Learn about common ancestors shared by every human; evolution’s multiple directions; and universal facial expressions. There's a point in the past when every person on Earth was an ancestor to every person alive today by Grant Currin Hershberger, S. (2020, October 5). Humans Are All More Closely Related Than We Commonly Think. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/humans-are-all-more-closely-related-than-we-commonly-think/ Hopkin, M. (2004). Human populations are tightl...
Jul 02, 2021•14 min
Learn about why we need memorials for medicine; NASA’s Phantom Torso experiment; and why we often overestimate outliers. Additional resources from Steven Johnson: Pick up "Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer": https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/594501/extra-life-by-steven-johnson/ Website: https://stevenberlinjohnson.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenbjohnson The Phantom Torso Experiment Protected Future Astronauts In The Creepiest Way Possible by Ashley Hamer Experiment Det...
Jul 01, 2021•13 min
Learn how we doubled life expectancy in the last 150 years. Plus: “impossible” quasicrystals formed from nuclear bombs. Additional resources from Steven Johnson: Pick up "Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer": https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/594501/extra-life-by-steven-johnson/ Website: https://stevenberlinjohnson.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenbjohnson The first nuclear detonation created "impossible" quasicrystals shaped like 20-sided dice by Briana Brownell Castelvec...
Jun 30, 2021•13 min
Learn about ancient evidence of humans using fire; Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle; and your memory on social media. We just found the earliest evidence of humans changing their ecosystems with fire by Grant Currin Nield, D. (2021). Scientists Find Oldest Evidence of Ancient Human Activity Deep Inside a Desert Cave. ScienceAlert. https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-find-the-oldest-evidence-of-indoor-human-activity-deep-inside-a-desert-cave Ratner, P. (2021, May 3). From 1.8 million years ...
Jun 29, 2021•13 min
Learn why soccer players miss penalty kicks; how we estimate population sizes; and how space helps us look back in time. Pro soccer players miss penalty kicks because pressure makes them overthink by Kelsey Donk Johnson, S. (2021, May 12). Why professional soccer players choke during penalty kicks. Big Think; Big Think. https://bigthink.com/mind-brain/choking-under-pressure Slutter, M. W. J., Thammasan, N., & Poel, M. (2021). Exploring the Brain Activity Related to Missing Penalty Kicks: An ...
Jun 28, 2021•11 min
Learn how mammals breathe through their butts; how babies remember their birth language; and your reflection in a spoon. Mammals can breathe through their butts, and this could help humans with respiratory failure by Grant Currin Breathing Through the Rectum Saves Oxygen-Starved Mice and Pigs. (2021). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/science/rectum-breathing-oxygen.html Okabe, R., Chen-Yoshikawa, T. F., Yoneyama, Y., Yokoyama, Y., Tanaka, S., Yoshizawa, A., Thompson, W. L.,...
Jun 25, 2021•12 min
Learn about whether you should fear AI; the science of a good selfie; and how bats map the world by time, not distance. Additional resources from Michael Wooldridge: Pick up "A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence: What It Is, Where We Are, and Where We Are Going" at your local bookstore: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250770745 Twitter: https://twitter.com/wooldridgemike Oxford faculty page: https://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/people/michael.wooldridge/ Selfies Really Do Make Your Nose Look Big or...
Jun 24, 2021•13 min
Learn about "iconic sounds" of language. Plus: artificial intelligence’s limitations, with AI pioneer Michael Wooldridge. Language may have started with "iconic sounds" rather than hand gestures by Grant Currin Ćwiek, A., Fuchs, S., Draxler, C., Asu, E. L., Dediu, D., Hiovain, K., Kawahara, S., Koutalidis, S., Krifka, M., Lippus, P., Lupyan, G., Oh, G. E., Paul, J., Petrone, C., Ridouane, R., Reiter, S., Schümchen, N., Szalontai, Á., Ünal-Logacev, Ö., & Zeller, J. (2021). Novel vocalizations...
Jun 23, 2021•14 min
Learn about a pregnant mummy; the three body problem; and why you should take off your shoes when you enter your house. A newly discovered pregnant mummy is raising questions about ancient Egyptian beliefs by Grant Currin Johnson, S. (2021, May 5). First-ever pregnant Egyptian mummy discovered. Big Think; Big Think. https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/pregnant-mummy In a First, Researchers Discover a Pregnant Egyptian Mummy. (2021). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/02/world/...
Jun 22, 2021•12 min
Learn 4 tips for managing WFH paranoia; flat-pack pasta; and how eye contact is affected by the shape of a dog’s face. 4 tips for managing your WFH paranoia by Kelsey Donk Managing Your WFH Paranoia. (2021, April 28). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/04/managing-your-wfh-paranoia Is Remote Work Making Us Paranoid? (2021). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/13/style/is-remote-work-making-us-paranoid.html Jacobs, E. (2020, June 18). Paranoia creeps into homeworking. @...
Jun 21, 2021•12 min
Learn the easiest way to forgive and forget; whether human fossils can produce oil; and what bees yell when surprised. The forgetting part of "forgive and forget" is easier when you forgive emotionally by Kelsey Donk Here’s The Best Way To Forgive And Forget. (2021, May 4). Research Digest. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2021/05/04/heres-the-best-way-to-forgive-and-forget/ Noreen, S., & MacLeod, M. D. (2021). Moving on or deciding to let go? A pathway exploring the relationship between emotional ...
Jun 18, 2021•14 min
Learn about “digital body language” guidelines and how scientists brought multiple molecules into the same quantum state. Additional resources from Erica Dhawan: Pick up "Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust & Connection No Matter the Distance" from your local bookstore: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250246523 Website: https://ericadhawan.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericadhawan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericadhawan_/ Scientists brought multiple molecules into the ...
Jun 17, 2021•15 min
Learn why your mom calls you your sibling’s name; why pollen isn’t just plant sperm; and what really causes sore muscles. If Your Mom Calls You Your Sibling’s Name, It Means She Loves You Both by Joanie Faletto Trudeau, M. (2017, January 16). When The Brain Scrambles Names, It’s Because You Love Them. NPR.org. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/01/16/509353565/when-the-brain-scrambles-names-its-because-you-love-them Deffler, S. A., Fox, C., Ogle, C. M., & Rubin, D. C. (2016). All...
Jun 16, 2021•11 min
Learn why there could be stars made of antimatter. Plus: author Paul Greenberg’s tips to reduce your carbon footprint. There could be stars made of antimatter in our galaxy by Briana Brownell NASA - JSC Engineering - Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. (2013). Nasa.gov. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/engineering/projects/alpha_magnetic_spectrometer/index.html may. (2017, April 19). Giant space magnet may have trapped antihelium, raising idea of lingering pools of antimatter in the cosmos. Science...
Jun 15, 2021•13 min
Learn about the RLR gene editing tool; Victorian-era emoji; and why “night shift” screen settings don’t help you sleep. RLR is a new gene editing tool that's safer and more useful than CRISPR by Cameron Duke Move over CRISPR, the retrons are coming. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-04/wifb-moc042921.php Schubert, M. G., Goodman, D. B., Wannier, T. M., Kaur, D., Farzadfard, F., Lu, T. K., Shipman, S. L., & Church, G. M. (2021). High-throughput functional varian...
Jun 14, 2021•12 min
Learn how resolving arguments can erase nearly all bad feelings, and why almost all calico cats are female. Plus: trivia! Resolving an argument can almost erase the emotional stress it caused by Kelsey Donk Resolving Arguments Can Prevent Bad Feelings From Lingering — And We Get Better At It As We Age. (2021, April 22). Research Digest. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2021/04/22/resolving-arguments-can-prevent-bad-feelings-from-lingering-and-we-get-better-at-it-as-we-age/ Witzel, D. D., & Stawski,...
Jun 11, 2021•13 min
Learn why older classmates are more popular; how some invasive species help their ecosystems; and keyboard cleaning tips. Don't be surprised if the oldest kids in your class were also more popular by Kelsey Donk PsychNewsDaily Staff. (2021, May 5). High school popularity: study shows oldest kids in the class also the most popular. PsychNewsDaily. https://www.psychnewsdaily.com/high-school-popularity-study-shows-oldest-kids-in-the-class-also-the-most-popular/ van Aalst, D. A. E., & van Tuberg...
Jun 10, 2021•11 min
Learn how human hair can improve solar panels and why people tend to add, not subtract, when trying to improve something. Scientists are using human hair to make carbon nanodots for displays & solar panels by Grant Currin Carbon dots from human hair boost solar cells. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-04/quot-cdf040721.php Pham, N. D., Singh, A., Chen, W., Hoang, M. T., Yang, Y., Wang, X., Wolff, A., Wen, X., Jia, B., Sonar, P., & Wang, H. (2021). Self-asse...
Jun 09, 2021•14 min
Learn about how stress during pregnancy can affect a newborn’s sex; skipping stone physics in space; and overspending. Stress can make a pregnant person twice as likely to have a girl by Grant Currin Beres, D. (2021, April 13). Stressed-out mothers are twice as likely to give birth to a girl. Big Think; Big Think. https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/stress-pregnancy Romero-Gonzalez, B., Puertas-Gonzalez, J. A., Gonzalez-Perez, R., Davila, M., & Peralta-Ramirez, M. I. (2021). Hair cortiso...
Jun 08, 2021•13 min
Learn about interacting with robots that talk to themselves; “mad honey,” a rare, dangerous hallucinogen; and “alief.” Robots that talk to themselves might be easier to interact with by Grant Currin Pepper the humanoid and programmable robot | SoftBank Robotics. (2021). Softbankrobotics.com. https://www.softbankrobotics.com/emea/en/pepper Pipitone, A., & Chella, A. (2021). What robots want? Hearing the inner voice of a robot. IScience, 102371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2021.102371 Peppe...
Jun 07, 2021•12 min
Learn why helping others feels like helping ourselves, how wild animals eat healthy, and how the Sahara feeds the Amazon. We're less likely to remember the things we've given to friends than strangers by Kelsey Donk We’re Worse At Remembering Exactly What We’ve Given To Friends Than What We’ve Given To Strangers. (2021, April 12). Research Digest. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2021/04/12/were-worse-at-remembering-exactly-what-weve-given-to-friends-than-what-weve-given-to-strangers/ Uğurlar, P., Post...
Jun 04, 2021•13 min
Learn about rain on other planets; why Americans used to not use forks; and whether sleep or exercise is more important. What is rain like on other planets? by Cameron Duke Dhingra, R. D., Barnes, J. W., Brown, R. H., Burrati, B. J., Sotin, C., Nicholson, P. D., Baines, K. H., Clark, R. N., Soderblom, J. M., Jauman, R., Rodriguez, S., Mouélic, S. L., Turtle, E. P., Perry, J. E., Cottini, V., & Jennings, D. E. (2019). Observational Evidence for Summer Rainfall at Titan’s North Pole. Geophysic...
Jun 03, 2021•14 min
Learn what the elevator can teach us about our past and our future. Plus: surprising discoveries from bomb-pulse dating. Additional resources from Jason Feifer: Build for Tomorrow podcast: https://www.jasonfeifer.com/build-for-tomorrow/ Website: https://www.jasonfeifer.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/heyfeifer "Bomb pulse dating" is how scientists measure the age of living cells using nuclear fallout by Briana Brownell Eveleth, R. (2013, February 19). Nuclear Bombs Made It Possible to Carbon D...
Jun 02, 2021•14 min
Learn about counterfactual curiosity; the first entanglement-based quantum network; and Rome’s remarkable Cloaca Maxima. We're morbidly curious to discover what "might have been," even though it can cause regret by Kelsey Donk We Have A Strong Urge To Find Out What Might Have Been — Even When This Leads To Feelings Of Regret. (2021, April 8). Research Digest. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2021/04/08/we-have-a-strong-urge-to-find-out-what-might-have-been-even-when-this-leads-to-feelings-of-regret/ Fi...
Jun 01, 2021•12 min
Learn about why cavities are so cold-sensitive; an ant that shrinks its brain; and why swimming makes you extra hungry. Here's why dental cavities are so sensitive to cold by Cameron Duke Bernal, L., Sotelo-Hitschfeld, P., König, C., Sinica, V., Wyatt, A., Winter, Z., Hein, A., Touska, F., Reinhardt, S., Tragl, A., Kusuda, R., Wartenberg, P., Sclaroff, A., Pfeifer, J. D., Ectors, F., Dahl, A., Freichel, M., Vlachova, V., Brauchi, S., & Roza, C. (2021). Odontoblast TRPC5 channels signal cold ...
May 31, 2021•13 min
Learn about dog jealousy; physical activity at work vs. at play; and why only certain parts of us get pruney when wet. Dogs act jealous of their owner's attention to other dogs even when they can't see the dog by Steffie Drucker Dogs act jealously even when they don’t see their rival. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-04/afps-daj040821.php Bastos, A. P. M., Neilands, P. D., Hassall, R. S., Lim, B. C., & Taylor, A. H. (2021). Dogs Mentally Represent Jealousy-Ind...
May 28, 2021•12 min
Learn about “brain fog” in menopause; NASA’s patent prevalence; and a plant gene found in an insect for the first time. Additional resources from Dr. Jen Gunter: Pick up "The Menopause Manifesto" from Amazon: https://amzn.to/33dlIYy Website: https://drjengunter.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrJenGunter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJGunter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjengunter/ People Working On NASA Projects Rack Up Every One In 1,000 Patents by Joanie Faletto NASA - NASA...
May 27, 2021•13 min
Learn about what antimatter is and how we discovered it. Then, Dr. Gen Gunter will demystify menopause. How we discovered antimatter by Briana Brownell Marco Gersabeck,The Conversation. (2019, March 21). Why Is There More Matter Than Antimatter? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-is-there-more-matter-than-antimatter/ Antimatter from bananas. (2015). Symmetry Magazine. https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/2009/07/23/antimatter-from-bananas Dirac’s equation predicts an...
May 26, 2021•16 min
Learn about the “Monkeydactyl” fossil; whether it’s safe to eat food with freezer burn; and post-death “zombie genes.” Newly discovered "Monkeydactyl" fossil has the oldest known opposable thumb by Grant Currin New Jurassic flying reptile reveals the oldest opposed thumb. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-04/uob-njf041221.php Zhou, X., Pêgas, R. V., Ma, W., Han, G., Jin, X., Leal, M. E. C., Bonde, N., Kobayashi, Y., Lautenschlager, S., Wei, X., Shen, C., & Ji, ...
May 25, 2021•12 min
Learn about 5G’s wireless power grid potential; the emotions of human screams; and the 3 categories of friendships. We could use 5G as its own wireless power grid by Grant Currin Leveraging the 5G network to wirelessly power IoT devices. (2021). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210325150019.htm Eid, A., Hester, J. G. D., & Tentzeris, M. M. (2021). 5G as a wireless power grid. Scientific Reports, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79500-x Gaura, E., & Jam...
May 24, 2021•13 min
