

Curiosity Weekly
Discovery
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 8, 2022 • 16min
Covid’s Bright Side, Frogs Out on a Limb, Fertilizing Fuel
Today, you’ll learn about how COVID-19 may have revamped cities for the better, astounding new technology that could one day regrow human limbs and how an agricultural fertilizer is going from feeding the world to potentially powering the world.The pandemic changed more than just our home lives, it also changed the way we live in our cities. The Pandemic Might Have Redesigned Cities Forever by Adam Rogershttps://www.wired.com/story/the-pandemic-might-have-redesigned-cities-forever/Pandemic-led decline of US cities may be reversing by Howard Schneiderhttps://www.reuters.com/world/the-great-reboot/pandemic-led-decline-us-cities-may-be-reversing-2021-05-04/Car-Free Transportation Gets Boost from U.S. Grant Program by Laura Blisshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-29/bike-pedestrian-infrastructure-favored-in-raise-grantsPandemic-era Street Spaces: Parklets, Patios, and the Future of the Public Realm by John Belahttps://dirt.asla.org/2021/09/09/pandemic-era-street-spaces-parklets-patios-and-the-future-of-the-public-realm/The Status of Outdoor Dining Across the Country by Amy McCarthyhttps://www.eater.com/22833407/pandemic-outdoor-dining-america-impact-neighborhoodsFrogs found new legs with and exciting new breakthrough in limb regeneration.A new device helps frogs regrow working legs after an amputation by Carolyn Wilkehttps://www.sciencenews.org/article/frog-leg-regeneration-new-device-regrow-amputationFrogs regrow amputated legs in breakthrough experiment by Patrick Pesterhttps://www.livescience.com/frogs-regrow-amputated-legs-in-labCould Humans Ever Regenerate a Limb? by Jesse Emspakhttps://www.livescience.com/59194-could-humans-ever-regenerate-limbs.htmlHow do we use frogs in research? by The Francis Crick Institutehttps://www.crick.ac.uk/news/2019-12-16_how-do-we-use-frogs-in-researchScientists regrow frog’s lost leg by Tufts Universityhttps://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/940952Ammonia gets a bad rap, but a new “green” ammonia may be our solution to net zero carbon emissions.Can ‘Green’ Ammonia Be a Climate Fix? by Nicola Joneshttps://www.wired.com/story/can-green-ammonia-be-a-climate-fix/Green ammonia could produce climate-friendly ways to store energy and fertilize farms by Stephen Orneshttps://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2119584118Ammonia: zero-carbon fertiliser, fuel and energy store by The Royal Societyhttps://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/low-carbon-energy-programme/green-ammoniaSatellite Data Detects Hundreds of New Sources of Ammonia Pollution by Jason Daleyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/satellite-data-detects-hundreds-new-sources-ammonia-pollution-180970967/Watch this TED talk to get up to speed on green ammonia and shipping by Maria Gallucci https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/sea-transport/watch-this-ted-talk-to-get-up-to-speed-on-green-ammonia-and-shippingFollow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive 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.

Apr 7, 2022 • 16min
Volcanic Violence, a Salt & Battery, Crustacean Conspiracy
Today, you’ll learn about a massively mysterious volcanic explosion that literally sent shockwaves around the world, how salty batteries are set to sweeten the competition in the energy storage industry and how scientists have no idea why animals keep evolving into crabs.A volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga affected the entire world. Scientists are Racing to Understand the Fury of Tonga’s Volcano by Robin Andrewshttps://www.wired.com/story/tonga-volcano-eruption-science/Tonga Shrouded by Ash and Mystery After Powerful Volcano Erupts By Natasha Frost, Mitra Taj and Eric Nagourneyhttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/16/world/asia/tonga-tsunami-peru.htmlExperts explain why Tonga eruption was so big by Nick Perryhttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/experts-explain-why-tonga-eruption-was-so-bigWhy the Tongan eruption will go in the history of volcanology by Alexandra Witzehttps://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00394-yNASA scientists estimate Tonga blast at 10 megatons by Geoff Brumfielhttps://www.npr.org/2022/01/18/1073800454/nasa-scientists-estimate-tonga-blast-at-10-megatonsWill sodium-based batteries be the future of electronics? Facts about Sodium by Stephanie Pappashttps://www.livescience.com/28820-sodium.htmlSodium - Chemical Element by The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannicahttps://www.britannica.com/science/sodium#ref278871A Brief History of Salt by Time Staffhttps://time.com/3957460/a-brief-history-of-salt/Sodium Batteries May Power Your New Electric Car by Gregory Barberhttps://www.wired.com/story/sodium-batteries-power-new-electric-car/Sodium batteries are one step closer to saving you from a mobile phone fire by Robert F. Servicehttps://www.science.org/content/article/sodium-batteries-are-one-step-closer-saving-you-mobile-phone-fireWhy do animals keep evolving into crabs? Animals Keep Evolving Into Crabs, and Scientists Don’t Know Why by Ed Brownehttps://www.newsweek.com/crabs-evolved-five-times-carcinization-scientists-dont-know-why-1638921#:~:text=It%27s%20true%3A%20Crabs%20keep%20turning,use%20for%20over%20140%20yearsWhy everything eventually becomes a crab by Sara Kiley Watsonhttps://www.popsci.com/story/animals/why-everything-becomes-crab-meme-carcinization/Animals Keep Evolving Into Crabs, Which Is Somewhat Disturbing by Caroline Delberthttps://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a34389129/crab-evolution-carcinization/Creature Feature - Haunted Beaches: The Fleet-Footed Ghost Crabs by Andrew Hosiehttps://museum.wa.gov.au/creature-feature-haunted-beaches-fleet-footed-ghost-crabsCoconut Crab Claw Strength Rivals Lion’s Bite, Study Shows by Landess Kearnshttps://www.huffpost.com/entry/coconut-crab-claw-strength_n_583e0a54e4b0ae0e7cdaa99fFollow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive 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.

Apr 6, 2022 • 19min
16 Psyche, Xenotransplantation, Ocean Waves Become a Rave
Today, you’ll learn about a metallic object in space that might be worth seven hundred quintillion dollars, how genetically engineered pig hearts could save tons of human lives and how bioluminescent waves are putting on trippy light shows in the world’s oceans.16 Psyche may be worth $700 quintillion dollars, but it’ll take a probe visiting the planetesimal to find out. 16 Psyche: An Asteroid once thought to be worth $700 quintillion by Chris Younghttps://interestingengineering.com/asteroid-psyche-700-quintillionAsteroid 16 Psyche Thought to Be Worth $10,000 Quadrillion Could Be a “Rubble Pile” by Aristos Georgiouhttps://www.newsweek.com/asteroid-16-psyche-worth-10000-quadrillion-rubble-pile-159978716 Psyche: The asteroid that could make every person on Earth a billionaire by Paul Ratnerhttps://bigthink.com/hard-science/space-miners-race-to-an-asteroid-worth-quintillions/#rebelltitem2NASA TO STUDY A $700 QUINTILLION ‘GOLDMINE’ ASTEROID by Matthew Harthttps://nerdist.com/article/nasa-studying-goldmine-asteroid-700-quintillion-dollars/Hubble Telescope reveals asteroid Psyche’s rusty surface by Amy Oliverhttps://earthsky.org/space/hubble-asteroid-psyche-iron-nickel-rust-protoplanet/Science of Psyche: Unique Asteroid Holds Clues to Early Solar System by Naomi Hartonohttps://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/science-of-psyche-unique-asteroid-holds-clues-to-early-solar-systemAsteroid Psyche by NASAhttps://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/asteroids/16-psyche/in-depth/One man was the lucky recipient of a heart transplant from an unlikely source - can organs from animals help humans? Will animal-to-human organ transplants overcome their complicated history? by Laura Beilhttps://www.sciencenews.org/article/animal-human-organ-transplants-pig-kidney-heart-historyMan gets genetically modified pig heart in world-first transplant by BBC News with analysis by Michelle Robertshttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59944889First-ever pig-to-human heart transplant offers hope for thousands in need of organs by Karen Weintraubhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/01/10/human-pig-heart-transplant/9152951002/The ethics of a second chance: Pig heart transplant recipient stabbed a man seven times years ago by Lizzie Johnson and William Wanhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/01/13/pig-heart-transplant-stabbing-david-bennett/Bioluminescent waves are lighting up the oceans for swimmers and sealife alike. Dolphins, Surfers and Waves Sparkle in Bright Blue Bioluminescent Glow Off California Coast by Katherine J. Wuhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dolphins-waves-sparkle-bioluminescent-glow-california-coast-180974766/The science behind bioluminescent waves by Harry Bakerhttps://marinemadness.blog/2020/05/12/the-science-behind-bioluminescent-waves/Bioluminescent Waves Light Up the Shoreline by Amanda Maxwellhttps://now.northropgrumman.com/bioluminescent-waves-light-up-the-shoreline/Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive 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.

Apr 2, 2022 • 2min
Introducing: Curiosity Daily
The award-winning Curiosity Daily podcast from CuriosityDaily.com will help you get smarter about the world around you — every day. In less than 10 minutes, you’ll get a unique mix of research-based life hacks, the latest science and technology news, and more. Nate Bonham and Calli Gade will help you learn about your mind and body, outer space and the depths of the sea, and how history shaped the world into what it is today.Head to discovery+ to stream even more science content, from Animal Planet to Science Channel. Go to discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms Apply. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 snips
Apr 1, 2022 • 11min
From the Archives: Where Does Mold Come From?
This episode originally aired on 4/3/2020. New episodes coming soon. 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 DonkTorture 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, There’s Torture in Zootopia?: Examining the Prevalence of Torture in Popular Movies. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3342908Scientists discovered why durian is the world's smelliest fruit by Kelsey DonkA Love Letter to a Smelly Fruit. (2013, December 3). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/travel/a-love-letter-to-a-smelly-fruit.htmlDiscovering what makes durian stink. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/lfla-dwm022820.phpIdentification of an Important Odorant Precursor in Durian: First Evidence of Ethionine in Plants. (2019). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.9b07065Maninang, J. S., Lizada, M. C. C., & Gemma, H. (2009). Inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme by Durian (Durio zibethinus Murray) fruit extract. Food Chemistry, 117(2), 352–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.03.106Ethanethiol - American Chemical Society. (2020). American Chemical Society. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/molecule-of-the-week/archive/e/ethanethiol.htmlWhere does mold come from? by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Tim)USDA FSIS. (2013). Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous? https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/a87cdc2c-6ddd-49f0-bd1f-393086742e68/Molds_on_Food.pdf?MOD=AJPERESStradley, L. (2016, April 5). Food Molds – Are Molds Dangerous. What’s Cooking America. https://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/Mold.htmCenter for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (2019). BAM Chapter 18. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/food/laboratory-methods-food/bam-yeasts-molds-and-mycotoxinsWant to learn even more? Head to discovery+ to stream from some of your favorite shows. Go to discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms apply. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 31, 2022 • 11min
From the Archives: The Academic Benefits of Emotional Intelligence
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Mar 30, 2022 • 10min
From the Archives: Where Dogs Get Their Personalities
This episode originally aired on 10/4/2019. New episodes coming soon. Learn about how dogs’ personalities are rooted in their DNA; one skill that doesn’t get worse as you get older; and how your sense of smell works.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:Dogs' Personalities Are Rooted in Their DNA — https://curiosity.im/2OfDwvJScientists Have Identified One Skill that Doesn't Deteriorate with Age — https://curiosity.im/2LwW5tmAdditional resources discussed:How does the sense of smell work? | HowStuffWorks — https://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/human-nature/perception/question139.htmHuman Nose Can Detect a Trillion Smells | Science — https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/03/human-nose-can-detect-trillion-smellsWant to learn even more? Head to discovery+ to stream from some of your favorite shows. Go to discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms apply. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 25, 2022 • 10min
From the Archives: Why You Yawn During Exercise
This episode originally aired on 2/28/2020. New episodes coming soon. Learn about how quitting smoking may reawaken healthy cells; how researchers figured out how to tell the age of crime scene fingerprints to help investigators; and why you sometimes yawn while exercising or singing.Quitting smoking doesn’t just slow lung damage, but can also reawaken undamaged cells by Grant CurrinGallagher, J. (2020, January 29). Lungs “magically” heal damage from smoking. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51279355Pfeifer, G. P. (2020, January 29). Smoke signals in the DNA of normal lung cells. Nature, 578(7794), 224–226. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-00165-7Yoshida, K., Gowers, K. H. C., Lee-Six, H., Chandrasekharan, D. P., Coorens, T., Maughan, E. F., Beal, K., Menzies, A., Millar, F. R., Anderson, E., Clarke, S. E., Pennycuick, A., Thakrar, R. M., Butler, C. R., Kakiuchi, N., Hirano, T., Hynds, R. E., Stratton, M. R., Martincorena, I., … Campbell, P. J. (2020, January 29). Tobacco smoking and somatic mutations in human bronchial epithelium. Nature, 578(7794), 266–272. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-1961-1It's been impossible to tell the age of crime scene fingerprints — until now by Grant CurrinDetermining Fingerprint Age with Mass Spectrometry Imaging via Ozonolysis of Triacylglycerols. (2020, January 3). Analytical Chemistry. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.analchem.9b04765Residues in fingerprints hold clues to their age. (2020, January 22). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-01/acs-rif012220.phpWhy we yawn during exercise by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Kate in Pennsylvania)Provine, R. R., Tate, B. C., & Geldmacher, L. L. (1987). Yawning: No effect of 3–5% CO2, 100% O2, and exercise. Behavioral and Neural Biology, 48(3), 382–393. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0163-1047(87)90944-7Massen, J. J. M., Dusch, K., Eldakar, O. T., & Gallup, A. C. (2014). A thermal window for yawning in humans: Yawning as a brain cooling mechanism. Physiology & Behavior, 130, 145–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.03.032The science of the exercise yawn. (2017). Furthermore from Equinox. https://furthermore.equinox.com/articles/2017/09/yawningMcKinney, James C. The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults. (2005). Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=znaCDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=singing+yawn&ots=DKpXxdwhGJ&sig=IjgkdxkqyENjWLoXJTDaYB94G30#v=onepage&q=yawn&f=falseWant to learn even more? Head to discovery+ to stream from some of your favorite shows. Go to discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms apply. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 24, 2022 • 11min
From the Archives: A Brain-Training Task to Reduce Motion Sickness
This episode originally aired on 11/5/2020. New episodes coming soon. Learn about a simple brain-training task that may reduce motion sickness, what parasites found in medieval human remains can tell us about eradicating them today, and the two main reasons why everything takes longer than you think it will.A Simple Brain-Training Task May Reduce Motion Sickness by Kelsey DonkYou can train your brain to reduce motion sickness. (2020). Warwick.Ac.Uk. https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/you_can_trainSmyth, J., Jennings, P., Bennett, P., & Birrell, S. (2021). A novel method for reducing motion sickness susceptibility through training visuospatial ability – A two-part study. Applied Ergonomics, 90, 103264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2020.103264Parasitic Worms Found in Medieval Human Remains May Hold the Secret for Eradicating Them Today by Cameron DukeFlammer, P. G., Ryan, H., Preston, S. G., Warren, S., Přichystalová, R., Weiss, R., Palmowski, V., Boschert, S., Fellgiebel, K., Jasch-Boley, I., Kairies, M.-S., Rümmele, E., Rieger, D., Schmid, B., Reeves, B., Nicholson, R., Loe, L., Guy, C., Waldron, T., … Smith, A. L. (2020). Epidemiological insights from a large-scale investigation of intestinal helminths in Medieval Europe. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 14(8), e0008600. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008600Parasitic worms found in medieval human remains hold secret for eradicating them today. (2020, September). Science | AAAS. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/parasitic-worms-found-medieval-human-remains-hold-secret-eradicating-them-todayIntestinal worms. (2016). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/intestinal_worms/more/en/The 2 Main Reasons Why Everything Takes Longer Than You Think It Will by Anna ToddOriginal episode: https://www.curiositydaily.com/why-everything-takes-longer-than-you-think-storm-p/Want to learn even more? Head to discovery+ to stream from some of your favorite shows. Go to discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms apply. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 23, 2022 • 13min
From the Archives: Do People Think in Words or Pictures?
This episode originally aired on 2/21/2020. New episodes coming soon. Learn about whether people think in words or in pictures; why brussels sprouts really are tastier than they used to be; and why buying luxury items might make you feel like an impostor.Whether People Think in Words or Pictures by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Alicia)(2020). Twitter. https://twitter.com/KylePlantEmoji/status/1221713792913965061Heavey, C. L., & Hurlburt, R. T. (2008). The phenomena of inner experience. Consciousness and Cognition, 17(3), 798–810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2007.12.006Pristine Inner Experience. (2020). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/pristine-inner-experienceAmit, E., Hoeflin, C., Hamzah, N., & Fedorenko, E. (2017). An asymmetrical relationship between verbal and visual thinking: Converging evidence from behavior and fMRI. NeuroImage, 152, 619–627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.03.029Why Brussels Sprouts Taste Better Now by Steffie DruckerFrom Culinary Dud To Stud: How Dutch Plant Breeders Built Our Brussels Sprouts Boom. (2019, October 30). NPR.Org. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/10/30/773457637/from-culinary-dud-to-stud-how-dutch-plant-breeders-built-our-brussels-sprouts-boBeck, A. (2019, November 7). It’s Not Your Imagination, Brussels Sprouts Really Do Taste Better Now. Better Homes & Gardens; Better Homes & Gardens. https://www.bhg.com/news/brussels-sprouts-less-bitter/Pearson, H. (2006, September 18). Distaste for sprouts in the genes. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/news060918-1Perman, A. (2011, November 1). The “brussels sprouts” gene: TAS2R38 | Anna Perman’s Genetic Spaghetti. The Guardian; The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2011/nov/01/brussel-sprout-geneNeuroscience for Kids - Bitter Taste Gene. (2003, July 15). Washington.edu. http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/bitter.htmlMasur, L. (2019, December 26). The Top 10 Food Trends of the Entire Decade. Kitchn; Apartment Therapy, LLC. https://www.thekitchn.com/decade-food-trends-2010-2019-22973978Luxury Buying Makes People Feel Fake by Kelsey DonkLuxury consumption can fuel “impostor syndrome” among some buyers. (2019). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-12/bc-lcc122019.phpWong, K. (2020, January 30). Why Your Designer Bag Is Making You Feel Worse. The Financial Diet. https://thefinancialdiet.com/luxury-consumer-imposter-syndrome/Goor, D., Ordabayeva, N., Keinan, A., & Crener, S. (2019). The Impostor Syndrome from Luxury Consumption. Journal of Consumer Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucz044Want to learn even more? Head to discovery+ to stream from some of your favorite shows. Go to discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms apply. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


