Curiosity Weekly

Learn about how to use focused attention to ease the memory of a traumatic event; why extreme temperatures mess with your batteries, and what you can do about it; and how researchers used machine learning to discover a powerful antibiotic for the first time. Researchers ease the memory of traumatic events by having patients focus on neutral details by Kelsey Donk Focus on context diminishes memory...

Learn about how speed listening to podcasts (or "podfasting") affects our emotions; the health differences between white and brown rice; and the time pi was once almost legally changed to 3.2. Speed listening’s effects on emotion by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from S.P.) Rousseau, S. (2020, January 24). I Tried Listening to Podcasts at 3x and Broke My Brain. Medium; OneZero. https://onezero.me...

Learn about whether binaural beats are worth the hype; how Australian dingos evolved from domesticated animals; and how to navigate some unexpected consequences of talking about historical injustices. Are binaural beats worth the hype? by Andrea Michelson Binaural beats synchronize brain activity, don’t affect mood. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/sfn-bbs021120....

Learn about some of the most common causes for hearing loss and how you can protect your ears from them, from author David Owen. You’ll also learn about how woolly mammoth DNA has given us new insight into what made them go extinct. Additional resources from David Owen: Part 1 of our interview https://curiositydaily.com/its-never-too-early-to-protect-your-hearing-w-david-owen-and-why-you-should-wo...

Learn about why plastic bag fees have such a big influence on your behavior; how bumblebees are able to fly around while carrying up to 80 percent of their own body weight; and the neuroscience behind why yoga reduces depression. How plastic bag and coffee cup surcharges go beyond money to influence your decisions by Kelsey Donk Environment, U. (2018). Legal limits on single-use plastics and micro...

Learn about why pop songs are getting sadder; a mysterious radio signal coming from outer space every 16 days; and why it pays to be yourself when you’re in a high-stakes situation. Pop songs are getting sadder by Kelsey Donk Acerbi, A. (2020, February 4). Why are pop songs getting sadder than they used to be? Aeon; Aeon. https://aeon.co/ideas/why-are-pop-songs-getting-sadder-than-they-used-to-be...

Learn about Starlink’s unintended consequences for astronomy from astrophysicist Vivienne Baldassare, NASA Einstein Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University. Then, learn why toilet paper is white. If you think the night sky should be included in assessments of the environmental impact of government projects, you can get involved in the Council on Environmental Quality’s Proposal to Update its NEPA I...

Learn about a research-backed way to achieve better self control by asking for help from others; how Ambystoma salamanders “steal” DNA from other species via kleptogenesis; and how your brain can process visual information as sound. For better self control, ask for support from others by Kelsey Donk Juan Pablo Bermúdez. (2020, January 15). Self-Reliance Isn’t a Superpower, It’s a Vice. Medium; Ele...

Author David Owen discusses how hearing works and why it’s important to protect even when you’re young. Plus: learn how to be more productive by tapping into your “ultradian rhythms.” For Better Productivity, Work in 90-Minute Spurts by Ashley Hamer: https://curiosity.com/topics/for-better-productivity-work-in-90-minute-spurts-curiosity Additional resources from David Owen: Pick up “Volume Control...

Learn about how certain fonts can send political messages; why the “first instinct fallacy” says you shouldn’t always go with your first instinct; and why DNA and RNA are just two of millions of possible genetic molecules. Fonts can send political messages by Kelsey Donk Fonts in campaign communications have liberal or conservative leanings. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_relea...

Learn about how little the average commute time has changed throughout human history; what researchers learned from the largest-ever study of cancer genomes; and why procrastination is about managing emotions, not time. The Marchetti Constant by Kelsey Donk English, J. (2019, August 29). The History of Cities Is About How We Get to Work. CityLab; CityLab. https://www.citylab.com/transportation/201...

Learn about how quitting smoking may reawaken healthy cells; how researchers figured out how to tell the age of crime scene fingerprints to help investigators; and why you sometimes yawn while exercising or singing. Quitting smoking doesn’t just slow lung damage, but can also reawaken undamaged cells by Grant Currin Gallagher, J. (2020, January 29). Lungs “magically” heal damage from smoking. BBC...

Learn about why sometimes people lie to seem more honest; how researchers finally figured out how to explain the Cheerios effect; and what we learned about evolution from studying Northern paper wasps, which can recognize each other’s faces. Sometimes, People Lie to Seem Honest by Kelsey Donk People may lie to appear honest. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-01/apa-p...

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/...