Learn about how a psychologist named B.F. Skinner proved that pigeons can be superstitious; the science of histamines and why allergy medications make us sleepy; and the 5 ages of the universe, including the Stelliferous Era we’re in right now. Pigeons Can Be Superstitious — And a Psychologist Once Proved It by Ashley Hamer Superstitious behavior | Comparative Cognition Laboratory | Psychological and Brain Sciences. (2020). Uiowa.edu. https://psychology.uiowa.edu/comparative-cognition-laboratory...
May 11, 2020•11 min
Learn what researchers found when they tried to build the perfect profanity, then learn how playing an online game called Stall Catchers can help scientists speed up Alzheimer’s research. Then, test your knowledge with Curiosity Challenge trivia questions. A new study tried to build the perfect swear word by Kelsey Donk Neuroskeptic. (2020, March 31). Building the Perfect Profanity. Discover Magazine; Discover Magazine. https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/building-the-perfect-profanity Reilly,...
May 08, 2020•11 min
Learn about why people can’t help but “shoot the messenger;” how neurons in your gut influence neurons in your brain thanks to the gut-brain axis; and why we still use the QWERTY keyboard, along with information on Dvorak and Colemak layouts. People can't help but "shoot the messenger" by Kelsey Donk We Really Do Shoot the Messengers of Bad News, Research Suggests. (2019, April 16). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/04/research-confirms-when-receiving-bad-news-we-shoot-the-messenger ...
May 07, 2020•11 min
Learn about how astronauts may build the first moon base with help from their own urine; how musicians and audiences synchronize their brain activity; and more than you ever thought you wanted to know about narwhal tusks. Astronauts may use their own urine to help build the first moon base by Cameron Duke Astronaut urine to build moon bases. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-03/f-sf-aut032720.php How to build a Moon base. (2018). Nature.com. https://www.nature.com/...
May 06, 2020•9 min
Learn about the Battle of Puebla, the real reason why we celebrate Cinco de Mayo; how placebos of psychedelics can have psychedelic effects; and how early career choices may influence your personality. What You Think You Know About Cinco De Mayo Is Wrong by Reuben Westmaas History.com Editors. (2010, March 3). Outnumbered Mexican army defeats French at Battle of Puebla. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cinco-de-mayo Battle of Puebla | Mexican-French history [1862] | Britannic...
May 05, 2020•10 min
Learn why coffee tastes bad when you reheat it; and how researchers found the ancestor of most living animals. Stand-up mathematician Matt Parker will also explain why the word “null” causes so many problems for computer programmers. Why does coffee taste bad when you reheat it? by Andrea Michelson Shields, J. (2017, April 14). Can Science Explain Why Microwaved Coffee Tastes So Terrible? HowStuffWorks. https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-science/why-microwaved-coffee-tastes-bad.htm Underwood...
May 04, 2020•9 min
Learn about a bias in your brain that makes you ignore security warnings; why people who fall in love feel like they’ve known each other for years; and a crew of prehistoric monkeys that crossed the Atlantic Ocean on rafts. You ignore more than just your browser security warnings because of "warning fatigue" by Grant Currin Waugh, R. (2013, July 15). “Warning fatigue” means browser users ignore up to 70% of security alerts | WeLiveSecurity. WeLiveSecurity. https://www.welivesecurity.com/2013/07/...
May 01, 2020•11 min
Learn about why people are less likely to verify their sources on social media; and why it’s a huge deal that researchers found an intermediate-mass black hole. We’ll also debunk five myths about the coronavirus. Jumbling of sources on social media makes you less likely to verify their validity by Kelsey Donk The Ohio State University. (2020, March 30). How social media makes it difficult to identify real news. How Social Media Makes It Difficult to Identify Real News; The Ohio State University....
Apr 30, 2020•11 min
Learn about why housecats are deadlier for local wildlife than wild predators; why soft drinks taste better from a can than they do from a plastic bottle (especially when it comes to Cody and his Mountain Dew habits); and how astronomers just found 100 new minor planets beyond Neptune. Housecats have up to 10x larger effect on local wildlife than wild predators by Grant Currin Keeping cats indoors could blunt adverse effects to wildlife. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_release...
Apr 29, 2020•12 min
Learn about how ultra-processed food took over your shopping cart; which you lose first, brain or brawn; and how bats are showing resistance to a once deadly white-nose syndrome epidemic. The perils of ultra-processed food by Kelsey Donk Monteiro, C. A., Cannon, G., Moubarac, J.-C., Levy, R. B., Louzada, M. L. C., & Jaime, P. C. (2017). The UN Decade of Nutrition, the NOVA food classification and the trouble with ultra-processing. Public Health Nutrition, 21(1), 5–17. https://doi.org/10.1017...
Apr 28, 2020•11 min
Learn about how drugs like Ritalin and Adderall actually make you “focus,” how tech companies are using lava lamps to make computers more secure, and why new life discovered at the bottom of the ocean opens up new possibilities for finding life on Mars. Scientists figured out how Ritalin actually makes you focus by Grant Currin Ritalin and similar medications cause brain to focus on benefits of work, not costs. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-03/bu-ras031820.php ...
Apr 27, 2020•11 min
Learn about fun (but practical) tips for surviving a quarantine from psychologist Renée Lertzman and “Deadliest Catch” Captains Sig Hansen and Keith Colburn. Plus: learn about why we have birthmarks. Why do we have birthmarks? by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Taha) Germ layer | biology | Britannica. (2020). In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/germ-layer Birthmarks. (2020). Medlineplus.Gov; National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/birthmarks.html Neu...
Apr 24, 2020•12 min
Learn about how screeching tape travels at supersonic speeds when you peel it; how Americans are aging more slowly than ever; how the HAMMER spacecraft could save our planet from killer asteroids; and why there are mirrors next to elevators. How screeching tape travels at supersonic speeds by Cameron Duke Yuen Yiu. (2019, February 27). The Supersonic Physics Behind Screechy Peeling Tape. Discover Magazine; Discover Magazine. https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/the-supersonic-physics-be...
Apr 23, 2020•13 min
Dr. Renée Lertzman will help you understand uncertainty and how to work through the feelings you might be feeling thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. You’ll also learn why one dog year doesn’t equal seven human years. One Dog Year Doesn't Equal Seven Human Years by Ashley Hamer The Seven-Year Glitch. (2008, August 29). WSJ; The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121997338176882143 Crockett, Z. (2010). The Mythology of Dog Years. Priceonomics. https://priceonomics.com/the-mytholo...
Apr 22, 2020•13 min
Captains Keith Colburn and Sig Hansen from the award-winning documentary series “Deadliest Catch” share some surprising science lessons from the fishing world. Plus: learn about the psychology behind “sour grapes.” When people can't get something they want, they decide it's not worthy of desire by Kelsey Donk Sjåstad, H., Baumeister, R. F., & Ent, M. (2020). Greener grass or sour grapes? How people value future goals after initial failure. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 88, 10396...
Apr 21, 2020•12 min
Stand-up mathematician Matt Parker explains real-life “salami slicing” attacks like the one in the movie Office Space. You’ll also learn about how Tylenol can help ease the pain of social rejection; and why you probably don’t know the back of your hand very well at all. Tylenol and forgiveness may ease the pain of social exclusion by Grant Currin Hamer, A. Tylenol May Actually Ease Your Heartache. (2017). Curiosity.com. https://curiosity.com/topics/tylenol-may-actually-ease-your-heartache-curios...
Apr 20, 2020•14 min
Learn about how scientists are predicting viral content by measuring people’s brain activity; how Tuvan throat singers are able to produce two notes at once; and how effective facemasks are in preventing the spread of the coronavirus. How our brains forecast what goes viral online by Kelsey Donk Stanford researchers find our brains are powerful – but secretive – forecasters of video virality. (2020, March 9). Stanford.Edu. https://news.stanford.edu/press/view/32654 Tong, L. C., Acikalin, M. Y., ...
Apr 17, 2020•13 min
Learn about why you eat differently when you’re stressed; how humpback whales use “bubble nets” to catch fish; and the surprising genetic reason why females outlive males. Why do we eat differently when stressed? by Steffie Drucker How to Manage Stress Eating (or Not Eating). (2020, March 25). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/well/how-to-manage-stress-eating-or-not-eating.html Harvard Health Publishing. (2018, July 18). Why stress causes people to overeat. Harvard Health; H...
Apr 16, 2020•12 min
Learn about the perception-adoption model, which says that most parents don’t pass their political ideology to their kids; how researchers found the source of peanut allergies in the human gut; and Olbers’ Paradox, which asks why the night sky is so dark if stars are so bright. Most parents don't successfully transmit their political ideology to their kids by Kelsey Donk Dolan, E. W. (2020, March 8). Most parents do not successfully transmit their political values to their children, study finds....
Apr 15, 2020•12 min
Learn about why signaling your status makes it harder to make new friends; the evolutionary reason why humans have so much back pain; and how pretending to understand babies can make them smarter. Signaling your status makes it harder to make new friends by Steffie Drucker Forget the bling: High status-signaling deters new friendships. (2018, August). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/sfpa-ftb081518.php Garcia, S. M., Weaver, K., & Chen, P. (2018). The Status Signal...
Apr 14, 2020•10 min
Learn about when you’re most likely to feel hangry (and how to avoid it); what scientists can learn from watching the human brain jiggle; and how resonant frequencies helped a fitness class shake an entire skyscraper — with help from stand-up mathematician Matt Parker. Scientists Determined When Hanger Is Most Likely to Strike by Annie Hartman https://curiosity.com/topics/scientists-determined-when-hanger-is-most-likely-to-strike-curiosity What can scientists learn from watching the human brain ...
Apr 13, 2020•12 min
Learn about why bats are the source of so many deadly virus outbreaks; and the surprisingly strong influence older siblings can have on their brothers and sisters — just in time for Siblings Day . Then, test your knowledge from this podcast with a Curiosity Challenge trivia game. Why bats are the source of so many deadly virus outbreaks by Andrea Michelson Coronavirus outbreak raises question: Why are bat viruses so deadly? (2020, February 11). University of California. https://www.universityofc...
Apr 10, 2020•13 min
Learn about how to cope with “anticipatory grief” you’re probably feeling during the coronavirus pandemic; the controversy around Oculudentavis khaungraae, which may be the smallest dinosaur ever discovered; and how researchers discovered that music and speech are encoded in separate brain hemispheres. When you mourn something before you've lost it, that's anticipatory grief by Kelsey Donk That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief. (2020, March 23). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2020/03...
Apr 09, 2020•12 min
Beth Pratt, leader of the Save LA Cougars campaign, explains how wildlife crossings work and the unique engineering behind the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing. Plus: learn how doing one creative thing every day can boost your happiness. Additional resources from Beth Pratt, California Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation and leader of the #SaveLACougars Campaign: The #SaveLACougars campaign and the Liberty Canyon wildlife crossing https://savelacougars.org/ P-22 - Sa...
Apr 08, 2020•12 min
Beth Pratt, leader of the Save LA Cougars campaign, tells the story of mountain lion P-22 and how he inspired a campaign to build the world’s largest wildlife crossing. Plus: learn about the health benefits of the helper’s high you get when you volunteer. Ever Experienced A "Helper's High"? There's A Reason For That by Anna Todd https://curiosity.com/topics/ever-experienced-a-helpers-high-theres-a-reason-for-that-curiosity GiveDirectly: COVID-19 response https://www.givedirectly.org/covid-19/ Ad...
Apr 07, 2020•13 min
Learn about why things taste bad after you brush your teeth; a new discovery about how fast the Earth formed that may mean good things about life in the universe; and why women may experience more pain than men. Why does toothpaste make food taste bad? by Andrea Michelson Schultz, C. (2014, October 13). The Science of Why Toothpaste Makes Food Taste Funny. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/science-why-toothpaste-makes-food-taste-funny-180953001/ Carter, C. (2019). W...
Apr 06, 2020•11 min
Learn about the shocking prevalence of torture scenes in movies; why durian, the world’s smelliest fruit, smells so bad; and where mold comes from. Torture is prevalent and effective in movies (but not in real life) by Kelsey Donk Torture Prevalent, Effective in Popular Movies, Study Finds – University of Alabama News | The University of Alabama. (2020). Ua.Edu. https://www.ua.edu/news/2020/01/torture-prevalent-effective-in-popular-movies-study-finds/ Delehanty, C., & Kearns, E. (2019). Wait...
Apr 03, 2020•11 min
Learn about how your lover’s clothing could improve your sleep; how astronauts grew vegetables in space for the first time; and ancient animals that were connected by a crude version of the internet. Smelling your lover’s shirt could improve your sleep by Kelsey Donk 3 Reasons to Give Your Valentine a Smelly, Unwashed T-Shirt. (2020). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/202002/3-reasons-give-your-valentine-smelly-unwashed-t-shirt Smelling your lover’s shirt...
Apr 02, 2020•9 min
Learn about why hundreds of ducks are employees at a wine vineyard; a musical invention that was the Spotify of the Victorian era; and a delicious mathematical principle known as the ham sandwich theorem. Hundreds of Ducks Are Employees at a Vineyard by Joanie Faletto https://curiosity.com/topics/hundreds-of-ducks-are-employees-at-a-vineyard-curiosity The Telharmonium was the Victorian version of Spotify by Steffie Drucker McClure’s magazine v.27 1906 May-Oct. (2017). HathiTrust. https://babel.h...
Apr 01, 2020•13 min
Learn about the invisible harms of thirdhand smoke; massive viruses that blur the line between the living and non-living; and why whales get lost during solar storms. Moviegoers contaminate nonsmoking movie theater with 'thirdhand' cigarette smoke by Kelsey Donk Moviegoers contaminate nonsmoking movie theater with “thirdhand” cigarette smoke. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-03/aaft-mcn030220.php Thirdhand smoke wafting off moviegoers hurts air quality in theaters...
Mar 31, 2020•12 min
