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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Today you’ll learn about the science behind near-death-experiences, why some music is made for summer, and how the lionfish is invading southern Brazil. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/hallucinations-music-and-invasions Death Hallucinations “Scientists Detect Brain Activity in Dying People Linked to Dreams, Hallucinations.” by Becky Ferreira. 2023. https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy3p3w/scientists-detect-brain-activity-in-dying-people-linke...
Today you’ll learn about a new patch that uses ultrasonic waves to deliver medicine through the skin, research that debunks the myth of the ‘fast learner’, and evidence that a megaflood ended an environmental crisis in the Mediterranean more than five million years ago. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/medicine-patch-fast-learner-myth-mediterranean-mega-flood Medicine Patch “Wearable Patch Can Painlessly Deliver Drugs Through the Skin.” by A...
Today you’ll learn about how spider and silkworm silk is being used to repair injured nerves, about a simple trick backed by science to get your kids to eat their vegetables, and about a new study on third trimester ultrasounds and healthier babies. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/spider-silk-family-meals-pregnancy-ultrasounds Spider Silk “Silk from spiders and silkworms found to be a promising material to repair injured nerves.” n.a. 2023....
Today you’ll learn about how a bolt of lightning created a brand new, never before seen material, how researchers can tell how stressed you are by listening to you type on your keyboard, and a new study that suggests elephants are more like humans than we ever thought. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/lightning-material-typing-stress-domesticated-elephants Lightning Material “USF geoscientist discovers new phosphorus material after New Port ...
Today you’ll learn how the language we speak leaves a unique pattern in our brain’s wiring, about proof that people 3,000 years ago on an island in the Mediterranean were using hallucinogens, and how bad our memories actually are, and why. Find episode transcripts here:https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/brain-language-ancient-hallucinogens-unreliable-memory Brain Language “Your brain wires itself to match your native language.” by Elise Cutts. 2023. https://www.sciencenews....
Today you’ll learn how to detect lies, how bears can help scientists prevent blood clots, and how the moon might have been created in just a few hours. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/lying-signals-hibernation-blood-clots-moon-creation Lying Signals “LieLab: the devil is in the details.” University of Amsterdam. 2023. https://www.uva.nl/en/content/news/press-releases/2023/03/lielab-the-devil-is-in-the-details.html?cb&cb&cb&cb&am...
Today you’ll learn about a gizmo that can repel sharks and potentially bring them back from the brink of extinction, how our brains’ internal compasses work, and how scientists learn about the sleeping habits of seals. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/shark-repellant-brain-internal-compass-sleeping-seals Shark Repellant “These devices use an electric field to scare sharks from fishing hooks.” by Darren Incorvaia. 2022. https://www.sciencenew...
Today you’ll learn about a robot that can resurrect bees from near death, how oral transmission shapes the way music evolves, and the huge power of the tiny cranberry to stave off urinary tract infections. Robotic Beehive “Robotic Beehive Resuscitates Honeybee Colony from Fatal Winter Cold.” by Abigail Eisenstadt. 2023. https://www.aaas.org/news/robotic-beehive-resuscitates-honeybee-colony-fatal-winter-cold “Are honeybees dying off? It depends on whom you ask.” by Stephanie Sigafoos & Molly ...
Today you’ll learn about how scientists finally learned how to manipulate quantum light, the effects of noise on your health, and how kids today are developing fewer food allergies. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/noise-pollution-quantum-light-pets-food-allergies Noise Pollution “Lizards at US Army installation are stress eating during flyovers” by Mischa Dijkstra https://blog.frontiersin.org/2023/03/29/frontiers-amphibian-reptile-science-c...
Today you’ll learn about why younger men have started taking Viagra, how Meta is trying to get rid of bias in AI, and about a dog named Hacho with some mysterious behavioral issues. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/viagra-inclusive-ai-mind-body-connection-in-dogs Viagra “In Conversation: How Viagra became a new ‘tool’ for young men.” by Yasemin Nicola Sakay. 2022. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/in-conversation-how-viagra-became-a-...
Discover the incredible science behind Eliud Kipchoge's historic sub-two-hour marathon, detailing the precise conditions and gear that made it possible. Learn about new research linking lower alcohol tolerance, especially in East Asian populations, to an increased risk of stomach cancer due to genetic factors and alcohol's lingering effects. Finally, uncover the crucial role of the one-way valve on coffee bags, which prevents explosions from CO2 buildup while maintaining bean freshness.
Today you’ll learn about how psychedelics may be making their way to the States, the longest necked animal that we know of, and how donkeys have been helping humanity for longer than we previously knew. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/psychedelic-brain-health-giant-dinosaur-donkey-family-tree Psychedelic Brain Health “Destigmatizing the Medical Use of Psychedelics” by Eugene Rubin https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/demystifying-psychia...
Today's episode delves into groundbreaking research revealing the 3D structure of human odor receptors, explaining how we perceive smells. It also uncovers the surprising use of vocal fry by marine mammals like dolphins and whales, detailing the mechanism behind their echolocation. Finally, the discussion covers the complex and often grim history of cadaver acquisition for medical education, from grave robbing to modern body donation.
Today you’ll learn about new research that shows a link between a widely used chemical and Parkinson’s Disease, why where we live no longer determines who we love, and another reason cats rule. Parkinson’s Chemical “Common dry cleaning chemical linked to Parkinson’s.” by University of Rochester Medical Center. 2023. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-03-common-dry-chemical-linked-parkinson.html “Meet Amy Lindberg - ParkinsonTV Live: The Long Road To Hope.” YouTube Video. 2022. https://www.pmdal...
Today you’ll learn about the relationship between the micro bacteria in our gut and chronic fatigue syndrome, the physical benefits of positive thinking, and how a new discovery reveals that wine has been around for way longer than we initially thought. Chronic Fatigue “Studies find that microbiome changes may be a signature for ME/CFS” by NIH Press Release https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/studies-find-microbiome-changes-may-be-signature-mecfs “Microbiome Disturbances Reported as Si...
Today you’ll learn about a new process that could turn plastic waste and CO2 into lipstick, how cold and flu season isn’t different, you are, and a way to turn the forest into farmland without cutting down trees. Plastic Waste Fuel “Could waste plastic become a useful fuel source?” by Katherine Latham. 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64703976 “Our planet is choking on plastic.” n.a. N.d. https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/ Colds Got Worse? “Colds Haven’t Changed. So...
Today you’ll learn about how dogs in Ukraine have survived nuclear fallout, how Venutian volcanoes can teach us about the planet’s climate, and how mushrooms maintain a colder temperature than their surroundings. Find episode transcripts here:https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/chernobyl-dogs-venus-volcanoes-cold-mushrooms Chernobyl Dogs “Why Scientists Are Studying the Stray Dogs Living at Chernobyl” by Will Sullivan https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-stud...
Today you’ll learn about greenwashing, how Formula 1 is amping up their sustainability efforts, and how loneliness is scientifically proven to be bad for your health. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/greenwashing-f1-sustainability-unhealthy-loneliness Greenwashing “The World Is Finally Cracking Down on ‘Greenwashing’” by Emma Marris https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/03/greenwashing-refuses-to-die/673241/ “An overview of the co...
Today you’ll learn about why social media could help us solve the global climate crisis, a possible cure for sickle cell disease that uses gene therapy, and a Hansel and Gretel-style system that could find places on other planets where humans could take shelter. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/social-media-saves-sickle-cell-cure-breadcrumbs-on-mars Social Media Saves “New study shows social media content opens new frontiers for sustainabili...
Today you’ll learn about how climate change research benefits from studying populations instead of species, how sometimes it’s better not to take any medication for your fever, and how worm saliva might solve the world’s plastic problem. Watch the premiere of The Lazarus Project on Sunday, June 4, at 9:00pm on TNT! Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/hope-for-mass-extinction-mild-fever-wax-worm-saliva Hope for Mass Extinction “Study: To save na...
Today you’ll learn about how getting a good night’s sleep is especially important for men when it comes to vaccine efficacy, how grizzly bears have taken to eating a specific kind of moth, and how technology is working to make physical touch a part of the AI experience. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/sleep-and-vaccines-moth-eating-bears-feeling-the-metaverse Sleep and Vaccines “To ensure vaccines work properly, men should get a good night’...
Today you’ll learn about the history of the ever controversial daylight saving time, how a mother’s level of education impacts children, and how researchers built a 3D tongue to study how chocolate melts. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/chocolate-mouthfeel-teaching-moms-daylight-saving Chocolate Mouthfeel “Why chocolate feels so good - it is all down to lubrication.” University of Leeds. 2023. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/2...
Today you’ll learn about new treatments the wealthy are using to try and stay young forever, the cultural and social evolution of the word please, and how the snap fit mechanism used in things like lego bricks is being updated for even bigger projects. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/immortality-tech-please-is-not-polite-snap-fit-physics Immortality Tech “People are desperately trying to live forever. Here are the biggest anti-aging trends ...
Today you’ll learn about how the pandemic has shifted our relationship with time, what a stratospheric aerosol injection entails, and the effects of a certain group of people who are more likely than others to volunteer for psychological research. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/time-relationship-aerosol-injections-psych-participants Time Relationship “Our Relationship With Time Is Changing—Maybe for the Better” by Lily Rothman https://time...
Today you’ll learn about how doctors are successfully using double lung transplants for cancer patients, how blue whale behavior changes with environmental conditions, and how the history of the polygraph machine may have been based on a lie. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/double-lung-transplant-blue-whale-behavior-lie-detector Double Lung Transplant “New double lung transplant technique is successful in two late-stage cancer patients.” by...
Today you’ll learn about how being close to the ones you love makes your physical health better, how broken heart syndrome is actually real, and how walking for as little as five minutes every half hour can reverse a lot of damage caused by sitting. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/social-rewards-broken-heart-syndrome-5-min-walks Social Rewards “Social Relationships Affect How Your Body Responds to Stress” by Jenalee Doom https://www.psychol...
Today you’ll learn about how new discoveries are being made from the fire that nearly destroyed Notre-Dame, how there’s more hypoxia in our rivers than previously thought, and a new theory as to how gravity might be a cause of IBS. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/notre-dame-fire-hypoxia-gravity-and-ibs Notre-Dame Fire “The 2019 Notre-Dame Fire Revealed Iron Staples Holding the Cathedral Together.” by Sarah Kuta. 2023. https://www.smithsonia...
Today you’ll learn about the SpaceX Dragon Capsule, which recently landed back on Earth after visiting the ISS, how scientists are trying to build robots with a brain, and how a potential new treatment for cancer is seeing success in Israel. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/spacex-crew-returns-robots-with-brains-cancer-treatment SpaceX Crew Returns SpaceX's Crew-5 mission returns to earth after five months in space https://finance.yahoo.com/...
Today you’ll learn about how video calls can add to social anxiety, how new technology is able to discover the secrets of the Denali Fault, and what goes into designing a new spacesuit for astronauts! Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/zoom-doom-denali-fault-modern-moon-suit Zoom Doom “Alcohol and Zoom: A Recipe for Depression?” by Renee Engeln PhD. 2023. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beauty-sick/202303/alcohol-and-zoom-a-recipe-for-...
Today you’ll learn about what long lost genomes from the last ice age teach us about ancient hunter-gatherers, how a covid-era obsession helped make a resilient new material, and a proposal to create something very controversial: the world’s first octopus farm. Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/ice-age-survivors-micro-knots-octopus-farm Ice Age Survivors “Ice age survivors” by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft https://www.mpg.de/19941740/0223-evan-ice-...