Curiosity Weekly

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...

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...