Learn about why you shouldn’t add oil to your pasta water; a simple way to help kids think better; and why your dog’s paws smell like corn chips. Here's Why You Shouldn't Add Oil to Your Pasta Water by Ashley Hamer Helmenstein, A. M. (2019). Why Don’t Oil and Water Mix? ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/why-oil-and-water-dont-mix-609193 Corriher, S. (2007, April 10). Cooking Pasta Properly. FineCooking; FineCooking. https://www.finecooking.com/article/cooking-pasta-properly Pantry Raid I: Use...
Jan 18, 2021•12 min
Learn about how disgusting sights literally turn your stomach; and why tattoos are permanent. Then, play along at home as we test your podcast knowledge in this month’s edition of the Curiosity Challenge trivia game. Disgusting sights literally turn your stomach by Cameron Duke Nord, C. L., Dalmaijer, E. S., Armstrong, T., Baker, K., & Dalgleish, T. (2020). A Causal Role for Gastric Rhythm in Human Disgust Avoidance. Current Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.087 Rhythm and bleug...
Jan 15, 2021•12 min
Learn about a new discovery about STEVE, the weird streak of color in the Canadian skies; how a “wind phone” in Otsuchi, Japan, helped thousands cope with grief after losing their loved ones; and why we judge others more harshly than we judge ourselves. There's a new discovery about STEVE, the weird aurora discovered by citizen scientists by Grant Currin STEVE may be even less like typical auroras than scientists thought. (2020, November 12). Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ste...
Jan 14, 2021•13 min
Learn about the benefits of laughter yoga with the founder of the laughter club movement, Dr. Madan Kataria. You’ll also learn about a major breakthrough in the way scientists are searching for dark matter. This new dark-matter detection method is 10x more precise by Grant Currin Seeing dark matter in a new light. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-11/ras-sdm110520.php Gurri, P., Taylor, E. N., & Fluke, C. J. (2020). The first shear measurements from precision w...
Jan 13, 2021•13 min
Learn about how the Faroe Islands created their own Google Street View using sheep; why some vaccines (like Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines) have to be kept so cold; and why it’s easier to understand a second language than it is to speak it. The Faroe Islands Created Their Own Google Street View with Sheep by Anna Todd Visit Faroe Islands - The ultimate guide to the Faroe Islands. (2016). Visit Faroe Islands. https://visitfaroeislands.com/ Lockhart, K. (2016, August 31). Google Sheep Vi...
Jan 12, 2021•12 min
Learn about why you can have an emotional reaction to music even when it’s not being played; how people have been performing brain surgery for thousands of years; and why some bathroom light switches are outside the room. People can have emotional reactions to music even when it's not being played by Kelsey Donk Emotional responses to music - without a sound – News. (2020, November 18). News. https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2020/11/19/emotional-responses-to-music-without-a-sound/ Parletta, N. ...
Jan 11, 2021•12 min
Learn about how your brain treats beautiful faces differently from beautiful objects; why the town of Baarle sits on one of the world’s most complex international borders; and what might happen if you’re eating during a car accident. Your brain treats beautiful faces differently from beautiful objects by Kelsey Donk Our Brains Have Two Distinct “Beauty Centres”: One For Art And One For Faces. (2020, November 11). Research Digest; Research Digest. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2020/11/11/our-brains-h...
Jan 08, 2021•11 min
Learn about why Wolf-Rayet stars are the brightest stars in the sky; why immune cells in your brain may have started out in your gut; and the history of why we can thank Grace Hopper for calling computer glitches “bugs.” Wolf-Rayet Stars Are Ridiculously Hot, Bright, and Massive by Ashley Hamer Howell, E. (2018, October 24). Sirius: Brightest Star in Earth’s Night Sky. Space.com; Space. https://www.space.com/21702-sirius-brightest-star.html NASA - Top Story: Wolf-Rayet stars have company. (2020)...
Jan 07, 2021•11 min
Learn about how scientists just measured the quickest event ever recorded; how tiny remoras (suckerfish) stay stuck to fast-moving whales; and why being too busy could be killing your creativity. Scientists have just measured the shortest amount of time, ever. by Cameron Duke Grundmann, S., Trabert, D., Fehre, K., Strenger, N., Pier, A., Kaiser, L., Kircher, M., Weller, M., Eckart, S., Schmidt, L. P. H., Trinter, F., Jahnke, T., Schöffler, M. S., & Dörner, R. (2020). Zeptosecond birth time d...
Jan 06, 2021•11 min
Learn about how you can de-clutter your life with the Swedish concept of döstädning, or “death cleaning.” Then, learn about how Alfred Russel Wallace, the “other” scientist who discovered natural selection. Use Swedish Death Cleaning to Declutter Your Life by Ashley Hamer Gyan Yankovich. (2018, April). A Beginner’s Guide To Swedish Death Cleaning. BuzzFeed. https://www.buzzfeed.com/gyanyankovich/what-is-swedish-death-cleaning DiGiulio, S. (2017, November 2). What is “Swedish death cleaning” and ...
Jan 05, 2021•9 min
Learn about how experiencing “flow” could help your mental health during quarantine; why airplane windows are round; and whether flies experience time more slowly than we do. Experiencing flow could buffer the mental-health effects of quarantine by Kelsey Donk The mental state of flow might protect against harmful effects of quarantine. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-11/p-tms111020.php Sweeny, Kate, et al. "Flow in the Time of COVID-19: Findings from China." (20...
Jan 04, 2021•10 min
Learn about how the coronavirus pandemic may have changed Americans’ attitudes about the poor; how you can relieve stress by learning something new; and a trick for setting goals to help you achieve what you want. COVID-19 may have changed Americans’ attitudes about the poor by Steffie Drucker Dolan, E. W. (2020, November 21). Study suggests the COVID-19 pandemic has altered Americans attitudes toward inequality and the poor. PsyPost; PsyPost. https://www.psypost.org/2020/11/study-suggests-the-c...
Jan 01, 2021•11 min
Learn about how quitting smoking may reawaken healthy cells; how researchers figured out how to tell the age of crime scene fingerprints to help investigators; and why you sometimes yawn while exercising or singing. Quitting smoking doesn’t just slow lung damage, but can also reawaken undamaged cells by Grant Currin Gallagher, J. (2020, January 29). Lungs “magically” heal damage from smoking. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51279355 Pfeifer, G. P. (2020, January 29). Smoke signals in t...
Dec 31, 2020•10 min
Learn about whether people think in words or in pictures; why brussels sprouts really are tastier than they used to be; and why buying luxury items might make you feel like an impostor. Whether People Think in Words or Pictures by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Alicia) (2020). Twitter. https://twitter.com/KylePlantEmoji/status/1221713792913965061 Heavey, C. L., & Hurlburt, R. T. (2008). The phenomena of inner experience. Consciousness and Cognition, 17(3), 798–810. https://doi.org/10.1...
Dec 30, 2020•13 min
Learn about the shocking prevalence of torture scenes in movies; why durian, the world’s smelliest fruit, smells so bad; and where mold comes from. Torture is prevalent and effective in movies (but not in real life) by Kelsey Donk Torture Prevalent, Effective in Popular Movies, Study Finds – University of Alabama News | The University of Alabama. (2020). Ua.Edu. https://www.ua.edu/news/2020/01/torture-prevalent-effective-in-popular-movies-study-finds/ Delehanty, C., & Kearns, E. (2019). Wait...
Dec 29, 2020•11 min
Learn about why your next relationship will probably be like your last one; what scientists learned by studying the oldest material on Earth; and what researchers learned when they had cuttlefish wear 3-D glasses. Why Your Next Relationship Will Probably Be Like Your Last by Kelsey Donk Changing partners doesn’t change relationship dynamics, study shows. (2019). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-08/uoa-cpd082719.php Johnson, M. D., & Neyer, F. J. (2019). (Eventual) sta...
Dec 28, 2020•11 min
Learn about why opposites don’t really attract; the “propinquity effect” and how physical distance affects the way we feel about other people; and the history of when and why we started using last names. Opposites Don’t Attract by Kelsey Donk Johnson, M. D. (2018, February 12). No, opposites do not attract. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/no-opposites-do-not-attract-88839 Montoya, R. M., & Horton, R. S. (2012). A meta-analytic investigation of the processes underlying the simil...
Dec 25, 2020•12 min
Learn about Starlink’s unintended consequences for astronomy from astrophysicist Vivienne Baldassare, NASA Einstein Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University. Then, learn why toilet paper is white. More information on NEPA Implementing Regulations: CEQ’s Proposal to Update its NEPA Implementing Regulations | Council on Environmental Quality NEPA Modernization https://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/nepa-modernization/ NASA: In 2018, there were ~20,000 objects in orbit, ~4,500 of which are spacecraft https:/...
Dec 24, 2020•13 min
Learn about how speed listening to podcasts (or "podfasting") affects our emotions; the health differences between white and brown rice; and the time pi was once almost legally changed to 3.2. Speed listening’s effects on emotion by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from S.P.) Rousseau, S. (2020, January 24). I Tried Listening to Podcasts at 3x and Broke My Brain. Medium; OneZero. https://onezero.medium.com/i-tried-listening-to-podcasts-at-3x-and-broke-my-brain-d8823edecb7c Liebenthal, E., Silbers...
Dec 23, 2020•14 min
Learn about why bats are the source of so many deadly virus outbreaks; and the surprisingly strong influence older siblings can have on their brothers and sisters — just in time for Siblings Day . Then, test your knowledge from this podcast with a Curiosity Challenge trivia game. Why bats are the source of so many deadly virus outbreaks by Andrea Michelson Coronavirus outbreak raises question: Why are bat viruses so deadly? (2020, February 11). University of California. https://www.universityofc...
Dec 22, 2020•13 min
Learn about why successful people should reveal their failures; the extreme story of the death of planet WASP-12b; and why tulips used to cost more than houses during a period known as “tulip mania.” A Reason to Reveal Your Failures by Kelsey Donk HBS Working Knowledge. (2018, December 11). Why Managers Should Reveal Their Failures. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2018/12/11/why-managers-should-reveal-their-failures/#695e82c362e2 Envy Can Be Good for You. (2019). Curiosi...
Dec 21, 2020•12 min
Learn about whether there’s such a thing as “single A” batteries; 5 surprising ways volunteering improves your physical health; and how duckbill dinosaurs may have crossed an ocean to reach Africa. Single-A batteries? by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Julien and his son Phelix) Boolish, M., DeJager, J., O’Beirne, T., Runkles, R. (2002, November 21). A Brief History of the Standardization of Portable Cells and Batteries in the United States. American National Standards Institute Accredited ...
Dec 18, 2020•14 min
Learn about why ants are better farmers than we'll ever be; how female big-game hunters were likely common in the early Americas; and why presenting too much evidence could actually make you lose an argument, thanks to the overkill backfire effect. Ants Are Better Farmers Than We'll Ever Be by Steffie Drucker Ants are skilled farmers: They have solved a problem that we humans have yet to. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-11/uoc-aas110420.php Handwerk, B. (2017, Ap...
Dec 17, 2020•15 min
Infectious disease doctor and researcher Dr. Lawrence Purpura discusses herd immunity and the coronavirus pandemic. Then, learn about how psilocybin therapy may be able to treat depression, and why credit card chips are safer than magnetic strips. Additional resources from Dr. Lawrence Purpura: Lawrence Purpura's publications on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Lawrence-Purpura-2115048786 Interview with Dr. Purpura about his upcoming appearance on NYT's "The We...
Dec 16, 2020•13 min
Dr. Lawrence Purpura explains monoclonal antibodies and the different types of treatments that could help us fight the coronavirus. Plus: learn about the Oddo-Harkins rule and why the universe seems to hate odd numbers. Why the Universe Seems to Hate Odd Numbers by Cameron Duke Inglis-Arkell, E. (2013a, January 24). One physical phenomenon that orders our entire universe. Io9; io9. https://io9.gizmodo.com/one-physical-phenomenon-that-orders-our-entire-universe-5978221 Inglis-Arkell, E. (2013b, O...
Dec 15, 2020•12 min
Learn about how curiosity gives your memory a boost; what happened when researchers put feathered hats on birds to see if other birds found them sexy; and how we trick bacteria into making insulin for us. How Curiosity Gives Your Memory A Boost by Cody Gough Gruber, M. J., Gelman, B. D., & Ranganath, C. (2014). States of Curiosity Modulate Hippocampus-Dependent Learning via the Dopaminergic Circuit. Neuron, 84(2), 486–496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2014.08.060 How curiosity changes th...
Dec 14, 2020•14 min
Learn about why men who sleep more are seen as less masculine and what exactly makes radiation harmful. Then, test your podcast knowledge with this month’s Curiosity Challenge trivia game. Men who sleep less are seen as more masculine by Kelsey Donk Men Who Sleep Less Are Seen As More Masculine: A Stereotype With Potentially Damaging Consequences. (2020, October 29). Research Digest; Research Digest. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2020/10/29/men-who-sleep-less-are-seen-as-more-masculine-a-stereotype-...
Dec 11, 2020•15 min
Learn about how naked mole-rats invade neighboring colonies and steal babies, the average person is hiding 13 secrets, and people use more jargon when they're insecure about their status. Naked mole-rats invade neighboring colonies and steal babies by Grant Currin Naked mole-rat. (2016, April 25). Smithsonian’s National Zoo. https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/naked-mole-rat Naked mole-rats invade neighboring colonies and steal babies. (2020, October 20). Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org...
Dec 10, 2020•12 min
Learn about how a planet-friendly diet also tends to be healthier and why we don’t have battery-powered airplanes. But first, social psychologist and author Devon Price is back to explain how we can all avoid burnout. Additional resources from Dr. Devon Price: Preorder "Laziness Does Not Exist" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/393WHTM Dr. Devon Price on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drdevonprice Dr. Devon Price on Medium: https://devonprice.medium.com/ A Planet-Friendly Diet Also Tends to Be Healthier ...
Dec 09, 2020•14 min
Learn about how we know that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs. We’ll also talk to social psychologist and author Devon Price about how laziness might actually benefit us. The Epic Tale of the 5th Mass Extinction (Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary) by Natalia Reagan Alvarez, L. W., Alvarez, W., Asaro, F., & Michel, H. V. (1980). Extraterrestrial Cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction. Science, 208(4448), 1095–1108. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.208.4448.1095 Alvarez, W. (2009). The histori...
Dec 08, 2020•14 min
