Curiosity Weekly

Learn about why there’s no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog; why you should praise kids for their work ethic, not their smarts; and why you should never put coffee grounds in your garden. There's no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog by Grant Currin More, D. (2021). The Myth of Hypoallergenic Dogs. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-myth-of-hypoallergenic-dogs-82709 Pet allergy:...

Learn about why it’s a big deal that researchers found animal life underneath the Antarctic ice shelf; how scientists measured blinks to figure out why exercise gives your brain a boost; and why having a bad boss can make you a good boss. Scientists accidentally found animal life 3,000 feet beneath the Antarctic ice shelf by Steffie Drucker Sample, I. (2021, February 15). Researchers rethink life...

Learn about why bubbles appear in your water overnight; the “other-contingent extravert,” a new type of extravert that’s only outgoing in certain situations; and why food sticks to nonstick pans. Bubbles in water left out overnight by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Adam) Why do bubbles form if a glass of water is left alone for a while? (2006, February 6). Scientific American. https://www.sc...

Learn about a change in language use that could mean a breakup is on the way; why ogre-faced spiders are basically ninja assassins, with help from Cornell University professor Ron Hoy; and how it’s possible to exercise too much. A change in pronoun use could signal an impending breakup by Kelsey Donk Use of pronouns may show signs of an impending breakup. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert...

Learn why Cygnus X-1, the first black hole ever discovered, is bigger than we thought. Then, learn about spider hearing with help from Ron Hoy, a professor of neurobiology and behavior at Cornell University who studies acoustic communication in insects. The first black hole ever discovered is bigger than we thought by Grant Currin First black hole ever detected is more massive than we thought. (20...

Learn about why changing out of your pajamas while you work could improve your mental health; why local honey doesn’t stop seasonal allergies; and shisa kanko, a surprisingly simple Japanese ritual that greatly improves accuracy. Working from home in your pajamas is linked to poorer mental health by Kelsey Donk The Re:Set Team. (2021, February 5). Scientists Say Working From Home in Pyjamas Can Da...

Learn about why it might actually be healthy to gain weight as you get older; the alkaloids responsible for why our pets can’t eat chocolate; and how small a minority can be to reshape society. Gaining weight as you age may be healthier than staying at the same weight by Grant Currin Survival tip: Start at normal weight and slowly add pounds. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_rele...

Learn about a simple way to reduce your internet carbon footprint; how brain images can make you more likely to believe fake science; and how loud the sun is. The internet has a big carbon footprint, and you can reduce yours with a simple fix by Kelsey Donk Turn off that camera during virtual meetings, environmental study says. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/pu...

Writer, producer, and “Flash Forward” podcast host Rose Eveleth explains why so many technology breakthroughs never pan out. Then, learn about real-life giant sand worms and why the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon makes you notice some things more than others. Additional resources from Rose Eveleth: Rose's website: http://roseveleth.com/ Flash Forward podcast: https://www.flashforwardpod.com/ Flash Forw...

Rose Eveleth — writer, producer, and “Flash Forward” podcast host — explains why futurists don’t need to know the future. Then, you’ll learn about the oldest examples of money ever discovered. Additional resources from Rose Eveleth: Rose's website: http://roseveleth.com/ Flash Forward podcast: https://www.flashforwardpod.com/ Flash Forward Presents: https://www.ffwdpresents.com/ Follow Rose on Twi...

Learn about why liars may mimic your body language; why “tend and befriend” is an alternative response to “fight or flight”; and why lakes freeze from the top down, not the bottom up. Liars imitate the body language of the person they're lying to by Kelsey Donk Lesté-Lasserre, C. (2020). Lying men mimic the body language of other men they are talking to. New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com...

Learn about why time management can make you happier; how catnip can protect your cat from mosquitoes; and 3 ways your identity could be stolen without getting your computer hacked — and how to protect yourself. Time management has a stronger effect on wellbeing than on job performance by Kelsey Donk Aeon, B., Faber, A., & Panaccio, A. (2021). Does time management work? A meta-analysis. PLOS ONE,...

Learn about the science of sourdough starters; and why identical twins aren’t so identical after all. Then, play along at home as we test your podcast knowledge with this month’s Curiosity Challenge trivia game. Study of sourdough from around the world shows location doesn't matter for its microbes by Cameron Duke Intercontinental study sheds light on the microbial life of sourdough. (2021). Eurek...

Award-winning journalist Tim Harford explains what it means when you hear that a COVID vaccine is 95% effective. Then, learn about Sentinel Island, home to the last uncontacted people on Earth; and what we can learn about our solar system’s theoretical “Planet Nine” from the newly discovered planet HD 106906 b. Additional resources from Tim Harford: Pick up "The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to M...

Award-winning journalist and economist Tim Harford explains three simple rules for understanding statistics and evaluating truth in the news. Then, you’ll learn about why our microbiomes may have come from dirt. Additional resources from Tim Harford: Pick up "The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ad1dQ4 Tim Harford's website: https://timharford...

Learn about what researchers found when they sequenced the bizarre duck-billed platypus genome; a trick for unlocking your creativity; and the strange reasons for job-specific voices, like those of pilots, newscasters, and poets. The duck-billed platypus genome was just sequenced, and it's a doozy by Grant Currin Cassella, C. (2021). Now We Know Why Platypus Are So Weird - Their Genes Are Part Bir...

Learn about the surprising memory skills of infants; why that whole “phosphine on Venus” discovery may not be as exciting as we thought; and how medical science answered Molyneux's problem, a 300-year-old philosophy question. 3-year-olds can recognize a person they met once when they were 1 year old by Kelsey Donk The amazing durability of infant memory: Three-year-olds show recognition of a perso...

Learn about why you can’t suffocate by holding your breath; how being angry makes you more likely to believe misinformation; and that time scholars tried to kick Latin out of English, thanks to words like honorificabilitudinitatibus. Why can't you suffocate by holding your breath? by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Daniel in Beirut) Parkes, M. J. (2005). Breath-holding and its breakpoint. Exp...

Learn about how quadruple-helix DNA could help us fight cancer; how diversity improves technology, with materials scientist Ainissa Ramirez; and how cats domesticated themselves. Quadruple-helix DNA exists - and it might be useful for fighting cancers by Cameron Duke Rare quadruple-helix DNA found in living human cells with glowing probes. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_release...

Learn about why we still don’t know how eels reproduce and how scientists solved a 150-year-old question about how sandcastles hold together. We still don't know how eels reproduce by Grant Currin TED-Ed. (2020). No one can figure out how eels have sex - Lucy Cooke [YouTube Video]. In YouTube . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFi6ISTjkR4 Epic Eel Migration Mapped for the First Time. (2015, October...

Learn about how to tell when your body is running low on key vitamins; how Neanderthals mourned their dead; and why you should NOT pre-rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Ways Your Body Tells You You're Running Low on Key Vitamins by Stephanie Bucklin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, & Division of Laboratory Sciences. (2012)...

Learn about a surprising benefit of adding humor to the news; what getting chills from music says about your brain; and how Volta’s electric eels that hunt in packs. Young adults are more likely to remember and share news delivered with humor by Kelsey Donk New Study Finds that Delivering the News with Humor Makes Young Adults More Likely to Remember and Share | Annenberg School for Communication....

Learn about an artificial sun from KSTAR that’s hotter than our actual sun; whether math really is a universal language; and what words like “fresh” really tell you about how fancy your food is. South Korean researchers created an artificial sun that's hotter than our actual sun by Grant Currin Korean artificial sun sets the new world record of 20-sec-long operation at 100 million degrees. (2020,...

Learn about how clocks and lightbulbs changed human health, with author and materials scientist Ainissa Ramirez. Plus: learn about that time a bunch of birds became milk bottle thieves and whether you should put one or two spaces after a period. The time a bunch of birds became milk bottle thieves by Cameron Duke Aplin, L. M., Farine, D. R., Morand-Ferron, J., Cockburn, A., Thornton, A., & Sheldon...

Learn about how sleep may have evolved before the brain; why airports keep birds of prey on staff; and what would happen if you stopped time. Sleep might have evolved before the brain by Cameron Duke Kanaya, H. J., Park, S., Kim, J., Kusumi, J., Krenenou, S., Sawatari, E., Sato, A., Lee, J., Bang, H., Kobayakawa, Y., Lim, C., & Itoh, T. Q. (2020). A sleep-like state in Hydra unravels conserved sle...