Curiosity Weekly

Learn about why a predicted increase in phytoplankton is good news for our environment; how researchers can detect evidence of climate change from just one day of global weather conditions; and how Pablo Escobar's hippos became an invasive species in Colombia. Oceanographers Predict an Increase in Phytoplankton by Andrea Michelson Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. (2018). Phytoplankton - A Sim...

Learn about the legacy of the trailblazing NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson; how scientists recently built xenobots, the world’s first living robots; and why zinc probably isn’t as good for colds as you think. Katherine Johnson Is the Human 'Computer' Who Helped Us Go to Space by Ashley Hamer Hamer, A. Katherine Johnson Is the Human “Computer” Who Helped Us Go to Space. (2016, December 13). Cu...

Learn about whether the exercise trend of “muscle confusion” really works; how structural colors give animals their vibrant hues; and why the way you dance is just as unique as your fingerprint. The Myth of Muscle Confusion by Kelsey Donk Hutchinson, A. (2020, January 23). How to Make Your Strength Routine Evidence-Based. Outside Online; Outside Magazine. https://www.outsideonline.com/2408204/stre...

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/1221713792913965061 Heavey, C. L., & Hurlburt, R. T. (2008). The...

Hugo Fruehaf, one of the inventors of GPS, discusses the dark origins of GPS and how far we’ve come since. Plus: learn why quiet wakefulness makes it okay to take a nap without actually falling asleep. Benefits of Napping Without Actually Falling Asleep by Kelsey Donk Shortsleeve, C. (2019, December 27). Can’t Sleep? Try ‘Quiet Wakefulness’ Instead. Medium; Elemental. https://elemental.medium.com/...

Learn about why “beauty sleep” has real benefits for your skin; how plants learn the chemical language of pests to use for self-defense; and a new algorithm that’s fighting deepfakes by looking at heart rates. How Beauty Sleep Boosts Beauty by Mae Rice Kerri-Ann Jennings, MS, RD. (2016, September 9). Collagen - What Is It and What Is It Good For? Healthline; Healthline Media. https://www.healthlin...

Learn about research-based advice for staying happy in your later years, from neuroscientist and author Daniel Levitin. Then, you’ll learn about how a faraway star helped researchers figure out when the Milky Way was formed. Additional resources from Daniel Levitin: Pick up “Successful Aging: A Neuroscientist Explores the Power and Potential of Our Lives” on Amazon https://amazon.com Other publica...

Learn about why bosses should let employees surf the web at work; how researchers made it possible for you to hear a mummy’s voice after 3,000 years; and why cold weather makes us crave social contact. Employees Should Surf the Web at Work by Kelsey Donk Andel, S. (2020, January 17). Why bosses should let employees surf the web at work. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/why-bosses-shou...

Learn about why opposites don’t really attract; the “propinquity effect” and how physical distance affects the way we feel about other people; and the history of when and why we started using last names. Opposites Don’t Attract by Kelsey Donk Johnson, M. D. (2018, February 12). No, opposites do not attract. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/no-opposites-do-not-attract-88839 Montoya, R....

Learn how atomic clocks and how GPS clocks work, with help from the engineer who made GPS clocks possible: Hugo Fruehauf. But first, you’ll learn about how Harvard researchers finally figured out why stress can turn your hair gray. Why Stress Turns Hair Gray by Grant Currin Zhang, B., Ma, S., Rachmin, I., He, M., Baral, P., Choi, S., Gonçalves, W. A., Shwartz, Y., Fast, E. M., Su, Y., Zon, L. I.,...

Learn about why students with higher emotional intelligence do better in school; how scientists solved an 80-year mystery of how atoms split; and an adorable discovery that changes what we know about the canine brain. Spoiler: it involves wolf puppies. The Academic Benefits of Emotional Intelligence by Kelsey Donk Students do better in school when they can understand, manage emotions. (2019). Eure...

Learn about why successful people should reveal their failures; the extreme story of the death of planet WASP-12b; and why tulips used to cost more than houses during a period known as “tulip mania.” A Reason to Reveal Your Failures by Kelsey Donk HBS Working Knowledge. (2018, December 11). Why Managers Should Reveal Their Failures. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2018/12/...

Learn about how doctors on Earth diagnosed and treated an astronaut’s medical problem in space for the first time; a new study that explains why whales are so big, but not bigger; and a Stanford technique for getting better at picking creative ideas. The First Medical Diagnosis and Treatment in Space from Earth by Mae Rice First reported occurrence and treatment of spaceflight medical risk 200+ mi...

Learn about how scientists measure the contagiousness and deadliness of diseases like coronavirus; the history of acedia, an emotion that is similar to (but distinct from) depression; and why it helps to do a “potty dance” when you really have to go to the bathroom. Measuring the Deadliness of Viruses (Like Coronavirus) by Ashley Hamer McCandless, D. (2018, October). The MicrobeScope – Infectious...

Hugo Fruehauf, one of the inventors of GPS and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, tells the surprising story of how GPS was invented. Plus: learn about how planning cheat days could make your next goal easier to achieve. Planning Cheat Days to Achieve Your Goals by Mae Rice Planned "Cheat Days" Can Help You Achieve Your Goals, According To New Study | Bustle https://www.bust...

Learn about why criminal profiling doesn’t seem to work in real life; planets with oceans of molten rock that basically eat the sky; and superhuman red blood cells that could be used to deliver life-saving drugs. Criminal Profiling Probably Doesn’t Work by Kelsey Donk MacMillan, T. (2017, October 20). Can Criminal Profilers Really Get Inside the Head of a Killer? Vulture; Vulture. https://www.vult...

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 Donk Anwar, Y. (2020, January 6). Ooh là là! Music evokes at least 13 emotions. Scientists have mapped them. Berkeley News...

Learn about why your next relationship will probably be like your last one; what scientists learned by studying the oldest material on Earth; and what researchers learned when they had cuttlefish wear 3-D glasses. Why Your Next Relationship Will Probably Be Like Your Last by Kelsey Donk Changing partners doesn’t change relationship dynamics, study shows. (2019). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert....

Learn about why deadhead logs so rare and valuable, people actually risk their lives looking for them, from author and TV host Kevin O’Connor. Then, we’ll answer a listener question about why you feel tired after you take a long trip. Additional resources from This Old House host Kevin O’Connor: From This Old House, Clearstory is a podcast that sheds light on the surprising stories behind our home...

Learn about common mistakes people make in the shower. Then, learn about the history and science of the two-by-four from author Kevin O’Connor, host of the home renovation television series This Old House. 5 Common Mistakes People Make In The Shower by Anna Todd http://www.curiosity.com/topics/5-common-mistakes-people-make-in-the-shower-curiosity Additional resources from This Old House host Kevin...

Learn about why an overheard phone conversation is so distracting; how big or small a black hole can get; and why you should definitely tell your anesthesiologist if you smoke marijuana. Why an Overheard Phone Conversation Is so Incredibly Distracting by Anna Todd https://curiosity.com/topics/why-an-overheard-phone-conversation-is-so-incredibly-distracting-curiosity How Big (or Small) Can a Black...

Learn about why we actually learn better from success than failure; why ravens are so smart, they’re making us re-think the way brains work; and why reaching a temperature of absolute zero is absolutely impossible. You Learn Better from Success than Failure by Kelsey Donk Do We Really Learn From Our Mistakes? | Association for Psychological Science — https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds...

Learn about a trick for conquering sadness by thinking of it as a person; how Neanderthals may have releived their pain with a familiar drug; and the surprising science of how cows each use a unique “voice” to talk to each other. Think of Sadness as a Person by Kelsey Donk How can you conquer ordinary, everyday sadness? Think of it as a person | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl...

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 Donk Sources: Robot career advisor: AI may soon be able to analyse your tweets to match you to a job | The Conversation — https://...

Learn about how most of the world’s lying comes from a small group of people; an invisible dye that stores vaccine history in the skin; and how language shows us that the ways we feel emotions are not universal. Most Lying Is Done by a Few People by Steffie Drucker Sources: Men think they're better liars | EurekAlert! — https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-12/uop-mtt122019.php Lie prevalen...