Curiosity Weekly

Today, you’ll learn about why symmetry dominates the natural world, how it may be possible to conserve water using solar panels, and why growing vegetables might soon involve a trip to the Moon. Two halves make a whole. “Life’s Preference for Symmetry Is Like “A New Law of Nature” by Kate Golembiewski https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/science/symmetry-biology-evolution.html “What is RNA?” by Mich...

Today, we’re hearing from an explorer's explorer, Victor Vescovo. His Five Deeps Expedition made him the first person to reach the deepest point of the Atlantic, Southern Ocean, and set a depth record in the Mariana Trench at 35,853 ft. He was the first person to reach the Mollow Deep in the Arctic Ocean, and thus has been to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd deepest points in the ocean. Victor Vescovo Interv...

Today, you’ll learn about how a drug that helps in human organ transplants might be able to extend the lives of man’s best friend, the airline industry's potential but difficult switch to hydrogen fuel, and how a high school student is transforming prosthetics with brain waves. All dogs go to heaven. “New Drug May Help Dogs Live Longer” by Naomi Ruchim https://www.krtv.com/news/u-s-and-the-world/n...

Today, you’ll learn about whether the cyanide in apple seeds could do you any real harm, how working out in the morning and at night are both beneficial but in different ways, and how researchers have found evidence that patients with long Covid may often have fragments of the virus lingering in their gut. Snow White wasn’t far off with the poisonous apple. “Can Apple Seeds Cause Cyanide Poisoning...

Today, we are lucky enough to hear from a highly accomplished explorer who has some incredible experiences to share with us. Dr. Sian Proctor was the mission pilot for the Inspiration4, which is the all-civilian orbital mission to space and she’s the first African American woman to pilot a spacecraft. She also lived in a Mars analog environment to simulate what it might be like to live on the red...

Today, you’ll learn about how high blood pressure can reduce the gray matter in your brain, why scientists think the surface of Mercury is covered in diamonds, and how while we have gene pairs from both parents, our bodies will use one parent’s gene over the other’s depending on the circumstances. 50 Shades of Gray Matter “Study: An Early Spike in Blood Pressure Can Pummel Your Brain” by Nick Kepp...

Today, you’ll learn about how orangutans use slang a lot like we do, what causes and can alleviate everyday motion sickness, and how one black hole kicked another across the galaxy. Orangutans are dope. “Orangutans use Slang to Show off Their “Coolness”, Study Suggests" by Nicola Davis https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/mar/21/orangutans-use-slang-to-show-off-their-coolness-study-suggests “O...

Today, we’re hearing from an explorer and filmmaker named Steve Elkins. Steve spent decades searching for a legendary lost city deep in the jungles of Honduras. His search for the city was documented in the New York Times best selling book, “The Lost City of the Monkey God,” by Douglas Preston. Steve Elkins Interview from 4/23/22 Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter w...

Today, you’ll learn about how a single drink a day can add years to the age of your brain, how scientists figured out that thousands of tree species are yet to be discovered, and how the world’s biggest and best particle accelerator is powering up for its third run. A drink away does not keep the doctor away. “Just One Beer or Glass of Wine a Day may Cause Your Brain to Shrink, Study Suggests” by...

Today, you’ll learn about how that light coming in through your window at night is in fact ruining your sleep, how some diseases—including cancer—can be smelled by dogs and we’re on the verge of being able to smell them with modern technology, and how algae may one day provide the power for our smallest devices. Close your blinds. “Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function” by I...

Today we are speaking to another member of the Explorers Club, Peter Tattersfield. Peter has an awesome story for us today about his work finding the shipwreck of the Steamship Independence, which sank off the coast of Baja, Mexico in 1853. Peter Tattersfield Interview from 4/23/22 Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get...

Today, you’ll learn about how a man with advanced ALS, who can’t move a muscle, was able to communicate with his family using his thoughts, about a sixty-year-old mystery involving the earth and why it pulsates every twenty-six seconds, and how cats can learn the names of their fellow cats under the right conditions. A man with ALS can communicate with his thoughts. “Brain Implant Allows Fully Par...

Today, you’ll learn about how carnivorous plants evolved from their more peaceful ancestors, how there’s an apparent difference in the frequency and severity of head injuries between male and female athletes, and about a new theory regarding the cause of Alzheimer’s. Plants that eat flesh? “How Carnivorous Plants Evolved” by Stephanie Pain https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-carnivor...

Today, we’re talking to Explorers Club member, Dr. George C. Nield. Dr. George C. Nield is currently the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation at the Federal Aviation Administration (or FAA). He has over 30 years of aerospace experience and has worked with the Air Force and NASA. Dr Nield came to the FAA from the Orbital Sciences Corporation, where he served as a Senior Scien...

Today, you’ll learn about why it's best to leave your shoes at the door when you come inside, how animals form and maintain their mesmerizing murmurations, and how certain food storage products release sub-microscopic, plastic particles when exposed to hot water. Your mom was right about taking your shoes off inside. “The science is in: wearing shoes inside your home is just plain gross” by Mark P...

Today, you’ll learn about how the next step in nuclear fusion is actually a real estate question, how the death of our sun would be a beautiful thing to see if we were around to witness it, and how an athlete’s desire for perfection can lead to them burning out with their sport altogether. Nuclear plants near the nuclear family. “The World's First Nuclear Fusion Power Plant Is Coming” by Caroline...

Today for our Explorers Club series, we are about to be hit by a meteorite of space knowledge as we have a wildly accomplished scientist and researcher entering our atmosphere, Dr. Nina Lanza. She is the Team Lead for Space and Planetary Exploration in Space and Remote Sensing at Los Alamos National Laboratory. She is also the Principle Investigator of the ChemCam instrument on the Mars Curiosity...

Today, you’ll learn about how humans could potentially evolve to be venomous, the challenges of repurposing used electric car batteries, and how people who hate magic are more likely to have certain socially aversive traits, like needing to control social situations. The good and the bad side of snake venom. “Could Humans Ever be Venomous?” by Stephanie Pappas https://www.livescience.com/could-hum...

Today, you’ll learn about an ancient couple found buried in an embrace, why it’s so darn hard to keep fleas off your beloved pets, and how your body’s natural chemistry can help you get a leg up on diet and exercise if you begin to build the habits. They took “til death do you part” seriously. “1,500-year-old burial in China holds lovers locked in eternal embrace” by Laura Geggel https://www.lives...

Today, you’ll hear our interview with Richard Garriott, the president of the Explorers Club. Garriott is not only the first American second generation astronaut, but also the first person to visit both poles, outer space and dive to the Mariana Trench. He started out as a video game designer, and as soon as he made enough money, he began investing in human space flight, creating a company called S...

Today, you’ll learn about the state of the Amazon rainforest, the truth behind the mythical sugar rush, and how studies involving MRI scans may have been too small to produce significant results, but researchers may have found a solution. The forest needs attention - not the company. “75% of Amazon rainforest shows signs of loss, a 'tipping point' of dieback, study shows” by Doyle Rice ttps://www....

Today, you’ll learn about why our ability to remember things seems to get worse with age—it’s not memory loss, which animals could become the new dominant species in the event of our extinction, and how an unsupportive romantic partner can actually affect the way you think and feel about yourself. Maybe your mom was right about cleaning your room. “How Memory ‘Clutter’ Makes it Harder to Remember...

Calli and Nate interview members of The Explorers Club, and today you’re going to hear from a man who largely represents what The Explorers Club is all about - Josh Gates. Josh Gates is a fearless explorer and adventurer and host of Discovery's popular, long running series Expedition Unknown . He's also hosting a brand new series that chronicles the incredible history of the club, called Tales fro...

Today, you’ll learn about how cultures across the world often make constellations from the same groups of stars due to the nature of vision and perception, what to do when an animal tries to steal your food during a picnic on the beach, and drones smaller than a red blood cell that can be controlled using only the power of light. Does your star pattern look like my star pattern? “Constellations Ac...

Today, you’ll learn about how the human sense of smell may be much better than we ever thought, how the bones inside your body are having interesting conversations with your organs, and a new innovation in desalination technology that uses significantly less energy than its predecessors. What’s that smell? “Let’s obliterate the myth that humans have a bad sense of smell” by Brian Resnick https://w...