Curiosity Weekly

Whether you call it citizen science, participatory science, or community science, research conducted by everyday people has led to major discoveries across a wide range of fields. This episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Caren Cooper to discuss the benefits and mechanics when it comes to public participation in science. Dr. Cooper is an expert in the field and the author of Citizen...

Some of society’s greatest scientific achievements were made based on research that might sound silly or bizarre to the average person. But curiosity-driven exploration is just as important to science as research that starts out with clear-cut applications in mind.     So, this episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Carly Anne York. Dr. York wrote The Salmon Cannon and...

Understanding exactly how the billions of neurons and trillions of connections in our brains could be one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in history. And, surprisingly, we’re not as far off from that as you might think. In episode 2 of our brain series, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Forrest Collman who helped create the most detailed brain diagram ever made. Sam also digs int...

Neuroscience is tricky… to say the least. Dedicated scientists have been exploring the organ since ancient times but there is still so much we don’t know about what goes on between our ears. In part 1 of our brain series, host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Toker about his research on consciousness through experimenting with lab-grown organoids. He explains what we can...

There’s no real replacement for traditional medicine, but what if there was an intuitive way to prevent the effects of things like depression, anxiety, and chronic pain? Social prescription is the act of being prescribed activities that center around connection with community, art, and nature. And it’s backed by science! Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by author Julia Hotz to talk about the ins and...

Our attention spans are… not doing so great these days. With copious amounts of technology, apps, news articles, and social media posts at our fingertips, it makes sense that a lot of people are noticing how much more difficult it is to get into a state of deep reading. On part two of our literacy series, editorial correspondent Teresa Carey speaks with two experts on the subject: Dr. Maryanne Wol...

Literacy is murkier than we think. This episode, as a part one of our literacy series, we explore recent research related to one of the most important milestones in our academic lives: learning to read. Host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Emily Wood, a speech language pathologist who studies the methods we use for testing literacy in kids. She speaks with Sam about how we can better address gap...

Every parent has wondered if their baby’s crying is normal at some point or another. While there is no “normal,” evidence shows that genetics might actually have a part to play in how long babies cry for. And another universal experience, harking back to “the good old days” in pop culture and our personal lives. Senior Producer, Teresa Carey, speaks with Dr. Clay Routledge about the good feelings...

Los Angeles is home to the only place in the world where ancient fossils are being actively excavated in the middle of the city: The La Brea Tar Pits. Today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks to the deputy director and assistant curator of the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Dr. Regan Dunn. They talk about what makes this site so fascinating and what we can learn from what we find hidden in the tar. S...

 Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications are everywhere. But with so much information available about this category of drug, it can be hard to know what to trust. Today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with Dr. Emma Beckett, a food and nutrition scientist, to unpack the facts and fictions behind GLP-1s and how we talk about them. Sam also talks with a research team who uncovered a brand new colo...

Forensic DNA is supposed to be the end all be all when it comes to solving crime, so why are there so many false convictions when it comes to using DNA evidence? Today, Senior Producer Teresa Carey talks to Dr. Gregory Hampikian about forensic DNA, fingerprints, AI, and the limitations of scientific evidence in criminal investigations. Host, Dr. Samantha Yammine also explores the Effort Paradox (a...

Sharks are vanishing from South Africa’s coast and Alison Towner knows why. One of the world’s top great white experts and a leading woman in STEM, Alison joins Dr. Samantha Yammine to break down her new Shark Week specials: Air Jaws: Return of Colossus and Great White Assassins and reveal what’s really happening to these iconic predators. Then, Sam dives into new findings about hammerhead shark m...

Shark Week returns July 20 on Discovery!     This episode is the Shark Week audio companion Part 1! Dr. Samantha Yammine dives into the most surprising shark science of 2025, from sharks that make noise to the nano-scale ‘sharkitecture’ inside their skeletons. Sam also interviews Forrest Galante, wildlife biologist and featured Shark Week expert in Alien Sharks. Plus, Luke Tipple, a...

The skincare industry is riddled with false advertising, misleading labels, and supposed “miracle cures.” So, as a consumer, how are you meant to know what’s fact and what’s fiction? Today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine explores the science behind skincare, from how the collagen industry is causing deforestation in the Amazon for a product that might not actually work to why it’s important to get enou...

You’ve heard of the attention economy, but what about the intention economy? Rather than competing for consumers’ attention, our devices are now attempting to predict our purchasing patterns through AI. And who better to discuss that issue than Dr. Cansu Canca, a leading expert in AI ethics and founder of the AI Ethics Lab? She joins Senior Producer, Teresa Carey, to discuss this shift in how we u...

Genetic testing has had some ups and downs over the past few years, with wide swaths of data sets setting a precedent for potential individualized healthcare. But, oftentimes, that data misrepresents African-descended individuals and doesn’t paint the whole picture. Population geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine to discuss what we can learn from genetic testing, and th...

It’s Pride Month! To help us celebrate, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Shawn Hercules, a queer, non-binary cancer researcher and science communicator. They’ll discuss Shawn’s research into breast cancer among people of African ancestry, how policies around gender affirming care can positively affect healthcare at large, and the importance of diverse voices in scientific research. Sam also e...

The key to protecting our oceans is understanding them. So, today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine leans into learning about the power and struggles of the environments that keep our planet blue. From the power of bioluminescence and how it’s changed how we study molecular biology to the importance of salt for our bodies and cultures, there is so much to absorb when it comes to our oceans. Then, produce...

You might think you have nothing to hide on your devices but everyone does. From bank accounts to passwords to travel plans, protecting your digital privacy is one of the biggest issues we face today. Digital privacy expert Eva Galperin joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine to discuss the importance of protecting your data and how to best do so. Sam also explores recent updates on a nuclear battery that...

Looking up at the dark sky on a clear night means seeing the lit up little satellites move their way around the night sky. Those satellites might be pretty to look at but researchers are currently working to solve a decades-old problem: what happens when they encounter space junk? Today, producer Teresa Carey speaks with Dr. John Crassidis from the University of Buffalo about this issue and what o...

It’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and we’re using this week’s episode to highlight scientists and researchers from those regions to emphasize their contributions to science across all different fields of study. Then, Sam speaks with Dr. Steven Mana’oakamai Johnson. He explains how people are responding to climate change across the Pacific Islands and the impo...

Birdwatching has taken off as a hobby in recent years, and for good reason! Birds are vital members of our planet’s ecosystems and are major bioindicators when it comes to understanding how climate change is affecting different environments. Joining host Dr. Samantha Yammine today are two passionate birders who use science to understand bird behavior and how we can better support our friends in th...

The tasks that AI is able to perform has grown exponentially over the years but there are a few things AI still struggles with, like accurately mimicking scientific methodology. Dr. James Zou joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine today to discuss recent updates in AI’s ability to play the role of scientist. He is an associate professor of Biomedical Data Science at Stanford University where he created a...

When tackling solutions to climate change, we tend to focus on westernized approaches rather than listening to Indigenous Peoples about the best ways to protect our earth. So, today, just in time for Earth Day, Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with Dr. Myrle Ballard about natural resource and environmental management from Indigenous perspectives. Then, Sam gets into a new AI-powered brain implant that...

Icebergs are natural behemoths, littered across the ocean. They are both subjects of awe and fear among sailors so today, Dr. Samantha Yammine discusses the ins and outs of these ginormous monoliths with an experienced sailor and iceberg admirer, producer Teresa Carey. Then, Sam speaks to Dr. Beth Culp, a lead author on a recent study that maps out your gut’s microbiome. After that, Sam asks the q...