Curiosity Weekly

Today, you’ll learn about a compelling study on twins and the nature versus nurture debate, how scientists solved a 60-year-old mystery about bees, and why you shouldn’t go last.     Twin Trauma    “One Twin Was Hurt, the Other Was Not. Their Adult Mental Health Diverged.” by Ellen Barry. 2024.    “Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adult Mental Health Outcomes.”...

Today, you’ll learn about a new plan to use waste from beer brewing to clean metal out of our water supply, a study that puts languages like Orc and Klingon to the test, and a discovery about the direction our memories travel in our brains.     Brewer’s Yeast     “The same beer waste that gives us Vegemite could help us recycle metal waste.” n.a. 2024.    “S...

Today, you’ll learn about a medication that can successfully treat frostbite, the study of bloodsplatter in space, and a surprising finding about the supposed benefits of small class sizes.    Frostbite Treatment    “The U.S. now has a drug for severe frostbite. How does it work?” by Saugat Bolakhe. 2024.    “Frostbite.” NIH. 2023.    “FDA Approves First Med...

Today, you’ll learn about a skin printer that could lead to scar-free surgeries, the possibility of bringing the wooly mammoth back to life, and how to work at being happy.     Printed Skin    “Scar-free surgery prints living skin (and maybe hair) right into wounds.” by Paul McClure. 2024.    “New bioink promotes growth & regeneration of 3D-printed muscle tis...

Today, you’ll learn about a radical idea for installing a curtain around a massive ice sheet, how positive vibrations might help people with social anxiety, and new tech that could remove dangerous forever chemicals from our environment.     Glacier Curtain    “Scientists want to build 62-mile-long curtains around the ‘doomsday glacier’ for a $50 billion Hail Mary to save...

Today, you’ll learn about a surprising discovery inside the worms of Chernobyl, a way to protect metals at sea inspired by barnacles, and foot-eye coordination.     Chernobyl Worms    “Radiation-proof Chernobyl worms offer answers about cancer.” by Paul McClure. 2024.    “Chernobyl Accident 1986.” n.a. 2022.    “Environmental radiation exposure at Chorn...

Today, you’ll learn about the magic of the upcoming solar eclipse, a simple way to reduce the amount of microplastics in your drinking water, and the connection between self-control and the perception of power.  Livestream of the total solar eclipse on Discovery’s YouTube channel on April 8 at 2:15pm ET here ! Eclipse 2024    “What this solar eclipse can teach us about our planet an...

Today, you’ll learn about a potentially risky new idea to geoengineer our way out of extreme heat, bad news for fans of artificially sweetened drinks, and an incredible new discovery about butterflies.     Geoengineering    “Dehydrate the stratosphere to curb global warming? Scientists float new risky strategy.” by Paul Voosen. 2024.    “Contributions of Stratosp...

Today, you’ll learn about an alarming new killer behavior in orcas, a potential breakthrough for patients with one of the deadliest cancers, and the brain science behind flow.     Shark Hunter    “Orcas Demonstrating They No Longer Need to Hunt in Packs to Take Down the Great White Shark.” Taylor & Francis. 2024.    “Further insights into killer whales Orcinu...

Happy 300 episodes to our Curiosity Daily listeners! Today, you’ll learn about a massive database of human genomes that’s uncovering major new genetic discoveries, the scientists building stone age tools from scratch… and then putting them to work, and a treasure trove of deep sea discoveries in an underwater mountain range.     Human Diversity     “Ambitious survey o...

Today, you’ll learn about how we learn the same information differently from people we like than from those we don’t like, a drug men already take that could have incredible added benefits, and a weed that could feed a hungry world.     Learning From Friends     “The brain is ‘programmed’ for learning from people we like.” Lund University. 2024.    “Ingroup...

Today, you’ll learn about how ADHD might have actually helped our ancient ancestors thrive, the way pollution makes it hard for nighttime pollinators to stop and smell the flowers, and a new study that suggests lions, tigers, and other big cats can tell who’s talking to them.     ADHD Foraging    “Attention deficits linked with proclivity to explore while foraging.” by Dav...

Today, you’ll learn about mind-reading machines, the brightest object in the known universe, and the potential power punch of cinnamon.    Mind-Reading    “Mind-reading devices are revealing the brain’s secrets.” by Miryam Naddaf. 2024.    “The brain-reading devices helping paralysed people to move, talk and touch.” by Liam Drew. 2022.    “The rise of brain-...

Today, you’ll learn about hurricanes so powerful they need a new category, bacteria linked to young-onset colo-rectal cancer, and ancient treasures made out of meteorites.     Category 6    “In a warming world, climate scientists consider category 6 hurricanes.” EurekAlert! 2024.   “How do hurricanes form?” NOAA. 2023.    “AMCR’s Wehner Explores Impact of ‘E...

Today, you’ll learn about the surprising effect our immune system has on our emotional health, a new discovery about the biological clock of plants, and how researchers are rediscovering the science of psychedelics.     Stress & Immunity    “Mount Sinai Study Shows That Circulating Immune Cells Drawn to the Brain During Stress Can Control Emotional Behaviors.” Mt. Sina...

Today, you’ll learn about the link between body temperature and depression, how taking the the Polar Bear Plunge could soothe symptoms of menopause, and a new sticker that can detect organ failure.     Depression Temp    “Are Body Temperature and Depression Linked? Science Says, Yes.” by Jess Berthold. 2024.    “Surprising Link Discovered Between Body Temperature...

Today, you’ll learn about a new blood test that can detect signs of psychosis and guide precision treatment, a gene mutation that happened in two different high altitude populations thousands of years apart, and new findings of the mental impacts of polycystic ovary syndrome.     Psychosis Blood Test    “Blood test predicts psychosis risk, most effective treatments.” UI Sc...

Today, you’ll learn about a new rapid test for detecting fentanyl, a hyper-sensitive new lead detector, and the mathematical proof that Bach… was a great composer.     Fentanyl Rapid Test      “Researchers Develop Rapid Test for Detecting Fentanyl.” by Kim Horner. 2024.    “Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic.” Claire Klobucista & Mariel Ferragamo...

Today, you’ll learn about how a population of female chimps have surprisingly been found to go through menopause and live well beyond their reproductive years, an ancient tsunami and its devastating impact on stone age populations, and the dire effects of sexism in science.     Chimp Menopause     “Surprisingly long-lived wild female chimps go through menopause.” by B...

Today, you’ll learn about a potential breakthrough in the treatment of ovarian cancer, how just passively listening can help you learn things much more quickly, and the ant that changed the lion’s cuisine.     Ovarian Cancer Treatment    “mRNA therapeutic successfully combats ovarian cancer in mice.” by Monika Raab, et al. 2023.    “Key Statistics for Ovarian Can...

Today, you’ll learn about how we experience colors differently as we age, a discovery from the time of the very first continents on Earth, and the impact of mobile phones on infant health - it’s not what you might expect.    Aging & Colors     “Colours fade as people age.” UCL. 2024.    “Pupil responses to colorfulness are selectively reduced in healthy older...

Today, you’ll learn about the possible dangers of growing leafy greens in microgravity, a study that let AI tag along with a toddler to learn language the human way, and research on stabilizing elephant populations on the African savannah.     Microgravity Gardening    “Simulated microgravity facilitates stomatal ingression by Salmonella in lettuce and suppresses a biocont...

Today, you’ll learn about the reason and the history of leap year, how scientists could tailor microgreens to your own personal dietary needs, and a lesson in getting teens to listen to your advice.     Leap Year    “Why do we have leap years? And how did they come about?” by Harry Baker. 2024.    “Which years are leap years?” Royal Museums Greenwich. N.d.  ...

Today, you’ll learn about how feeling the effects of racism might actually change the victim’s brain chemistry, how scientists have successfully completed the first embryo transfer in an endangered rhino, and how handwriting increases brain connectivity.    Racism & The Brain    “Experiencing racism may physically change your brain.” by Jon Hamilton, Rachel Carlson, & R...

Today, you’ll learn about a bacteria that turns plastic into spider webs, a massive deep-sea discovery right in our own backyard, and how CRISPR could reshape agriculture for an entire continent.    Silk-Making Bacteria    “Researchers Engineer Bacteria That Eat Plastic, Make Multipurpose Spider Silk.” Technology Networks. 2024.    “Two-step conversion of polyethylene...