Curiosity Weekly

Today we discuss recent updates to powering the world through nuclear fusion, why ankle sprains are so common, and how we perceive musicians to be more attractive than those who don’t play an instrument. Net Energy Gain  “US scientists reach long-awaited nuclear fusion breakthrough, source says” By Ella Nilsen and René Marsh https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/12/politics/nuclear-fusion-energy-us-scientis...

Today you’ll learn about the recent eruption of the world’s biggest active volcano, how researchers have created wifi-emitting windows, and how we might be able to use evaporating ocean water as a new freshwater source.  Mauna Loa Eruption  “Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano is erupting. Here’s what you need to know” by Carolyn Gramling https://www.sciencenews.org/article/hawaii-mauna-loa-volcano-eruptin...

Today we discuss how new technology is making faster and more efficient rockets, a new bandage that might be able to heal wounds faster than the body, and how we’ve seen some new connections between the brain and the gut through a study of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Helicon Thruster  “Can plasma instability in fact be the savior for magnetic nozzle plasma thrusters” by Staff Writers https://www.sp...

Today you’ll learn about how grapes have the potential to reduce the risk of skin cancer, how dogs’ behaviors are hardwired into their genes, and how underwater seaweed forests might be able to combat climate change.  Cancer-Fighting Grapes  “Short-Term Grape Consumption Diminishes UV-Induced Skin Erythema” by John M. Pezzuto https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/12/2372#B4-antioxidants-11-02372 “The...

Today we discuss how the rinse cycle in some commercial dishwashers might be negatively affecting your gut, how a groundbreaking new study might have found a solution to PTSD, and how video games have been proven to improve our executive functioning skills.  Dangerous Dishwashers  “Commercial dishwashers destroy protective layer in gut” by University of Zurich https://www.eurekalert.org/news-relea...

Today we explore how a recent meteorite that landed in the UK is giving us clues to the mysteries of the universe, the positive and negative side-effects found in a recent study on ayahuasca, and how some toxic “forever chemicals” were found to be completely eradicated with new technology. Winchcombe Meteorite   “Pristine meteorite found within hours of hitting Earth” by Eleanor K. Sansom https://...

Today you’ll learn about what it means for the planet now that we’ve reached a global population of 8 billion people, how leprosy might be able to repair damaged livers, and some information about an asteroid that’s been dubbed a, “Planet-killer.” World Population Reaches 8 Billion  “The world population has now reached 8 billion” by Allison Gasparini https://www.sciencenews.org/article/world-popu...

Today we discuss how a new piece of technology is able to transfer the data of the entire internet in just one second, how eating a lot of tomatoes can improve your gut health, and how scientists are looking into how medicine is processed in the body at different times of day.  Internet Chip “Record-breaking chip can transmit entire internet's traffic per second” By Michael Irving https://newatlas...

Today we discuss the psychological effects of listening to podcasts, how climate change actually makes us more likely to engage in hate speech, and how giving plants alcohol in the form of ethanol can make them resistant to drought.  Podcast Friends  “Listening to podcasts may help satisfy our psychological need for social connection, study finds” by Beth Ellwood https://www.psypost.org/2022/11/li...

Today you’ll learn about how some researchers have activated a specific gene in the body that can make your muscles stronger without exercise, how a parasite that can still be found today was discovered in ancient viking poop, and how parrots understand timing when it comes to communication.  Strong Muscle Gene “Researchers Discover a Gene That Makes Your Muscles Significantly Stronger” by The Uni...

Today you’ll learn about how researchers have been able to grow embryos that have three genetic parents, how European moles can shrink down to a tenth of their size during winter, and whether or not being kind to narcissists makes any difference in their behavior.  3-Parent Babies  “Study reveals how babies born from 3 parents are surprisingly similar to normal babies” by Rupendra Brahambhatt http...

Today we explore how scientists are trying to find a way to make an “aging clock” that can determine your age and health by looking at your DNA, how looking at our gut could help us treat mental health disorders, and how there may be a new treatment option in the form of a vaccine for people suffering from brain tumors!   Aging Clock   “Aging clocks aim to predict how long you’ll live” by INfotech...

Today you’ll learn about the development of a potential new Covid vaccine in the form of a nasal spray, how your circadian rhythm affects how intensely you feel pain, and how the old saying that you need 8 glasses of water a day could be a myth.  Pain Worse at Night  “Why pain feels worse at night” by Allison Whitten https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/09/why-pain-feels-worse-at-night/ “Circadian...

Today we discuss the science of delusion, how changes in the length of our days can cause changes in our behavior, and a potential new life saving drug to fight the current opioid crisis.  Delusion Science  “What is walking corpse syndrome?” by Victoria Shepherd https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/walking-corpse-syndrome/ “Glass Bones and Walking Corpses: 9 Delusions from History” by Amy I...

Today we discuss how nicknames for young boys can help them socialize better, how archaeologists in Poland have unearthed the grave of a woman people feared might return from the dead, and a new study that disproves Freud’s theory that more successful people are unhealthier than less successful people.  Boyhood Nickname  “Why You Should Ask Men About Their Boyhood Nicknames” By Jett Stone https://...

Today you’ll learn about why some people are more popular with mosquitoes than others, what tickling rats tells us about being human, and how a recent discovery of ancient statues re-writes what we believed about historical Tuscany.  Mosquito Magnets  “Why Are Some People Mosquito Magnets and Others Unbothered? A Medical Entomologist Points to Metabolism, Body Odor and Mindset” by Jonathan Day htt...

Today we discuss how watching cleaning or decluttering videos affects our mental state, the abilities of super-recognizers, and a recent discovery into how manipulating the neurons in paralysis patients might be able to improve their mobility. Decluttering the Mind  “Why Watching Decluttering Videos Feels So Good” by Abby Alten Schwartz https://www.wired.com/story/why-watching-decluttering-videos-...

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. Covid’s Bright Side  The Pandemic Might Have Redesigned Cities Forever by Adam Rogers https://www.wired.com/story/the-pandemic-might-have-redesigned-citie...

Today, you’ll learn about the benefits of shading rooftop gardens with solar panels, caffeine’s dark secrets, and how the first image from the James Webb telescope promises a great run for Hubble’s successor. Solar Salads  “Your Rooftop Garden Could Be a Solar-Powered Working Farm” by Matt Simon https://www.wired.com/story/your-rooftop-garden-could-be-a-solar-powered-working-farm/ “Exploring The P...

Today, you’ll learn about how researchers at MIT created an incredible new type of fabric that can save thousands of lives, how sleep scientists are explaining alien abductions, and how evolution is being sped up by human beings, causing ripple effects all over the place. Fabric with Ears  This fabric can hear your heartbeat by Carolyn Wilke https://www.sciencenews.org/article/fabric-hear-heartbea...

Today, you’ll learn about a super exciting space program, blasting off in a few months, that will take us back to the moon for the first time in 50 years, how the simple snap of your fingers actually involves some cool physics and the chemistry behind the skunky stank of cannabis. To the Moon Artemis Artemis-I https://www.nasa.gov/artemisprogram Artemis https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/ Artem...

Today, you’ll learn about how your brushing routine may not be the biggest factor in whether or not you get cavities, how a new method of building pharmaceutical production facilities may bring medical access to previously underserved regions, and how the discovery of a plastic-eating bacteria could revolutionize the recycling industry. True Cavity Culprit  “Why People Who Brush Still Get Cavities...

Today, you’ll learn about an interesting way pills made from poop could help millions of people with allergies, how researchers edited the contents of a pair of donor lungs to better match the recipient, and how pain can affect a baby’s development and what parents can do about it. Peanut allergies are being treated in an…interesting new way.  "Fecal transplant pills helped some peanut allergy suf...

Today you’ll learn about how using a face in marketing makes people more likely to align themselves with social causes, how scientists in China have developed a pair of glasses that use ultrasound technology to measure our eyes blinking, and how cats can distinguish between speech directed at them and other humans.  The Power of the Face  “The Power of Putting a Human Face on Social Causes” by Ass...

Today you’ll learn about how time flies as we age, how scientists are learning more and more about the microbiome within a human body, and the potential for a new phone app that can predict when you might die. Time Flies  “Why Does 'Time Fly' As We Get Older?” by Christopher Dwyer https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/thoughts-thinking/202209/why-does-time-fly-we-get-older “Why time flies so fas...