Curiosity Weekly

Learn about how being a patron of the arts could help you live longer; an upcoming supernova we may be able to see with the naked eye; and the superhuman speed of bird vision. Live Longer by Appreciating Art by Kelsey Donk Sources: Engaging with the arts linked to longer life | EurekAlert! — https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-12/b-ewt121619.php The art of life and death: 14 year follow-u...

Learn about how the 1987 Montreal Protocol inadvertently slowed global warming; where you can find giant Sequoias, the biggest lifeforms on the planet; and some pro tips from the Harvard Business Review on how to avoid distractions at work. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how giant sequoias are the biggest lifeforms on the planet: h...

Learn about why paying it forward has very real effects; musical animals that could help us understand how speech evolved in humans; and newly announced names for exoplanets that were crowdsourced from people just like you. Sources: Small acts of kindness at work benefit the giver, the receiver and the whole organisation | The British Psychological Society — https://digest.bps.org.uk/2017/07/04/sm...

Learn about cat and dog “zoomies” and why pets sprint around the house; how to avoid the abstinence violation effect that makes you give up after a mistake; and why vision is surprisingly important for babies in the womb. Sources: Viral Snow-Loving Pup Illustrates the Science of Dog "Zoomies" | Inverse — https://www.inverse.com/article/38913-dog-zoomies-science What Actually Are the Zoomies? | MEL...

Learn about why your taste buds aren’t the only part of your body that help you enjoy the flavor of food. Then, learn about the two major forces that determine what a group of people can accomplish, with physicist and entrepreneur Safi Bahcall. Additional resources from Safi Bahcall: Pick up “Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas that Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries” on Amazo...

Learn about how your weak passwords can get approved even when they shouldn’t; why Saturn’s rings might not be as old as we thought; and how much time you should spend with someone to know if you really enjoy their company. Sources: The Top 100 Worst Passwords of 2019 | SplashData — https://www.teamsid.com/100-50-worst-passwords-2019/ 'Inconsistent and misleading' password meters could increase ri...

Learn about why we’ll probably never be able to teleport; how to set “approach goals” so you’re more likely to achieve your dreams; and how dogs can help improve kids’ reading skills. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about why we'll (probably) never be able to teleport: https://curiosity.com/topics/why-well-probably-never-be-able-to-telepo...

Learn about why we blurt things out at inappropriate times; what would happen if Earth stopped turning; and what those little black dots are around your windshield. 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: Why We Blurt Things Out, According to Research — https://curiosity.com...

Learn about why music really is universal to humans; what studying “split-brain” patients taught scientists about the brain; and when in human history society decided that women should shave their bodies. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how studying “split-brain” patients taught scientists strange things about the brain: https://cur...

Learn about the surprising Medieval history of almond milk. Then, learn how some basic physics principles can help us understand why good teams kill great ideas, with physicist and entrepreneur Safi Bahcall. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how almond milk was a gourmet luxury in the Middle Ages: https://curiosity.com/topics/almond-m...

Learn about why you’re happier before achieving a goal than you are after; why horsepower probably doesn’t mean what you think it means; and how to keep your skin safe from the potentially harmful bacteria in your makeup bag. 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: Here's Wh...

Learn about why most peoples’ favorite color is blue. Then, you’ll learn why the mystery of how how cats always land on their feet puzzled scientists for centuries, with help from author Greg Gbur. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about the psychological reason why most people’s favorite color is blue: https://curiosity.com/topics/the-psyc...

Learn about how to avoid committing “financial infidelity;” how scientists are fighting the effects of climate change by playing sounds underwater; and the science between weird winter weather phenomena, including “sea smoke” and thundersnow. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about weird winter weather phenomena: https://curiosity.com/topic...

Learn about why it’s okay to only exercise on weekends; the real difference between brown and white eggs; and, how you can use a little psychology to enjoy the latest Star Wars movie more. 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: What's the Real Difference Between Brown Eggs...

Entrepreneur, physicist, and author Safi Bahcall explains “loonshots” and how Robert Goddard, the father of modern rocketry, can help us understand where good ideas come from. Plus: learn about why illness puts your brain in a fog, and new research that found a place on Earth where there’s no life. Additional resources from Safi Bahcall: Pick up “Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas that Win...

Learn about how “implementation intentions” could strengthen your New Year’s resolution and help you achieve long-term goals; whether apple cider vinegar is really a health tonic; and why Australia’s Wolfe Creek Crater could force us to rethink how we judge a planet’s age. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and lear...

Learn about common misconceptions around learning that even educators believe; why sensory-specific satiety makes you feel like you always have more room for dessert; and how science writer Carl Zimmer responded when we asked him “what is life?” 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 fe...

Learn what it means when you have something “in your genes” with help from award-winning author Carl Zimmer ; whether cockroaches really can survive a nuclear apocalypse; and how to change behaviors using a subtle suggestion. Carl Zimmer, award-winning author and columnist for The New York Times, explains how our growing knowledge of genetics could change the way we understand ourselves. In this p...

Learn about the surprising physics involved in hitting a baseball; a productivity hack to stop procrastination; and how viruses and medicines know where to go in your body. 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: What It Takes to Hit a Baseball Makes Baseball Players Look Li...

Learn about a new material that blocks sound while letting in light and air; how chimpanzees performed when scientists taught them how to play rock, paper, scissors; and how to be more creative by scheduling when you switch between tasks. 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 minut...

Learn about ploonets, which are moons that leave their planets; the unbelievable true story of D.D. Palmer, the first chiropractor; and why humans kiss. 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: Moons That Leave Their Planets Are Called Ploonets — https://curiosity.im/30CoK5f...

Learn about how a 4-year-old can help you unblock your creativity; how we figured out what color dinosaurs were; and why you should never hit the snooze button. 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: One Unusual Way to Unblock Your Creativity: Borrow a 4-Year-Old — https://...

Learn about why the Earth’s atmosphere extends beyond the moon; whether you should listen to music while you work; and whether your muffled hearing after a concert means you damaged your ears. 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: The Earth's Atmosphere Extends Beyond the...

Entrepreneur, physicist, and author Safi Bahcall shares a simple trick for staying motivated in the face of adversity. You’ll also learn about why things sound louder in the morning and the science of the winter solstice. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com about the science of the winter solstice: https://curiosity.im/35jNGRv Additional re...

Learn about why shaming people online often backfires; what caused GRB 190114C, the most energetic explosion ever observed; and how brushing your teeth can protect your heart. 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: Shaming People Online Often Backfires, According to a Study...