Curiosity Weekly
Discovery
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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.
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Top 10 Curiosity Weekly Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Curiosity Weekly episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Curiosity Weekly for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Curiosity Weekly episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
How COVID Tests Work, Making Decisions with Math, Dog Talent
Curiosity Weekly
08/27/21 • 15 min
Learn how COVID tests work; how math can help you with major life decisions; and how some dogs have natural talent.
How COVID PCR tests work by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Lydia)
- Tiner, S. (2020, March 27). The Science Behind the Test for the COVID-19 VirusDiscovery’s Edge. Https://Discoverysedge.mayo.edu/. https://discoverysedge.mayo.edu/2020/03/27/the-science-behind-the-test-for-the-covid-19-virus/
- Amoeba Sisters. (2020). PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5jmdh9AnS4
- PCR: Thirty-five years and counting. (2018, May 10). PCR: Thirty-five years and counting. Science | AAAS. https://www.sciencemag.org/features/2018/05/pcr-thirty-five-years-and-counting
- Ask A Scientist Staff. (2020, October 23). Why qPCR is the gold standard for COVID-19 testing. Ask a Scientist; Thermo Fisher Scientific. https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/ask-a-scientist/why-qpcr-is-the-gold-standard-for-covid-19-testing/
Additional resources from David Sumpter:
- Pick up "The Ten Equations that Rule the World and How You Can Use Them Too" https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250246967
- Faculty page: https://katalog.uu.se/profile/?id=N7-525
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/soccermatics?lang=en
Dogs have talent, yes they do by Steffie Drucker
- Not only humans got talent, dogs got it too! (2021, July 7). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/553737
- Fugazza, C., Dror, S., Sommese, A., Temesi, A., & Miklósi, Á. (2021). Word learning dogs (Canis familiaris) provide an animal model for studying exceptional performance. Scientific Reports, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93581-2
- Genius Dog Challenge. (2021). Exceptional DOGS & what they can TEACH us [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF6ZpjdH2Sc
- Follow Christina Hunger, Speech Pathologist, on Instagram @Hunger4Words https://www.instagram.com/hunger4words/?hl=en
Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. 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.
Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/how-covid-tests-work-making-decisions-with-math-dog-talent
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History of Talking to Strangers, Dark Matter Between Galaxies
Curiosity Weekly
08/12/21 • 13 min
Learn why talking to strangers shouldn’t be scary; and a new map revealing hidden dark matter “bridges” between galaxies.
Additional resources from Joe Keohane:
- Pick up "The Power Of Strangers" at your local bookstore: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781984855770?aff=penguinrandom
- Website: https://joekeohane.net/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeKeohane
A new AI-generated map revealed hidden dark matter "bridges" that connect galaxies by Briana Brownell
- Pappas, S. (2021, May 28). Dark matter map reveals new filaments connecting galaxies. Livescience.com; Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/map-local-universe-dark-matter.html
- Ratner, P. (2021, May 27). Scientists find dark matter “bridges” that may reveal future of our galaxy. Big Think; Big Think. https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/dark-matter-bridges-future-galaxy
- Mapping the local cosmic web: Dark matter map reveals hidden bridges between galaxies. (2021, May 25). Phys.org. https://phys.org/news/2021-05-local-cosmic-web-dark-reveals.html
- Hong, S. E., Jeong, D., Seong Hwang, H., & Kim, J. (2021). Revealing the Local Cosmic Web from Galaxies by Deep Learning. The Astrophysical Journal, 913(1), 76. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/abf040
Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. 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.
Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/history-of-talking-to-strangers-dark-matter-between-galaxies
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Twin Trauma, Bee Mystery, Sequence Bias
Curiosity Weekly
04/19/24 • 10 min
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.
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Bacteria Behavior, Ant Cannibals, Brain Plastic
Curiosity Weekly
10/16/24 • 11 min
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.
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Extinction Risk, Living Fossils, Asteroid vs Birds
Curiosity Weekly
04/24/24 • 12 min
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.
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An Out-of-Body Experience Without Drugs and Earth’s “Pulse”
Curiosity Weekly
08/05/21 • 10 min
Learn how scientists induced an out-of-body experience in a human without using drugs; and Earth’s geological “pulse.”
Scientists induced an out-of-body experience in mice and a human without using drugs by Grant Currin
- Scientists Say A Mind-Bending Rhythm In The Brain Can Act Like Ketamine. (2020, September 16). NPR.org. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/09/16/913565163/scientists-discover-way-to-induce-altered-state-of-mind-without-drugs
- Wells, S. (2020, October 3). Scientists Can Induce Out-Of-Body Experiences Without Drugs. Freethink. https://www.freethink.com/articles/uncovering-the-cause-of-dissociative-states-in-the-mind
- Stanford team pinpoints brain circuitry underlying dissociative experiences. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-09/sm-stp091520.php
- Vesuna, S., Kauvar, I. V., Richman, E., Gore, F., Oskotsky, T., Sava-Segal, C., Luo, L., Malenka, R. C., Henderson, J. M., Nuyujukian, P., Parvizi, J., & Deisseroth, K. (2020). Deep posteromedial cortical rhythm in dissociation. Nature, 586(7827), 87–94. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2731-9
The Earth has a geological "pulse" 27.5 million years long by Briana Brownell
- Masters, K. (2016). How often does the Sun pass through a spiral arm in the Milky Way? (Intermediate) - Curious About Astronomy? Ask an Astronomer. Cornell.edu. http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/our-solar-system/55-our-solar-system/the-sun/the-sun-in-the-milky-way/207-how-often-does-the-sun-pass-through-a-spiral-arm-in-the-milky-way-intermediate
- The Earth has a pulse -- a 27.5-million-year cycle of geological activity. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-06/nyu-teh061821.php
- Rampino, M. R., Caldeira, K., & Zhu, Y. (2021). A pulse of the Earth: A 27.5-Myr underlying cycle in coordinated geological events over the last 260 Myr. Geoscience Frontiers, 12(6), 101245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2021.101245
Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. 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.
Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/an-out-of-body-experience-without-drugs-and-earths-pulse
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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How to Talk to Strangers, Red Dead Redemption 2 Naturalists, July Curiosity Challenge
Curiosity Weekly
08/13/21 • 14 min
Learn how to get better at talking to strangers; and how Red Dead Redemption 2 turns gamers into naturalists. Trivia too!
Additional resources from Joe Keohane:
- Pick up "The Power Of Strangers" at your local bookstore: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781984855770?aff=penguinrandom
- Website: https://joekeohane.net/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeKeohane
Red Dead Redemption 2 accidentally turns gamers into amateur naturalists without them even knowing by Cameron Duke
- Parker, R. (2018, October 30). “Red Dead Redemption 2” Breaks Records With $725 Million Opening Weekend. The Hollywood Reporter; The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/red-dead-redemption-2-breaks-records-725-million-opening-weekend-1156235/
- Crowley, E. J., Silk, M. J., & Crowley, S. L. (2021). The educational value of virtual ecologies in Red Dead Redemption 2. People and Nature. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10242
- Red Dead Redemption 2 teaches players about wildlife. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-07/uoe-rdr070721.php
Episodes referenced in the Curiosity Challenge trivia game:
- Brain-computer interface: https://www.curiositydaily.com/why-song-lyrics-are-getting-simpler/
- Dinosaur age: https://www.curiositydaily.com/weird-dreams-might-be-a-brain-feature-not-a-bug/
- Megalodon: https://www.curiositydaily.com/why-megalodon-was-so-huge-misophonia-in-the-brain-trivia/
Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. 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.
Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/how-to-talk-to-strangers-red-dead-redemption-2-naturalists-july-curiosity-challenge
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Smart Drugs, Frozen Organ Transplant, Curly Hair Cool
Curiosity Weekly
08/16/23 • 13 min
Today, you’ll learn about a new study that shows drugs like Ritalin aren’t so smart after all, how frozen rat kidneys could lead to a medical revolution, and a new study that shows how people with curly hair are extra cool.
Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/smart-drugs-frozen-organ-transplant-curly-hair-cool
Smart Drugs
- “'Smart Drugs' Make You Worse at Solving Complex Problems, New Study Finds.” by Elizabeth Bowman, et al. 2023.
- “People who use ‘smart drugs’ worse at complex tasks, study finds.” by Melissa Davey. 2023.
Frozen Organ Transplant
- “Scientists Successfully Unfroze Rat Organs and Transplanted Them - a 'Historic' Step that Could Someday Transform Transplant Medicine.” by Marion Renault. 2023.
- “Organ Donation Statistics.” HRSA. 2023.
- “Vitrification.” Wikipedia. N.d.
Curly Hair Cool
- “Life Before Air Conditioning: Curly Hair Kept Early Humans Cool.” by Francisco Tutella. 2023.
- “Human scalp hair as a thermoregulatory adaptation.” by Tina Lasisi, 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.
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Vaccine Menstrual Length, Lonely in a Crowd, Aussie ‘Roos
Curiosity Weekly
08/04/23 • 12 min
Today, you’ll learn about a study linking the Covid vaccine to slightly longer menstrual cycles. How being social could actually hurt people who are lonely, and why you won’t find any kangaroos outside of Australia.
Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/vaccine-menstrual-length-lonely-in-a-crowd-aussie-roos
Vaccine Menstrual Length
- “Study Confirms Link Between COVID-19 Vaccination and Temporary Increase in Menstrual Cycle Length.” n.a. 2022.
Lonely in a Crowd
- “How To Deal With Loneliness: New Study Suggests That Social Contact May Not Be the Answer.” by Douglas Heingartner. 2023.
Aussie ‘Roos
- “Here's Why You Won't Find Kangaroos Outside of Australia.” by n.a. 2023.
- “Paleoenvironments Shaped the Exchange of Terrestrial Vertebrates Across Wallace’s Line.” by A. Skeels, et al. 2023.
- “Australian Slang.” n.a. 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.
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Pink Floyd Brain Activity, Superhero Science, Bathroom Germs
Curiosity Weekly
09/27/23 • 12 min
Today, you’ll learn about a breakthrough in decoding brain activity using Pink Floyd, an anatomy class that would be a hit at Gotham University, and an everyday germ-blowing machine.
Pink Floyd Brain Activity
- “Neuroscientists Re-create Pink Floyd Song from Listeners’ Brain Activity.” by Lucy Tu. 2023.
- “Music can be reconstructed from human auditory cortext activity using nonlinear decoding models.” by Ludovic Bellier, et al. 2023.
Superhero Science
- “Dissecting the anatomy of a ‘superheroic’ science class.” by Emily Caldwell. 2023.
- “Effects of using superheroes in an undergraduate human anatomy curriculum.” by Jeremy J. Grachan. 2023.
- “Anatomists Assemble! Integrating superheroes into the anatomy and physiology classroom.” By Jeremy J. Grachan & Melissa M. Quinn. 2021.
Bathroom Germs
- “Hand dryers can infect clean hands with bathroom germs.” by McKenzie Prillaman. 2023.
- “The bacterial horror of hot-air hand dryers.” by John Ross, MD, FIDSA. 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.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Curiosity Weekly have?
Curiosity Weekly currently has 1204 episodes available.
What topics does Curiosity Weekly cover?
The podcast is about Podcasts and Science.
What is the most popular episode on Curiosity Weekly?
The episode title 'How COVID Tests Work, Making Decisions with Math, Dog Talent' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Curiosity Weekly?
The average episode length on Curiosity Weekly is 14 minutes.
How often are episodes of Curiosity Weekly released?
Episodes of Curiosity Weekly are typically released every day.
When was the first episode of Curiosity Weekly?
The first episode of Curiosity Weekly was released on Jul 18, 2017.
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