

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

Mar 18, 2022 • 11min
From the Archives: The 13 Emotions Music Evokes
This episode originally aired on 2/4/2020. New episodes coming soon. Learn about the 13 categories of emotions that music makes you feel; how scientists solved the mystery of two strangely small tyrannosaurus rex fossils; and surprising things that happen to a pregnant person’s body.Research Suggests That Music Evokes 13 Key Emotions by Kelsey DonkAnwar, Y. (2020, January 6). Ooh là là! Music evokes at least 13 emotions. Scientists have mapped them. Berkeley News. https://news.berkeley.edu/2020/01/06/music-evokes-13-emotions/Noonan, D. (2020, January 6). Is a Sad Song Sad for Everyone? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-a-sad-song-sad-for-everyone/Cowen, A. S., Fang, X., Sauter, D., & Keltner, D. (2020). What music makes us feel: At least 13 dimensions organize subjective experiences associated with music across different cultures. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(4), 1924–1934. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1910704117Two Tiny T-Rexes Turned Out to Be Teenagers by Mae RiceSecrets behind T. rex’s bone crushing bites: T. rex could crush with 8,000 pound bite forces. (2017). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170517090520.htmResearchers learn more about teen-age T.Rex. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-01/osuc-rlm122019.phpWoodward, H. N., Tremaine, K., Williams, S. A., Zanno, L. E., Horner, J. R., & Myhrvold, N. (2020). Growing up Tyrannosaurus rex: Osteohistology refutes the pygmy “Nanotyrannus” and supports ontogenetic niche partitioning in juvenile Tyrannosaurus. Science Advances, 6(1), eaax6250. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aax6250Surprising Things Pregnancy Does to the Body by Kelsey DonkNierenberg, C. (2015, May 19). Body Changes During Pregnancy. Livescience.Com; Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/50877-regnancy-body-changes.htmlCatriona Harvey-Jenner. (2017, April 12). 10 weird things you didn’t realise happen to your body during pregnancy. Cosmopolitan; Cosmopolitan. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/health/a9266776/weird-things-happen-to-body-during-pregnancy/Cari Wira Dineen. (2016, May 4). Crazy Ways Your Body Changes During Pregnancy. Parents; Parents. https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/changing/crazy-ways-your-body-changes-during-pregnancy/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 17, 2022 • 9min
From the Archives: Earth Is Greener Than Before
This episode originally aired on 1/24/2020. New episodes coming soon. Learn about how AI and Twitter could help you find the perfect job, and how the world is actually a greener place than it was 20 years ago. We’ll also answer a listener question about why we use the color “blue” to say we’re sad.Job-Matching with Your Tweets by Kelsey DonkSources:Robot career advisor: AI may soon be able to analyse your tweets to match you to a job | The Conversation — https://theconversation.com/robot-career-advisor-ai-may-soon-be-able-to-analyse-your-tweets-to-match-you-to-a-job-128777The Vocation Map (interactive) | Marian-Andrei Rizoiu — http://www.rizoiu.eu/documents/research/resources/Vocation_Map_Interactive.htmlSocial media-predicted personality traits and values can help match people to their ideal jobs | PNAS December 26, 2019 116 (52) 26459-26464; first published December 16, 2019 — https://www.pnas.org/content/116/52/26459Earth Is Greener Than Before by Kelsey DonkSources:Human Activity in China and India Dominates the Greening of Earth, NASA Study Shows | NASA — https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/human-activity-in-china-and-india-dominates-the-greening-of-earth-nasa-study-showsChina and India lead in greening of the world through land-use management | Chen, C., Park, T., Wang, X. et al. China and India lead in greening of the world through land-use management. Nat Sustain 2, 122–129 (2019) doi:10.1038/s41893-019-0220-7 — https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-019-0220-7Story 3 by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Becky and Britni)Sources:Chaucer and the Country of the Stars: Poetic Uses of Astrological Imagery — https://curiosity.im/2NOyLIBblue (adj.1) | Online Etymology Dictionary — https://www.etymonline.com/word/blue?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_13636Drunk and dirty | BBC — http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/yoursay/lost_for_words/german/drunk_and_dirty.shtmlPhilip, Gill. (2006). Connotative Meaning in English and Italian Colour-Word Metaphors. Metaphorik. 10. — https://www.researchgate.net/publication/44707159_Connotative_Meaning_in_English_and_Italian_Colour-Word_MetaphorsWant 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 16, 2022 • 9min
From the Archives: Is Cell Phone Radiation Dangerous?
This episode originally aired on 11/22/2019. New episodes coming soon. 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/2K3gzJgAdditional sources discussed:Psychologists analyze language to categorize human goals | EurekaAlert! — https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-10/uow-pal102919.phpLexical Derivation of the PINT Taxonomy of Goals: Prominence, Inclusiveness, Negativity Prevention, and Tradition | The Cupola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College — https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1092&context=psyfacSpecific Absorption Rate (SAR) for Cellular Telephones | Federal Communications Commission — https://www.fcc.gov/general/specific-absorption-rate-sar-cellular-telephonesThe Truth About Cell Phone Radiation | Forbes — https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2018/02/02/the-truth-about-cell-phone-radiation/#4a98baa192a3Want 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 11, 2022 • 14min
From the Archives: Pi Almost Legally Changed to 3.2
This episode originally aired on 3/13/2020. New episodes coming soon. Learn about how speed listening to podcasts (or "podfasting") affects our emotions; the health differences between white and brown rice; and the time pi was once almost legally changed to 3.2.Speed listening’s effects on emotion by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from S.P.)Rousseau, S. (2020, January 24). I Tried Listening to Podcasts at 3x and Broke My Brain. Medium; OneZero. https://onezero.medium.com/i-tried-listening-to-podcasts-at-3x-and-broke-my-brain-d8823edecb7cLiebenthal, E., Silbersweig, D. A., & Stern, E. (2016). The Language, Tone and Prosody of Emotions: Neural Substrates and Dynamics of Spoken-Word Emotion Perception. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2016.00506Murray, I. R., & Arnott, J. L. (1993). Toward the simulation of emotion in synthetic speech: A review of the literature on human vocal emotion. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 93(2), 1097–1108. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.405558Philippou-Hubner, D., Vlasenko, B., Bock, R., & Wendemuth, A. (2012). The Performance of the Speaking Rate Parameter in Emotion Recognition from Speech. 2012 IEEE International Conference on Multimedia and Expo. https://doi.org/10.1109/icme.2012.183Kraxenberger, M., Menninghaus, W., Roth, A., & Scharinger, M. (2018). Prosody-Based Sound-Emotion Associations in Poetry. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01284The health differences between white and brown rice are dead even by Steffie DruckerWhelan, C. (2017, May 25). Brown Rice vs. White Rice: Which Is Better for You? Healthline; Healthline Media. https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/brown-rice-vs-white-riceAllan, P. (2020, February 19). Is Brown Rice Really That Much Healthier Than White Rice? Lifehacker. https://lifehacker.com/is-brown-rice-really-that-much-healthier-than-white-ric-1820044994Parletta, N. (2018, December 5). Rice is a major source of arsenic exposure. Cosmos Magazine. https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/rice-is-a-major-source-of-arsenic-exposurePi Was Once Almost Legally Changed to 3.2 by Ashley Hamer: https://curiosity.com/topics/happy-pi-day-how-pi-was-almost-legally-changed-to-32-curiosityWant 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.

8 snips
Mar 10, 2022 • 9min
From the Archives: Busting the "Only Child" Stereotype
This episode originally aired on 11/26/2019. New episodes coming soon. 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/2NQMVt1Why Everyone Draws a Coffee Cup the Same Way — https://curiosity.im/2Xj0RyZAdditional sources:Thoughts About Bread And Angel Wing Deformities | Corvid Isle — https://corvid-isle.co.uk/thoughts-bread-angel-wing-wild-birdsWhy Feeding White Bread to Wild Birds is Killing Them | One Green Planet — https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/feeding-white-bread-to-wild-birds-is-killing-them/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 9, 2022 • 9min
From the Archives: Fart Humor History
This episode originally aired on 9/13/2019. New episodes coming soon. Learn about why scientists measured how hard babies kick in the womb; the difference in brain scans between people when they were reading a book versus listening to a podcast; and how long humans have thought farts were funny.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:Scientists Have Measured How Hard Babies Kick in the Womb — https://curiosity.im/34wHJRABrain Scans of People Reading and Listening to Podcasts Look the Same — https://curiosity.im/2ZKeFCtWant 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 4, 2022 • 22min
Praising Competitors, Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe, Rock Paper Scissors History
Learn about praising competitors; star stuff and gravity assists with the hosts of Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe; and the strange history rock paper scissors.Praising a competitor can lead to greater sales for brands by Steffie DruckerPraise that slays: How complimenting a competitor can drive a firm’s revenues. (2021, November 18). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/935291Zhou, L., Du, K. M., & Cutright, K. M. (2021). EXPRESS: Befriending the Enemy: The Effects of Observing Brand-to-Brand Praise on Consumer Evaluations and Choices. Journal of Marketing, 002224292110530. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429211053002Allebach, N. (2019, June 24). Brand Twitter Grows Up. Vulture; Vulture. https://www.vulture.com/2019/06/brand-twitter-jokes-history.htmlMore from Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson, hosts of Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe (listener questions from Peter and Lohith):Pick up their new book “Frequently Asked Questions about the Universe” https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/625525/frequently-asked-questions-about-the-universe-by-jorge-cham-and-daniel-whiteson/Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe podcast: https://sites.uci.edu/danielandjorge/Follow physicist @DanielWhiteson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanielWhitesonFollow cartoonist @PHDComics on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PHDComicsThe Strange History of Rock Paper Scissors by Cody GoughNunn, E. (2003, December 3). Victory at hand. Chicago Tribune. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2003-12-03-0312030085-story.htmlWorld RPS society. (2022). Worldrps.com. http://worldrps.com/Cody, rock paper scissors, and more on Giveo: https://giveo.comFollow @ProducerCody on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProducerCodyFollow @smashleyhamer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/smashleyhamerTaboo Science: https://tabooscience.showThanks for listening to Curiosity Daily with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. 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.

Mar 3, 2022 • 14min
“Like Riding a Bike,” Paradoxes, That Fresh Rain Smell
Learn about the special way riding a bike is stored in your memory; the crocodile paradox; and the smell of fresh rain.The stories in this episode originally aired on these dates:December 21, 2018 https://omny.fm/shows/curiosity-daily/the-most-influential-film-ever-your-memory-on-ridiDecember 23, 2018 https://omny.fm/shows/curiosity-daily/christmas-music-psychology-rain-smell-science-crocToday is Ashley Hamer’s last episode. Follow her podcast at https://www.tabooscience.show. And if you’re 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.

Mar 2, 2022 • 19min
Glow-in-the-Dark Cities, Feeling Holes, Max Volume on Earth
Learn about glow-in-the-dark cities; why holes feel larger with a tongue than a finger; and the maximum volume on Earth.Maybe we can save the planet by making our cities glow in the dark by Briana BrownellKleiner, K. (2021, November). Will glow-in-the-dark materials someday light our cities? Knowable Magazine | Annual Reviews. https://knowablemagazine.org/article/technology/2021/will-glow-in-the-dark-materials-someday-light-our-citiesLong Persistent Luminescence: A Road Map Toward Promising Future Developments in Energy and Environmental Science. (2021). Annual Review of Materials Research. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-matsci-091520-011838Why holes feel larger with your tongue than with your finger by Grant CurrinWhy Do Holes Feel Larger With Your Tongue Than With Your Finger? (2017, November). Mentalfloss.com. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/512813/why-do-holes-feel-larger-your-tongue-your-fingerSeriously Science. (2017, October 18). Scientist finally figures out why holes feel larger with your tongue than with your finger. Discover Magazine; Discover Magazine. https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/scientist-finally-figures-out-why-holes-feel-larger-with-your-tongue-than-with-your-finger#.Wfn2exNSzm1Albashaireh, Z. S. M., & Orchardson, R. (1988). Comparison of the human perception of hole size by the tongue and the fingers. Archives of Oral Biology, 33(3), 183–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-9969(88)90043-xWilkins, A. (2010, December 28). Why our tongues and fingers “see” the world differently. Gizmodo; Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/why-our-tongues-and-fingers-see-the-world-differently-5719827Drewing, K. (2018). The extent of skin bending rather than action possibilities explains why holes feel larger with the tongue than with the finger. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 44(4), 535–550. https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000453S2E5: Head Transplants - Taboo Science Podcast. (2021). Tabooscience.show. https://www.tabooscience.show/s2e5-head-transplants/There's a maximum sound volume on Earth by Cameron DukeEarQ. (2021). What Are Decibels (dB)? | Loudness Levels, Safe, Unsafe. Earq.com. https://www.earq.com/hearing-health/decibelsHearing loss and deafness: Normal hearing and impaired hearing. (2017, November 30). Nih.gov; Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK390300/Koerth, M. (2016, July 7). The Loudest Sound In The World Would Kill You On The Spot. FiveThirtyEight; FiveThirtyEight. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-loudest-sound-in-the-world-would-kill-you-on-the-spot/Kolitz, D. (2019, January 14). What’s the Loudest Sound in the Universe? Gizmodo; Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/whats-the-loudest-sound-in-the-universe-1831720066Mihai Andrei. (2020, February 4). The loudest sound in mankind’s history. ZME Science; ZME Science. https://www.zmescience.com/science/the-loudest-sound-ever-in-mankinds-history/Follow host Cody Gough on Giveo and at https://academicpodcasts.com. 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.

Feb 25, 2022 • 13min
Remembering Gifts, Animal Diets, Amazon-Sahara Connection
Discover why we forget gifts to friends more easily than those to strangers, linked to our closeness. Learn how wild animals, like bears, instinctively select nutritious foods compared to human dietary struggles. Uncover the surprising connection between Sahara dust and the Amazon rainforest, revealing how the Sahara nurtures distant ecosystems. Plus, explore how a healthy diet influences brain rewards and how our dietary choices mirror nature's wisdom.


