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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.  


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Episodes

Self-Control Without Sacrificing Pleasure, Why You Think You Do All the Work, and Why Scientists Use Weather Balloons

Learn about why you don’t have to sacrifice pleasure to maintain self-control; why modern scientists still use old-timey weather balloons; and how to overcome the phenomenon of overclaiming, which is the feeling that you’re the one doing all the work. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: You Don't Have to Sacrifice Pleasure to Maintain Self-Control, According to Researc...

Nov 27, 201912 min

Feeding Birds May Cause a Deformity, Busting the “Only Child” Stereotype, and Why Everyone Draws a Coffee Cup the Same Way

Learn about a new study that busts the myth of the self-centered only child; why feeding birds in the park may be more destructive than you think; and why the canonical perspective makes everyone draw a coffee cup the same way. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: A New Study Busts the Myth of the Self-Centered Only Child — https://curiosity.im/2NQMVt1 Why Everyone Draw...

Nov 26, 201910 min

Steven Strogatz Helps You Get Excited About Math (Plus: How Scientists Predict Asteroid Impacts)

Learn about how scientists predict whether an asteroid will hit our planet. Then, learn about at least one reason to get excited about math, from popular mathematics writer and Cornell University Professor Steven Strogatz. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how scientists predict whether an asteroid will hit Earth: https://curiosity.im/32UduSd Additional resources from Steven Strogatz: “Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reveals the Secre...

Nov 25, 201910 min

Cell Phone Radiation, Why It’s OK to Contaminate Other Worlds, and Types of Human Goals

Learn about how human goals fall into 4 categories; why NASA’s Planetary Protection Independent Review Board (PPRIB) says we don’t need to be so careful about infecting other worlds; and whether cell phone radiation is actually dangerous. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about why a NASA panel says we don’t need to be so careful about infecting other worlds: https://curiosity.im/2K3gzJg Additional sources discussed: Psychologists analyze...

Nov 22, 201910 min

Phone Typing Is Speeding Up, A Supernova May Be Why Humans Walk Upright, and Rain on Antarctica

Learn about how the average phone typing speed is catching up to the keyboard; how it can drizzle in Antarctica even when it’s cold enough for water to freeze; and, how an ancient supernova could be the reason why humans walk upright. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: The Average Phone Typing Speed Is Catching Up to the Keyboard — https://curiosity.im/34Ny0pf A Strik...

Nov 21, 201911 min

Sneezing with Your Eyes Open, How to Think About Wealth, and Why Bird Poop is 2 Colors

Learn about what would happen if you sneezed with your eyes open; why bird poop is two different colors; and, the right and wrong way to think about wealth. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about what would happen if you sneezed with your eyes open: https://curiosity.im/34KjE9a Additional sources: Bird droppings defy expectations | EurekaAlert! — https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-09/uota-bdd092419.php A re-evaluation of the ch...

Nov 20, 201910 min

How to Stop Overspending on Groceries, Tattoos May Toughen Up Your Immune System, and How Physical Activity Boosts Kids’ Learning

Learn about why you overspend at the grocery store, and how to avoid it; how tattoos may toughen up your immune system; and how adding physical activity to the classroom could help kids learn more effectively. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: Why Most Grocery Shoppers Buy More Than They Mean To — https://curiosity.im/2Ntmiu4 Tattoos May Toughen Up Your Immune System...

Nov 19, 20199 min

Can Calculus Solve Quantum Physics? (w/ Steven Strogatz), Full Moon Behavior, and Why You Complain About “Kids These Days”

Learn about why if you complain about “kids these days,” your memory may be to blame; whether a full moon really leads to strange behavior; and whether calculus can help us solve the mysteries of quantum mechanics, with special guest Steven Strogatz. Today is the LAST DAY to help us win! Please vote for Curiosity Daily for Best Technology & Science Podcast in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards: https://awards.discoverpods.com/finalists/ In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the fol...

Nov 18, 201910 min

Maps as Weapons and Art (w/ Justin Fornal and Emiliano Ruprah) and Fidgeting Explained

Explorers Justin Fornal and Emiliano Ruprah from the Science Channel’s “Unexplained and Unexplored” discuss the surprising roles that maps have played throughout history. You’ll also learn about why people fidget. We're nominated for an award! Please vote for Curiosity Daily for Best Technology & Science Podcast in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards: https://awards.discoverpods.com/finalists/ Learn more about Unexplained and Unexplored: UNEXPLAINED AND UNEXPLORED First Look | Discovery — https://...

Nov 15, 201912 min

Your Internal Compass, How Long a Flu Virus Survives, and the Creativity/Mental Illness Link

Learn about whether humans have an internal compass; how long a flu virus can last in the environment; and whether creativity and mental illness actually go hand in hand. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: Do Humans Have An Internal Compass? — https://curiosity.im/36NcJha Here's How Long a Flu Virus Can Last in the Environment — https://curiosity.im/2Q0Y6B2 Do Creativ...

Nov 14, 201912 min

Tracking and Adventuring 101 (w/ Forrest Galante) and Plagiarizing Without Realizing It

Forrest Galante, host of “Extinct or Alive” on Animal Planet, explains how to become an adventurer, survive extreme conditions, and find extinct animals. Then, you’ll learn about how “cryptomnesia” can make you plagiarize without realizing it. Please vote for Curiosity Daily in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards! We're a finalist for Best Technology & Science Podcast. Every vote counts! https://awards.discoverpods.com/finalists/ In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following s...

Nov 13, 201911 min

Foods to Curb Sleep Deprivation, Light Levels Affect How Cold You Feel, and Kangaroo Pouches

Learn about why the amount of light you see affects how cold you feel; what’s inside a kangaroo’s pouch; and, foods that can curb the effects of sleep deprivation. Please vote for Curiosity Daily in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards! We're a finalist for Best Technology & Science Podcast. Every vote counts! https://awards.discoverpods.com/finalists/ In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in jus...

Nov 12, 20199 min

How Calculus Is Different (w/ Steven Strogatz), Distraction Can Alter Your Memory, and Why the Hindenburg Used Hydrogen

Popular mathematics writer and Cornell University Professor Steven Strogatz discusses the difference between calculus and algebra, and what calculus can do that other math can’t. Plus: learn about how distraction can alter your memory, and the science behind the Hindenburg disaster of 1937. Please vote for Curiosity Daily in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards! We're a finalist for Best Technology & Science Podcast. Every vote counts! https://awards.discoverpods.com/finalists/ In this podcast, Cod...

Nov 11, 201912 min

History Is About the Present (w/ Justin Jampol), What Makes the Wind, and Blaming Games for Society’s Problems

Learn about the long tradition of blaming games for society’s decline; and, what makes the wind. You’ll also learn about why history is so complicated from historian Justin Jampol, host of “Lost Secrets” on Travel Channel. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how blaming games for society’s decline has been popular for millennia: https://curiosity.im/32cZOBK Additional resources from “Lost Secrets” host Justin Jampol: “Lost Secrets” of...

Nov 08, 201912 min

Babies’ Heads Smell Distinct, Illegal Drugs That Used to be Medicine, and Lemming Myths

Learn about why newborn babies’ heads each smell distinct; why lemmings have a reputation for blindly following others; and, 5 illegal drugs that you used to be able to buy as medicine. Please vote for Curiosity Daily in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards! We're a finalist for Best Technology & Science Podcast. Every vote counts! https://awards.discoverpods.com/finalists/ In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and lear...

Nov 07, 201911 min

Finding “Extinct” Animals (w/ Forrest Galante) and How Bacteria Cooperate to Survive

Forrest Galante, host and star of “Extinct or Alive” on Animal Planet, explains what happens when you find an extinct animal. Then, learn about how bacteria don’t compete to survive — they cooperate. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how bacteria don’t compete to survive — they cooperate: https://curiosity.im/2BLCRKU Hear Cody and Ashley on the latest episode of Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda: https://art19.com/shows/clear-vivid-with-al...

Nov 06, 201912 min

Smartphones Impair You Even When They’re Off, Eco-Friendly Laundry, and How Babies Laugh

Learn about how smartphones hurt your mental performance even when they’re off; how babies and adults laugh differently; and, a simple change you can make to your laundry routine to cut down on pollution. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: Smartphones Dull Your Mental Performance — Even When They're Off — https://curiosity.im/2MLlvUQ Scientists Discovered a Simple Lau...

Nov 05, 201910 min

Why You Should Care About Calculus (w/ Steven Strogatz) and Why Lying to Kids Is Harmful

Learn from popular mathematics writer and Cornell University Professor Steven Strogatz why calculus matters and what exactly calculus is. Plus, learn a surprising reason why you shouldn’t lie to your kids. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about why kids who are told lies by their parents are more likely to lie when they grow up: https://curiosity.im/2NeyYUk Additional resources from Steven Strogatz: “Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reveals...

Nov 04, 201912 min

How to Have Fun with Simple Curiosity (w/ Alan Alda) and How Toilets Work

Renowned science communicator Alan Alda talks to Curiosity Daily hosts Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer about curiosity inspires him — and how you can let your curiosity guide you, too. Plus, learn how toilets actually work. Additional resources from Alan Alda: Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University — https://www.aldacenter.org/ Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda — https://www.aldacommunicationtraining.com/podcasts/ Sign up for Alan’s newsletter on his official website — http://...

Nov 01, 201912 min

How Long a Decapitated Head Stays Conscious, Autumn Leaf Chemistry, The Batman Effect

Learn about why pretending to be Batman can make kids work harder; how long a decapitated head remains conscious; and, the chemistry behind autumn’s color-changing leaves. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: Kids Work Harder When They're Pretending to Be Batman — https://curiosity.im/2VL7Z6v How Long Does a Decapitated Head Remain Conscious? — https://curiosity.im/2VVm...

Oct 31, 20199 min

What to Say When Someone’s Upset with You, Bermuda Triangle Myths, Tardigrade Superpowers

Learn about what to do when someone gets upset with you, from author Lee Hartley Carter. Then, learn about how tardigrades survive deadly radiation and why the Bermuda Triangle isn’t actually a mystery. Please support our sponsors! Visit skillshare.com/curiosity for two months of unlimited access to over 25,000 classes for free. Start your two months now! In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new ...

Oct 30, 201910 min

Persuading Others When Facts Don’t Seem to Matter (w/ Lee Hartley Carter), Cross-Dressing Cuttlefish

Learn about how some male cuttlefish “cross-dress” to woo the ladies. You’ll also learn how to persuade people in a world where facts don’t seem to matter, with help from author Lee Hartley Carter. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com about how some male cuttlefish “cross-dress” to woo the ladies: https://curiosity.im/2VFMCDL Additional resources from Lee Hartley Carter: “Persuasion: Convincing Others When Facts Don't Seem to Matter” on Am...

Oct 29, 20198 min

Types of Psychotherapy, Your Urge to Nibble Baby Feet, and Why Animals Don’t Have 3 Legs

Learn about why your urge to nibble on baby feet is totally normal; why there are no animals with three legs; and, the different types of psychotherapy and why they work even when you feel like they don’t. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: Don't Worry, Your Urge to Nibble Baby Feet Is Totally Normal — https://curiosity.im/31t3cru Why Are There No Animals with Three L...

Oct 28, 20199 min

Alan Alda on Communicating Better, Believing in Science, and Building Connections and Empathy

Alan Alda talks to Curiosity Daily hosts Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer about to how to connect better with others, what’s stopping people from believing in science (and how to change their minds), exercises he uses to build empathy, and more. Additional resources from Alan Alda: Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University — https://www.aldacenter.org/ Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda — https://www.aldacommunicationtraining.com/podcasts/ Sign up for Alan’s newsletter on his offic...

Oct 27, 201911 min

Alan Alda on How to Communicate Better by Making Connections (Plus: Why Oceans Don’t Sink)

Alan Alda talks to Curiosity Daily hosts Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer about how to be a better communicator by making human connections. Plus, learn about why oceans don’t sink into the Earth. Additional resources from Alan Alda: Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University — https://www.aldacenter.org/ Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda — https://www.aldacommunicationtraining.com/podcasts/ Sign up for Alan’s newsletter on his official website — http://alanalda.com/ Follow @alanal...

Oct 25, 201910 min

How to Tell When Someone’s Lying, Out-of-Body Experiences, and Healthiest Way to Cook Broccoli

Learn about an easy way to catch someone in a lie; a possible scientific explanation for why your vestibular system may be to blame for out-of-body experiences; and the healthiest way to prepare broccoli, according to science. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: To Catch Someone in a Lie, Science Says Go Low-Tech — https://curiosity.im/2qr2Nt3 Out-of-Body Experiences M...

Oct 24, 20198 min

Gold Mining (w/ Gold Rush Stars Rick Ness and Tony Beets) and Why Musical Tastes Change

Learn about modern-day gold mining from Rick Ness and Tony Beets, two of the stars of Discovery’s #1 TV show, “Gold Rush.” In that vein, Curiosity Daily hosts Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer explain sluice boxes, resistivity surveys, and other gold mining techniques. They also discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about why you stop liking new music as you get older: https://curiosity.im/33G3ixC Please support this episode’s sponsor! Get your first month of KiwiCo FREE by visiting https://w...

Oct 23, 20199 min

Sleep Better by Walking More, How Animals Mourn Their Dead, and Words from Backformation

Learn about why backformation can make you invent new words without realizing it; how animals mourn their dead; and how you can get better sleep by walking more. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: Backformation Can Make You Invent New Words Without Realizing It — https://curiosity.im/2pqsBor 3 Animals That Mourn Their Dead — https://curiosity.im/2MeWHnV To Get Better ...

Oct 22, 20198 min

Focus on the Ending, How to Deal with Impostor Syndrome, and Sit Less or Exercise More?

Learn about the best way to deal with impostor syndrome; whether it’s more important to sit less or exercise more; and why the peak end rules says experiences are all about the ending. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: The Best Way to Deal with Impostor Syndrome, According to a New Study Which Is More Important: Sitting Less or Exercising More? The Peak End Rule Says Experiences Are Al...

Oct 21, 20199 min

Why People Love (or Hate) Horror Movies, Stopping Overpopulation, and Orionids Meteor Shower

Learn about the scientific reasons why people either love or hate horror movies; the surprising way life expectancy affects population growth; and, where you can catch the Orionids meteor shower this weekend. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: Here's the Scientific Reason Why Some People Love Horror Movies (and Others Hate Them) — https://curiosity.im/31WAznN Improvin...

Oct 18, 201910 min
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