov. 2021.  Slippery Surface •“Droplet slipperiness despite surface heterogeneity at molecular scale.” by Sakari Lepikko, et al. 2023.   •“Slippery Science: Crafting the World’s Most Water-Repellent Surface.” by Aalto University. 2023.   Curious for Answers •“Curiosity evolves as information unfolds.” by Abigail Hsiung, et al. 2023.   •“Unraveling Curiosity: Why We Savor the Suspense and Shun Spoilers.” Neuroscience.com. 2023.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the brain’s ability - or inability - to rewire itself, the imagination of rats, and how dogs can have a positive effect on those suffering from PTSD.   Brain Rewiring   •“Our brains are not able to ‘rewire’ themselves, despite what most scientists believe, new study argues.” University of Cambridge. 2023.   •“Against cortical reorganisation.” by Tamar R. Makin & John W. Krakauer. 2023.   Rat Imagination   •“Rats have an imagination, new research finds.” EurekAlert! 2023.   •“Volitional activation of remote place representations with a hippocampal brain-machine interface.” by Chongxi Lai, et al. 2023.   Dogs & PTSD  •“Contact with a service dog might help individuals with PTSD sleep better, study finds.” by Vladimir Hedrih. 2023.   •“Paws for Purple Hearts - Service Dogs for our Warriors.” Website. 2023.  •“Heart rate during sleep in PTSD patients: Moderation by contact with a service dog.” by Steven H. Woodward, et al. 2023.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how the bilingual brain might be better at multitasking, good news for women who are at risk for morning sickness, and the strangely complex science behind cat purring.  Bilingual Brain  •“The bilingual brain may be better at ignoring irrelevant information.” EurekAlert!. 2023.   •“Bilingual attentional control: Evidence from the Partial Repetition Cost paradigm.” by Grace deMeurisse & Edith Kaan. 2023.   Morning Sickness  •“Cause of Morning Sickness and a Potential Treatment Identified.” by Rhianna-lily Smith. 2023.  •“GDF15: emerging biology and therapeutic applications for obesity and cardiometabolic disease.” by Dongdong Wang, et al. 2021.   •“GDF15 linked to maternal risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.” by M. Fejzo, et al. 2023.  Cat Purrs  •“How do cats purr? New finding challenges long-held assumptions.” by Phie Jacobs. 2023.   •“Domestic cat larynges can produce purring frequencies without neural input.” by Christian T. Herbst, et al. 2023.   •“How Low Can You Go? Physical Production Mechanism of Elephant Infrasonic Vocalizations.” by Christian T. Herbst, et al. 2012.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a bacterial discovery that challenges our understanding of how and when life formed on Earth, the importance difference between self control and willpower, and the truth about whether or not your dog really loves you.   Origin of Life  •“Scientists Just Made a 1.75 Billion-Year-Old Discovery About the Origin of Life.” by Mirjam Guesgen. 2024.   •“The Great Oxygenation Event as a consequence of ecological dynamics modulated by planetary change.” by Jason Olejarz, et al. 2021.   •“Microbes and minerals may have set off Earth’s oxygenation.” by Jennifer Chu. 2022.   Self Control vs Willpower  •“Most people say self-control is the same as willpower. Researchers disagree.” by Sujata Gupta. 2024.   •“Nearly two in five Americans have a New Year’s Resolution planned for 2021.” Ipsos. 2020.   •“New Year’s resolution statistics.” finder. 2021.   •“What’s inside is all that counts? The contours of everyday thinking about self-control.” by Juan Pablo Bermudez, et al. 2023.   Puppy Love  •“Does Your Dog Truly Love You? Science Has the Answer.” by Adam Piore. 2023.   •“Machine learning gives glimpse of how a dog’s brain represents what it sees.” ScienceDaily. 2022.   •“A glimpse into the dog’s mind: A new study reveals how dogs think of their toys.” by Eotvos Lorand University. 2022.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re bringing you three new stories that cover a few topics we’re really passionate about. You’ll learn about how cats become like liquid to fit through small spaces and why that’s a big deal, the new super sticky strong silk inspired by Spiderman, and a new method of 3D-printing that uses sound. Be sure to stick around until the end of the episode to hear a special message from Calli and Nate.     Liquid Cats     “At-home experiments shed light on cats’ liquid behavior.” by Andrea Tamayo. 2024.  “On the rheology of cats.” by M.A. Fardin. 2014.  “Cats are (almost) liquid! - Cats selectively rely on body size awareness when negotiating short openings.” by Péter Pongrácz. 2024.  “That dog won’t fit: body size awareness in dogs.” by R. Lenkei, et al. 2019.    Spider Silk     “Spider-Man-inspired sticky silk fibers lift 80 times their weight.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Dynamic Adhesive Fibers for Remote Capturing of Objects.” by Marco Lo Presti, et al. 2024.    Sound Printing    “Holographic direct sound printing.” by Mahdi Derayatifar, et al. 2024.  “Direct sound printing.” by Mohsen Habibi, et al. 2022.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new bacteria-busting polymer inspired by barnacles, how the things you do today will affect your brain in two weeks, and the memories elephants keep of their favorite people from long ago.     Barnacle Polymers    “Barnacle-inspired polymers could present new way to design antibiofilm materials, researchers say.” by Cynthia McCormick Hibbdrt. 2024.  “Coacervate Dense Phase Displaces Surface-Established Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms.” by Apoorva Vishwakarma, et al. 2024.    Two Week Brain    “Your Brain Changes Based on What You Did Two Weeks Ago.” by Pandora Dewan. 2024.  “Longitudinal single-subject neuroimaging study reveals effects of daily environmental, physiological, and lifestyle factors on functional brain connectivity.” by Ana Maria Triana, et al. 2024.    Elephant Memory    “Do African Savanna Elephants (Loxodonta africana) Show Interspecific Social Long-Term Memory for Their Zoo Keepers?” by Martin Kranzlin, et al. 2024.  “Truth or Tail: Elephants have good memories.” Cleveland Zoo Society. 2021.  “Long-Term Olfactory Memory in African Elephants.” by Franziska Hoerner, et al. 2023.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the tiny tractor beam that could change how certain diseases are diagnosed, how a screw allowed an iconic historical building to go up faster than anyone thought possible, and why scientists are worried about the 33 dark spots with thousands of unknown plants.    Tractor Beam    “MIT engineers create a chip-based tractor beam for biological particles.” by Adam Zewe. 2024.  “Optical tweezing of microparticles and cells using silicon-photonics-based optical phased arrays.” by Tal Sneh, et al. 2024.    Crystal Palace    “How London’s Crystal Palace was built so quickly.” by Jennifer Ouellette. 2024.  “The Great Exhibition of 1851.” Christopher Marsden. N.d.  “Thread form at the Crystal Palace.” by John Gardner & Ken Kiss. 2024.    Botany Dark Spots    “Botanists identify 33 global ‘dark spots’ with thousands of unknown plants.” by Patrick Greenfield. 2024.  “‘Uncharted territory’: more than 2m fungi species yet to be discovered, scientists say.” by Patrick Greenfield. 2023.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how whales could be carrying on conversations from over 60 miles away, the struggles of foster moms in the 1600s, and why your blood pressure reading might be way off.     Whale Talk    “Whales May Be Communicating Across Vast Distances.” by Joanna Thompson. 2024.  “Alaska’s Population of Bowhead Whales Rebounding.” by Riley Woodford. 2003.  “Orientation by means of long range acoustic signaling in baleen whales.” by Roger Payne & Douglas Webb. 1971.  “Synchronization of bowhead whales.” by Evgeny A. Podolskiy, et al. 2024.    Foster Care History    “Early foster care gave poor women power, 17th-century records reveal.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “History of Foster Care in the United States.” NEPA. N.D.    Blood Pressure Test    “Blood pressure may read falsely high if the arm isn’t positioned properly.” by Aimee Cunningham. 2024.  “Arm Position and Blood Pressure Readings.” by Hairong Liu, MHS. 2024.  “Estimated Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment, and Control Among U.S. Adults.” MillionHearts. 2023.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the entire neuron-for-neuron model of a fly brain, jellyfish that can merge together seamlessly, and how talking to our dogs in that way-too-cutesy voice might actually have a purpose.     Fly Brains    “Researchers simulate an entire fly brain on a laptop. Is a human brain next?” by Robert Sanders. 2024.  “A Drosophila computational brain model reveals sensorimotor processing.” by Philip K. Shiu, et al. 2024.    Comb Jelly Fusion    “Injured comb jellies can fuse into a single organism.” by Jacek Krywko. 2024.  “Rapid physiological integration of fused ctenophores.” by Kei Jokura, et al. 2024.    Dog Voice    “Our cutesy cringey dog voices could be practical, after all.” SciMex. 2024.  “Dog-human vocal interactions match dogs’ sensory-motor tuning.” by Eloise C. Deaux, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the cause of static electricity, how a new headband could help you stop a stroke before it happens, and why the ground in Siberia is exploding.     Static Electricity    “We Finally Know What Creates Static Electricity, After Thousands of Years.” by Michelle Starr. 2024.  “Why petting your cat leads to static electricity.” Northwestern. 2024.    Stroke Headband    “Laser headband non-invasively IDs stroke risk in real time.” by Bronwyn Thompson. 2024.  “Correlating stroke risk with non-invasive cerebrovascular perfusion dynamics using a portable speckle contrast optical spectroscopy laser device.” by Yu Xi Huang, et al. 2024.    Exploding Craters    “Chemists Finally Unravel the Mystery of Siberia’s Explosive Craters.” by Adam Kovac. 2024.  “Everything Is Extremely Normal and Totally Fine.” by Brian Kahn. 2020.  “Osmosis Drives Explosions and Methane Release in Siberian Permafrost.” by Ana M. O. Morgado, et al. 2024.  “The Mystery of Siberia’s Exploding Craters, Explained.” YouTube, Distilled. 2023.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how scientists were able to witness water form at the molecular level and what that could mean for life on Mars, why Mount Everest is still growing, and why scientists are putting tiny backpacks on sea turtle hatchlings.      Water Molecules    “Researchers Watch Water Form at the Molecular Scale for the First Time.” Technology Networks. 2024.  “Ultrathin silicon nitride microchip for in situ/operando microscopy with high spatial resolution and spectral visibility.” by Kunmo Koo, et al. 2024.  “Unraveling the adsorption-limited hydrogen oxidation reaction at palladium surface via in situ electron microscopy.” by Yukun Liu, et al. 2024.    Mount Everest Growth     “Geologists Reveal a Surprising Reason Why Mount Everest Grows Taller Each Year.” by Rudy Molinek. 2024.  “Recent uplift of Chomolungma enhanced by river drainage piracy.” by Xu Han, et al. 2024.    Turtle Backpacks    “Scientists use tiny ‘backpacks’ on turtle hatchlings to observe their movements.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Swimming through  sand: using accelerometers to observe the cryptic, pre-emergence life-stage of sea turtle hatchlings.” by David Dor, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new transparent solar cell that could replace your windows to power your home, the discovery of hundreds of new mysterious Nazca Glyphs, and how singing in a choir might be good for your brain.     Solar Cell Charging    “All-back-contact neutral-colored transparent crystalline silicon solar cells enabling seamless modularization.” by Jeonghwan Park, et al. 2024.  “A smartphone that can charge itself from sunlight - scientists have created transparent solar cells that can be embedded in glass.” by Wayne Williams. 2024.    Nazca Glyphs    “Hundreds of Mysterious Nazca Glyphs Have Just Been Revealed.” by Michelle Starr. 2024.  “Over 140 New Nazca Lines Have Been Discovered, And We Finally Have Clues to Their Use.” by Peter Dockrill. 2019.  “See Newly Discovered Nazca Drawings That Depict Llamas, Human Sacrifices and More.” by Sonja Anderson. 2024.    Singing & Brain Health    “Choir singing associated with improved brain structure, especially in older adults.” by Bianca Setionago. 2024.  “Choir singing is associated with enhanced structural connectivity across the adult lifespan.” by Nella Moisseinen, et al. 2024.  “Playing an instrument, singing may help preserve brain health.” by Robby Berman. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the trouble hearts have in space, an ancient log that could help us hit climate targets, and how our brain divides our days into chapters.     Heart Cells in Space     “Space Travel Found To Disrupt Normal Rhythm in Heart Muscle Cells.” Technology Networks. 2024.  “Spaceflight-induced contractile and mitochondrial dysfunction in an automated heart-on-a-chip platform.” by Devin B. Mair, et al. 2024.    Ancient Log    “A thousands-year-old log demonstrates how burying wood can fight climate change.” by Jonathan Lambert. 2024.  “3775-year-old wood burial supports ‘wood vaulting’ as a durable carbon removal method.” by Ning Zeng, et al. 2024.    Day Chapters    “Our brains divide the day into chapters. New psychology research offers details on how.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Top-down attention shifts behavioral and neural event boundaries in narratives with overlapping event scripts.” by Alexandra De Soares, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a more sustainable jet fuel made from trees, how a new process allows you to 3D print glass, and why feeding coral reefs might save them from heat stress.     Plant Jet Fuel    “New continuous reaction process can help turn plant waste into sustainable aviation fuel.” by Seth Truscott. 2024.  “Lignin-based jet fuel and its blending effect with conventional jet fuel.” by Zhibin Yang, et al. 2022.  “A simultaneous depolymerization and hydrodeoxygenation process to produce lignin-based jet fuel in continuous flow.” by Adarsh Kumar, et al. 2024.    3D-Printed Glass    “How Do You 3D Print Glass?” by Rachel Berkowitz. 2024.  “Volumetric heating in digital glass forming.” by Luis Deutsch-Garcia, et al. 2024.    Feeding Coral    “Feeding coral reefs can aid their recovery from bleaching events.” by Tatyana Woodall. 2024.  “Ocean acidification does not prolong recovery of coral holobionts from natural thermal stress in two consecutive years.” by Kerri L. Dobson, et al. 2024.  “NOAA confirms 4th global coral bleaching event.” NOAA. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how nuclear weapons might one day actually save the Earth, the video game that lets you power wash your bad mood away, and a study that suggests being a picky eater might be genetic.     Asteroid Blast    “Nuclear blast could save Earth from large asteroid, scientists say.” by Ian Sample. 2024.  “Simulation of asteroid deflection with a megajoule-class X-ray pulse.” by Nathan W. Moore, et al. 2024.    Power Wash Positivity    “It’s official: You can virtually power wash your way to a better mood.” by Abhimanyu Ghoshal. 2024.  “Affective Uplift During Video Game Play: A Naturalistic Case Study.” by Matti Vuorre, et al. 2024.    Picky Eaters    “Being A Picky Eater Could Be Genetic: Study.” by Anuradha Varanasi. 2024.  “Nature and nurture in fussy eating from toddlerhood to early adolescence: findings from the Gemini twin cohort.” by Zeynep Nas, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a potential cure for diabetes, how ancient extinct volcanoes might provide a boost for your cell phones, and why sharks and rays fling themselves out of the water.     Stem Cells & Diabetes    “Stem cells reverse woman’s diabetes - a world first.” by Smriti Mallapaty. 2024.  “How a pioneering diabetes drug offers hope for preventing autoimmune disorders.” by Elie Dolgin. 2023.    Rare Earth Metals     “Humanity needs more rare earth elements. Extinct volcanoes could be a rich new source.” by Michael Anenburg. 2024.  “Demand for rare-earth metals is skyrocketing, so we’re creating a safer, cleaner way to recover them from old phones and laptops.” by Cristina Pozo-Gonzalo. 2021.  “Europe’s largest deposit of rare earth metals located in Kiruna area.” LKAB. 2023.    Leaping Sharks    “A review of elasmobranch breaching behavior: why do sharks and rays propel themselves out of the water into the air?” by A. Peter Klimley, et al. 2024.  “Sharks and Rays Leap Out of the Water for Many Reasons, Including Feeding, Courtship, and Communication.” by A. Peter Klimley. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how earthquakes shake up quartz to make gold nuggets, the discovery of a new type of cell, and an effort to redefine sustainability in our oceans.     Gold Nuggets    “How do gold nuggets form? Earthquakes may be the key.” by Robin George Andrews. 2024.  “Gold nugget formation from earthquake-induced piezoelectricity in quartz.” by Christopher R. Voisey, et al. 2023.    New Cell Type    “New cell type discovered.” Scimex. 2024.  “Discovery of an embryonically derived bipotent population of endothelial-macrophage progenitor cells in postnatal aorta.” by Anna E. Williamson, et al. 2024.  “The facts about cells.” by ThoughtCo.com. 2017.    Redefining Sustainability    “Leading scientists redefine ‘sustainability’ to save the ocean and feed a hungry and warming planet.” by Alex Morrison. 2024.  “11 Overfishing Statistics and Facts You Should Know About.” by Martina Igini. 2022.  “Rethinking sustainability of marine fisheries for a fast-changing planet.” by Callum Roberts, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new way to use a defibrillator that works over 250% better, how octopuses go hunting with fish, and the keys to happiness.     Defib Placement    “New defib placement increases chance of surviving heart attack by 264%.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest different for men and women.” by Paul McClure. 2023.  “Initial Defibrillator Pad Position and Outcomes for Shockable Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.” by Joshua R. Lupton, et al. 2024.    Octopus Hunting    “Octopuses seen hunting together with fish in rare video - and punching fish that don’t cooperate.” by Evan Bush. 2024.  “Octopuses keep surprising us - here are eight examples how.” by Lisa Hendry. N.d.    Keys to Happiness    “Could this be the key to happiness? New research suggests so.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Who’s the Happiest and Why? The role of passion and self-regulation in psychological well-being.” by Robert J. Vallerand, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the synthetic slime that might help people heal from back surgery, how cities tend to get more rain than the rural areas around them, and a new genetically engineered golden lettuce packed with vitamins.     Cow Slime     “Cow slime can help disc herniation patients after surgery.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Preserving the Immune-Privileged Niche of the Nucleus Pulposus: Safeguarding Intervertebral Discs from Degeneration after Discectomy with Synthetic Mucin Hydrogel Injection.” by Huan Wang, et al. 2024.    City Rainfall    “Unprecedented global study shows that most cities receive more rainfall than surrounding rural areas.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “The escalating impact of global warming on atmospheric rivers.” by Saima May Sidik. 2024.    Golden Lettuce    “‘Golden Lettuce’ genetically engineered to pack 30 times more vitamins.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “CRISPR tomatoes genetically engineered to be richer in vitamin D.” by Michael Irving. 2022.  “Scientists fine-tune iodine and potassium levels in designer veggies.” by Michael Franco. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the brain science behind choking under pressure, a newer, tougher, stronger concrete inspired by bones, and how skin cancer rates in Sweden could offer a sign of hope.    Pressure & Performance    “Choking under pressure: Brain neurons misfire when the stakes are highest.” by Bronwyn Thompson. 2024.  “Research sheds new light on decreased performance under pressure.” by Sara Vaccar. 2024.  “A neural basis of choking under pressure.” by Adam L. Smoulder, et al. 2024.    Bone Concrete    “Tougher concrete, inspired by bone.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Tough Cortical Bone-Inspired Tubular Architected Cement-Based Material with Disorder.” by Shashank Gupta & Reza Moinin. 2024.    Cancer Decline    “Breaking the trend: Skin cancer incidence in young adults declines.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Melanoma Incidence and Mortality Trends in Sweden.” by Hildur Helgadottir, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how surgeons operated on a pig from 5,000 miles away, a population of neanderthals that were isolated for 50,000 years, and why trees could be linked to lower risks of ADHD in kids.     Remote Surgery     “Remote surgery performed on a pig 9,000 km away using a game controller.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “Teleoperated Magnetic Endoscopy: A Case Study and Perspective.” by Alexandre Mescot, et al. 2024.    Isolated Neanderthals    “An ancient Neanderthal community was isolated for over 50,000 years.” Scimex. 2024.  “Long genetic and social isolation in Neanderthals before their extinction.” by Ludovic Slimak, et al. 2024.    Greenspace & ADHD    “Tree-covered neighborhoods linked to lower ADHD risk in children.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Lifelong greenspace exposure and ADHD in Polish children: Role of physical activity and perceived neighbourhood [sic] characteristics.” by Dorota Buczylowska, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new device that can get inside the mind of babies, the edible protein that’s made out of carbon dioxide, and how the modern ideal of the 15-minute city might not be for everyone.     Baby Brain Device     “Wearable brain imaging device shines a light on how babies respond in real-world situations.” UCL. 2024.  “Whole-head high-density diffuse optical tomography to map infant audio-visual responses to social and non-social stimuli.” by Liam H. Collins-Jones, et al. 2024.    CO2 Protein    “Powered by renewable energy, microbes turn CO2 into potentially edible protein and vitamins.” Scimex. 2024.  “Power-to-vitamins: producing folate (vitamin B9) from renewable electric power and CO2 with a microbial protein system.” by Lisa Marie Schmitz, et al. 2024.    15-Minute Cities    “15-minute city: Why time shouldn’t be the only factor in future city planning.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “A universal framework for inclusive 15-minute cities.” by Matteo Bruno et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how climbing on monkey bars and other risky play could be a gift from our ancestors, the dangers of mold in space, and new evidence on how cravings take root in our brains.     Risky Play    “Risky Play Exercises an Ancestral Need to Push Limits.” by Morgan Kelly. 2024.  “Commemorating the monkey bars, catalyst of debate at the intersection of human evolutionary biology and public health.” by Luke D. Fannin, et al. 2024.    Mold in Space     “Keeping mold out of future space stations.” by Tatyana Woodall. 2024.  “Predicting how varying moisture conditions impact the microbiome of dust collected from the International Space Station.” by Nicholas Nastasi, et al. 2024.    Brain Cravings    “‘Sticky’ brain activity is linked to stronger feelings of craving.” by Mallory Locklear. 2024.  “Network state dynamics underpin basal craving in a transdiagnostic population.” by Jean Ye, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a potential positive side to side effects, how mega El Niños triggered the world’s worst mass extinction event, and the antidote to pesticides that could save bees.     Positive Side Effects     “How side effects can improve treatment efficacy: a randomized trial.” by Lieven A. Schenk, et al. 2024.  “Side-effects are often a curse. Can they also be a blessing?” by Katja Wiech, et al. 2024.    Mega El Niño    “Mega El Niños kicked off the world’s worst mass extinction.” by Jake Buehler. 2024.  “Mega El Niño instigated the end-Permian mass extinction.” by Yadong Sun, et al. 2024.    Bee Protector    “Scientists hopeful antidote can help protect bumblebees from pesticides.” by Helena Horton. 2024.  “Ingestible hydrogel microparticles improve bee health after pesticide exposure.” by Julia S. Caserto, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a breakthrough in our understanding of the behavior and abilities of bacteria, the queen ants that cannibalize their sick larvae and recycle it, and how tiny shards of plastic are finding their way into our brains.     Bacteria Behavior    “New discovery of how bacteria navigate their environment could change how we treat infection.” University of Sheffield. 2024.  “Individual bacterial cells can use spatial sensing of chemical gradients to direct chemotaxis on surfaces.” by James H.R. Wheeler, et al. 2024.    Ant Cannibals    “Ant queens cannibalize [sic] their sick offspring - then ‘recycle’ them.” University of Oxford. 2024.  “Ant queens cannibalize infected brood to contain disease spread and recycle nutrients.” by Flynn Bizzell & Christopher D. Pull. 2024.  “Black garden ant.” The Wildlife Trusts. N.d.    Brain Plastic    “Tiny shards of plastic are increasingly infiltrating our brains, study says.” by Sandee LaMotte. 2024.  “Bioaccumulation of Microplastics in Decedent Human Brains Assessed by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.” by Matthew Campen, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the connection between chronic sinus infections and anxiety, a new way to recycle plastic by vaporizing it, and how marmosets call each other by name.      Sinuses & Mental Health     “Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Mental Health.” by Najm S. Khan, et al. 2024.  “Chronic Sinusitis.” CDC. 2022.    Vaporizing Plastic    “New process vaporizes plastic bags and bottles, yielding gases [sic] to make new, recycled plastics.” by Robert Sanders. 2024.  “Plastic Pollution.” by Hannah Ritchie, et al. 2022.    Monkey Names    “These monkeys use names to communicate with each other, study finds.” by Lianne Kolirin. 2024.  “These Monkeys Call One Another by Name.” by Emily Anthes. 2024.  “Vocal labeling of others by nonhuman primates.” by Guy Oren, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how common table salt could help our bodies fight cancer, an ancient underwater bridge that’s changing what we know about human migration in Europe, and the hyper precise nuclear clock breakthrough.     Salt & Cancer    “Common salt activates anti-tumor cells.” by Charlotte Fuchs and Friederike Gawlik. 2024.  “Sodium chloride in the tumor microenvironment enhances T cell metabolic fitness and cytotoxicity.” by Dominik Soll, et all. 2024.    Ancient Bridge    “Submerged bridge constructed at least 5600 years ago indicates early human arrival in Mallorca, Spain.” by Bogdan P. Onac, et al. 2024.  “What a submerged ancient bridge discovered in a Spanish cave reveals about early human settlement.” ScienceDaily. 2024.  “Mallorca Facts.” Mallorca.com. Nd.    Nuclear Clock     “A nuclear clock prototype hints at ultraprecise timekeeping.” by Emily Conover. 2024.  “How Does the NIST-7 Atomic Clock Work?” by Bruce Morser. 2012.  “A new ultrafast laser emits pulses of light 30 billion times a second.” by Emily Conover. 2018.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about an injectable pacemaker that dissolves after 5 days, how a black hole is starving a galaxy to death, and the bats with record-high blood sugar levels.     Injectable Pacemaker    “Injectable pacemaker regulates heartbeat for 5 days then dissolves.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “In situ assembly of an injectable cardiac stimulator.” by Umut Aydemir, et al. 2024.  “Arrythmia.” Cleveland Clinic. N.d.    Black Hole Starves    “Astronomers detect black hole ‘starving’ its host galaxy to death.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “A fast-rotator post-starburst galaxy quenched by supermassive black-hole feedback at z=3.” by Francesco D’Eugenio, et al. 2024.    Bat Blood Sugar    “Sugar assimilation underlying dietary evolution of Neotropical bats.” by Jasmin Camacho, et al. 2024.  “Some bats are surviving and thriving with blood sugar levels that would be lethal for other mammals.” Stowers Institute for Medical Research. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the new air conditioner that cools without conditioning the air, how understanding our false memories can be a window into our problem solving skills, and a study examining the grieving of cats.     AC Not Conditioned      “Device provides air conditioning without conditioning air.” by Ellen Phiddian. 2024.  “A pure radiant cooling device for ‘air conditioning’ without conditioning air.” by Xinyao Zheng, et al. 2024.  “2023 was the warmest year in the modern temperature record.” by NOAA Centers for Environmental Information. 2024.    False Memories    “False memories revealing mathematical reasoning.” University of Geneva. 2024.  “Revealing mental representations of arithmetic word problems through false memories: New insights into semantic congruence.” by H. Gros, et al. 2024.    Cat Grief    “Cats appear to grieve death of fellow pets - even dogs, study finds.” by Hannah Devlin. 2024.  “A Brief History of House Cats.” by David Zax. 2007.  “Is companion animal loss cat-astrophic? Responses of domestic cats to the loss of another companion animal.” by Brittany Greene & Jennifer Vonk. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new tool that maps out our incredibly complex gut microbiome to tell you if it’s healthy or… not so much, how metalworkers are taking lessons from insects to shape metal at room temperature, and the psychology behind our feelings toward unusually colored animals.     Microbiome Map    “Mayo researchers develop tool that measures health of a person’s gut microbiome.” by Susan Murphy. 2024.  “Gut Microbiome Wellness Index 2 enhances health status predictions from gut microbiome taxonomic profiles.” by Daniel Chang, et al. 2024.    Insect Metalwork    “Room temperature metalworking inspired by insects and crab shells.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “Shrimp shells to serve as the basis for new multi-protective coatings.” by David Szondy. 2020.  “A Biological Approach to Metalworking Based on Chitinous Colloids and Composites.” by Shiwei Ng, et al. 2024.    Animal Colors    “How color shapes which animals we fear - and which we protect.” by Kara Manke. 2024.  “Of Rarity and Symbolism: Understanding Human Perceptions of Charismatic Color Morphs.” by Tyus D. Williams, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the mushrooms that are controlling the movements of robots, how horses might be a lot smarter than we thought, and what makes a strongman… strong.     Mushroom Robot    “Engineers Gave a Mushroom a Robot Body And Let It Run Wild.” by Mike Grace. 2024.  “Mushrooms as Nature’s Alchemists: Cycles, Connections, Healing, and Vision.” by Dana O’Driscoll. 2023.  “Fungi May Be Communicating in a Way That Looks Uncannily Like Human Speech.” by David Nield. 2022.  “‘Cyborg Soil’ Unearths a Complex Web of Hidden Microbial Cities.” by Edith Hammer. 2021.  “Mushrooms Appear to Have Electrical ‘Conversations’ After It Rains.” by Russell McLendon. 2023.  “Sensorimotor control of robots mediated by electrophysiological measurements of fungal mycelia.” by Anand Kumar Mishra, et al. 2024.    Horse Smarts     “Horses can plan ahead and think strategically, scientists find.” by Donna Ferguson. 2024.   “Horses can plan and strategise, new study shows.” by Jacqueline Howard. 2024.  “Whoa, No-Go: Evidence consistent with model-based strategy use in horses during an inhibitory task.” by Louise Evans, et al. 2024.    Strongman Muscles    “Strongman’s muscles reveal the secrets of his super-strength.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “11 Things That Weight [sic] Around 1000 lbs (pounds).” by Niklas. 2024.  “Muscle and tendon morphology of a world strongman and deadlift champion.” by Thomas G. Balshaw, et al. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the massive new study that suggests cell phones don’t cause cancer as some feared, a fluffy orange fungus that could one day turn your food waste into dinner, and how scientists are helping crocodiles refine their tastes.     Phones & Brain Cancer      “Mobile phones are not linked to brain cancer, according to a major review of 28 years of research.” by Sarah Loughran & Ken Karipidis. 2024.  “Brain tumour risk in relation to mobile telephone use: results of the INTERPHONE international case-control study.” International Journal of Epidemiology. 2010.  “Mobile phone use and incidence of brain tumour histological types, grading or anatomical location: a population-based ecological study.” by Ken Karipidis, et al. 2018.    Fungus Food    “A fluffy, orange fungus could transform food waste into tasty dishes.” by Anna Gibbs. 2024.  “Neurospora intermedia from a traditional fermented food enables waste-to-food conversion.” by Vayu Maini Rekdal, et al. 2024.    Crocs & Toads     “Taste aversion training can educate free-ranging crocodiles against toxic invaders.” by Georgia Ward-Fear, et al. 2024.  “Introduction of cane toads.” National Museum of Australia. 2023.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how to sync up clocks on Earth with clocks on the moon, a nanoparticle that could help relieve stubborn allergies, and the culture of birds.     Moon Clock     “Researchers figure out how to keep clocks on the Earth, Moon in sync.” by John Timmer. 2024.  “The Relativistic Framework to Estimate Clock Rates on the Moon.” by Neil Ashby & Bijunath R. Patla. 2024.    Meat Allergy    “Tick-borne red meat allergy prevented in mice through new nanoparticle treatment.” by Jim Lynch. 2024.  “TAK-101 Nanoparticles Induce Gluten-Specific Tolerance in Celiac Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.” by Ciaran P. Kelly, et al. 2021.    Bird Culture    “When birds build nests, they’re also building a culture.” by Nell Greenfieldboyce. 2024.  “Social learning in nest-building birds: a role for familiarity.” by Lauren M. Guillette, et al. 2016.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a record-breaking deep drill into the Earth’s mantle, the new science behind the ancient Chinese diagnostic practice of tongue examination, and how a new discovery at Stonehenge is opening up yet more mysteries.     Mantle Drill    “Geologists drill 1.2 km into rare rocks from Earth’s mantle.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “Internal Structure of Earth: Crust, Mantle & Core, Discontinuities.” Rau’s IAS. 2024. “Earth’s layers: Exploring our planet inside and out.” by Daisy Dobrijevic. 2023.  “A long section of serpentinized depleted mantle peridotite.” by C. Johan Lissenberg, et al.    Tongue Exam    “Say ‘aah’ and get a diagnosis on the spot: is this the future of health?” University of South Australia. 2024.  “Tongue Disease Prediction Based on Machine Learning Algorithms.” by Ali Raad Hassoon, et al. 2024.    Stonehenge Discovery    “Stonehenge’s Strangest Rock Came From 500 Miles Away.” by Meghan Bartels. 2024.  “A Scottish provenance for the Altar Stone of Stonehenge.” by Anthony J. I. Clarke, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new groundbreaking bionic leg, the problem with first impressions, and new tech that can detect microplastics in water in milliseconds.     Bionic Leg     “Bionic leg makes walking quicker and easier for amputees, trial shows.” by Hannah Devlin. 2024.  “5.6 Million++ Americans are Living with Limb Loss and Limb Difference: New Study Published.” Amputee Coalition. 2024.  “Agonist-antagonist Myoneural Interface (AMI).” MIT Media Lab. N.D.  “Continuous neural control of a bionic limb restores biomimetic gait after amputation.” by Hyungeun Song, et al. 2024.    First Impressions    “How first impressions can trap us into making suboptimal decisions.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Missing out by pursuing rewarding outcomes: Why initial biases can lead to persistent suboptimal choices.” by Chris Harris, et al. 2023.    Nanoplastic Detection    “Cutting-edge technology detects nanoplastics in water - instantly.” McGill. 2024.  “Scientists find about a quarter million invisible nanoplastic particles in a liter of bottled water.” by Seth Borenstein. 2024.  “Nanoplastics in Water: Artificial Intelligence-Assisted 4D Physicochemical Characterization and Rapid In Situ Detection.” by Zi Wang, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the smart soil that gives plants a massive boost even when they’re watered less, how our love of certain odors could be more nurture than nature, and a moss that could one day fill greenhouses on Mars.    Smart Soil     “‘Smart soil’ grows 138% bigger crops using 40% less water.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “Climate Change Indicators: Drought.” EPA. 2024.  “Water for Prosperity and Peace.” Unesco. 2024.  “Self-watering SMAG-soil pulls moisture from the air.” by Ben Coxworth. 2020.  “Self-Irrigation and Slow-Release Fertilizer Hydrogels for Sustainable Agriculture.” by Jungjoon Park, et al. 2024.    Smell Preferences    “Do you smell what I smell? New study reveals surprising variability in odor preferences.” by Mane Kara-Yakoubian. 2024.  “Is the perception of odour pleasantness shared across cultures and ecological conditions? Evidence from Amazonia, East Africa, New Guinea, Malaysia, and Poland.” by Piotr Sorokowski, et al. 2024.    Mars Moss    “Scientists find desert moss ‘that can survive on Mars’.” by Nicola Davis. 2024.  “The extremotolerant desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising pioneer plant for colonizing extraterrestrial environments.” by Xiaoshuang Li, et al. 2024.  “This desert moss has the potential to grow on Mars.” Science News. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the first ever total larynx transplant that gave one cancer patient his voice back, a new way to conduct gold-standard sleep studies without all the wires, and how a new discovery is changing the way scientists understand the mammalian brain.     Larynx Transplant    “Mayo Clinic marks medical milestone with world’s first known successful total larynx transplant performed in a patient with an active cancer as part of a clinical trial.” EureAlert! 2024.  “Total Laryngeal Transplantation in the Setting of Active Laryngeal Malignancy.” by David G. Lott, MD, et al. 2024.  “Laryngeal Cancer Data.” Iowa Health & Human Services. 2024.    Sleep Studies    “Sleep studies simplified: Gold-standard results with far less wiring.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Cardiosomnography: ECG-only sleep studies.” Cardiosomnography.com. 2024.    Mammal Brains    “Co-evolutionary dynamics of mammalian brain and body size.” by Chris Venditti, et al. 2024.  “Brain size riddle solved as humans exceed evolution trend.” Durham University. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the so-called super synchronizers who are super attractive to potential partners, a new quantum compass that could one day replace GPS, and how a rare seabird rides out tropical cyclones.     Super Synchronizers      “Scientists discover ‘Super Synchronizers’ with heightened romantic appeal.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Social and nonsocial synchrony are interrelated and romantically attractive.” by M. Cohen, et al. 2024.    Quantum Compass    “‘It’s the perfect place’: London Underground hosts tests for ‘quantum compass’ that could replace GPS.” by Robin McKie. 2024.  “Quantum ‘compass’ could allow navigation without relying on satellites.” by Hayley Dunning, et al. 2018.  “What Is GPS and how do global positioning systems work?” Geotab. 2024.    Seabirds & Cyclones    “Groundbreaking study reveals oceanic seabirds chase tropical cyclones.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Oceanic seabirds chase tropical cyclones.” by Francesco Ventura, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new way for doctors to use neural networks - or AI - to figure out the risks of organ transplants in individual patients, a new fabric that is - literally - cool, and how serotonin affects fertility.     Rejection Prediction    “Decoding the hallmarks of allograft dysfunction with a comprehensive pan-organ transcriptomic atlas.” by Harry Robertson, et al. 2024.  “History of transplantation.” UNOS. n.d.    Cool Fabric    “New fabric makes urban heat islands more bearable.” by Paul Dailing. 2024.  “Spectrally engineered textile for radiative cooling against urban heat islands.” by Ronghui Wu, et al. 2024.    Serotonin & Fertility    “Intriguing connection found between serotonin and fertility.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Raphne glucose-sensing serotonergic neurons stimulate KNDy neurons to enhance LH pulses via 5HT2CR: rat and goat studies.” by Sho Nakamura, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how an existing blood pressure drug might prevent epilepsy, the pint-sized 3D printer that can print inside your body, and why doing something kind for someone else can be a boost for your own well-being.      Epilepsy Preventer     “Epilepsy risk drops up to 30% on existing blood pressure drugs.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Types of Blood Pressure Medications.” Heart.org. 2024.  “The epidemiology of epilepsy in older adults: A narrative review by the ILAE Task Force on Epilepsy in the Elderly.” by Ettore Beghi, et al. 2023.  “Seizures and Epilepsy After Stroke: Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Management.” by Marian Galovic, et al. 2021.  “The role of inflammation in the development of epilepsy.” by Amna Rana & Alberto E. Musto. 2018.    Tiny 3D Printer    “This 3-D printer can fit in the palm of your hand.” by Claire Yuan. 2024.  “Silicon-photonics-enabled chip-based 3D printer.” by Sabrina Corsetti, et al. 2024.    Acts of Kindness    “New psychology research shows acts of kindness predict seven types of well-being.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Everyday acts of kindness predict greater well-being during the transition to university.” by Tiara A. Cash, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the part of the brain that keeps us focused on our goals - even when it would be better to quit, a massive discovery of lost wheat genes that could help feed a crowded planet, and the new wearable technology that could diagnose disease by monitoring your sweat.     Sunk Cost Fallacy    “The neuroscience behind the sunk cost fallacy: Key brain region identified.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Goal commitment is supported by vmPFC through selective attention.” by Eleanor Holton, et al. 2024.    Wheat Genes  “Hidden genetic treasure: wheat discovery could sustainably feed global population.” University of Bristol. 2024.  “The A.E. Watkins landrace collection of bread wheat: Who was AE Watkins?” John Innes Centre. 2024.  “Harnessing landrace diversity empowers wheat breeding.” by Shifeng Cheng, et al. 2024.    Sweat Monitor  “Sweat health monitor measures levels of disease markers.” by Tina Hilding. 2024.  “3D-Printed Flexible Microfluidic Health Monitor for In Situ Sweat Analysis and Biomarker Detection.” by Chuchu Chen, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the amazing transformative power of an out-of-body experience, how scientists want to use brain cells to do their computing, and a study that suggests eating cheese might make you live longer.     Out-Of-Body Experience     “Exploring the transformative potential of out-of-body experiences: A pathway to enhanced empathy.” by Marina Weiler, et al. 2024.  “Out of body experiences and their neural basis.” by Olaf Blanke. 2004.    Brain Cell Computing    “Open and remotely accessible Neuroplatform for research in wetware computing.” by Fred D. Jordan, et al. 2024.  “Neuromorphic wetware for artificial neural networks that overcome the limits of traditional computer hardware.” Innovation Toronto. 2023.  “How Many Joules Does My Surge Protector Need?” by Karenann Brow. 2024.    Cheese & Aging     “Eating cheese plays a role in healthy, happy aging - who are we to argue?” by Bronwyn Thompson. 2024.  “Mendelian randomization evidence for the causal effect of mental well-being on healthy aging.” by Chao-Jie Ye, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how moms helped us evolve to live longer, the jumping leeches of Madagascar, and how cities affect bird diversity.     Maternal Bonds    “Mothers’ care is central factor in animal, human longevity.” by Caitlin Hayes. 2024.  “Why Humans Live So Long.” by Heather Pringle. 2013.  “Maternal care leads to the evolution of long, slow lives.” by Matthew N. Zipple, et al. 2024.    Jumping Leeches    “A jumping terrestrial leech from Madagascar.” by Mai Fahmy & Michael Tessler. 2024.  “New leech-like device to suck blood for sampling instead of needling.” by Shubhangi Dua. 2024.  “100-year-old mystery solved as first jumping leech found in Madagascar.” People Movers. 2024.    Urban Birds    “Dense city centers support less evolutionary unique bird communities than sparser urban areas.” by Federico Morelli, et al. 2024.  “2.5 The Impact Of Urban Greenspace On Bird Populations.” by Kristin J. Harpster. N.d.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the effect of space on our kidneys, how a simple display of pride can win a fight, and bad news for artists we know bad things about.     Kidneys & Space      “Would astronauts’ kidneys survive a roundtrip to Mars?” UCL. 2024.  “Cosmic kidney disease: an integrated pan-omic, physiological and morphological study into spaceflight-induced renal dysfunction.” by Keith Siew, et al. 2024.    Boxing Pride    “Pride displays can sway perceptions of victory in evenly matched boxing fights.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “The effects of nonverbal pride and skill on judgements of victory and social influence: a boxing study.” by Jason P. Martens & Lucy Doytchinova. 2024.    Art & The Artist    “Art perception is affected by negative knowledge about famous and unknown artists.” by Hannah Kaube & Rasha Abdel Rahman. 2024.  “The role of expertise and culture in visual art appreciation.” by Kohinoor M. Darda & Emily S. Cross. 2022.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a potential breakthrough in stroke detection, how AI could help put a lid on online hate speech and create safer spaces, and the delicious development of healthier chocolate.     Stroke Blood Test     “Researchers develop ‘game-changing’ blood test for stroke detection.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Large Vessel Occlusion in Acute Stroke.” by Lena-Alexandra Beume, et al. 2018.  “Prospective Validation of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein, D-Dimer, and Clinical Scales for Acute Large-Vessel Occlusion Ischemic Stroke Detection.” by Yasir Durrani, et al. 2024.    Hate Speech Monitoring     “AI saving humans from the emotional toll of monitoring hate speech.” by Media Relations, University of Waterloo. 2024.  “Multi-Modal Discussion Transformer: Integrating Text, Images and Graph Transformers to Detect Hate Speech on Social Media.” by Liam Hebert, et al. 2024.    Healthy Chocolate    “Scientists develop method of making healthier, more sustainable chocolate.” by Ajit Niranjan. 2024.  “Valorization of cocoa pod side streams improves nutritional and sustainability aspects of chocolate.” by Kim Mishra, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about AI that can detect wildfires from space, why going to bed late might not be so great on your mental health, and a breakthrough in recycling.     Space Firefighting    “Fighting fires from space in record time: how AI could prevent a repeat of Australia’s devastating wildfires.” University of Southern Australia. 2024.  “Fire detection from space.” YouTube Video, University of South Australia. 2024.  “Number of wildfires to rise by 50% by 2100 and governments are not prepared, experts warn.” UN. 2022.  “Onboard AI for Fire Smoke Detection Using Hyperspectral Imagery: An Emulation for the Upcoming Kanyini Hyperscout-2 Mission.” by Sha Lu, et al. 2024.    Sleep Schedules     “Perils of the nighttime: Impact of behavioral timing and preference on mental health in 73,888 community-dwelling adults.” by Renske Lok, et al. 2024.  “Dictionary of Circadian Physiology.” Circadian.org. N.d.  “Circadian Rhythm.” by Lucy Bryan & Dr. Lulu Guo. 2024.    Polystyrene    “New polystyrene recycling process could be world’s first to be both economical and energy-efficient.” University of Bath. 2024.  “Thermodynamic and economic analysis of a deployable and scalable process to recover Monomer-Grade styrene from waste polystyrene.” by Madison R. Reed, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how a simple walk through nature could make you want to eat healthier foods, a new finding that T.rexes might not have been as cognitively advanced as we thought, and the sheath that keeps sawfish from doing battle in the womb.     Nature & Healthy Food      “Experiencing nature seems to have an important impact on food choices.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  https://www.psypost.org/experiencing-nature-seems-to-have-an-important-impact-on-food-choices/ “Experiencing nature leads to healthier food choices.” by Maria Langlois & Pierre Chandon. 2024.  https://www.nature.com/articles/s44271-024-00072-x   T.Rex Intelligence      “T. rex not as smart as previously claimed, scientists find.” University of Bristol. 2024.  https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2024/april/t-rex-not-as-smart.html “How smart was T. rex? Testing claims of exceptional cognition in dinosaurs and the application of neuron count estimates in palaeontological research.” by Kai R. Caspar, et al.  https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.25459   Baby Sawfish     “A built-in pocket protector keeps sawfish from ‘sword fighting’ in the womb.” by Natalie van Hoose. 2024.  https://www.sciencenews.org/article/stops-sawfish-from-sword-fighting-womb “Smalltooth Sawfish.” Oceana. N.d.  https://oceana.org/marine-life/smalltooth-sawfish/ “Morphology, composition, and deterioration of the embryonic rostral sheath of the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata).” by Gregg R. Poulakis, et al. 2024.  https://fisherybulletin.nmfs.noaa.gov/content/morphology-composition-and-deterioration-embryonic-rostral-sheath-smalltooth-sawfish   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new method to cryopreserve parts of the brain for later use, the personality changes that happen after organ transplants, and how fungicides cause dangerous fungi to self-destruct.    Cryopreservation    “Effective cryopreservation of human brain tissue and neural organoids.” by Weiwei Xue, et al. 2024.  “Brain organoids: Establishment and application.” by Hao Chen, et al. 2022.    Personality Transplant    “Personality Changes Associated with Organ Transplants.” by Brian Carter, et al. 2024.  https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3943/5/1/2 “Does changing the heart mean changing personality? A retrospective inquiry on 47 heart transplant patients.” by B Bunzel, et al. 1992.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1299456/   Fungal Azoles    “Azoles activate type I and type II programmed cell death pathways in crop pathogenic fungi.” by Martin Schuster, et al. 2024.  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48157-9 “Leaf Blotch Disease of Wheat - Septoria tritici Blotch, Stagonospora nodorum Blotch and Tan Spot.” by Jorge David Selgado & Pierce A. Paul. 2016.  https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/plpath-cer-07   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about why giving babies foods with peanuts could crack the peanut allergy problem, a wild discovery of cancer treatment 4,000 years ago, and the sneaky way cuckoos evolve to look like other birds so they can live in their nests.     Peanut Allergy     “Giving young children peanut products cuts allergy risk, study finds.” by Ian Sample. 2024.  “Peanut Allergies.” Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. 2024.  “Follow-up to Adolescence after Early Peanut Introduction for Allergy Prevention.” by George Du Toit, et al. 2024.    Ancient Cancer Treatment     “‘Extraordinary’ 4,000-year-old Egyptian skull may show signs of attempts to treat cancer.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Case report: Boundaries of oncological and traumatological medical care in ancient Egypt: new palaeopathological insights from two human skulls.” by Tatiana Tondini, et al. 2024.    Cuckoo Evolution    “Cuckoos evolve to look like their hosts - and form new species in the process.” University of Cambridge. 2024.  “Cuckoo guide: why they call ‘cuckoo’, how they trick other birds, and where they go in winter.” by Megan Shersby. 2022.  “Coevolution with hosts underpins speciation in brood-parasitic cuckoos.” by N.E. Langmore, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the lifelong learning of chimps, a mysterious strange signal from space, and the possible treatment for depression that involves heating up the body.     Chimp Tools      “Chimps are lifelong learners, study on tool use shows.” by Charles Mpaka. 2024.  “Protracted development of stick tool use skills extends into adulthood in wild western chimpanzees.” by Mathieu Malherbe, et al. 2024.    Space Radio     “A strange intermittent radio signal from space has astronomers puzzled.” by Manisha Caleb & Emil Lenc. 2024.  “An emission-state-switching radio transient with a 54-minute period.” by M. Caleb, et al. 2024.    Hyperthermia Treatment     “Whole-body hyperthermia shows promising antidepressant effects through anti-inflammatory pathways.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “The antidepressant effect of whole-body hyperthermia is associated with the classical interleukin-6 signaling pathway.” by Naoise Mac Giollabhui, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how when chimpanzees can’t figure out how to do something they get their friends to teach them, a potential breakthrough in the fight against breast cancer, and how singing repairs the brain after a stroke.    Chimpanzee Learning    “Chimpanzees use social information to acquire a skill they fail to innovate.” by Edwin J. C. van Leeuwen, et al. 2024.  “Like Humans, Bumblebees and Chimpanzees Can Pass on Their Skills to Form ‘Cumulative Culture’.” by Cristen Hemingway Jaynes. 2024.    Breast Cancer Gel     “Scientists make potential breast cancer breakthrough after preserving tissue in gel.” by Matthew Weaver. 2024.  “Breast cancer statistics.” Cancer Research UK. n.d.    Singing Brain Repair    “Singing repairs the language network of the brain after a cerebrovascular accident.” University of Helsinki. 2024.  “Vocal music boosts the recovery of language functions after stroke.” University of Helsinki. 2021.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the remarkable social memory of chimps, the gut bacteria that could help fight cancer, and how gene therapy might one day help you out with that pesky lower back pain.     Chimp Memory    “Chimps Can Still Remember Faces After a Quarter Century.” by Carl Zimmer. 2023.  “Bonobos and chimpanzees remember familiar conspecifics for decades.” by Laura S. Lewis, et al. 2023.    Bacterial Tumor Killer    “Gut bacteria boost immune response to fight tumors.” by Marta Wegorzewska. 2024.  “The Human Microbiome and Its Impacts on Health.” by Grace A. Ogunrinola, et al. 2020.    Gene Disc Repair    “Gene therapy relieves back pain, repairs damaged disc in mice.” by Emily Caldwell. 2024.  “Increased Frequency of Low Back Pain in Recent Times: Does the Answer Lie in COVID-19?” by Sreedhar Sathu, et al. 2023.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the surprising prevalence of heart abnormalities in elite athletes, how an oxytocin nasal spray might help with chronic loneliness, and a discovery that could help doctors diagnose a disease just by looking at your fingernails.     Elite Athlete Hearts      “Why are elite athletes prone to abnormal heart rhythms?” by Jennifer Couzin-Frankel. 2024.  “2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Join Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines.” by Jose A. Joglar, et al. 2023.  “Stroke in endurance athletes with atrial fibrillation.” by Marius Myrstad, et al. 2020.    Oxytocin & Loneliness     “Can oxytocin help against loneliness?” Uni-Bonn. 2024.  “Modulating Social Behavior with Oxytocin: How does it work? What does it mean?” by Patricia S. Churchland & Piotr Winkielman. 2011.  “Relationship Between Loneliness, Psychiatric Disorders and Physical Health? A Review on the Psychological Aspects of Loneliness.” by Raheel Mushtaq, et al. 2014.  “Oxytocin-Augmented Modular-Based Group Intervention for Loneliness: A Proof-Of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial.” by Ruben Berger, et al. 2024.    Nail Diagnosis    “Benign nail condition linked to rare syndrome that greatly increases cancer risk.” NIH. 2024.  “Long Term Follow-up of Mesothelioma Patients and Their Family Members With Germline Mutations in BAP1 and Other Genes.” Study. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about what goes on in our brains when we sleepwalk, how playing video games might actually help us navigate the world IRL, and the endurance hunting of traditional societies.     Sleepwalker Brain     “Scientists Discover What’s Happening Inside a Sleepwalker’s Brain.” by Rhianna-lily Smith. 2024.  “Shared EEG correlates between non-REM parasomnia experiences and dreams.” by Jacinthe Cataldi, et al. 2024.  “Consciousness and cortical responsiveness: a within-state study during non-rapid eye movement.” by Jaakko O. Nieminen, et al. 2016.  “Parasomnia: what happens inside a sleepwalker’s brain?” Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience. 2024.    Games & Navigation    “Playing video games linked to enhanced wayfinding abilities.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Sea Hero Quest.” Spiers Lab. n.d.  “5 facts about Americans and video games.” by Andrew Perrin. 2018.  “Video gaming, but not reliance on GPS, is associated with spatial navigation performance.” by Emre Yavuz, et al. 2024   Endurance Hunting    “Born to run? Endurance running may have evolved to help humans chase down prey.” by Kermit Pattison. 2024.  “Ethnography and ethnohistory support the efficiency of hunting through endurance running in humans.” by Eugene Morin & Bruce Winterhalder. 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a breakthrough in the effort to create a vaccine for HIV, how engineers are turning carbon dioxide into useful products, and the silk fabric that could one day make your clothes noise-canceling.     HIV Vaccine    “A Trial HIV Vaccine Triggered Elusive and Essential Antibodies in Humans.” Duke Health. 2024.  “The impact of antiretroviral treatment on mortality trends of HIV-positive adults in rural Uganda: a longitudinal population-based study, 1999-2009.” by Ivan Kasamba, et al. 2012.    CO2 New Uses    “Engineers find a new way to convert carbon dioxide into useful products.” by Anne Trafton. 2024.  “Highly Efficient Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction via DNA-Directed Catalyst Immobilization.” by Gang Fan, et al. 2024.    No Noise Fabric    “Single Layer Silk and Cotton Woven Fabrics for Acoustic Emission and Active Sound Suppression.” by Grace H. Yang, et al. 2024.  “How Piezoelectricity Works to Make Crystals Conduct Electric Current.” by Edwin Robledo. 2023.  https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/blog/piezoelectricity/   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about people who lack an inner voice, how yoga could help cancer survivors defog their minds, and the newly discovered hormone that is connected to promiscuous behavior in mice.     No Inner Voice     “People without an inner voice have poorer verbal memory.” University of Copenhagen. 2024.  “Not Everybody Has an Inner Voice: Behavioral Consequences of Anendophasia.” by Johanne S. K. Nedergaard & Gary Lupyan. 2024.    Yoga & Brain Health    “Yoga shows ‘most improvement’ in restoring brain health in long-term cancer survivors, Northeastern researcher says.” by Cynthia McCormick Hibbert. 2024.  “Management of Cancer-related Cognitive Dysfunction - Conceptualization Challenges and Implications for Clinical Research and Practice.” by Pascal Jean-Pierre. 2010.  “Yoga improves self-reported cognitive function among cancer survivors: results from the STAYFit trial.” by Neha P. Gothe, et al. 2024.    Monogamous Mice    “Some mice have a cheating heart. It’s a hormonal thing, scientists find.” by Mark Johnson. 2024.  “History of Adrenal Research: From Ancient Anatomy to Contemporary Molecular Biology.” by Walter L. Miller & Perrin C. White. 2023.  “Monogamy Rare In the Wild.” by Alisa Opar. 2013.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a gel that stops alcohol from making you drunk and harming your liver, the ancient viruses of Yellowstone hot springs, and the song that tiger beetles sing to confuse bats.     Anti-Drunk Gel    “Anti-intoxicant gel keeps alcohol out of the bloodstream.” by Ben Coxworth. 2024.  “Single-site iron-anchored amyloid hyrdrogels as catalytic platforms for alcohol detoxification.” by Jiaqi Su, et al. 2024.    Hot Spring Viruses    “Hot springs viruses at Yellowstone National Park have ancient origins and are adapted to thermophilic hosts.” by L. Felipe Benites, et al. 2024.  “Yellowstone’s Best Geothermal Features.” by Amelia Mayer. 2023.  “Hot Springs.” National Park Service. 2017.    Tiger Beetles    “Tiger beetles fight off bat attacks with ultrasonic mimicry.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Echolocation.” Neighbourhood Bat Watch. N.d.  “Tiger beetles produce anti-bat ultrasound and are probably Batesian moth mimics.” by Harlan M. Gough, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new anxiety-free way to collect blood samples modeled on the sucking power of leeches, the super carbon-gobbling power of blue-green algae, and a new understanding of how asthma happens - and maybe how to stop it.     Leeches & Blood Tests    “Blood diagnostics modeled on leeches.” by Fabio Bergamin. 2024.  “Prevalence, causes, impacts, and management of needle phobia: An international survey of a general adult population.” by Kimberly Alsbrooks & Klaus Hoerauf. 2022.  “ A Bioinspired and Cost-Effective Device for Minimally Invasive Blood Sampling.” by Nicole Zoratto, et al. 2024.    Algae & Carbon    “Scientists unlock key to breeding ‘carbon gobbling’ plants with a major appetite.” Scimex. 2024.  “Light and carbon: Synthetic biology toward new cyanobacteria-based living biomaterials.” by Isabella M. Goodchild-Michelman, et al. 2023.  “Cyanobacterial a-carboxysome carbonic anhydrase is allosterically regulated by the Rubisco substrate RuBP.” by Sacha B. Pulsford, et al. 2024.    Asthma Cause    “Chronic asthma could be caused by cell overcrowding in the airways.” by Monique Brouillette. 2024.  “Asthma Surveillance Data.” CDC. 2021. “Bronchoconstriction damages airway epithelial by crowding-induced excess cell extrusion.” by Dustin C. Bagley, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a groundbreaking new treatment for hair loss caused by autoimmune skin disease, a condition that affects the imagination, and the gadget that will put a cold brew coffee in your cup in minutes instead of hours.    Hair Loss Treatment    “New treatment could reverse hair loss caused by an autoimmune skin disease.” by Anne Trafton. 2024.  “Microneedle-mediated Delivery of Immunomodulators Restores Immune Privilege in Hair Follicles and Reverses Immune-Mediated Alopecia.” by Nour Younis, et al. 2024.    Aphantasia    “Aphantasia linked to abnormal brain responses to imagined and observed actions.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “What It’s Like to Be ‘Mind Blind’.” by Nayantara Dutta. 2022.  “Explicit and implicit motor simulations are impaired in individuals with aphantasia.” by William Dupont, et al. 2024.    Ultrasound Coffee    “Cold brew coffee in under 3 minutes? Ultrasound makes it possible.” by Paul Ridden. 2024.  “Laser-extracted cold-brew coffee could be a Monday-morning game changer.” by Loz Blain. 2022.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the possible link between asthma, ADHD, and income in children, how whale communication is much more complex than we thought, and the secret lithium hidden away for millions of years under Pennsylvania.    Asthma & ADHD     “ADHD, asthma, and economic hardship: New research suggests a causal pathway.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Associations between symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, socioeconomic status and asthma in children.” by Makiko Omura, et al. 2024.    Whale Codas    “Contextual and combinatorial structure in sperm whale vocalizations.” by Pratyusha Sharma, et al. 2024.  “Behaviors: Communicating.” Sperm Whales: Dominica. 2018.   Hidden Lithium    “Estimates of lithium mass yields from produced water sourced from the Devonian-aged Marcellus Shale.” by Justin Mackey. 2024.  “The Middle Devonian.” Palaeos. 2000.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about an accidental discovery of a dial in the brainstem that controls the body’s inflammation level, how centipedes might offer a treatment for kidney disease, and the problem with bringing back our deceased loved ones using AI.    Brainstem Dial     “Found: the dial in the brain that controls the immune system.” by Giorgia Guglielmi. 2024.  “Your brain could be controlling how sick you get - and how you recover.” by Diana Kwon. 2023.  “Tissues, not blood, are where immune cells function.” by Donna L. Farber. 2021.    Centipedes & Kidneys    “Centipedes used in traditional Chinese medicine offer leads for kidney treatment.” ACS. 2024.  “Giant Redheaded Centipede.” Missouri Department of Conservation. 2024. “Structurally Diverse Alkaloids with Anti-Renal-Fibrosis Activity from the Centipede Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans.” by Bin-Yuan Hu, et al. 2024.    AI Ghosts    “Call for safeguards to prevent unwanted ‘hauntings’ by AI chatbots of dead loved ones.” University of Cambridge. 2024.  “Griefbots, Deadbots, Postmortem Avatars: on Responsible Applications of Generative AI in the Digital Afterlife Industry.” by Tomasz Hollanek & Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basinska. 2024.  “Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence.” LCFI. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how sleep isn’t the brain detoxifier we thought it was, a new glass made out of bamboo, and the connection between leprosy and red squirrels in medieval England.     Sleeping Brain    “Sleep does not help brain wash out toxins, study suggests.” by Hannah Devlin. 2024.  “The sleep-deprived human brain.” by Adam J. Krause, et al. 2017.  “Brain clearance is reduced during sleep and anesthesia.” by Andawei Miao, et al. 2024.    Bamboo Glass    “A Novel Flame-Retardant, Smoke-Suppressing, and Superhydrophobic Transparent Bamboo.” by Jiahui Su, et al. 2024.  “Glass Transmittance.” Linshang Technology. 2020.  “Is Bamboo Sustainable? All You Need to Know About Eco-Friendly Bamboo.” by Raf Chomsky. 2023.    Leprosy & Squirrels    “In medieval England, leprosy spread between red squirrels and people, genome evidence shows.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Ancient Mycobacterium leprae genome reveals medieval English red squirrels as animal leprosy host.” by Christian Urban, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how reading fiction could make you smarter, the first ever likely transmission of bird flu from a cow to a human, and how a beluga whale communicates with its squishy head.    Fiction Readers      “People who read a lot of fiction tend to have better cognitive skills, study finds.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Cognitive effects and correlates of reading fiction: Two preregistered multilevel meta-analyses.” by Lena Wimmer, et al. 2024.    Bird Flu Transmission    “Texas dairy farm worker’s case may be first where bird flu virus spread from mammal to human, scientists say.” by Helen Branswell. 2024.  “Bird Flu Detections Reporting in Backyard and Commercial Birds.” CDC. 2024.  “Avian Influenza.” World Organization For Animal Health. 2023. “Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infection in a Dairy Farm Worker.” by Timothy M. Uyeki, M.D., M.P.H., et al. 2024.    Beluga Heads    “Belugas may communicate by warping a blob of forehead fat.” by Elizabeth Anne Brown. 2024.  “Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) create facial displays during social interactions by changing the shape of their melons.” by Justin T. Richard, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new and stimulating method that could potentially help smokers kick the habit, an innovative copper coating that kills bacteria on touchscreens, and the little birds that sometimes make for great stepdads.     Tobacco Treatment    “Can brain stimulation help people kick their tobacco addiction?” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Why Won’t Our Patients Stop Smoking?” by David M. Mannino, MD. 2009.  “A randomized controlled trial of intermittent theta burst stimulation to the medial prefrontal cortex for tobacco use disorder: Clinical efficacy and safety.” by Merideth A. Addicott, et al. 2024.    Clean Touchscreen    “Copper coating turns touchscreens into bacteria killers.” by Ben Coxworth. 2024.  “Towards transparent and durable copper-containing antimicrobial surfaces.” by Christina Graham, et al. 2024.    Parrot Stepdads    “New animal dads often kill their stepchildren. These parrots adopt them instead.” by Virginia Morell. 2024.  “Eviction-driven infanticide and sexually selected adoption and infanticide in a neotropical parrot.” by Steven R. Beissinger & Karl S. Berg. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the demand for a compound called squalene that is decimating deepwater shark populations, an amazing effort to create an eco-friendly lubricant using green chemistry, and the surprising connection between shepherds, women, and wildfires.    Shark Oil     “Deepwater Sharks Are Threatened by Demand for Liver Oil.” by David Shiffman. 2024.  “100 Million Sharks Killed Every Year, Study Show On Eve of International Conference on Shark Protection.” National Geographic. 2013.  “Fishing for oil and meat drives irreversible defaunation of deepwater sharks and rays.” by Brittany Finucci, et al. 2024.    Eco-Friendly Lubricant    “New eco-friendly lubricant additives protect turbine equipment, waterways.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Minimizing Toxicity and Optimizing Lubricity of Ionic Liquids for Eco-Friendly Lubrication.” by Xin He, et al. 2024.    Historic Land Management    “Anthropologist documents how women and shepherds historically reduced wildfire risk in Central Italy.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Wildfires as legacies of agropastoral abandonment: Gendered litter raking and managed burning as historic fire prevention practices in the Monte Pisano of Italy.” by Andrew S. Mathews & Fabio Malfatti. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a newly discovered deep sea ghost shark, the best way to treat prolonged grief disorder, and how the blood vessels in our brain coordinate to improve brain functioning.     Ghost Shark     “‘Ghost shark’ with enormous head and giant iridescent eyes discovered off Thailand.” by Elise Poore. 2024.  “Chimaera.” Shark Trust. 2020. “Chimaera supapae (Holocephali: Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae), a new species of chimaera from the Andaman Sea of Thailand.” by David A. Ebert, et al. 2024.    Grief Treatment    “Which therapy works best to treat prolonged grief disorder?” by Lachlan Gilbert. 2024.  “Cognitive Behavior Therapy vs Mindfulness in Treatment of Prolonged Grief Disorder.” by Richard A. Bryant, et al. 2024.  “Comparing the efficacy of mindfulness-based therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression in head-to-head randomized controlled trials: A systematic review and meta-analysis of equivalence.” by Kristine Tretto Sverre, et al. 2022.  “Prolonged Grief Disorder.” Psychology Today. N.d.   Blood Vessel Coordination    “Coordinating Blood Vessel Activity Might be Associated with Better Brain Performance.” Tohoku University. 2024.  “Plastic vasomotion entrainment.” by Daichi Sasaki, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the incredible dynamics that make the thresher shark so good at threshing, how people with a rare growth disorder might actually have an advantage that leads to longer lifespans, and why people listen to sad music.     Thresher Shark     Fear the Tails, Not the Jaws, of These ‘Weirdo’ Sharks.” by Kate Golembiewski. 2024.  “Vertebral morphology in the tail-whipping common thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus.” by Jamie L. Knaub, et al. 2024.    Laron Syndrome    “People with Rare Longevity Mutation May Also Be Protected from Cardiovascular Disease.” by Beth Newcomb. 2024.  “Normal or improved cardiovascular risk factors in IGF-I-deficient adults with growth hormone receptor deficiency.” by Jaime Guevara-Aguirre, et al. 2024.    Sad Music    “New insights into the psychological enigma of sad music.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Liking music with and without sadness: Testing the direct effect hypothesis of pleasurable negative emotion.” by Emery Schubert. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the possible holy grail of great white shark sightings, a new flu vaccine that could knock out every strain and last a long time, and a map of human consciousness.     Newborn Great White    “Great white sighting may reveal ‘holy grail’ of shark science.” by Katie Hunt. 2024.  “Novel aerial observations of a possible newborn white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) in Southern California.” by Carlos Gauna & Phillip C. Sternes. 2024.    Long-Term Flu Shot    “New strategy could lead to universal, long-lasting flu shot.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Duke University Developing Universal Flu Vaccine.” YouTube Video. 2023.  “Understanding Influenza (Flu) Infection: An Influenza Virus Binds to a Respiratory Tract Cell.” CDC. 2019.   Consciousness Map    “Brain imaging study reveals connections critical to human consciousness.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Consciousness.” by Anil Seth. n.d. “What is the Connectome Coordination Facility?” CCF. n.d.  “Stimulant Therapy Targeted to Individualized Connectivity Maps to Promote ReACTivation of Consciousness (STIMPACT).” by Brian L. Edlow, M.D.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the rare study of a hammerhead shark embryo, how touching your teammate might help them make free throws, and a super alloy that doesn’t break - it kinks.     Hammerhead Embryos    “Secrets of Hammerhead Sharks Revealed in ‘Very Rare’ Images.” by Robyn White. 2024.  “Bonnethead shark.” David A. Ebert, et al. 2021.  “Are Hammerhead Sharks Dangerous and Do They Attack Humans?” by Robyn White. 2022.  “Embryonic development in the bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), a viviparous hammerhead shark.” by Steven R. Byrum, et al. 2023.    Free Throw Touch    “Physical touch from teammates appears to improve free throw accuracy in basketball.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “The power of human touch: Physical contact improves performance in basketball free throws.” by Christiane M. Buttner, et al. 2024.    Kinky Alloy    “This Allow is Kinky.” by Aliyah Kovner. 2024.  “Kink bands promote exceptional fracture resistance in a NbTaTiHf refractory medium-entropy alloy.” by David H. Cook, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a massive prehistoric shark, the controversial plan to kill millions of barred owls, and how a condition called misophonia could be linked to stress and trauma.     Giant Shark    “Ancient, 30-foot relative of great white shark unearthed in Mexico quarry.” by Melissa Hobson. 2024.  “Exceptionally preserved shark fossils from Mexico elucidate the long-standing enigma of the Cretaceous elasmobranch Ptychodus.” by Romain Vullo, et al. 2024.  “Cretaceous period: Animals, plants and extinction event.” by Michael Dhar. 2022.    Barred Owl Cull    “They Shoot Owls in California, Don’t They?” by Franz Lidz. 2024.  “Northern Spotted Owl.” National Wildlife Federation. N.d.  “Barred-Owl-Letter.” Letter PDF. 2024.    Misophonia Stress    “Misophonia severity tied to higher stress and trauma, study shows.” by Vladimir Hedrih. 2024.  “What Is Misophonia?” by Paul Frysh. 2023.  “Misophonia is related to stress but not directly with traumatic stress.” by Rachel E. Guetta, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about tiny robotic nerve cuffs, an orangutan that treated its own wound with medicine, and how nostalgia encourages us to take part in rituals.     Robotic Nerve Cuffs    “Robotic nerve ‘cuffs’ could help treat a range of neurological conditions.” University of Cambridge. 2024.  “Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).” Cleveland Clinic. 2022. “Electrochemically actuated microelectrodes for minimally invasive peripheral nerve interfaces.” by Chaoqun Dong, et al. 2024.    Orangutan Medicine    “In a first, an orangutan was seen treating his wound with a medicinal plant.” by Evan Bush. 2024.  “Active self-treatment of a facial wound with a biologically active plant by a male Sumatran orangutan.” by Isabelle B. Laumer, et al. 2024.    Ritual Nostalgia    “New research reveals the psychological impact of nostalgia on ritual engagement and meaning in life.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Nostalgia, Ritual Engagement, and Meaning in Life.” by Yige Yin, et al. 2024.  “Nostalgia.” The Emotions Lab. 2022.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new way to turn certain blood types into universal blood types that could save countless lives, how exercise makes time slow down, and the new plastic made of eggshells that could clean up our water and stop plastic pollution.     Universal Donors    “Bacterial enzyme strips away blood types to create universal donor blood.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Blood safety and availability.” WHO. 2023.  “Facts About Blood and Blood Types.” American Red Cross. 2024.  “Akkermansia muciniphila exoglycosidases target extended blood group antigens to generate ABO-universal blood.” by Mathias Jensen, et al. 2024.    Exercise & Time    “Time warps when you workout: Study confirms exercise slows our perception of time.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “The perception of time is slowed in response to exercise, an effect not further compounded by competitors: behavioral implications for exercise and health.” by Andrew Mark Edwards, et al. 2024.    Eggshell Plastic    “Researchers Develop Bioplastic From Eggshells as Sustainable Alternative to Plastic.” Technology Networks. 2024.  “Eggshell incorporated agro-waste adsorbent pellets for sustainable orthophosphate capture from aqueous media.” by Bernd G. K. Steiger, et al. 2024.  “Phosphorus and Water.” USGS. 2018.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how microgravity affects sleep and physiological rhythms, the half a billion year old bioluminescent octocoral, and the truth about women’s synchronized menstrual cycles.    Microgravity Effects    “Simulated microgravity affects sleep and physiological rhythms.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Effect of 60 days of head down tilt bed rest on amplitude and phase of rhythms in physiology and sleep in men.” by Maria-Angeles Bonmati-Carrion, et al. 2024.    Octocorals    “Glowing octocorals have been around for at least 540 million years.” by Jake Buehler. 2024.  “What is bioluminescence?” NOAA. N.D.  “Evolution of bioluminescence in Anthozoa with emphasis on Octocorallia.” by Danielle M. DeLeo, et al. 2024.    Menstrual Sync    “Do women who live together get their periods together, or is it a myth?” by Marlene Cimons. 2024.  “Women do not synchronize their menstrual cycles.” by Zhengwei Yang & Jeffrey C Schank. 2006.  “Menstrual synchrony: Fact or artifact?” by Anna Ziomkiewicz. 2026.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the life-crushing conditions on Venus that could actually tell us about life elsewhere in the universe, how indigenous cultural fire burning could help us create healthier forests, and the people who brew beer in their stomachs.     Venus Environment   “To find life in the universe, look to deadly Venus.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Davinci, a return to Venus’ clouds.” The Planetary Society. N.d.  “NASA’s Planetary Fleets, Including Mars, Venus, Discovery Missions, and Small Body Missions.” n.a. 2023.  “Missions to Venus: Highlights From History, and When We May Go Back.” by Shannon Stirone. 2020.  “Venus as an anchor point for planetary habitability.” by Stephen R. Kane & Paul K. Byrne. 2024.  “Venus.” NASA. 2024.    Forest Stewardship   “Research showcases Indigenous stewardship’s role in forest ecosystem resilience.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Blending Indigenous and western science: Quantifying cultural burning impacts in Karuk Aboriginal Territory.” by Skye M. Greenler, et al. 2024.  “The Karuk Used Fire to Manage the Forest for Centuries. Now They Want To Do That Again.” by Danielle Venton. 2021.  “North America’s summer of wildfire smoke: 2023 was only the beginning.” by Charles O. Stanier, Gregory Carmichael, & Peter S. Thorne. 2023.   Auto-Brewery Syndrome  “A Brewery Worker’s Drunken Driving Defense: His Stomach Made the Alcohol.” by Ali Watkins. 2024.  “Auto Brewery Syndrome: Can You Really Make Beer in Your Gut?” by Noreen Iftikhar, MD. 2018.  “Truck driver claims body produces alcohol, caused him to be drunk, crash and spill 11,000 salmon.” by Dana Hedgpeth. 2016.  “Case report and literature review of auto-brewery syndrome: probably an underdiagnosed medical condition.” by Fahad Malik, et al. 2019.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the amazing regenerative effects of thistle extract on damaged nerves, the first synthetic, lab-made cells, and new insights into the development of language in people with autism.     Thistle Extract    “Thistle extract accelerates nerve regeneration by up to 29%.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Nerves.” Byju’s. N.d. “Cnicin promotes functional nerve regeneration.” by Philipp Gobrecht, et al. 2024.    Artificial Cells    “UNC-Chapel Hill researchers create artificial cells that act like living cells.” by Carleigh Gabryel. 2024.  “What Are Peptides and What Are They Used For?” by Jillian Kubala, RD. 2023.  “Designer peptide-DNA cytoskeletons regulate the function of synthetic cells.” by Margaret L. Daly, et al. 2024.    Autism Language    “New research unveils three distinct language comprehension phenotypes in autistic children.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Autism Spectrum Disorder: Communication Problems in Children.” NIH. 2020. “Are there distinct levels of language comprehension in autistic individuals - cluster analysis.” by Andrey Vyshedskiy. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new way to purify water simply by walking, robots controlled by liquid and rubber balls, and an accident that led to a wild discovery about bumblebees.     Clean Water Walking     “Walking-induced electrostatic charges enable in situ electroporated disinfection in portable water bottles.” by Young-Jun Kim, et al. 2024.  “Freshwater Crisis.” National Geographic. N.d.  “A revolutionary solution for on-the-go water disinfection.” by Manish Kumar Sharma & Zong-Hong Lin. 2024.    Metafluid    “Tiny rubber spheres used to make a programmable fluid.” by Jacek Krywko. 2024.  “Harvard’s bizarre ‘metafluid’ packs programmable properties.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “Metamaterials.” News Atlas Database. N.d.  “Shell buckling for programmable metafluids.” by Adel Djellouli, et al. 2024.    Underwater Bees    “Bumblebee species able to survive underwater for up to a week.” by Nicola Davis. 2024.  “Unveiling the submerged secrets: bumblebee queens’ resilience to flooding.” by Sabrina Rondeau & Nigel E. Raine. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the history of dragons, a lab-made gold that’s only a single atom thick, and a new low pressure way to make diamonds.     Dragon History      “Dragons: A brief history of the mythical, fire-breathing beasts.” by Callum McKelvie & Benjamin Radford. 2022.  “A Natural History of Dragons.” by Livia Gershon. 2022.  “Job 41.” Bible Study Tools. N.d.    Gold Atom Layer    “A single atom layer of gold - LiU researchers create goldene.” by Anders Torneholm. 2024.  “Synthesis of goldene comprising single-atom layer gold.” by Shun Kashiwaya, et al. 2024.    Low Pressure Diamonds    “A new method of making diamonds doesn’t require extreme pressure.” by Emily Conover. 2024.  “The Science Behind Diamonds.” by Dustin Lemick. 2023.  “Growth of diamond in liquid metal at 1 atm pressure.” by Yan Gong, et al. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new tech that could turn all that nasty CO2 into electricity, the genes that allow cancer cells to metastasize, and the incredible, healing hearts of zebrafish.    CO2 Into Electricity    “Electricity generation from carbon dioxide adsorption by spatially nanoconfined ion separation.” by Zhuyuan Wang, et al. 2024.  “Novel Nanogenerator Turns CO2 Into Electricity.” Technology Networks. 2024.  “Can Removing Carbon From the Atmosphere Save Us From Climate Catastrophe?” by Renee Cho. 2018.  “Climate Change: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide.” by Rebecca Lindsey. 2024.    Shapeshifting Cancer    “Cancer Cells’ Shapeshifting Ability Reveals New Drug Targets.” by Blake Forman. 2024.  “Environmentally dependant and independent control of 3D cell shape.” by Lucas G. Dent, et al. 2024.    Zebrafish    “Why can zebrafish regenerate damaged heart tissue, while other fish species cannot?” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Distinct features of the regenerating heart uncovered through comparative single-cell profiling.” by Clayton M. Carey, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the genes that could make you left-handed, how trees are able to cope with heat waves, and what could possibly lie beneath the ice of Jupiter’s moon, Europa.     Left Hand Gene    “Gene involved in cell shape offers clues on left-handedness.” by Will Dunham. 2024.  “Half a century of handedness research: Myths, truths; fictions, facts; backwards, but mostly forwards.” by Chris McManus. 2019.  “One hundred famous left-handed people.” n.a. 2003.    Heat Wave Trees    “How do trees survive dry and hot summers? Leaf lifespan and growth recovery are key.” phys.org. 2024.  “Climate Change Impacts on Forests.” EPA. n.d.  “Guide to Conifers: 11 Types of Conifers Seen Across the US.” MasterClass. 2021.    Europa    “Our picture of habitability on Europa, a top contender for hosting life, is changing.” by Nikk Ogasa. 2024.  “Europa Clipper.” JPL. n.d. “Europa: Moon of Jupiter. Potential for life.” NASA. n.d.  “Europa: Facts.” NASA. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how our perception of when old age hits is changing, a baby’s response to a happy face, and the housekeeping habits of neanderthals.    When is Old Age?      “Perception of when old age starts has increased over time, shows study.” by Nicola Davis. 2024.  “Psychology and Aging.” APA PsycNet database. 2024.  “The shift from old age to very old age: an analysis of the perception of aging among older people.” by Emile Escourrou, et al. 2022.    Sensative Mothers    “Researchers uncover link between maternal sensitivity and infant brain responses to happy faces.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Mary Ainsworth’s legacy: a systematic review of observational instruments measuring parental sensitivity.” by Judi Mesman & Rosanneke A G Emmen. 2013.  “Love on the developing brain: Maternal sensitivity and infants’ neural responses to emotion in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.” by Jessica A. Stern, et al. 2024.    Neanderthal Homes    “Study: Just Like Homo sapiens, Neanderthals Organized Their Living Space in Structured Way.” Sci News News Staff. 2024.  “Study Compares Neanderthal and Modern Human Living Spaces.” Archaeology. 2024.  “Homo Sapiens  and Neanderthal Use of Space at Riparo Bombrini (Liguria, Italy).” by Amelie Vallerand, et al. 2022.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new class of antibiotics that kills drug-resistant bugs, a water pollution test that can tell scientists where the pollution came from, and spiders that collaborate.     New Antibiotics    “New antibiotic class effective against multidrug-resistant bacteria.” Uppsala Universitet. 2024.  “10 reasons YOU should be worried about antibiotic resistance.” by Diane Ashiru-Oredope. 2014.  “What You Need to Know About a Klebsiella pneumoniae Infection.” by Kirsten Nunez. 2022.  “Antibiotic class with potent in vivo activity targeting lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Gram-negative bacteria.” by Douglas L. Huseby, et al. 2024.    H2O Pollution Test    “New approach to monitoring freshwater quality can identify sources of pollution, and predict their effects.” University of Cambridge. 2024.  “7 Effects Of Water Pollution.” AtlasScientific. 2023.  “Chemodiversity in freshwater health.” by Andrew J. Tanentzap & Jeremy A. Fonvielle. 2024.    Cooperative Camouflage    “In a first, these crab spiders appear to collaborate, creating camouflage.” by Saugat Bolakhe. 2024.  “Crab Spider.” A-Z Animals. N.d. “Male and female crab spiders ‘cooperate’ to mimic a flower.” by Shi-Mao Wu & Jiang-Yun Gao. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the dreams of birds, why sound pollution in the oceans could be killing whales, and how fruit-eating birds are doing the work to save tropical forests.     Bird Dreams    “Birds sing in their sleep - and now we can decipher their dreams.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Replay of innate vocal patterns during night sleep in suboscines.” by Juan F. Doppler, et al. 2021.  “Synthesizing avian dreams.” by Juan F. Doppler, et al. 2024.  “What is World Environment Day.” n.a. N.d.    Whales & Noise     “Avoidance, confusion, solitude: whales react to rising noise pollution.” The University of Melbourne. 2024.  “Avoidance, confusion or solitude? Modelling how noise pollution affects whale migration.” by Stuart T. Johnston & Kevin J. Painter. 2024.  “How First Contact With a Whale Civilization Could Unfold.” by Ross Anderson. 2024.    Fruit-Eaters Save Forest    “Tropical forests can’t recover naturally without fruit eating birds.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Frugivores enhance potential carbon recovery in fragmented landscapes.”  by Carolina Bello. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a paralyzed man who is making a recovery after receiving stem cell therapy, how bees learn architecture, and a potential new treatment for postpartum depression in new mothers.     Paralysis Recovery     “Paralyzed man who can walk again shows potential benefit of stem cell therapy.” by Amanda Dimare. 2024.  “Study documents safety, improvements from stem cell therapy after spinal cord injury.” by Susan Barber Lindquist. 2024.  “Spinal cord injury.” WHO. 2024.  “Case report: Stem cells a step toward improving motor, sensory function after spinal cord injury.” by Susan Barber Lindquist. 2019.    Bee Architecture    “The inheritance of alternative nest architectural traditions in stingless bees.” by Viviana Di Pietro, et al. 2024.  “Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution.” by Christoph Gruter. 2020. “Stigmergy as a Universal Coordination Mechanism: components, varieties and applications.” by Francis Heylighen. N.d.    Perinatal Treatment    “Esketamine injection just after childbirth reduces depression in new mothers.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Is Esketamine the Game-Changer for Depression We Want?” by EJ Dickson. 2019.  “What is Perinatal Depression?” American Psychological Association. 2023.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how non-invasive brain stimulation might offer relief to older patients suffering from anxiety and depression, the first known molecular fractal, and a new discovery turning the view of bonobos as peace-loving primates on its head.     Brain Stimulation    “Brain stimulation treatment may improve depression, anxiety in older adults.” by Jill Pease. 2024.  “Mental health of older adults.” WHO. 2023.  “tDCS reduces depression and state anxiety symptoms in older adults from the augmenting cognitive training in older adults study (ACT). by Hanna K. Hausman, et al. 2024.    Fractal Molecule    “Discovery of the first fractal molecule in nature.” Max Plank Gesellschaft. 2024.  “How Fractals Work.” by Craig Haggit & Yara Simon. 2023.  “Six Sierpinski Triangle Constructions (visual mathematics).” YouTube Video. 2023.    Bonobos    “Bonobos not the peace-loving primates once thought, study reveals.” by Nicola Davis. 2024.  “Differences in expression of male aggression between wild bonobos and chimpanzees.” by Maud Mouginot, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new AI developed to help doctors identify and treat diseases like cancer, why watching sports might give our sense of wellness a boost, and the real reason we blink so much.     AI Medical Research     “Mayo researchers invented a new class of AI to improve cancer research and treatments.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “The Rise of Hypothesis-Driven Artificial Intelligence in Oncology.” by Zilin Xianyu, et al. 2024.   Watching Sports    “The joy of sports: How watching sports can boost well-being.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Watching sport enhances well-being: evidence from a multi-method approach.” by Keita Kinoshita, et al. 2024.    Blinking    “Why do we blink so much?” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Eye blinks as a visual processing stage.” by Bin Yang, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the traits most people value in romantic partners, a new link between a particular gut bacteria and cardiovascular health, and why dogs might make your kids healthier.     Romantic Traits     “Intelligence and kindness are the most valued traits in romantic partners, study finds.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “What Do Different People Look for in a Partner? Effects of Sex, Sexual Orientation, and Mating Strategies on Partner Preferences.” by Joao Francisco Goes Braga Takayanagi, et al. 2024.    Heart & Gut    “Scientists link certain gut bacteria to lower heart disease risk.” by Allessandra DiCorato. 2024.  “7 Crazy Facts About The Microbiome And Gut Bacteria.” by Ross Carver-Carter. N.d. “Gut microbiome and metabolome profiling in Framingham heart study reveals cholesterol-metabolizing bacteria.” by Chenhao Li, et al. 2024.  “Cholesterol Metabolism by Uncultured Human Gut Bacteria Influences Host Cholesterol Level.” by Douglas J. Kenny, et al. 2020.  “About the Framingham Heart Study.” n.a. N.d.    Canine Play    “The Serious Side of Kid And Canine Play.” UMass Amherst. 2024. “America’s Pandemic, Physical Inactivity.” PHIT America. 2023.  “Physical Activity: Children.” CDC. 2023.  “The KID Study (Kids Interacting With Dogs): Piloting a Novel Approach for Measuring Dog-Facilitated Youth Physical Activity.” by Colleen J. Chase, et al. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how diversifying farms has a ton of upsides and virtually no downsides, the way we tend to predict how something will smell before we smell it, and a universally shared preference for simple rhythms in music.     Diversified Farming     “Major study reports that people and environment both benefit from diversified farming, while bottom lines also thrive.” University of Copenhagen. 2024.  “Joint environmental and social benefits from diversified agriculture.” by Laura Vang Rasmussen, et al. 2024.  “The Green Revolution: Norman Borlaug and the Race to Fight Global Hunger.” by Ray Offenheiser. 2020.    Sense of Smell     “The sense of smell is influenced by cues from other senses.” Stockholm University. 2024.  “Olfactory categorization is shaped by a transmodal cortical network for evaluating perceptual predictions.” by Stephen Pierzchajlo, et al. 2024.    Simple Rhythms    “Cross-cultural research reveals universal bias towards simple rhythmic ratios in music.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Commonality and variation in mental representations of music revealed by a cross-cultural comparison of rhythm priors in 15 countries.” by Nori Jacoby, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a tantalizing new discovery about dark energy that could change our understanding of the entire universe, how scientists are pulling electricity from raindrops, and the barcode memory tool inside a chickadee’s brain.     Dark Energy    “A Tantalizing ‘Hint’ That Astronomers Got Dark Energy All Wrong.” by Dennis Overbye. 2024.  “What Is Dark Energy? An Astrophysicist Explains.” Ars Technica. YouTube Video. 2023.  “What is Dark Energy? Inside our accelerating, expanding universe.” by Chelsea Gohd. 2024.  “DESI Data Documentation.” Database. 2023.   Electric Rain    “New green technology harvests energy from raindrops and humidity.” by Robert F. Service. 2024.  “The Amazing Drinking Bird.” by Brian Rohrig. 2024. “Rapid progress of key clean energy technologies shows the new energy economy is emerging faster than many think.” IEA.org. 2023.     Chickadees    “Chickadees use memory ‘bar codes’ to find their hidden food stashes.” by Jake Buehler. 2024.  “Barcoding of episodic memories in the hippocampus of a food-caching bird.” by Selmaan N. Chettih, et al. 2024.  “Birdist Rule #71: Figure Out What Kind Of Chickadees You’ve Got.” by Nicholas Lund. 2016.  “Somewhere in the brain is a storage device for memories.” by Laura Sanders. 2018.  “A manifold neural population code for space in hippocampal coactivity dynamics independent of place fields.” by Eliott Robert Joseph Levy, et al. 2023.  “Heterogeneous representations in the hippocampus.” by Kazumasa Z. Tanaka. 2021.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about some potential good news about whale populations, what decades-old cans of salmon can tell us about the health of the ocean, and how climate change is literally slowing down the world.     Recovered Whales     “Whale population recovers five years after hundreds washed up dead.” n.a. 2024.  “The gray whale die-off on West Coast is over, NOAA declares.” by Karen Garcia. 2024.  “Endangered Species Day Information.” Endangered Species Coalition. 2020.   Old Salmon Cans    “Decades-old Cans of Salmon Reveal Changes in Ocean Health.” by Rachel Nuwer. 2024.  “Opening a can of worms: Archived canned fish fillets reveal 40 years of change in parasite burden for four Alaskan salmon species.” by Natalie Mastick, et al. 2024.    Climate Change & Time    “Climate change is changing how we keep time.” by Carolyn Gramling. 2024.  “A global timekeeping problem postponed by global warming.” by Duncan Carr Agnew. 2024.  “50 years ago, timekeepers deployed the newly invented leap second.” by Cassie Martin. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about an AI-designed window film that could keep your house cool, the mysterious ways Mars causes deep-sea erosion on Earth, and how playing the didgeridoo could help treat sleep apnea.     Cooling Windows      “New window film drops temperature, slashes energy consumption.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Engineers use quantum computing to develop transparent window coating that blocks heat, saves energy.” University of Notre Dame. 2022.  “The Solar Spectrum.” Ossila.com. N.d.    Mars & Erosion    “Mars as a Driver of Deep-Sea Erosion.” by Grace van Deelen. 2024.  “Milankovitch (Orbital) Cycles and Their Role in Earth’s Climate.” NASA Science Editorial Team. 2020.  “Deep-sea hiatus record reveals orbital pacing by 2.4 Myr eccentricity grand cycles.” by Adriana Dutkiewicz, et al. 2024.    Didgeridoo Slumber    “Playing the Didgeridoo to Treat Sleep Apnea.” by Brandon Peters, MD. 2023.  “What Is Sleep Apnea?” by Brandon Peters, MD. 2023.  “Didgeridoo basics.” Hollow Log Digderidoos. N.d.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about an artificial reef that could save the shore from storms, how simply owning a pair of glasses can make you earn more income, and how air conditioners could help CSI detectives solve crimes.    Artificial Reef    “Artificial reef designed by MIT engineers could protect marine life, reduce storm damage.” by Jennifer Chu. 2024.  “Coastal Protection.” Coral Reef Alliance. 2024.  “Architected materials for artificial reefs to increase storm energy dissipation.” by Edvard Ronglan, et al. 2024.    Glasses & Income    “Having the right glasses could boost earning power by a third, Bangladesh study shows.” by Sarah Johnson. 2024.  “The effect on income of providing near vision correction to workers in Bangladesh: The THRIVE (Tradespeople and Hand-workers Rural Initiative for a Vision-enhanced Economy) randomized controlled trial.” by Farzana Sehrin, et al. 2024.  “Presbyopia.” Mayo Clinic. 2021. “The Global Burden of Potential Productivity Loss from Uncorrected Presbyopia.” by Kevin D. Frick, et al. 2015.    AC DNA    “Cold case: DNA in airconditioners to place suspects at the scene of a crime.” by Ben Coxworth. 2024.  “Up in the air: Presence and collection of DNA from air and air conditioner units.” by Mariya Goray, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a revolutionary new system that can turn saltwater into drinking water with the help of the sun, how your brain chooses what memories to keep, and a super-Earth with a really dark side.     Solar Drinking Water    “Solar-powered technology converts saltwater into drinking water emission-free.” King’s College London. 2024.  “Flexible batch electrodialysis for low-cost solar-powered brackish water desalination.” by Wei He, et al. 2024.  “Valuing Water.” United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 2021.   Forgetting Memories    “How the brain chooses which memories are important enough to save and which to let fade away.” by Linda Carroll. 2024.  “Relax! It’ll boost your memory, study shows.” by Kate Kelland. 2010.  “Normal and Abnormal Sharp Wave Ripples in the Hippocampal-Entohinal Cortex System: Implications for Memory Consolidation, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.” by Zhi-Hang Zhen, et al. 2021.    Super-Earth    “This super-Earth is the first planet confirmed to have a permanent dark side.” by Joseph Howlett. 2024.  “LHS 3844 b.” NASA Exoplanet Catalog. N.d.  “Tidal Locking.” NASA. 2024.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a massive discovery of new species from the depths of the ocean, why you shouldn’t buy your brand new driver their own car, and a possible breakthrough in microchip data collection from animals.     New Marine Species     “Scientists Discover 100 New Marine Species in New Zealand.” by Rebecca Carballo. 2024.  “Expedition to Uncover Secrets of New Zealand’s Unexplored Bounty Trough.” Ocean Census. 2024.  “Our Mission: Enhancing Ocean Life Discovery Worldwide.” Ocean Census. 2024.  “This metal marvel collects time capsules of life from the abyss.” Marine Biodiversity Hub. 2017.    Teen Drivers    “‘Don’t buy your kids a car’: young drivers with own cars in more crashes.” by Lachlan  Gilbert. 2024.  “Young drivers’ early access to their own car and crash risk into early adulthood: Findings from DRIVE study.” by Huei-Yang Chen, et al. 2024.  “Teen Drivers.” Injury Facts. 2024.  “Young Drivers.” NHTSA. 2022.  “Teen Driver Statistics.” Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute. 2024.    Animal Microchips    “Injectable Microchip Tracks Animal Health.” by Julianne Pepitone. 2024. “Microchips Result In Higher Rate Of Return Of Shelter Animals To Owners.” by Linda Lord. 2009.  “A Subcutaneously Injectable Implant for Multimodal Physiological Monitoring in Animals.” by Parvez Ahmmed, et al. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the potential positive power of gossip, how climate change is making zooplankton in Lake Erie confused, and a surprising connection between new school buses and student performance in school.     Gossip    “Can’t Stand Gossip? Let’s Talk, New Research Suggests.” by Emily C. Nunez. 2024.  “Explaining the evolution of gossip.” by Xinyue Pan, et al. 2024.  “Who Gossips and How in Everyday Life?” by Megan L. Robbins, et al. 2019.    Zooplankton    “In Lake Erie, climate change scrambles zooplankton seasonal presence.” by Tatyana Woodall. 2024.  “Zooplankton Facts.” n.a. 2024.  “Biotic and thermal drivers alter zooplankton phenology in western Lake Erie.” by Jenna Bailey & James M. Hood. 2024.    School Bus Science    “Could riding older school buses hinder student performance?” University of Michigan. 2024.  “EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program Offers $500 Million in Funding.” n.a. 2023.  “School Bus Rebate Program and Student Educational Performance Test Scores.” by Meredith Pedde, PhD, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the science of getting in the groove, a newly discovered burial ground for elite medieval horses, and more evidence that coffee could help you fight off cancer.     Grooving to Music    “Neural dynamics of predictive timing and motor engagement in music listening.” by Arnaud Zalta, et al. 2024.  “Two Concepts of Groove: Musical Nuances, Rhythm, and Genre.” by Evan Malone. 2022.  “An expanded role for the dorsal auditory pathway in sensorimotor control and integration.” by Josef P Rauschecker. 2011.    Horse Burial    “Tudor era horse cemetery in Westminster revealed as likely resting place of elite imported animals.” by Andrew Merrington. 2024.  “Horse cemetery in Westminster revealed as likely resting place for elite imported animals.” n.a. 2024.    Coffee & Cancer    “Coffee drinkers have much lower risk of bowel cancer recurrence, study finds.” by Denis Campbell. 2024.  “Sixty seconds on…Coffee and cancer.” by Nigel Hawkes. 2016.  “Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer recurrence and all-cause mortality.” by Abisola M. Oyelere, et al. 2024.  “Colorectal Cancer: Facts & Figures 2020-2022.” American Cancer Society. 2020.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the pros and mostly cons of using ChatGPT in the classroom, how wild animals responded to the sudden peace and quiet of Covid, and a new contact lens that can help heal eye wounds.     ChatGPT in School    “Is it harmful or helpful? Examining the causes and consequences of generative AI usage among university students.” by Muhammad Abbas, et al. 2024.  “Uses and Misuses of ChatGPT by Academic Community: An Overview and Guidelines.” by Muhammad Abbas. 2023.   Quiet Covid    “Hundreds of photos show animal behaviour during COVID-19 lockdowns.” by Andrew Kurjata. 2024.  “Mammal responses to global changes in human activity vary by trophic group and landscape.” by A. Cole Burton, et al. 2024.  “Scientists say new epoch marked by human impact - the Anthropocene - began in 1950s.” Associate Press. 2023.  “When COVID rules kept humans home, wildlife roamed more freely, international study shows.” by Wallis Snowdon. 2023.    Healing Contact Lens     “Fabrication and Characterization of an Enzyme-Triggered, Therapeutic-Releasing Hydrogel Bandage Contact Lens Material.” by Susmita Bose, et al. 2024.  “Corneal Injury.” NIH. 2023.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about why our brains are getting bigger and why that’s a good thing, how the sweet songs of the reef could help save it, and an AI device that gives a voice to the voiceless.     Bigger Brains     “Human brains are getting larger. That may be good news for dementia risk.” UC David Health. 2024.  “Trends in Intracranial and Cerebral Volumes of Framingham Heart Study Participants Born 1930 to 1970.” by Charles DeCarli, MD, et al. 2024.  “Framingham Heart Study.” Framingham Heart Study. N.d.  “Study examines factors behind decline in dementia incidence.” NIH. 2016.    Reef Songs    “Sounds appealing - reef recordings entice coral larvae to start building.” by Ben Coxworth. 2024.  “Life Below Water.” UN. n.d.  “Status of Coral Reefs.” Reef Resilience Network. N.d.  “Soundscape enrichment increases larval settlement rates for the brooding coral Porites astreoides.” by Nadege Aoki, et al. 2024.    AI Speech    “Speaking without vocal cords, thanks to a new AI-assisted wearable device.” by Christine Wei-li Lee. 2024.  “Speaking without vocal folds using a machine-learning-assisted wearable sensing-actuation system.” by Ziyuan Che, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a nasal spray that could one day let those with sleep apnea toss out their CPAP machines, house paint that kills mosquitos, and the incredible giant redwoods… of England.     Sleep Spray     “A novel TASK channel antagonist nasal spray reduces sleep apnea severity in physiological responders: a randomized, blinded, trial.” by Amal M. Osman, et al. 2024.  “Obstructive Sleep Apnea.” by Rob Newsom & Dr. Abhinav Singh. 2024.    Insecticide Paint    “Insecticide paint controls mosquito population up to 1 year, experiment shows.” by Stephanie Soucheray, MA. 2024.  “Mosquito-Borne Human Viral Diseases: Why Aedes aegypti?” by Jeffrey R. Powell. 2018.  “Insecticide paints: a new community strategy for controlling dengue and zika mosquito vectors in Cabo Verde.” by Lara Ferrero Gomez, et al. 2024.  “Special insecticide paint may help curb zika and dengue fever outbreaks.” EurekAlert! 2024.    UK Redwoods    “Hidden giants: how the UK’s 500,000 redwoods put California in the shade.” by James Tapper. 2024.  “11 FActs About Coast Redwoods, the Tallest Trees in the World.” by Melissa Breyer. 2020.  “California: visitors to world’s tallest tree face $5,000 fine and possible jail time.” Associated Press. 2022.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about an effort to create palm oil without burning down millions of acres of forest, the surprising way polyglots’ brains approach their own native language, and new research on how the powerful psychedelic drug ayahuasca extinguishes fear.    Palm-Less Oil    “They Want to Make Palm Oil in a Lab. Without Palm Trees.” by Dionne Searcey. 2024.  “Things To Know About Palm Oil.” WWF. n.d.   Polyglot Brain    “For people who speak many languages, there’s something special about their native tongue.” by Anne Trafton. 2024.  “Functional characterization of the language network of polyglots and hyperpolyglots with precision fMRI.” by Saima Malik-Moraleda, et al. 2024.    Ayahuasca & Fear     “Ayahuasca accelerates fear extinction via its effect on serotonin receptors.” by Eric. W. Dolan. 2024.  “Ayahuasca-enhanced extinction of fear behaviour: Role of infralimbic cortex 5-HT2a and 5-HT1a receptors.” by Isabel Werle, et al. 2024.  “The Therapeutic Potentials of Ayahuasca: Possible Effects against Various Diseases of Civilization.” by Ede Frecska, et al. 2016.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new study shedding light on what species are most vulnerable to extinction from climate change, why species of living fossils take their time evolving, and a new theory about how the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs also impacted birds.     Extinction Risk     “New study reveals insight into which animals are most vulnerable to extinction due to climate change.” University of Oxford. 2024.  “What is mass extinction and are we facing a sixth one?” by Tammana Begum. 2021. Updated 2023.  “Mass extinctions, their causes and consequences: an interview with Douglas H. Erwin and Shuzhong Shen.” by Shucheng Xie. 2023.  “Species and climate change.” IUCN. 2021.  “Humanity’s Fitting Place on the List of Mass Extinction Events.” by Sam Baker. 2018.    Living Fossils    “Study of slowly evolving ‘living fossils’ reveals key genetic insights.” by Mike Cummings. 2024.  “A New Discovery Reveals Why Darwin’s ‘Living Fossil’ Keeps Defying Evolution.” by Tim Newcomb. 2024.  “Giraffe Evolution.” by Adam Atwood. 2024.    Asteroid vs Birds    “An Asteroid Wiped Out Dinosaurs. Did It Help Birds Flourish?” by Carl Zimmer. 2024.  “Dust Might Have Snuffed Out the Dinosaurs.” by Miriam Fauzia. 2023.  “How Did Birds First Take Off?” by Carl Zimmer. 2023.  “Genomes, fossils, and the concurrent rise of modern birds and flowering plants in the Late Cretaceous.” by Shaoyuan Wu, et al. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a compelling study on twins and the nature versus nurture debate, how scientists solved a 60-year-old mystery about bees, and why you shouldn’t go last.     Twin Trauma    “One Twin Was Hurt, the Other Was Not. Their Adult Mental Health Diverged.” by Ellen Barry. 2024.  “Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adult Mental Health Outcomes.” by Hilda Bjork Danielsdottir, et al. 2024.  “Recognizing the importance of childhood maltreatment as a critical factor in psychiatric diagnoses, treatment, research, prevention, and education.” by Martin H. Teicher, et al. 2022.  “Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults.” by Vincent J. Felitti MD, FACP, et al. 1998.    Bee Mystery     “A decades-old mystery has been solved with the help of newfound bee species.” by Darren Incorvaia. 2024.  “Canopy specialist Hylaeus bees highlight sampling biases and resolve Michener’s mystery.” by James B. Dorey, et al.    Sequence Bias    “A new study finds that the later we meet someone in a sequence, the more negatively we describe them.” by Douglas Heingartner. 2024.  “Differentiation in social perception: Why later-encountered individuals are described more negatively.” by Alex Koch, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new plan to use waste from beer brewing to clean metal out of our water supply, a study that puts languages like Orc and Klingon to the test, and a discovery about the direction our memories travel in our brains.     Brewer’s Yeast     “The same beer waste that gives us Vegemite could help us recycle metal waste.” n.a. 2024.  “Spent brewer’s yeast as a selective biosorbent for metal recovery from polymetallic waste streams.” by Anna Sieber, et al. 2024.  “What Is E-Waste Recycling and How Is it Done?” by Tin Lok Wu. 2023.    Constructed Languages     “From Star Trek’s Klingon to Tolkien’s Orkish: Unraveling the auditory aesthetics of constructed languages.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Does Orkish Sound Evil? Perception of Fantasy Languages and Their Phonetic and Phonological Characteristics.” by Christine Mooshammer, et al. 2024.    Memory Direction    “Brain Waves Travel in One Direction When Memories Are Made and the Opposite When Recalled.” by Grant Currin. 2024.  “Theta and Alpha Oscillations Are Traveling Waves in the Human Neocortex.” by Honghui Zhang, et al. 2018. “The direction of theta and alpha travelling waves modulates human memory processing.” by Uma R. Mohan, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a medication that can successfully treat frostbite, the study of bloodsplatter in space, and a surprising finding about the supposed benefits of small class sizes.    Frostbite Treatment    “The U.S. now has a drug for severe frostbite. How does it work?” by Saugat Bolakhe. 2024.  “Frostbite.” NIH. 2023.  “FDA Approves First Medication to Treat Severe Frostbite.” FDA. 2024.    Blood in Space     “Bloodstain pattern dynamics in microgravity: Observations of a pilot study in the next frontier of forensic science.” by Zack Kowalske, et al. 2024.  “How Did NASA’S ‘Vomit Comet’ Get Its Name? A Brief History.” GoZeroG. 2023.    Small Classes    “Small Class Sizes Not Better for Pupils’ Grades or Resilience, Says Study.” Taylor & Francis. 2024.  “Typologies of secondary school student academic resilience in science with classroom and school context predictors.” by Tao Jiang, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a skin printer that could lead to scar-free surgeries, the possibility of bringing the wooly mammoth back to life, and how to work at being happy.     Printed Skin    “Scar-free surgery prints living skin (and maybe hair) right into wounds.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “New bioink promotes growth & regeneration of 3D-printed muscle tissue.” by Paul McClure. 2023.    Mammoth De-Extinction    “Wooly mammoth de-extinction inches closer after elephant stem cell breakthrough.” by Sascha Pare. 2024.  “Scientists Are Reincarnating the Woolly Mammoth to Return in 4 Years.” by Tim Newcomb. 2023.  “Why Are Scientists Trying to Bring Back the Woolly Mammoth?” by Teresa Ehrlich. 2022.   Learning Happiness    “Happiness can be learnt, but we have to work at it - study finds.” University of Bristol. 2024.  “Unit information: Science of Happiness.” University of Bristol. Course catalog.  “The Science of Well-Being.” Coursera Course.  “The Science of Happiness Course.” Greater Good Science Center. N.d. “Managing Happiness.” Harvard. Ongoing.      Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a radical idea for installing a curtain around a massive ice sheet, how positive vibrations might help people with social anxiety, and new tech that could remove dangerous forever chemicals from our environment.     Glacier Curtain    “Scientists want to build 62-mile-long curtains around the ‘doomsday glacier’ for a $50 billion Hail Mary to save it.” by Ellyn Lapointe. 2024.  “Thwaites Glacier Facts.” International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration. N.d.  “How We Came to Know and Fear the Doomsday Glacier.” by Marissa Grunes. 2023.    Good Vibrations    “Good vibrations could hold answer to calming social anxiety.” University of Glasgow. 2024.  “Brain mechanisms of social anxiety disorder.” by D J Nutt, et al. 1998.  “Social Anxiety Disorder.” NIH. n.d.   PFAS Water Detox    “Harmful ‘forever chemicals’ removed from water with new electrocatalysis method.” by Luke Auburn. 2024.  “PFAS Explained.” EPA. n.d.  “What are PFAS?” ASTDR. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a surprising discovery inside the worms of Chernobyl, a way to protect metals at sea inspired by barnacles, and foot-eye coordination.     Chernobyl Worms    “Radiation-proof Chernobyl worms offer answers about cancer.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Chernobyl Accident 1986.” n.a. 2022.  “Environmental radiation exposure at Chornobyl has not systematically affected the genomes or chemical mutagen tolerance phenotypes of local worms.” by Sophia C. Tintori, et al. 2024.    Barnacle Proteins    “Barnacle proteins protect metals from corrosion in salt water.” by Prachi Patel. 2024.  “How Does Salt Water Rust Metals?” By Claire Gillespie. 2018.  “What are barnacles?” NOAA. 2023.    Foot-Eye Coordination    “Foot-eye coordination: how our vision changes in rhythm with our walking.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Neuroscience research shows the brain is strobing, not constant.” n.a. 2017.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the magic of the upcoming solar eclipse, a simple way to reduce the amount of microplastics in your drinking water, and the connection between self-control and the perception of power.  Livestream of the total solar eclipse on Discovery’s YouTube channel on April 8 at 2:15pm ET here! Eclipse 2024    “What this solar eclipse can teach us about our planet and beyond.” by Kasha Patel. 2024.  “Eclipse Soundscapes Project.” 2024.  “Globe Observer: Eclipse.” 2024.  “Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project Objectives.” 2024.    Boiling Microplastics    “Concerned About Microplastics in Your Water? Consider Boiling It First.” by Alexander Beadle. 2024.  “Microplastics in freshwaters and drink water: Critical review and assessment of data quality.” by Albert A. Koelmans, et al. 2019.  “The Impact of Microplastics on the Gut Microbiome and Health.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2023.  “Drinking Boiled Tap Water Reduces Human Intake of Nanoplastics and Microplastics.” by Zimin Yu, et al. 2024.    Self-Control    “Having Self-Control Leads to Power.” by Jenn Riggle. 2024.  “Self-control signals and affords power.” by Wu, S. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a potentially risky new idea to geoengineer our way out of extreme heat, bad news for fans of artificially sweetened drinks, and an incredible new discovery about butterflies.     Geoengineering    “Dehydrate the stratosphere to curb global warming? Scientists float new risky strategy.” by Paul Voosen. 2024.  “Contributions of Stratospheric Water Vapor to Decadal Changes in the Rate of Global Warming.” by Susan Solomon, et al. 2010.  “Considering intentional stratospheric dehydration for climate benefits.” by Joshua P. Schwarz. 2024.    Artificial Sweeteners    “Artificially sweetened drinks linked to risk of irregular heartbeat, study finds.” by Erum Salam. 2024.  “Sweetened Beverages, GEnetic Susceptibility, and Incident Atrial Fibrillation: A Prospective Cohort Study.” by Ying Sun, et al. 2024.  “Atrial Fibrillation.” CDC. 2022.   Butterfly Mimicry    “Butterflies mimic each other’s flight behaviour to avoid predators.” University of York. 2024.  “Butterfly Mimicry.” by Karin Kjernsmo. 2021.  “Mimicry in viceroy butterflies is dependent on abundance of the model queen butterfly.” by Kathleen L. Prudic, et al. 2019.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about an alarming new killer behavior in orcas, a potential breakthrough for patients with one of the deadliest cancers, and the brain science behind flow.     Shark Hunter    “Orcas Demonstrating They No Longer Need to Hunt in Packs to Take Down the Great White Shark.” Taylor & Francis. 2024.  “Further insights into killer whales Orcinus orca preying on white sharks Carcharodon carcharias in South Africa.” by A Towner, et al. 2024.  “Top 10 Facts About Orcas.” WWF. 2023.   Asbestos Cancer Treatment    “Drug offers ‘wonderful’ breakthrough in treatment of asbestos-linked cancer.” by Andrew Gregory. 2024.  “Key Statistics About Malignant Mesothelioma.” American Cancer Society. 2019. “Pegargiminase Plus First-Line Chemotherapy in Patients With Nonepithelioid Pleural Mesothelioma.” by Peter W. Szlosarek, MD, PhD. et al. 2024.   Creative Flow    “Your brain in the zone: A new neuroimaging study reveals how the brain achieves a creative flow state.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Creative flow as optimized processing: Evidence from brain oscillations during jazz improvisations by expert and non-expert musicians.” by David Rosen, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy 300 episodes to our Curiosity Daily listeners! Today, you’ll learn about a massive database of human genomes that’s uncovering major new genetic discoveries, the scientists building stone age tools from scratch… and then putting them to work, and a treasure trove of deep sea discoveries in an underwater mountain range.     Human Diversity     “Ambitious survey of human diversity yields millions of undiscovered genetic variants.” by Max Kozlov. 2024.  “NIH’s All of Us Research Program Releases First Genomic Dataset of Nearly 100,000 Whole Genome Sequences.” NIH. 2022.  “About.” NIH. 2021.   Ancient Tool Use    “Scientists try out stone age tools to understand how they were used.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Experiments with replicas of Early Upper Paleolithic edge-ground stone axes and adzes provide criteria for identifying tool functions.” by Akira Iwase, et al. 2024.    Deep Sea Discoveries    “See the strange new species discovered near Chile - with the help of a deep-diving sea robot.” by Laura Baisas. 2024.  “Scientists Confirm Underwater Mountains Harbor Abundant Life Off Chile’s Coast.” Schmidt Ocean Institute. 2024.  “How much of the ocean has been explored?” NOAA. n.d.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how we learn the same information differently from people we like than from those we don’t like, a drug men already take that could have incredible added benefits, and a weed that could feed a hungry world.     Learning From Friends     “The brain is ‘programmed’ for learning from people we like.” Lund University. 2024.  “Ingroup sources enhance associative inference.” by Marius Boeltzig. 2023.    Hair & Heart     “Common hair loss and prostate drug may also cut heart disease risk in men and mice.” by Lauren Quinn. 2024.  “Finasteride delays atherosclerosis progression in mice and is associated with a reduction in plasma cholesterol in men.” by Patrick McQueen, et al. 2024.    Feeding Weeds    “Common plant could help reduce food insecurity, researchers find.” by Jeff Mulhollem. 2024.  “Food Resilience in the Face of Catastrophic Global Events.” Penn State University. N.d.  “What You Need to Know About Food Security and Climate Change.” Worldbank. 2022.  “Valorizing staple Native American food plants as a food resilience resource.” by Daniel J. Winstead, et al. 2023.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how ADHD might have actually helped our ancient ancestors thrive, the way pollution makes it hard for nighttime pollinators to stop and smell the flowers, and a new study that suggests lions, tigers, and other big cats can tell who’s talking to them.     ADHD Foraging    “Attention deficits linked with proclivity to explore while foraging.” by David Barack. 2024.  “What is ADHD?” NIH. n.d.  “Foraging theory upscaled: the behavioural ecology of herbivore movement.” by N. Owen-Smith, et al. 2010.    Pollution & Pollinators    “At night, pollution keeps pollinating insects from smelling the flowers.” by Elizabeth Pennisi. 2024.  “Here’s how insects help keep ecosystems in balance.” WWF. 2023.  “Nitrate radicals and biogenic volatile organic compounds: oxidation, mechanisms, and organic aerosol.” by Nga Lee Ng, et al. 2017.    Big Cats Listen    “Big cats can tell apart known and unknown human voices, study finds.” by Nicola Davis. 2024.  “Lions are the Brainiest of the Big Cats.” by Jason G. Goldman. 2016.  “Catcalls: exotic cats discriminate the voices of familiar caregivers.” by Taylor Crews, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about mind-reading machines, the brightest object in the known universe, and the potential power punch of cinnamon.    Mind-Reading    “Mind-reading devices are revealing the brain’s secrets.” by Miryam Naddaf. 2024.  “The brain-reading devices helping paralysed people to move, talk and touch.” by Liam Drew. 2022.  “The rise of brain-reading technology: what you need to know.” by Liam Drew. 2023.  “How our brains decode speech: special neurons process certain sounds.” by Saima Sidik. 2023.    Universe’s Brightest Object    “Astronomers discover universe’s brightest object - a quasar powered by a black hole that eats a sun a day.” by Tory Shepherd. 2024.  “What is a quasar?” by Andy Briggs. 2021.  “Revealed: the oldest black hole ever observed, dating to dawn of universe.” by Hannah Devlin. 2023.    Cinnamon    “Cinnamon supplements reduce blood glucose in people with prediabetes.” by Dani Mann. 2024.  “Cinnamon and Diabetes.” n.a. 2023. “Prediabetes (Borderline Diabetes).” by Mike Watts. 2022.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about hurricanes so powerful they need a new category, bacteria linked to young-onset colo-rectal cancer, and ancient treasures made out of meteorites.     Category 6    “In a warming world, climate scientists consider category 6 hurricanes.” EurekAlert! 2024. “How do hurricanes form?” NOAA. 2023.  “AMCR’s Wehner Explores Impact of ‘Extreme Event Attribution’ on Climate Science Research.” by Kathy Kincade. 2023.  “Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.” NOAA. n.d.   Colo-Rectal Bacteria    “Cleveland Clinic Research reveals unique tumor-related bacteria tied to young-onset colorectal cancer.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Colorectal (Colon) Cancer.” Cleveland Clinic. 2022.  “Distinct intratumoral microbiome of young-onset and average-onset colorectal cancer.” by Shimoli V. Barot, et al. 2024.  “The microbiome and human cancer.” by Gregory D. Sepich-Poore, et al. 2022.    Meteorite Loot    “These 3,000-Year-Old Treasures Were Forged From Meteoritic Iron.” by Sonja Anderson. 2024.  “Bronze Age artifacts used meteoric iron.” Science Daily. 2017.  “Treasure of Villena and Jose Maria Soler Archaeological Museum.” Turismo Villena. N.d.  “Bronze Age ‘treasure’ was crafted with extraterrestrial metal.” by Jennifer Nalewicki. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the surprising effect our immune system has on our emotional health, a new discovery about the biological clock of plants, and how researchers are rediscovering the science of psychedelics.     Stress & Immunity    “Mount Sinai Study Shows That Circulating Immune Cells Drawn to the Brain During Stress Can Control Emotional Behaviors.” Mt. Sinai. 2024.  “Major Depressive Disorder.” by Navneet Bains & Sara Abdijadid. 2023.  “Circulating myeloid-derived MMP8 in stress susceptibility and depression.” by Flurin Cathomas, et al. 2024.    Crop Resilience    “USC researchers uncover biological circuit that protects plants from extreme conditions.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply.” EPA. 2023.  “The interplay between the circadian clock and abiotic stress responses mediated by ABF3 and CCA1/LHY.” by Tong Liang, et al. 2024.    Psychedelic Scale    “An intriguing psychedelic assessment is back from the dead, thanks to Swiss scientists.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “The Psychedelic Integration Scales: Tools for Measuring Psychedelic Integration Behaviors and Experiences.” by Tomas Frymann, et al. 2022.  “The revival of the psychedelic experience scale: Revealing its extended-mystical, visual, and distressing experiential spectrum with LSD and psilocybin studies.” by Kurt Stocker, et al. 2023.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the link between body temperature and depression, how taking the the Polar Bear Plunge could soothe symptoms of menopause, and a new sticker that can detect organ failure.     Depression Temp    “Are Body Temperature and Depression Linked? Science Says, Yes.” by Jess Berthold. 2024.  “Surprising Link Discovered Between Body Temperature and Depression.” by Jess Berthold. 2024.    Cold Water Menopause    “Cold water swimming improves menopause symptoms.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Is cold water swimming in the winter healthy?” by Bard Amundsen. 2021.    Ultrasound Sticker    “This ultrasound sticker senses changing stiffness of deep internal organs.” by Jennifer Chu. 2024.  “Wearable bioadhesive ultrasound shear wave elastography.” by Hsiao-Chuan Liu, et al. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new blood test that can detect signs of psychosis and guide precision treatment, a gene mutation that happened in two different high altitude populations thousands of years apart, and new findings of the mental impacts of polycystic ovary syndrome.     Psychosis Blood Test    “Blood test predicts psychosis risk, most effective treatments.” UI School of Medicine. 2024.  “The Link Between Schizophrenia and Substance Use Disorder: A Unifying Hypothesis.” by Jibran Y. Khokhar, et al. 2019.  “Precision medicine for psychotic disorders: objective assessment, risk prediction, and pharmacogenomics.” by M.D. Hill, et all. 2024.    Altitude Genes    “Mutations in same gene allow two different groups of humans to thrive at extreme altitudes.” by Phie Jacobs. 2024.  “High-altitude living has changed more than just the genes of some Peruvians.” by Freda Kreier. 2020.  “How the people of the Andes evolved to live in high altitudes.” by Lizzie Wade. 2018.  “Mutations may reveal how Tibetans can live on world’s highest plateau.” by Michael Price. 2017.    PCOS Cognition    “Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Linked to Cognitive Decline in Midlife.” by Rhianna-lily Smith. 2024.  “Associations of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome With Indicators of Brain Health at Midlife in the CARDIA Cohort.” by Heather G. Huddleston, MD, et al. 2024.  “White Matter Microstructure and Cognitive Function in Young Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.” by D. Aled Rees, et al. 2016. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new rapid test for detecting fentanyl, a hyper-sensitive new lead detector, and the mathematical proof that Bach… was a great composer.     Fentanyl Rapid Test      “Researchers Develop Rapid Test for Detecting Fentanyl.” by Kim Horner. 2024.  “Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic.” Claire Klobucista & Mariel Ferragamo. 2023.  “Naloxone-AuNPs@ZIF-8-Based Impedimetric Sensor Platform for Ultrasensitive Detection of Fentanyl and Fabrication of Fen-Track Prototype for Real-Field Analysis.” by Anirban Paul, et al. 2024.    Lead Detector     “Ultra-sensitive lead detector could significantly improve water quality monitoring.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Toward the Ultimate Limit of Analyte Detection, in Graphene-Based Field-Effect Transistors.” by Alex W. Lee, et al. 2024.  “Lead in Drinking Water.” CDC. 2023. “Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water.” EPA. 2024. “EPA finds more than 9 million lead pipes supplying drinking water throughout the U.S.” by Li Cohen. 2023.    Bach & Math    “Mathematicians have finally proved that Bach was a great composer.” by Kamela Padavic-Callaghan. 2024.  “Classical music synchronises the audience’s heartbeats and sweating.” By Jason Arunn Murugesu. 2023.  “Johann Sebastian Bach.” by Mark Cartwright. 2023.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how a population of female chimps have surprisingly been found to go through menopause and live well beyond their reproductive years, an ancient tsunami and its devastating impact on stone age populations, and the dire effects of sexism in science.     Chimp Menopause     “Surprisingly long-lived wild female chimps go through menopause.” by Bruce Bower. 2023.  “Wild Chimps Shown to Undergo Menopause for the First Time.” by Joanna Thompson. 2023.  “Evolutionarily, grandmas are good for grandkids - up to a point.” by Sujata Gupta. 2019.  “Why postmenopausal women are so crucial to our evolutionary success.” by Alice Klein. 2024.    Ancient Tsunami    “Tsunami 8,000 Years Ago May Have Devastated Stone Age Community - Study.” by Aristos Georgiou. 2024.  “Possible Tsunami Risk as Geologists Discover 45-Mile-Long Hidden Fault.” by Jess Thomson. 2023.  “The Historic Storegga Slide & Tsunamis.” by David Nikel. 2021.    Sexism in Science    “How centuries of sexism excluded women from science.” by Karly Pitman. 2023.  “Study shows gender bias in science is real. Here’s why it matters.” by Ilana Yurkiewicz. 2012.  “What science has gotten wrong by ignoring women.” by Catherine Zuckerman. 2018.  “Confronting Sexism in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM): What Are the Consequences? By Eden J.V. Hennessey. 2018.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a potential breakthrough in the treatment of ovarian cancer, how just passively listening can help you learn things much more quickly, and the ant that changed the lion’s cuisine.     Ovarian Cancer Treatment    “mRNA therapeutic successfully combats ovarian cancer in mice.” by Monika Raab, et al. 2023.  “Key Statistics for Ovarian Cancer.” by American Cancer Society. 2024.  “The Long History of mRNA Vaccines.” by Chris Beyrer. 2021.    Passive Learning    “Passive exposure can speed up learning, new research shows.” by Laurel Hamers. 2024.  “Boosting Learning With the Power of Passive Exposure.” Neurosciencenews.com. 2024.    Lions & Ants    “How an invasive ant changed a lion’s dinner menu.” by Bethany Brookshire. 2024.  “Disruption of an ant-plant mutualism shapes interactions between lions and their primary prey.” by Douglas N. Kamaru, et al. 2024.  “How Wolves Change Rivers - video.” By GrrlScientist. 2014.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how we experience colors differently as we age, a discovery from the time of the very first continents on Earth, and the impact of mobile phones on infant health - it’s not what you might expect.    Aging & Colors     “Colours fade as people age.” UCL. 2024.  “Pupil responses to colorfulness are selectively reduced in healthy older adults.” By Janneke E. P. van Leeuwen, et al. 2023.    First Continents    “Researchers uncover source rocks of the first real continents.” The University of British Columbia. 2024.  “Tonalite-Trondhjemite-Granodiorite.” by Herve Martin & Nicholas Arndt. Reference work entry. N.d. “What was it like when life first sprang forth on Earth?” by Ethan Siegel. 2024.  “Archaean continental crust formed from mafic cumulates.” by Matthijs A. Smit, et al. 2024.    Phones & Infant Health    “How does owning a mobile phone impact infant health?” McGill University. 2024.  “Mobile phones and infant health at birth.” by Luca Maria Pesando & Komin Qiyomiddin. 2023.  “Prevalence of low birth weight and its associated factors: Hospital based cross sectional study in Nepal.” by Pratibha Thapa, et al. 2022.  “National, regional, and worldwide estimates of low birthweight in 2015, with trends from 2000: a systematic analysis.” by Hannah Blencowe, et al. 2019.  “Low birth weight.” World Health Organization. N.d.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the possible dangers of growing leafy greens in microgravity, a study that let AI tag along with a toddler to learn language the human way, and research on stabilizing elephant populations on the African savannah.     Microgravity Gardening    “Simulated microgravity facilitates stomatal ingression by Salmonella in lettuce and suppresses a biocontrol agent.” by Noah Totsline, et al. 2024.  “The Future.” NASA. N.D.  “What will astronauts eat during long missions in space?” Leidos. 2023.    AI Learns Language    “AI learns language through the experience of a single child in groundbreaking study.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Grounded language acquisition through the eyes and ears of a single child.” by Wai Keen Vong, et al. 2024.    Elephant Numbers    “Protecting and connecting landscapes stabilizes populations of the Endangered savannah elephant.” by Ryan M. Huang, et al. 2024.  “The African Savanna.” by Michael Swiderek. 2021.  “Africa’s great savannahs may be more endangered than the world’s rainforests.” by Jeremy Hance. 2012.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the reason and the history of leap year, how scientists could tailor microgreens to your own personal dietary needs, and a lesson in getting teens to listen to your advice.     Leap Year    “Why do we have leap years? And how did they come about?” by Harry Baker. 2024.  “Which years are leap years?” Royal Museums Greenwich. N.d.   Tailored Microgreens    “Microgreens made to order: Italian scientists have tailored iodine and potassium content of radishes, peas, rocket and chard.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Soilless cultivation systems to produce tailored microgreens for specific nutritional needs.” by Massimiliano D’Imperio, et al. 2023.  “Why You Should Eat Microgreens.” Cleveland Clinic. 2023.    Teenage Advice    “Got advice? Here’s how to get teens to listen.” by J.D. Warren. 2024.  “Relations Between Daily Activities and Adolescent Mood: The Role of Autonomy.” by Sally M. Weinstein & Robin Mermelstein. 2008.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how feeling the effects of racism might actually change the victim’s brain chemistry, how scientists have successfully completed the first embryo transfer in an endangered rhino, and how handwriting increases brain connectivity.    Racism & The Brain    “Experiencing racism may physically change your brain.” by Jon Hamilton, Rachel Carlson, & Rebecca Ramirez. 2024.  “Association of Racial Discrimination With Neural Response to Threat in Black Women in the US Exposed to Trauma.” by Negar Fani, PhD. et al. 2021.    Rhino Embryos    “World's first successful embryo transfer in rhinos paves the way for saving the northern white rhinos from extinction.” ScienceDaily. 2024.  “Southern white rhinoceros.” National Geographic. N.d.  “Northern white rhino.” Fauna & Flora. N.d.    Handwriting    “Writing by hand may increase brain connectivity more than typing on a keyboard.” by Deborah Pirchner. 2024.  “Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom.” by F.R. (Ruud) Van der Weel & Audrey L.H. Van der Meer. 2024.    Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.