Curiosity Weekly - podcast cover

Curiosity Weekly

Discoverywww.discovery.com

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.

Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Sleepy Sharks, Sharks Love Grass, Glow-In-The-Shark

Today, you’ll learn about how some sharks do in fact sleep, how sharks are fighting climate change, and how some sharks glow in the dark! Shark nap time. “Sharks Sleep, Even When Both Eyes Are Wide Open” by Veronique Greenwood https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/09/science/sharks-sleep.html “Behavioural Sleep in Two Species of Buccal Pumping Sharks” by Michael Kelly, et al. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsr.13139 “Analysis of Draughtsboard Sharks’ Metabolic Rates Suggests They Sleep” b...

Jul 27, 202212 min

The Explorers Club - An Interview with Natalie Schmitt

Today, we are continuing our Explorers Club series today with a very special guest, Dr. Natalie Schmitt. Dr. Schmitt can do it all - really. She’s not only a conservation geneticist, but she’s a marine ecologist and documentary host. Natalie Schmitt Interview from 4/23/22 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://...

Jul 22, 202219 min

Wait Less Weight Loss, Birth Control For Men, Seed Bombing

Today, you’ll learn about a new drug that could help you safely lose up to a fifth of your body weight, a new, non-hormonal birth control pill that is made for men, and how drones may hold the key to reforestation. Weight loss five times faster. “Diabetes drug helps patients lose never-before-seen amounts of weight, study shows” by Karen Weintraub https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/06/04/diabetes-drug-could-game-changer-obesity-new-study-shows/7490446001/ “Tirzepatide Once Weekly fo...

Jul 21, 202212 min

Why Symmetry Wins, Solar-Covered Canals, Plants on the Moon

Today, you’ll learn about why symmetry dominates the natural world, how it may be possible to conserve water using solar panels, and why growing vegetables might soon involve a trip to the Moon. Two halves make a whole. “Life’s Preference for Symmetry Is Like “A New Law of Nature” by Kate Golembiewski https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/science/symmetry-biology-evolution.html “What is RNA?” by Michael Dhar https://www.livescience.com/what-is-RNA.html “The Origins of Asymmetry: A Protein That Make...

Jul 20, 202214 min

The Explorers Club - An Interview with Victor Vescovo

Today, we’re hearing from an explorer's explorer, Victor Vescovo. His Five Deeps Expedition made him the first person to reach the deepest point of the Atlantic, Southern Ocean, and set a depth record in the Mariana Trench at 35,853 ft. He was the first person to reach the Mollow Deep in the Arctic Ocean, and thus has been to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd deepest points in the ocean. Victor Vescovo Interview from 4/23/22 Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and N...

Jul 15, 202214 min

Rapamycin For Rover, H-Fueled Flight, Mind-Controlled Arms

Today, you’ll learn about how a drug that helps in human organ transplants might be able to extend the lives of man’s best friend, the airline industry's potential but difficult switch to hydrogen fuel, and how a high school student is transforming prosthetics with brain waves. All dogs go to heaven. “New Drug May Help Dogs Live Longer” by Naomi Ruchim https://www.krtv.com/news/u-s-and-the-world/new-drug-may-help-dogs-live-longer “A Drug Discovered on Easter Island May Help Dogs Live up to Three...

Jul 14, 202214 min

Cyanide Seeds, Workout When?, Covid But Ghosts

Today, you’ll learn about whether the cyanide in apple seeds could do you any real harm, how working out in the morning and at night are both beneficial but in different ways, and how researchers have found evidence that patients with long Covid may often have fragments of the virus lingering in their gut. Snow White wasn’t far off with the poisonous apple. “Can Apple Seeds Cause Cyanide Poisoning? A Toxicologist Digs Into The Details” by Elana Spivack https://www.inverse.com/science/stone-fruit...

Jul 13, 202214 min

The Explorers Club - An Interview with Sian Proctor

Today, we are lucky enough to hear from a highly accomplished explorer who has some incredible experiences to share with us. Dr. Sian Proctor was the mission pilot for the Inspiration4, which is the all-civilian orbital mission to space and she’s the first African American woman to pilot a spacecraft. She also lived in a Mars analog environment to simulate what it might be like to live on the red planet. Sian Proctor Interview from 4/23/22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sian_Proctor https://www.d...

Jul 08, 202212 min

Blood Pressures, Mercury’s Crusty Diamonds, Dad or Mom Genes

Today, you’ll learn about how high blood pressure can reduce the gray matter in your brain, why scientists think the surface of Mercury is covered in diamonds, and how while we have gene pairs from both parents, our bodies will use one parent’s gene over the other’s depending on the circumstances. 50 Shades of Gray Matter “Study: An Early Spike in Blood Pressure Can Pummel Your Brain” by Nick Keppler https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/high-blood-pressure-brain-health “10 Ways to Control High Bloo...

Jul 07, 202214 min

Orangu-slang, Easing Car Queasing, Kicked Across Space

Today, you’ll learn about how orangutans use slang a lot like we do, what causes and can alleviate everyday motion sickness, and how one black hole kicked another across the galaxy. Orangutans are dope. “Orangutans use Slang to Show off Their “Coolness”, Study Suggests" by Nicola Davis https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/mar/21/orangutans-use-slang-to-show-off-their-coolness-study-suggests “Orangutan Squeaks Reveal Language Evolution Says Study" by Victoria Gill https://www.bbc.com/news/sci...

Jul 06, 202214 min

The Explorers Club - An Interview with Steve Elkins

Today, we’re hearing from an explorer and filmmaker named Steve Elkins. Steve spent decades searching for a legendary lost city deep in the jungles of Honduras. His search for the city was documented in the New York Times best selling book, “The Lost City of the Monkey God,” by Douglas Preston. Steve Elkins Interview from 4/23/22 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...

Jul 01, 202218 min

Drink = Brain Shrink, Secret Tree Species, L.H.C. Round 3

Today, you’ll learn about how a single drink a day can add years to the age of your brain, how scientists figured out that thousands of tree species are yet to be discovered, and how the world’s biggest and best particle accelerator is powering up for its third run. A drink away does not keep the doctor away. “Just One Beer or Glass of Wine a Day may Cause Your Brain to Shrink, Study Suggests” by Mike Snider https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/03/09/beer-glass-wine-daily-brain-shrink...

Jun 30, 202214 min

Nightlight Plight, Cancer Stinks, Literal Green Energy

Today, you’ll learn about how that light coming in through your window at night is in fact ruining your sleep, how some diseases—including cancer—can be smelled by dogs and we’re on the verge of being able to smell them with modern technology, and how algae may one day provide the power for our smallest devices. Close your blinds. “Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function” by Ivy C. Mason, Kathryn J. Reid, Chloe D. Warlick, Roneil G. Malkani, Sabra M. Abbott, and Phyllis C. Z...

Jun 29, 202216 min

The Explorers Club - An Interview with Peter Tattersfield

Today we are speaking to another member of the Explorers Club, Peter Tattersfield. Peter has an awesome story for us today about his work finding the shipwreck of the Steamship Independence, which sank off the coast of Baja, Mexico in 1853. Peter Tattersfield Interview from 4/23/22 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 t...

Jun 24, 202222 min

Gray Matter Gabfest, Our Pulsating Earth, Smarty Cats

Today, you’ll learn about how a man with advanced ALS, who can’t move a muscle, was able to communicate with his family using his thoughts, about a sixty-year-old mystery involving the earth and why it pulsates every twenty-six seconds, and how cats can learn the names of their fellow cats under the right conditions. A man with ALS can communicate with his thoughts. “Brain Implant Allows Fully Paralyzed Patient to Communicate” by Jonathan Moens https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/22/science/brain-co...

Jun 23, 202214 min

Hungry Plants, Concussion Confusion, An Alzheimer’s Theory

Today, you’ll learn about how carnivorous plants evolved from their more peaceful ancestors, how there’s an apparent difference in the frequency and severity of head injuries between male and female athletes, and about a new theory regarding the cause of Alzheimer’s. Plants that eat flesh? “How Carnivorous Plants Evolved” by Stephanie Pain https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-carnivorous-plants-evolved-180979697/ “Adapted to kill: How the pitcher plant traps its prey” by Alun Salt h...

Jun 22, 202214 min

The Explorers Club - An Interview with George Nield

Today, we’re talking to Explorers Club member, Dr. George C. Nield. Dr. George C. Nield is currently the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation at the Federal Aviation Administration (or FAA). He has over 30 years of aerospace experience and has worked with the Air Force and NASA. Dr Nield came to the FAA from the Orbital Sciences Corporation, where he served as a Senior Scientist for the Advanced Programs Group. He has a wealth of experience from working as an Astronautical...

Jun 17, 202217 min

Shoo Shoes!, Murmuration Information, Nanoplastic Particles

Today, you’ll learn about why it's best to leave your shoes at the door when you come inside, how animals form and maintain their mesmerizing murmurations, and how certain food storage products release sub-microscopic, plastic particles when exposed to hot water. Your mom was right about taking your shoes off inside. “The science is in: wearing shoes inside your home is just plain gross” by Mark Patrick Taylor and Gabriel Filippelli https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/mar/17/the-science-is-...

Jun 16, 202214 min

Fusion: Homeward Bound, The Last Light Show, Burnout Blues

Today, you’ll learn about how the next step in nuclear fusion is actually a real estate question, how the death of our sun would be a beautiful thing to see if we were around to witness it, and how an athlete’s desire for perfection can lead to them burning out with their sport altogether. Nuclear plants near the nuclear family. “The World's First Nuclear Fusion Power Plant Is Coming” by Caroline Delbert https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a34850835/worlds-first-nuclear-fusion-power-...

Jun 15, 202213 min

The Explorers Club - An Interview with Nina Lanza

Today for our Explorers Club series, we are about to be hit by a meteorite of space knowledge as we have a wildly accomplished scientist and researcher entering our atmosphere, Dr. Nina Lanza. She is the Team Lead for Space and Planetary Exploration in Space and Remote Sensing at Los Alamos National Laboratory. She is also the Principle Investigator of the ChemCam instrument on the Mars Curiosity Rover (sadly not sponsored by us) and a team member for the SuperCam instrument on the Mars Persever...

Jun 10, 202216 min

Human Venom, Car Battery Blues, Magic and Personalities

Today, you’ll learn about how humans could potentially evolve to be venomous, the challenges of repurposing used electric car batteries, and how people who hate magic are more likely to have certain socially aversive traits, like needing to control social situations. The good and the bad side of snake venom. “Could Humans Ever be Venomous?” by Stephanie Pappas https://www.livescience.com/could-humans-be-venomous.html “How Snake Venom Kills… and Saves Lives” by James Paterson https://letstalkscie...

Jun 09, 202214 min

An Eternal Hug, Flea Jump Facts, Fitness Feedback Loops

Today, you’ll learn about an ancient couple found buried in an embrace, why it’s so darn hard to keep fleas off your beloved pets, and how your body’s natural chemistry can help you get a leg up on diet and exercise if you begin to build the habits. They took “til death do you part” seriously. “1,500-year-old burial in China holds lovers locked in eternal embrace” by Laura Geggel https://www.livescience.com/buried-lovers-embrace-china.html “1,500-Year-Old Skeletons Found Locked in Embrace in Chi...

Jun 08, 202213 min

The Explorers Club - An Interview with Richard Garriott

Today, you’ll hear our interview with Richard Garriott, the president of the Explorers Club. Garriott is not only the first American second generation astronaut, but also the first person to visit both poles, outer space and dive to the Mariana Trench. He started out as a video game designer, and as soon as he made enough money, he began investing in human space flight, creating a company called Space Adventures. Richard Garriott Interview from 4/23/22 https://app.trint.com/editor/_xFCb8WQRFyO4q...

Jun 03, 202230 min

The Amazon’s Future, Sugar Rush Retcon, A Study on Studies

Today, you’ll learn about the state of the Amazon rainforest, the truth behind the mythical sugar rush, and how studies involving MRI scans may have been too small to produce significant results, but researchers may have found a solution. The forest needs attention - not the company. “75% of Amazon rainforest shows signs of loss, a 'tipping point' of dieback, study shows” by Doyle Rice ttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2022/03/07/amazon-rainforest-dieback-deforestation-climate-change-stud...

Jun 02, 202213 min

A Clutterful Mind, Heir To The Earth, Partnership

Today, you’ll learn about why our ability to remember things seems to get worse with age—it’s not memory loss, which animals could become the new dominant species in the event of our extinction, and how an unsupportive romantic partner can actually affect the way you think and feel about yourself. Maybe your mom was right about cleaning your room. “How Memory ‘Clutter’ Makes it Harder to Remember Things as we Get Older” by Alexander Easton https://theconversation.com/how-memory-clutter-makes-it-...

Jun 01, 202214 min

The Explorers Club - An Interview with Josh Gates

Calli and Nate interview members of The Explorers Club, and today you’re going to hear from a man who largely represents what The Explorers Club is all about - Josh Gates. Josh Gates is a fearless explorer and adventurer and host of Discovery's popular, long running series Expedition Unknown . He's also hosting a brand new series that chronicles the incredible history of the club, called Tales from The Explorers Club . Interview conducted with Josh Gates on 5/3/22. Follow Curiosity Daily on your...

May 27, 202218 min

Seeing Stars, Seagull Staredown, Itsy Bitsy Microdrones

Today, you’ll learn about how cultures across the world often make constellations from the same groups of stars due to the nature of vision and perception, what to do when an animal tries to steal your food during a picnic on the beach, and drones smaller than a red blood cell that can be controlled using only the power of light. Does your star pattern look like my star pattern? “Constellations Across Cultures: How Our Visual Systems Pick Out Patterns in the Night Sky” from the Association for P...

May 26, 202213 min

Whiff of Victory, Bones be Chattin’, Desalination Innovation

Today, you’ll learn about how the human sense of smell may be much better than we ever thought, how the bones inside your body are having interesting conversations with your organs, and a new innovation in desalination technology that uses significantly less energy than its predecessors. What’s that smell? “Let’s obliterate the myth that humans have a bad sense of smell” by Brian Resnick https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/5/11/15614748/human-smell-good-science “Mechanisms of scent-track...

May 25, 202213 min

Solar Salads, Cursed Caffeine, Webb’s First Photo

Today, you’ll learn about the benefits of shading rooftop gardens with solar panels, caffeine’s dark secrets, and how the first image from the James Webb telescope promises a great run for Hubble’s successor. The sun really can feed you. “Your Rooftop Garden Could Be a Solar-Powered Working Farm” by Matt Simon https://www.wired.com/story/your-rooftop-garden-could-be-a-solar-powered-working-farm/ “Exploring The Potential of Rooftop Agrivoltaics” by Jennifer Bousselot and Thomas Hickey, Jr. https:...

May 20, 202214 min

De-agin’ Sensation, Indiana Jones Needs A.I., Rapid-est Test

Today, you’ll learn about a new process that can make cells younger by up to thirty years, the incredible artificial intelligence that is helping piece together the puzzles of ancient texts, and how researchers have developed a rapid test for viruses like coronavirus that is just as accurate as PCR tests and takes only thirty minutes. The fountain of youth may be closer than we think. “‘Time Jump’ by 30 Years: Old Skins Cells Reprogrammed To Regain Youthful Function” by Babraham Institute https:...

May 19, 202214 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android