Discovery

Curiosity Weekly

Science EN ↓ 1622 episodes

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.

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Discovery

Episodes

Grizzlies Are Real-Life Superheroes (w/ “Man Vs Bear” Host Casey Anderson) and How People Really Pick Gifts 18.12.2019 10:26

“Man Vs Bear” host Casey Anderson explains why it’s important to put grizzly bears on TV. Then, you’ll learn about the real reason why people choose gifts — and it’s not to satisfy the giftees. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how most people pick gifts to wow rather than to satisfy: https://curiosity.im/2YLp9mh More about Man Vs. Be...

Tool-Using Animals (w/ “Man Vs Bear” Host Casey Anderson) and Trees Syncing Seed Production 17.12.2019 10:06

“Man Vs Bear” host Casey Anderson explains why grizzly bears are such fascinating animals, and the clever tricks they and other animals use to survive. You’ll also learn about “mast years” when trees sync their seed production. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about “mast years,” times when trees sync their seed production: https://curiosi...

Should You Avoid Fever-Reducing Drugs? Plus: Teeth-Replacing Dinosaurs and “Phantosmia” Smell Hallucinations 16.12.2019 9:27

Learn about whether you should avoid fever reducing drugs; why some dinosaurs replaced their teeth as much as sharks do; and how the smelling disorder “phantosmia” can make you hallucinate with smell. 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: If Fever Helps Fight Infection, Sh...

Remembering Words on the Tip of Your Tongue, Parkways vs. Driveways, and A Flapping Spacecraft to Explore Venus 13.12.2019 10:03

Learn about why we drive on parkways and park on driveways; a flapping spacecraft that’s being designed to explore Venus; and why recalling a word on the tip of your tongue ensures that you’ll forget it next time. 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 Flapping Spacecraft...

You Don’t Need to “Warm Up” Your Car, Buy Less Instead of Buying Green, and Antarctica’s Ancient Forests 12.12.2019 9:30

Learn about why you don’t need to “warm up” your car, even when it’s freezing; fossils proving that Antarctica used to be covered in forests; and research that shows why buying less is better than buying green. 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: You Don't Need to Warm U...

Customized Medicine (w/ Lauren Black) and How to Tell Someone’s Sick by Looking at Them 11.12.2019 10:49

Lauren Black, Distinguished Scientist in the Scientific advisory services at Charles River Labs, shares the story of how doctors came up with a customized drug to treat one specific patient with Batten disease. Plus: learn about how you really can tell if someone’s sick just by looking at them. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how yo...

Cutting Sodium by Adding MSG, Measuring When People Give Up on Books, and How Giving Advice May Mean You Crave Power 10.12.2019 9:44

Learn about how replacing salt with MSG can actually help you cut back on sodium; the Hawking index, a mathematical measure of when people give up on books; and why giving too much advice might mean that you crave power. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about the Hawking Index, a mathematical measure of when people give up on books: https:...

Close the Lid Before You Flush, How Men and Women Feel About Their Exes, and a Trait That Makes You More Likely to Exercise 09.12.2019 11:40

Learn about why you should close the lid before you flush the toilet; the “planfulness” personality trait that makes you more likely to exercise; and how men and women have different attitudes toward their exes. 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: Researchers Determined...

You Can Discover History by Going Low-Tech (w/ Justin Fornal and Emiliano Ruprah), Plus: Nuclear Explosions in Space 06.12.2019 10:22

Learn about how you can discover history by going low-tech, from explorers Justin Fornal and Emiliano Ruprah, hosts of “Unexplained and Unexplored” on Science Channel. Then, learn about how nuclear explosions work in space. Learn more about Unexplained and Unexplored: UNEXPLAINED AND UNEXPLORED First Look | Discovery — https://www.discovery.com/exploration/unexplained-and-unexplored-first-look-pic...

Why Feet Stink, How NASA Knows Where to Dig for Life On Mars, and Why Ice Is Luxurious 05.12.2019 9:56

Learn about why feet smell bad; how NASA knows where to dig on its next mission to find evidence of life on Mars; and why you associate cold temperatures with luxury. 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: To Find Evidence of Life on Mars, NASA's Next Mission Knows Where to...

An Effective Way to Correct Misinformation, an Artificial Leaf that Turns CO2 into Fuel, and the Dino Fossil Death Pose 04.12.2019 9:49

Learn about an effective way to correct misinformation; why dinosaur fossils throw their necks back in a “death” pose; and an artificial leaf that turns atmospheric carbon dioxide into fuel. 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 Dino Fossils Throw Their Necks Back in a...

Saving Cats from Kidney Disease with AI (w/ Kay O’Donnell) and Eye Contact Reduces Lying 03.12.2019 9:51

Learn about why eye contact can make you more honest. Then, you’ll learn about RenalTech, the first AI-based diagnostic tool in veterinary medicine, and how it could enable early prediction of chronic kidney disease to save cats’ lives, from special guest Kay O’Donnell. Resources from Kay O’Donnell, Vice President of the WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute: Press release [Press Release] New AI-drive...

Evolution of the Violin Hole, Why Static Shock Is Worse in Winter, and How “Sleeping on It” Solves Problems 02.12.2019 8:43

Learn about how to hack your sleep to help solve your problems; why the holes in violins are shaped the way they are; and why static shock is worse in the winter. 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: Science Says 'Sleeping on It' Really Can Help You Solve a Problem — http...

History’s Extravagant Gifts (w/ Justin Jampol), Why You Wake Up Hungry After Overeating, and Why Birds Have Hollow Bones 29.11.2019 10:20

Learn why you wake up hungry after overeating. Then, Travel Channel’s “Lost Secrets” host and historian Justin Jampol discusses what state gifts and other artifacts can tell us about the past. You’ll also learn why birds have hollow bones — and it’s not to make them lighter. Plus: hosts Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss a story about why birds have hollow bones — and it’s not to make them lighte...

Food Coma Science, How to Avoid Raising Materialistic Kids, and 3M on Building a Circular Economy 28.11.2019 11:47

Learn about why you get sleepy after you eat, and how to prevent that inevitable food coma; an easy way to avoid raising materialistic kids; and current efforts to save the world by creating a circular economy, with 3M Chief Sustainability Officer Gayle Schueller. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a fe...

Self-Control Without Sacrificing Pleasure, Why You Think You Do All the Work, and Why Scientists Use Weather Balloons 27.11.2019 11:32

Learn about why you don’t have to sacrifice pleasure to maintain self-control; why modern scientists still use old-timey weather balloons; and how to overcome the phenomenon of overclaiming, which is the feeling that you’re the one doing all the work. 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 jus...

Feeding Birds May Cause a Deformity, Busting the “Only Child” Stereotype, and Why Everyone Draws a Coffee Cup the Same Way 26.11.2019 10:26

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 S...

Steven Strogatz Helps You Get Excited About Math (Plus: How Scientists Predict Asteroid Impacts) 25.11.2019 9:45

Learn about how scientists predict whether an asteroid will hit our planet. Then, learn about at least one reason to get excited about math, from popular mathematics writer and Cornell University Professor Steven Strogatz. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how scientists predict whether an asteroid will hit Earth: https://curiosity.im...

Cell Phone Radiation, Why It’s OK to Contaminate Other Worlds, and Types of Human Goals 22.11.2019 10:06

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 infe...

Phone Typing Is Speeding Up, A Supernova May Be Why Humans Walk Upright, and Rain on Antarctica 21.11.2019 10:32

Learn about how the average phone typing speed is catching up to the keyboard; how it can drizzle in Antarctica even when it’s cold enough for water to freeze; and, how an ancient supernova could be the reason why humans walk upright. 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:...

Sneezing with Your Eyes Open, How to Think About Wealth, and Why Bird Poop is 2 Colors 20.11.2019 10:10

Learn about what would happen if you sneezed with your eyes open; why bird poop is two different colors; and, the right and wrong way to think about wealth. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about what would happen if you sneezed with your eyes open: https://curiosity.im/34KjE9a Additional sources: Bird droppings defy expectations | EurekaA...

How to Stop Overspending on Groceries, Tattoos May Toughen Up Your Immune System, and How Physical Activity Boosts Kids’ Learning 19.11.2019 9:16

Learn about why you overspend at the grocery store, and how to avoid it; how tattoos may toughen up your immune system; and how adding physical activity to the classroom could help kids learn more effectively. 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 Most Grocery Shoppers...

Can Calculus Solve Quantum Physics? (w/ Steven Strogatz), Full Moon Behavior, and Why You Complain About “Kids These Days” 18.11.2019 10:23

Learn about why if you complain about “kids these days,” your memory may be to blame; whether a full moon really leads to strange behavior; and whether calculus can help us solve the mysteries of quantum mechanics, with special guest Steven Strogatz. Today is the LAST DAY to help us win! Please vote for Curiosity Daily for Best Technology & Science Podcast in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards: https:/...

Maps as Weapons and Art (w/ Justin Fornal and Emiliano Ruprah) and Fidgeting Explained 15.11.2019 11:55

Explorers Justin Fornal and Emiliano Ruprah from the Science Channel’s “Unexplained and Unexplored” discuss the surprising roles that maps have played throughout history. You’ll also learn about why people fidget. We're nominated for an award! Please vote for Curiosity Daily for Best Technology & Science Podcast in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards: https://awards.discoverpods.com/finalists/ Learn mor...

Your Internal Compass, How Long a Flu Virus Survives, and the Creativity/Mental Illness Link 14.11.2019 11:32

Learn about whether humans have an internal compass; how long a flu virus can last in the environment; and whether creativity and mental illness actually go hand in hand. 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: Do Humans Have An Internal Compass? — https://curiosity.im/36NcJ...