Curiosity Weekly

Arielle Johnson, a flavor scientist and co-founder of Noma’s Fermentation Lab, explores the fascinating intersection of food and science. She explains how our sense of smell plays a crucial role in flavor perception and shares insights on how aroma compounds can mimic tastes like lemon. The conversation also delves into fermentation as a creative process in flavor design and the complexities of microbial interactions. Plus, they discuss the implications of ultra-processed foods on health, advocating for moderation rather than complete elimination.

If you are curious about the innovators actively creating a better future for our world, join Alex Honnold as he hosts Planet Visionaries. The show explores bold ideas and big solutions in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. We have become big fans this season and hope you enjoy it too.

Kyne Santos, known as the Math Queen, is a math communicator and drag performer with a flair for making numbers fun. They explore the joy of math, from its creative overlaps with art and drag to its everyday applications in decisions like weather and traffic. Kyne also discusses the significance of zero and prime numbers in cryptography, the common causes of math anxiety, and how to reshape our relationship with math. Plus, there's intriguing talk about caffeine's role in tackling daunting tasks and the latest findings on microplastics in the brain.

Kim Stanley Robinson, an acclaimed science fiction author celebrated for his Mars trilogy, joins the discussion to explore the intriguing overlap between science and science fiction. He emphasizes how fiction can help us simulate societal consequences and serve as a tool for ethical reflection, particularly regarding genetics and AI. The conversation highlights how his work informs real scientific ideas and frames climate issues, advocating for fiction as a serious means of thinking about our future. Additionally, there's a fascinating look at green sea turtles migrating to urban waters.

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Harland Patch, an expert in agricultural sciences, sheds light on the alarming decline of insect populations and the crucial role of pollinators in our ecosystems. He shares insights on effective urban gardening practices to support pollinator diversity and explains the differences between ground and stem-nesting bees. Dr. Patch emphasizes the importance of native plants and highlights the overlooked pollinators like flies and beetles. Tune in to learn how we can all contribute to restoring habitats for these vital creatures!

Logan Scott, a GPS and timing expert with over 40 years in navigation systems, discusses the surprising vulnerabilities of GPS technology. He explains how spoofing and jamming can disrupt critical services, and why nanosecond precision in timing is essential. The conversation also covers the innovative eLoran system as a potential backup for GPS, and the future of private low-Earth orbit navigation satellites. Scott emphasizes the need for a resilient, layered navigation strategy to safeguard against potential failures.

As the climate shifts into a new normal, plenty of questions are being asked about the state of urban planning around the world. Mainly: how can we better adapt our cities to climate change? What does it mean to create a climate-resilient city? This episode, Senior Producer Teresa Carey is joined by Jesse M. Keenan, an expert in climate adaptation and sustainable urban development, to discuss how we can adjust the current systems in place to better address climate change.   Dr. Samantha Yammine also digs into the exciting world of keratin toothpaste and a new study that explores honesty in science communication.   Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you call it citizen science, participatory science, or community science, research conducted by everyday people has led to major discoveries across a wide range of fields. This episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Caren Cooper to discuss the benefits and mechanics when it comes to public participation in science. Dr. Cooper is an expert in the field and the author of Citizen Science: How Ordinary People are Changing the Face of Discovery. Then, Sam explores a recent study that looks into why chocolate tastes so good and research that may have found an antidote to carbon monoxide poisoning.    Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some of society’s greatest scientific achievements were made based on research that might sound silly or bizarre to the average person. But curiosity-driven exploration is just as important to science as research that starts out with clear-cut applications in mind.   So, this episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Carly Anne York. Dr. York wrote The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog: And Other Serious Discoveries of Silly Science and they talk about how crucial curiosity is when it comes to learning about the world around us. Then, speaking of silly science, Sam and the production team dig into some of the winners of this year’s Ig Nobel Prize. After that, Sam explores a study that proves the communication between moths and tomato plants.  Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Understanding exactly how the billions of neurons and trillions of connections in our brains could be one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in history. And, surprisingly, we’re not as far off from that as you might think. In episode 2 of our brain series, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Forrest Collman who helped create the most detailed brain diagram ever made. Sam also digs into how much microplastic is really in our heads and how our brain might be an unreliable narrator.  Link to Show Notes HERE  Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.