Today, you’ll learn about a medication that can successfully treat frostbite, the study of bloodsplatter in space, and a surprising finding about the supposed benefits of small class sizes. Frostbite Treatment “The U.S. now has a drug for severe frostbite. How does it work?” by Saugat Bolakhe. 2024. “Frostbite.” NIH. 2023. “FDA Approves First Medication to Treat Severe Frostbite.” FDA. 2024. Blood in Space “Bloodstain pattern dynamics in microgravity: Observations of a pilot study in the next fr...
Apr 17, 2024•10 min
Today, you’ll learn about a skin printer that could lead to scar-free surgeries, the possibility of bringing the wooly mammoth back to life, and how to work at being happy. Printed Skin “Scar-free surgery prints living skin (and maybe hair) right into wounds.” by Paul McClure. 2024. “New bioink promotes growth & regeneration of 3D-printed muscle tissue.” by Paul McClure. 2023. Mammoth De-Extinction “Wooly mammoth de-extinction inches closer after elephant stem cell breakthrough.” by Sascha P...
Apr 12, 2024•12 min
Today, you’ll learn about a radical idea for installing a curtain around a massive ice sheet, how positive vibrations might help people with social anxiety, and new tech that could remove dangerous forever chemicals from our environment. Glacier Curtain “Scientists want to build 62-mile-long curtains around the ‘doomsday glacier’ for a $50 billion Hail Mary to save it.” by Ellyn Lapointe. 2024. “Thwaites Glacier Facts.” International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration. N.d. “How We Came to Know and ...
Apr 11, 2024•11 min
Today, you’ll learn about a surprising discovery inside the worms of Chernobyl, a way to protect metals at sea inspired by barnacles, and foot-eye coordination. Chernobyl Worms “Radiation-proof Chernobyl worms offer answers about cancer.” by Paul McClure. 2024. “Chernobyl Accident 1986.” n.a. 2022. “Environmental radiation exposure at Chornobyl has not systematically affected the genomes or chemical mutagen tolerance phenotypes of local worms.” by Sophia C. Tintori, et al. 2024. Barnacle Protein...
Apr 10, 2024•11 min
Today, you’ll learn about the magic of the upcoming solar eclipse, a simple way to reduce the amount of microplastics in your drinking water, and the connection between self-control and the perception of power. Livestream of the total solar eclipse on Discovery’s YouTube channel on April 8 at 2:15pm ET here ! Eclipse 2024 “What this solar eclipse can teach us about our planet and beyond.” by Kasha Patel. 2024. “Eclipse Soundscapes Project.” 2024. “Globe Observer: Eclipse.” 2024 . “Nationwide Ecl...
Apr 05, 2024•12 min
Today, you’ll learn about a potentially risky new idea to geoengineer our way out of extreme heat, bad news for fans of artificially sweetened drinks, and an incredible new discovery about butterflies. Geoengineering “Dehydrate the stratosphere to curb global warming? Scientists float new risky strategy.” by Paul Voosen. 2024. “Contributions of Stratospheric Water Vapor to Decadal Changes in the Rate of Global Warming.” by Susan Solomon, et al. 2010. “Considering intentional stratospheric dehydr...
Apr 04, 2024•13 min
Today, you’ll learn about an alarming new killer behavior in orcas, a potential breakthrough for patients with one of the deadliest cancers, and the brain science behind flow. Shark Hunter “Orcas Demonstrating They No Longer Need to Hunt in Packs to Take Down the Great White Shark.” Taylor & Francis. 2024. “Further insights into killer whales Orcinus orca preying on white sharks Carcharodon carcharias in South Africa.” by A Towner, et al. 2024. “Top 10 Facts About Orcas.” WWF. 2023. Asbestos...
Apr 03, 2024•11 min
Happy 300 episodes to our Curiosity Daily listeners! Today, you’ll learn about a massive database of human genomes that’s uncovering major new genetic discoveries, the scientists building stone age tools from scratch… and then putting them to work, and a treasure trove of deep sea discoveries in an underwater mountain range. Human Diversity “Ambitious survey of human diversity yields millions of undiscovered genetic variants.” by Max Kozlov. 2024. “NIH’s All of Us Research Program Releases First...
Mar 29, 2024•11 min
Today, you’ll learn about how we learn the same information differently from people we like than from those we don’t like, a drug men already take that could have incredible added benefits, and a weed that could feed a hungry world. Learning From Friends “The brain is ‘programmed’ for learning from people we like.” Lund University. 2024. “Ingroup sources enhance associative inference.” by Marius Boeltzig. 2023. Hair & Heart “Common hair loss and prostate drug may also cut heart disease risk ...
Mar 28, 2024•12 min
Today, you’ll learn about how ADHD might have actually helped our ancient ancestors thrive, the way pollution makes it hard for nighttime pollinators to stop and smell the flowers, and a new study that suggests lions, tigers, and other big cats can tell who’s talking to them. ADHD Foraging “Attention deficits linked with proclivity to explore while foraging.” by David Barack. 2024. “What is ADHD?” NIH. n.d. “Foraging theory upscaled: the behavioural ecology of herbivore movement.” by N. Owen-Smi...
Mar 27, 2024•13 min
Today, you’ll learn about mind-reading machines, the brightest object in the known universe, and the potential power punch of cinnamon. Mind-Reading “Mind-reading devices are revealing the brain’s secrets.” by Miryam Naddaf. 2024. “The brain-reading devices helping paralysed people to move, talk and touch.” by Liam Drew. 2022. “The rise of brain-reading technology: what you need to know.” by Liam Drew. 2023. “How our brains decode speech: special neurons process certain sounds.” by Saima Sidik. ...
Mar 22, 2024•11 min
Today, you’ll learn about hurricanes so powerful they need a new category, bacteria linked to young-onset colo-rectal cancer, and ancient treasures made out of meteorites. Category 6 “In a warming world, climate scientists consider category 6 hurricanes.” EurekAlert! 2024. “How do hurricanes form?” NOAA. 2023. “AMCR’s Wehner Explores Impact of ‘Extreme Event Attribution’ on Climate Science Research.” by Kathy Kincade. 2023. “Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.” NOAA. n.d. Colo-Rectal Bacteria “Cleve...
Mar 21, 2024•10 min
Today, you’ll learn about the surprising effect our immune system has on our emotional health, a new discovery about the biological clock of plants, and how researchers are rediscovering the science of psychedelics. Stress & Immunity “Mount Sinai Study Shows That Circulating Immune Cells Drawn to the Brain During Stress Can Control Emotional Behaviors.” Mt. Sinai. 2024. “Major Depressive Disorder.” by Navneet Bains & Sara Abdijadid. 2023. “Circulating myeloid-derived MMP8 in stress susce...
Mar 20, 2024•13 min
Today, you’ll learn about the link between body temperature and depression, how taking the the Polar Bear Plunge could soothe symptoms of menopause, and a new sticker that can detect organ failure. Depression Temp “Are Body Temperature and Depression Linked? Science Says, Yes.” by Jess Berthold. 2024. “Surprising Link Discovered Between Body Temperature and Depression.” by Jess Berthold. 2024. Cold Water Menopause “Cold water swimming improves menopause symptoms.” EurekAlert! 2024. “Is cold wate...
Mar 15, 2024•10 min
Today, you’ll learn about a new blood test that can detect signs of psychosis and guide precision treatment, a gene mutation that happened in two different high altitude populations thousands of years apart, and new findings of the mental impacts of polycystic ovary syndrome. Psychosis Blood Test “Blood test predicts psychosis risk, most effective treatments.” UI School of Medicine. 2024. “The Link Between Schizophrenia and Substance Use Disorder: A Unifying Hypothesis.” by Jibran Y. Khokhar, et...
Mar 14, 2024•10 min
Today, you’ll learn about a new rapid test for detecting fentanyl, a hyper-sensitive new lead detector, and the mathematical proof that Bach… was a great composer. Fentanyl Rapid Test “Researchers Develop Rapid Test for Detecting Fentanyl.” by Kim Horner. 2024. “Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic.” Claire Klobucista & Mariel Ferragamo. 2023. “Naloxone-AuNPs@ZIF-8-Based Impedimetric Sensor Platform for Ultrasensitive Detection of Fentanyl and Fabrication of Fen-Track Prototype for Real-Fie...
Mar 13, 2024•11 min
Today, you’ll learn about how a population of female chimps have surprisingly been found to go through menopause and live well beyond their reproductive years, an ancient tsunami and its devastating impact on stone age populations, and the dire effects of sexism in science. Chimp Menopause “Surprisingly long-lived wild female chimps go through menopause.” by Bruce Bower. 2023. “Wild Chimps Shown to Undergo Menopause for the First Time.” by Joanna Thompson. 2023. “Evolutionarily, grandmas are goo...
Mar 08, 2024•12 min
Today, you’ll learn about a potential breakthrough in the treatment of ovarian cancer, how just passively listening can help you learn things much more quickly, and the ant that changed the lion’s cuisine. Ovarian Cancer Treatment “mRNA therapeutic successfully combats ovarian cancer in mice.” by Monika Raab, et al. 2023. “Key Statistics for Ovarian Cancer.” by American Cancer Society. 2024. “The Long History of mRNA Vaccines.” by Chris Beyrer. 2021 . Passive Learning “Passive exposure can speed...
Mar 07, 2024•11 min
Today, you’ll learn about how we experience colors differently as we age, a discovery from the time of the very first continents on Earth, and the impact of mobile phones on infant health - it’s not what you might expect. Aging & Colors “Colours fade as people age.” UCL. 2024. “Pupil responses to colorfulness are selectively reduced in healthy older adults.” By Janneke E. P. van Leeuwen, et al. 2023. First Continents “Researchers uncover source rocks of the first real continents.” The Univer...
Mar 06, 2024•11 min
Today, you’ll learn about the possible dangers of growing leafy greens in microgravity, a study that let AI tag along with a toddler to learn language the human way, and research on stabilizing elephant populations on the African savannah. Microgravity Gardening “Simulated microgravity facilitates stomatal ingression by Salmonella in lettuce and suppresses a biocontrol agent.” by Noah Totsline, et al. 2024. “The Future.” NASA. N.D. “What will astronauts eat during long missions in space?” Leidos...
Mar 01, 2024•11 min
Today, you’ll learn about the reason and the history of leap year, how scientists could tailor microgreens to your own personal dietary needs, and a lesson in getting teens to listen to your advice. Leap Year “Why do we have leap years? And how did they come about?” by Harry Baker. 2024. “Which years are leap years?” Royal Museums Greenwich. N.d. Tailored Microgreens “Microgreens made to order: Italian scientists have tailored iodine and potassium content of radishes, peas, rocket and chard.” Eu...
Feb 29, 2024•12 min
Today, you’ll learn about how feeling the effects of racism might actually change the victim’s brain chemistry, how scientists have successfully completed the first embryo transfer in an endangered rhino, and how handwriting increases brain connectivity. Racism & The Brain “Experiencing racism may physically change your brain.” by Jon Hamilton, Rachel Carlson, & Rebecca Ramirez. 2024. “Association of Racial Discrimination With Neural Response to Threat in Black Women in the US Exposed to...
Feb 28, 2024•12 min
Today, you’ll learn about a bacteria that turns plastic into spider webs, a massive deep-sea discovery right in our own backyard, and how CRISPR could reshape agriculture for an entire continent. Silk-Making Bacteria “Researchers Engineer Bacteria That Eat Plastic, Make Multipurpose Spider Silk.” Technology Networks. 2024. “Two-step conversion of polyethylene into recombinant proteins using a microbial platform.” by Alexander Connor, et al. 2023. “Our planet is choking on plastic.” UNEP. n.d. “I...
Feb 23, 2024•11 min
Today, you’ll learn about a new discovery that turns our understanding of hunter-gatherer diets on its head, the effect of self-checkout on our sense of loyalty to grocery stores, and some good news about the majestic emperor penguin. Hunter-Gatherer Diets “Hunter-gatherers were mostly gatherers, says archaeologist.” by Hannah Devlin. 2024. “Paleo diet: What is it and why is it so popular?” by Mayo Clinic Staff. 2022. “What Paleo diets get wrong: We’re not evolved for meat, and our ancestors ate...
Feb 22, 2024•10 min
Today, you’ll learn about the fastest mini robots ever created, how Bigfoot sightings may help scientists study bear populations, and the link between financial stress and poor health. Insect Robots Mini-robots modeled on insects may be smallest, lightest, fastest ever developed.” Washington State University. 2024. “A New 1-mg Fast Unimorph SMA-Based Actuator for Microrobotics.” by Conor K. Trygstad, et al. 2023. Bigfoot & Bears “Bigfoot: If it’s there, could it be a bear?” by Floe Foxon. 20...
Feb 21, 2024•11 min
Today, you’ll learn about a new test that can show how well each of your organs are aging, some interesting links between comfort food and stress, and a surprising finding about certain snails. Organ Age “Are your organs ageing well? The blood holds clues.” by Max Kozlov. 2023. “Blood test shows if organs are ageing fast or slowly.” by Michelle Roberts. 2023. Comfort Food “Comfort eating can impair body’s recovery from stress, study shows..” by Rachel Hall. 2023. “Stress and Eating Behaviors.” b...
Feb 16, 2024•12 min
Today, you’ll learn about ants that play doctor to their fellow ants after going into battle, a possible game-changing way to sequester carbon at the bottom of the ocean, and the changes that can happen in the female mind during menstruation. Ant Doctors “Ants Recognize Infected Wounds and Treat Them.” Universitat Wurzburg. 2024. “Innovative drugs, chemicals, and enzymes within the animal production chain.” by Yousef I. Hassan, et al. 2018. “Targeted treatment of injured nestmates with antimicro...
Feb 15, 2024•12 min
Today, you’ll learn about a breakthrough in our understanding of how the brain creates long-term memories, the effect of chronic childhood ear infections on the development of language, and how salt may have helped shape the planet Mercury. Long-Term Memories “Neurons aren’t the only cells that make memories in the brain, rodent study reveals.” by Emily Cooke. 2023. “Brain Microvascular Pericytes in Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia.” by Maiko T. Uemura, et al. 2020. “All you need to kn...
Feb 14, 2024•14 min
Today, you’ll learn about a new polymer that could battle antibiotic resistant infections, a possible new way to detect life on other planets from afar, and what to expect when you’re expecting to adopt a furry friend, Powerful Polymer “Texas A&M Team Develops Polymers That Can Kill Bacteria.” by Shana K. Hutchins. 2023. “The global threat of antibiotic resistance.” ReAct. N.d. “Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of N-methylpyridinium-fused norbornenes to access antibacterial main-chain ...
Feb 09, 2024•13 min
Today, you’ll learn about how hearing aids may help you live longer, a potential breakthrough that could help usher in the age of quantum computing, and the incredible power of simply saying, “Hi”. Hearing Aids “Hearing aids may help people live longer.” EurekAlert! 2024 . “Association between hearing aid use and mortality in adults with hearing loss in the USA: a mortality follow-up study of a cross-sectional cohort.” by Janet S. Choi, M.D. et al. 2024. “The Impact of Hearing Loss and Its Treat...
Feb 08, 2024•12 min
