Curiosity Weekly

Today, you’ll learn about the brain science behind choking under pressure, a newer, tougher, stronger concrete inspired by bones, and how skin cancer rates in Sweden could offer a sign of hope.  Pressure & Performance  “Choking under pressure: Brain neurons misfire when the stakes are highest.” by Bronwyn Thompson. 2024.  “Research sheds new light on decreased performance under pressure.” by Sara Vaccar. 2024.  “A neural basis of choking under pressure.” by Adam L. Smoulder, et al. 2024.   Bone Concrete  “Tougher concrete, inspired by bone.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Tough Cortical Bone-Inspired Tubular Architected Cement-Based Material with Disorder.” by Shashank Gupta & Reza Moinin. 2024.   Cancer Decline  “Breaking the trend: Skin cancer incidence in young adults declines.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Melanoma Incidence and Mortality Trends in Sweden.” by Hildur Helgadottir, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how surgeons operated on a pig from 5,000 miles away, a population of neanderthals that were isolated for 50,000 years, and why trees could be linked to lower risks of ADHD in kids.   Remote Surgery   “Remote surgery performed on a pig 9,000 km away using a game controller.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “Teleoperated Magnetic Endoscopy: A Case Study and Perspective.” by Alexandre Mescot, et al. 2024.   Isolated Neanderthals  “An ancient Neanderthal community was isolated for over 50,000 years.” Scimex. 2024.  “Long genetic and social isolation in Neanderthals before their extinction.” by Ludovic Slimak, et al. 2024.   Greenspace & ADHD  “Tree-covered neighborhoods linked to lower ADHD risk in children.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Lifelong greenspace exposure and ADHD in Polish children: Role of physical activity and perceived neighbourhood [sic] characteristics.” by Dorota Buczylowska, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new device that can get inside the mind of babies, the edible protein that’s made out of carbon dioxide, and how the modern ideal of the 15-minute city might not be for everyone.   Baby Brain Device   “Wearable brain imaging device shines a light on how babies respond in real-world situations.” UCL. 2024.  “Whole-head high-density diffuse optical tomography to map infant audio-visual responses to social and non-social stimuli.” by Liam H. Collins-Jones, et al. 2024.   CO2 Protein  “Powered by renewable energy, microbes turn CO2 into potentially edible protein and vitamins.” Scimex. 2024.  “Power-to-vitamins: producing folate (vitamin B9) from renewable electric power and CO2 with a microbial protein system.” by Lisa Marie Schmitz, et al. 2024.   15-Minute Cities  “15-minute city: Why time shouldn’t be the only factor in future city planning.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “A universal framework for inclusive 15-minute cities.” by Matteo Bruno et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how climbing on monkey bars and other risky play could be a gift from our ancestors, the dangers of mold in space, and new evidence on how cravings take root in our brains.   Risky Play  “Risky Play Exercises an Ancestral Need to Push Limits.” by Morgan Kelly. 2024.  “Commemorating the monkey bars, catalyst of debate at the intersection of human evolutionary biology and public health.” by Luke D. Fannin, et al. 2024.   Mold in Space   “Keeping mold out of future space stations.” by Tatyana Woodall. 2024.  “Predicting how varying moisture conditions impact the microbiome of dust collected from the International Space Station.” by Nicholas Nastasi, et al. 2024.   Brain Cravings  “‘Sticky’ brain activity is linked to stronger feelings of craving.” by Mallory Locklear. 2024.  “Network state dynamics underpin basal craving in a transdiagnostic population.” by Jean Ye, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a potential positive side to side effects, how mega El Niños triggered the world’s worst mass extinction event, and the antidote to pesticides that could save bees.   Positive Side Effects   “How side effects can improve treatment efficacy: a randomized trial.” by Lieven A. Schenk, et al. 2024.  “Side-effects are often a curse. Can they also be a blessing?” by Katja Wiech, et al. 2024.   Mega El Niño  “Mega El Niños kicked off the world’s worst mass extinction.” by Jake Buehler. 2024.  “Mega El Niño instigated the end-Permian mass extinction.” by Yadong Sun, et al. 2024.   Bee Protector  “Scientists hopeful antidote can help protect bumblebees from pesticides.” by Helena Horton. 2024.  “Ingestible hydrogel microparticles improve bee health after pesticide exposure.” by Julia S. Caserto, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a breakthrough in our understanding of the behavior and abilities of bacteria, the queen ants that cannibalize their sick larvae and recycle it, and how tiny shards of plastic are finding their way into our brains.   Bacteria Behavior  “New discovery of how bacteria navigate their environment could change how we treat infection.” University of Sheffield. 2024.  “Individual bacterial cells can use spatial sensing of chemical gradients to direct chemotaxis on surfaces.” by James H.R. Wheeler, et al. 2024.   Ant Cannibals  “Ant queens cannibalize [sic] their sick offspring - then ‘recycle’ them.” University of Oxford. 2024.  “Ant queens cannibalize infected brood to contain disease spread and recycle nutrients.” by Flynn Bizzell & Christopher D. Pull. 2024.  “Black garden ant.” The Wildlife Trusts. N.d.   Brain Plastic  “Tiny shards of plastic are increasingly infiltrating our brains, study says.” by Sandee LaMotte. 2024.  “Bioaccumulation of Microplastics in Decedent Human Brains Assessed by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.” by Matthew Campen, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the connection between chronic sinus infections and anxiety, a new way to recycle plastic by vaporizing it, and how marmosets call each other by name.    Sinuses & Mental Health   “Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Mental Health.” by Najm S. Khan, et al. 2024.  “Chronic Sinusitis.” CDC. 2022.   Vaporizing Plastic  “New process vaporizes plastic bags and bottles, yielding gases [sic] to make new, recycled plastics.” by Robert Sanders. 2024.  “Plastic Pollution.” by Hannah Ritchie, et al. 2022.   Monkey Names  “These monkeys use names to communicate with each other, study finds.” by Lianne Kolirin. 2024.  “These Monkeys Call One Another by Name.” by Emily Anthes. 2024.  “Vocal labeling of others by nonhuman primates.” by Guy Oren, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how common table salt could help our bodies fight cancer, an ancient underwater bridge that’s changing what we know about human migration in Europe, and the hyper precise nuclear clock breakthrough.   Salt & Cancer  “Common salt activates anti-tumor cells.” by Charlotte Fuchs and Friederike Gawlik. 2024.  “Sodium chloride in the tumor microenvironment enhances T cell metabolic fitness and cytotoxicity.” by Dominik Soll, et all. 2024.   Ancient Bridge  “Submerged bridge constructed at least 5600 years ago indicates early human arrival in Mallorca, Spain.” by Bogdan P. Onac, et al. 2024.  “What a submerged ancient bridge discovered in a Spanish cave reveals about early human settlement.” ScienceDaily. 2024.  “Mallorca Facts.” Mallorca.com. Nd.   Nuclear Clock   “A nuclear clock prototype hints at ultraprecise timekeeping.” by Emily Conover. 2024.  “How Does the NIST-7 Atomic Clock Work?” by Bruce Morser. 2012.  “A new ultrafast laser emits pulses of light 30 billion times a second.” by Emily Conover. 2018.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about an injectable pacemaker that dissolves after 5 days, how a black hole is starving a galaxy to death, and the bats with record-high blood sugar levels.   Injectable Pacemaker  “Injectable pacemaker regulates heartbeat for 5 days then dissolves.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “In situ assembly of an injectable cardiac stimulator.” by Umut Aydemir, et al. 2024.  “Arrythmia.” Cleveland Clinic. N.d.   Black Hole Starves  “Astronomers detect black hole ‘starving’ its host galaxy to death.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “A fast-rotator post-starburst galaxy quenched by supermassive black-hole feedback at z=3.” by Francesco D’Eugenio, et al. 2024.   Bat Blood Sugar  “Sugar assimilation underlying dietary evolution of Neotropical bats.” by Jasmin Camacho, et al. 2024.  “Some bats are surviving and thriving with blood sugar levels that would be lethal for other mammals.” Stowers Institute for Medical Research. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the new air conditioner that cools without conditioning the air, how understanding our false memories can be a window into our problem solving skills, and a study examining the grieving of cats.   AC Not Conditioned    “Device provides air conditioning without conditioning air.” by Ellen Phiddian. 2024.  “A pure radiant cooling device for ‘air conditioning’ without conditioning air.” by Xinyao Zheng, et al. 2024.  “2023 was the warmest year in the modern temperature record.” by NOAA Centers for Environmental Information. 2024.   False Memories  “False memories revealing mathematical reasoning.” University of Geneva. 2024.  “Revealing mental representations of arithmetic word problems through false memories: New insights into semantic congruence.” by H. Gros, et al. 2024.   Cat Grief  “Cats appear to grieve death of fellow pets - even dogs, study finds.” by Hannah Devlin. 2024.  “A Brief History of House Cats.” by David Zax. 2007.  “Is companion animal loss cat-astrophic? Responses of domestic cats to the loss of another companion animal.” by Brittany Greene & Jennifer Vonk. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new tool that maps out our incredibly complex gut microbiome to tell you if it’s healthy or… not so much, how metalworkers are taking lessons from insects to shape metal at room temperature, and the psychology behind our feelings toward unusually colored animals.   Microbiome Map  “Mayo researchers develop tool that measures health of a person’s gut microbiome.” by Susan Murphy. 2024.  “Gut Microbiome Wellness Index 2 enhances health status predictions from gut microbiome taxonomic profiles.” by Daniel Chang, et al. 2024.   Insect Metalwork  “Room temperature metalworking inspired by insects and crab shells.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “Shrimp shells to serve as the basis for new multi-protective coatings.” by David Szondy. 2020.  “A Biological Approach to Metalworking Based on Chitinous Colloids and Composites.” by Shiwei Ng, et al. 2024.   Animal Colors  “How color shapes which animals we fear - and which we protect.” by Kara Manke. 2024.  “Of Rarity and Symbolism: Understanding Human Perceptions of Charismatic Color Morphs.” by Tyus D. Williams, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the mushrooms that are controlling the movements of robots, how horses might be a lot smarter than we thought, and what makes a strongman… strong.   Mushroom Robot  “Engineers Gave a Mushroom a Robot Body And Let It Run Wild.” by Mike Grace. 2024.  “Mushrooms as Nature’s Alchemists: Cycles, Connections, Healing, and Vision.” by Dana O’Driscoll. 2023.  “Fungi May Be Communicating in a Way That Looks Uncannily Like Human Speech.” by David Nield. 2022.  “‘Cyborg Soil’ Unearths a Complex Web of Hidden Microbial Cities.” by Edith Hammer. 2021.  “Mushrooms Appear to Have Electrical ‘Conversations’ After It Rains.” by Russell McLendon. 2023.  “Sensorimotor control of robots mediated by electrophysiological measurements of fungal mycelia.” by Anand Kumar Mishra, et al. 2024.   Horse Smarts   “Horses can plan ahead and think strategically, scientists find.” by Donna Ferguson. 2024.   “Horses can plan and strategise, new study shows.” by Jacqueline Howard. 2024.  “Whoa, No-Go: Evidence consistent with model-based strategy use in horses during an inhibitory task.” by Louise Evans, et al. 2024.   Strongman Muscles  “Strongman’s muscles reveal the secrets of his super-strength.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “11 Things That Weight [sic] Around 1000 lbs (pounds).” by Niklas. 2024.  “Muscle and tendon morphology of a world strongman and deadlift champion.” by Thomas G. Balshaw, et al. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the massive new study that suggests cell phones don’t cause cancer as some feared, a fluffy orange fungus that could one day turn your food waste into dinner, and how scientists are helping crocodiles refine their tastes.   Phones & Brain Cancer    “Mobile phones are not linked to brain cancer, according to a major review of 28 years of research.” by Sarah Loughran & Ken Karipidis. 2024.  “Brain tumour risk in relation to mobile telephone use: results of the INTERPHONE international case-control study.” International Journal of Epidemiology. 2010.  “Mobile phone use and incidence of brain tumour histological types, grading or anatomical location: a population-based ecological study.” by Ken Karipidis, et al. 2018.   Fungus Food  “A fluffy, orange fungus could transform food waste into tasty dishes.” by Anna Gibbs. 2024.  “Neurospora intermedia from a traditional fermented food enables waste-to-food conversion.” by Vayu Maini Rekdal, et al. 2024.   Crocs & Toads   “Taste aversion training can educate free-ranging crocodiles against toxic invaders.” by Georgia Ward-Fear, et al. 2024.  “Introduction of cane toads.” National Museum of Australia. 2023.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how to sync up clocks on Earth with clocks on the moon, a nanoparticle that could help relieve stubborn allergies, and the culture of birds.   Moon Clock   “Researchers figure out how to keep clocks on the Earth, Moon in sync.” by John Timmer. 2024.  “The Relativistic Framework to Estimate Clock Rates on the Moon.” by Neil Ashby & Bijunath R. Patla. 2024.   Meat Allergy  “Tick-borne red meat allergy prevented in mice through new nanoparticle treatment.” by Jim Lynch. 2024.  “TAK-101 Nanoparticles Induce Gluten-Specific Tolerance in Celiac Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.” by Ciaran P. Kelly, et al. 2021.   Bird Culture  “When birds build nests, they’re also building a culture.” by Nell Greenfieldboyce. 2024.  “Social learning in nest-building birds: a role for familiarity.” by Lauren M. Guillette, et al. 2016.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a record-breaking deep drill into the Earth’s mantle, the new science behind the ancient Chinese diagnostic practice of tongue examination, and how a new discovery at Stonehenge is opening up yet more mysteries.   Mantle Drill  “Geologists drill 1.2 km into rare rocks from Earth’s mantle.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “Internal Structure of Earth: Crust, Mantle & Core, Discontinuities.” Rau’s IAS. 2024. “Earth’s layers: Exploring our planet inside and out.” by Daisy Dobrijevic. 2023.  “A long section of serpentinized depleted mantle peridotite.” by C. Johan Lissenberg, et al.   Tongue Exam  “Say ‘aah’ and get a diagnosis on the spot: is this the future of health?” University of South Australia. 2024.  “Tongue Disease Prediction Based on Machine Learning Algorithms.” by Ali Raad Hassoon, et al. 2024.   Stonehenge Discovery  “Stonehenge’s Strangest Rock Came From 500 Miles Away.” by Meghan Bartels. 2024.  “A Scottish provenance for the Altar Stone of Stonehenge.” by Anthony J. I. Clarke, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new groundbreaking bionic leg, the problem with first impressions, and new tech that can detect microplastics in water in milliseconds.   Bionic Leg   “Bionic leg makes walking quicker and easier for amputees, trial shows.” by Hannah Devlin. 2024.  “5.6 Million++ Americans are Living with Limb Loss and Limb Difference: New Study Published.” Amputee Coalition. 2024.  “Agonist-antagonist Myoneural Interface (AMI).” MIT Media Lab. N.D.  “Continuous neural control of a bionic limb restores biomimetic gait after amputation.” by Hyungeun Song, et al. 2024.   First Impressions  “How first impressions can trap us into making suboptimal decisions.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Missing out by pursuing rewarding outcomes: Why initial biases can lead to persistent suboptimal choices.” by Chris Harris, et al. 2023.   Nanoplastic Detection  “Cutting-edge technology detects nanoplastics in water - instantly.” McGill. 2024.  “Scientists find about a quarter million invisible nanoplastic particles in a liter of bottled water.” by Seth Borenstein. 2024.  “Nanoplastics in Water: Artificial Intelligence-Assisted 4D Physicochemical Characterization and Rapid In Situ Detection.” by Zi Wang, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the smart soil that gives plants a massive boost even when they’re watered less, how our love of certain odors could be more nurture than nature, and a moss that could one day fill greenhouses on Mars.  Smart Soil   “‘Smart soil’ grows 138% bigger crops using 40% less water.” by Michael Irving. 2024.  “Climate Change Indicators: Drought.” EPA. 2024.  “Water for Prosperity and Peace.” Unesco. 2024.  “Self-watering SMAG-soil pulls moisture from the air.” by Ben Coxworth. 2020.  “Self-Irrigation and Slow-Release Fertilizer Hydrogels for Sustainable Agriculture.” by Jungjoon Park, et al. 2024.   Smell Preferences  “Do you smell what I smell? New study reveals surprising variability in odor preferences.” by Mane Kara-Yakoubian. 2024.  “Is the perception of odour pleasantness shared across cultures and ecological conditions? Evidence from Amazonia, East Africa, New Guinea, Malaysia, and Poland.” by Piotr Sorokowski, et al. 2024.   Mars Moss  “Scientists find desert moss ‘that can survive on Mars’.” by Nicola Davis. 2024.  “The extremotolerant desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising pioneer plant for colonizing extraterrestrial environments.” by Xiaoshuang Li, et al. 2024.  “This desert moss has the potential to grow on Mars.” Science News. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the first ever total larynx transplant that gave one cancer patient his voice back, a new way to conduct gold-standard sleep studies without all the wires, and how a new discovery is changing the way scientists understand the mammalian brain.   Larynx Transplant  “Mayo Clinic marks medical milestone with world’s first known successful total larynx transplant performed in a patient with an active cancer as part of a clinical trial.” EureAlert! 2024.  “Total Laryngeal Transplantation in the Setting of Active Laryngeal Malignancy.” by David G. Lott, MD, et al. 2024.  “Laryngeal Cancer Data.” Iowa Health & Human Services. 2024.   Sleep Studies  “Sleep studies simplified: Gold-standard results with far less wiring.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Cardiosomnography: ECG-only sleep studies.” Cardiosomnography.com. 2024.   Mammal Brains  “Co-evolutionary dynamics of mammalian brain and body size.” by Chris Venditti, et al. 2024.  “Brain size riddle solved as humans exceed evolution trend.” Durham University. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the so-called super synchronizers who are super attractive to potential partners, a new quantum compass that could one day replace GPS, and how a rare seabird rides out tropical cyclones.   Super Synchronizers    “Scientists discover ‘Super Synchronizers’ with heightened romantic appeal.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Social and nonsocial synchrony are interrelated and romantically attractive.” by M. Cohen, et al. 2024.   Quantum Compass  “‘It’s the perfect place’: London Underground hosts tests for ‘quantum compass’ that could replace GPS.” by Robin McKie. 2024.  “Quantum ‘compass’ could allow navigation without relying on satellites.” by Hayley Dunning, et al. 2018.  “What Is GPS and how do global positioning systems work?” Geotab. 2024.   Seabirds & Cyclones  “Groundbreaking study reveals oceanic seabirds chase tropical cyclones.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Oceanic seabirds chase tropical cyclones.” by Francesco Ventura, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new way for doctors to use neural networks - or AI - to figure out the risks of organ transplants in individual patients, a new fabric that is - literally - cool, and how serotonin affects fertility.   Rejection Prediction  “Decoding the hallmarks of allograft dysfunction with a comprehensive pan-organ transcriptomic atlas.” by Harry Robertson, et al. 2024.  “History of transplantation.” UNOS. n.d.   Cool Fabric  “New fabric makes urban heat islands more bearable.” by Paul Dailing. 2024.  “Spectrally engineered textile for radiative cooling against urban heat islands.” by Ronghui Wu, et al. 2024.   Serotonin & Fertility  “Intriguing connection found between serotonin and fertility.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Raphne glucose-sensing serotonergic neurons stimulate KNDy neurons to enhance LH pulses via 5HT2CR: rat and goat studies.” by Sho Nakamura, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how an existing blood pressure drug might prevent epilepsy, the pint-sized 3D printer that can print inside your body, and why doing something kind for someone else can be a boost for your own well-being.    Epilepsy Preventer   “Epilepsy risk drops up to 30% on existing blood pressure drugs.” by Paul McClure. 2024.  “Types of Blood Pressure Medications.” Heart.org. 2024.  “The epidemiology of epilepsy in older adults: A narrative review by the ILAE Task Force on Epilepsy in the Elderly.” by Ettore Beghi, et al. 2023.  “Seizures and Epilepsy After Stroke: Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Management.” by Marian Galovic, et al. 2021.  “The role of inflammation in the development of epilepsy.” by Amna Rana & Alberto E. Musto. 2018.   Tiny 3D Printer  “This 3-D printer can fit in the palm of your hand.” by Claire Yuan. 2024.  “Silicon-photonics-enabled chip-based 3D printer.” by Sabrina Corsetti, et al. 2024.   Acts of Kindness  “New psychology research shows acts of kindness predict seven types of well-being.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Everyday acts of kindness predict greater well-being during the transition to university.” by Tiara A. Cash, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the part of the brain that keeps us focused on our goals - even when it would be better to quit, a massive discovery of lost wheat genes that could help feed a crowded planet, and the new wearable technology that could diagnose disease by monitoring your sweat.   Sunk Cost Fallacy   “The neuroscience behind the sunk cost fallacy: Key brain region identified.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Goal commitment is supported by vmPFC through selective attention.” by Eleanor Holton, et al. 2024.   Wheat Genes “Hidden genetic treasure: wheat discovery could sustainably feed global population.” University of Bristol. 2024.  “The A.E. Watkins landrace collection of bread wheat: Who was AE Watkins?” John Innes Centre. 2024.  “Harnessing landrace diversity empowers wheat breeding.” by Shifeng Cheng, et al. 2024.   Sweat Monitor “Sweat health monitor measures levels of disease markers.” by Tina Hilding. 2024.  “3D-Printed Flexible Microfluidic Health Monitor for In Situ Sweat Analysis and Biomarker Detection.” by Chuchu Chen, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the amazing transformative power of an out-of-body experience, how scientists want to use brain cells to do their computing, and a study that suggests eating cheese might make you live longer.   Out-Of-Body Experience   “Exploring the transformative potential of out-of-body experiences: A pathway to enhanced empathy.” by Marina Weiler, et al. 2024.  “Out of body experiences and their neural basis.” by Olaf Blanke. 2004.   Brain Cell Computing  “Open and remotely accessible Neuroplatform for research in wetware computing.” by Fred D. Jordan, et al. 2024.  “Neuromorphic wetware for artificial neural networks that overcome the limits of traditional computer hardware.” Innovation Toronto. 2023.  “How Many Joules Does My Surge Protector Need?” by Karenann Brow. 2024.   Cheese & Aging   “Eating cheese plays a role in healthy, happy aging - who are we to argue?” by Bronwyn Thompson. 2024.  “Mendelian randomization evidence for the causal effect of mental well-being on healthy aging.” by Chao-Jie Ye, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how moms helped us evolve to live longer, the jumping leeches of Madagascar, and how cities affect bird diversity.   Maternal Bonds  “Mothers’ care is central factor in animal, human longevity.” by Caitlin Hayes. 2024.  “Why Humans Live So Long.” by Heather Pringle. 2013.  “Maternal care leads to the evolution of long, slow lives.” by Matthew N. Zipple, et al. 2024.   Jumping Leeches  “A jumping terrestrial leech from Madagascar.” by Mai Fahmy & Michael Tessler. 2024.  “New leech-like device to suck blood for sampling instead of needling.” by Shubhangi Dua. 2024.  “100-year-old mystery solved as first jumping leech found in Madagascar.” People Movers. 2024.   Urban Birds  “Dense city centers support less evolutionary unique bird communities than sparser urban areas.” by Federico Morelli, et al. 2024.  “2.5 The Impact Of Urban Greenspace On Bird Populations.” by Kristin J. Harpster. N.d.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the effect of space on our kidneys, how a simple display of pride can win a fight, and bad news for artists we know bad things about.   Kidneys & Space    “Would astronauts’ kidneys survive a roundtrip to Mars?” UCL. 2024.  “Cosmic kidney disease: an integrated pan-omic, physiological and morphological study into spaceflight-induced renal dysfunction.” by Keith Siew, et al. 2024.   Boxing Pride  “Pride displays can sway perceptions of victory in evenly matched boxing fights.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “The effects of nonverbal pride and skill on judgements of victory and social influence: a boxing study.” by Jason P. Martens & Lucy Doytchinova. 2024.   Art & The Artist  “Art perception is affected by negative knowledge about famous and unknown artists.” by Hannah Kaube & Rasha Abdel Rahman. 2024.  “The role of expertise and culture in visual art appreciation.” by Kohinoor M. Darda & Emily S. Cross. 2022.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a potential breakthrough in stroke detection, how AI could help put a lid on online hate speech and create safer spaces, and the delicious development of healthier chocolate.   Stroke Blood Test   “Researchers develop ‘game-changing’ blood test for stroke detection.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Large Vessel Occlusion in Acute Stroke.” by Lena-Alexandra Beume, et al. 2018.  “Prospective Validation of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein, D-Dimer, and Clinical Scales for Acute Large-Vessel Occlusion Ischemic Stroke Detection.” by Yasir Durrani, et al. 2024.   Hate Speech Monitoring   “AI saving humans from the emotional toll of monitoring hate speech.” by Media Relations, University of Waterloo. 2024.  “Multi-Modal Discussion Transformer: Integrating Text, Images and Graph Transformers to Detect Hate Speech on Social Media.” by Liam Hebert, et al. 2024.   Healthy Chocolate  “Scientists develop method of making healthier, more sustainable chocolate.” by Ajit Niranjan. 2024.  “Valorization of cocoa pod side streams improves nutritional and sustainability aspects of chocolate.” by Kim Mishra, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about AI that can detect wildfires from space, why going to bed late might not be so great on your mental health, and a breakthrough in recycling.   Space Firefighting  “Fighting fires from space in record time: how AI could prevent a repeat of Australia’s devastating wildfires.” University of Southern Australia. 2024.  “Fire detection from space.” YouTube Video, University of South Australia. 2024.  “Number of wildfires to rise by 50% by 2100 and governments are not prepared, experts warn.” UN. 2022.  “Onboard AI for Fire Smoke Detection Using Hyperspectral Imagery: An Emulation for the Upcoming Kanyini Hyperscout-2 Mission.” by Sha Lu, et al. 2024.   Sleep Schedules   “Perils of the nighttime: Impact of behavioral timing and preference on mental health in 73,888 community-dwelling adults.” by Renske Lok, et al. 2024.  “Dictionary of Circadian Physiology.” Circadian.org. N.d.  “Circadian Rhythm.” by Lucy Bryan & Dr. Lulu Guo. 2024.   Polystyrene  “New polystyrene recycling process could be world’s first to be both economical and energy-efficient.” University of Bath. 2024.  “Thermodynamic and economic analysis of a deployable and scalable process to recover Monomer-Grade styrene from waste polystyrene.” by Madison R. Reed, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how a simple walk through nature could make you want to eat healthier foods, a new finding that T.rexes might not have been as cognitively advanced as we thought, and the sheath that keeps sawfish from doing battle in the womb.   Nature & Healthy Food    “Experiencing nature seems to have an important impact on food choices.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  https://www.psypost.org/experiencing-nature-seems-to-have-an-important-impact-on-food-choices/ “Experiencing nature leads to healthier food choices.” by Maria Langlois & Pierre Chandon. 2024.  https://www.nature.com/articles/s44271-024-00072-x  T.Rex Intelligence    “T. rex not as smart as previously claimed, scientists find.” University of Bristol. 2024.  https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2024/april/t-rex-not-as-smart.html “How smart was T. rex? Testing claims of exceptional cognition in dinosaurs and the application of neuron count estimates in palaeontological research.” by Kai R. Caspar, et al.  https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.25459  Baby Sawfish   “A built-in pocket protector keeps sawfish from ‘sword fighting’ in the womb.” by Natalie van Hoose. 2024.  https://www.sciencenews.org/article/stops-sawfish-from-sword-fighting-womb “Smalltooth Sawfish.” Oceana. N.d.  https://oceana.org/marine-life/smalltooth-sawfish/ “Morphology, composition, and deterioration of the embryonic rostral sheath of the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata).” by Gregg R. Poulakis, et al. 2024.  https://fisherybulletin.nmfs.noaa.gov/content/morphology-composition-and-deterioration-embryonic-rostral-sheath-smalltooth-sawfish  Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new method to cryopreserve parts of the brain for later use, the personality changes that happen after organ transplants, and how fungicides cause dangerous fungi to self-destruct.  Cryopreservation  “Effective cryopreservation of human brain tissue and neural organoids.” by Weiwei Xue, et al. 2024.  “Brain organoids: Establishment and application.” by Hao Chen, et al. 2022.   Personality Transplant  “Personality Changes Associated with Organ Transplants.” by Brian Carter, et al. 2024.  https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3943/5/1/2 “Does changing the heart mean changing personality? A retrospective inquiry on 47 heart transplant patients.” by B Bunzel, et al. 1992.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1299456/  Fungal Azoles  “Azoles activate type I and type II programmed cell death pathways in crop pathogenic fungi.” by Martin Schuster, et al. 2024.  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48157-9 “Leaf Blotch Disease of Wheat - Septoria tritici Blotch, Stagonospora nodorum Blotch and Tan Spot.” by Jorge David Selgado & Pierce A. Paul. 2016.  https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/plpath-cer-07  Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about why giving babies foods with peanuts could crack the peanut allergy problem, a wild discovery of cancer treatment 4,000 years ago, and the sneaky way cuckoos evolve to look like other birds so they can live in their nests.   Peanut Allergy   “Giving young children peanut products cuts allergy risk, study finds.” by Ian Sample. 2024.  “Peanut Allergies.” Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. 2024.  “Follow-up to Adolescence after Early Peanut Introduction for Allergy Prevention.” by George Du Toit, et al. 2024.   Ancient Cancer Treatment   “‘Extraordinary’ 4,000-year-old Egyptian skull may show signs of attempts to treat cancer.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Case report: Boundaries of oncological and traumatological medical care in ancient Egypt: new palaeopathological insights from two human skulls.” by Tatiana Tondini, et al. 2024.   Cuckoo Evolution  “Cuckoos evolve to look like their hosts - and form new species in the process.” University of Cambridge. 2024.  “Cuckoo guide: why they call ‘cuckoo’, how they trick other birds, and where they go in winter.” by Megan Shersby. 2022.  “Coevolution with hosts underpins speciation in brood-parasitic cuckoos.” by N.E. Langmore, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the lifelong learning of chimps, a mysterious strange signal from space, and the possible treatment for depression that involves heating up the body.   Chimp Tools    “Chimps are lifelong learners, study on tool use shows.” by Charles Mpaka. 2024.  “Protracted development of stick tool use skills extends into adulthood in wild western chimpanzees.” by Mathieu Malherbe, et al. 2024.   Space Radio   “A strange intermittent radio signal from space has astronomers puzzled.” by Manisha Caleb & Emil Lenc. 2024.  “An emission-state-switching radio transient with a 54-minute period.” by M. Caleb, et al. 2024.   Hyperthermia Treatment   “Whole-body hyperthermia shows promising antidepressant effects through anti-inflammatory pathways.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “The antidepressant effect of whole-body hyperthermia is associated with the classical interleukin-6 signaling pathway.” by Naoise Mac Giollabhui, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how when chimpanzees can’t figure out how to do something they get their friends to teach them, a potential breakthrough in the fight against breast cancer, and how singing repairs the brain after a stroke.  Chimpanzee Learning  “Chimpanzees use social information to acquire a skill they fail to innovate.” by Edwin J. C. van Leeuwen, et al. 2024.  “Like Humans, Bumblebees and Chimpanzees Can Pass on Their Skills to Form ‘Cumulative Culture’.” by Cristen Hemingway Jaynes. 2024.   Breast Cancer Gel   “Scientists make potential breast cancer breakthrough after preserving tissue in gel.” by Matthew Weaver. 2024.  “Breast cancer statistics.” Cancer Research UK. n.d.   Singing Brain Repair  “Singing repairs the language network of the brain after a cerebrovascular accident.” University of Helsinki. 2024.  “Vocal music boosts the recovery of language functions after stroke.” University of Helsinki. 2021.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the remarkable social memory of chimps, the gut bacteria that could help fight cancer, and how gene therapy might one day help you out with that pesky lower back pain.   Chimp Memory  “Chimps Can Still Remember Faces After a Quarter Century.” by Carl Zimmer. 2023.  “Bonobos and chimpanzees remember familiar conspecifics for decades.” by Laura S. Lewis, et al. 2023.   Bacterial Tumor Killer  “Gut bacteria boost immune response to fight tumors.” by Marta Wegorzewska. 2024.  “The Human Microbiome and Its Impacts on Health.” by Grace A. Ogunrinola, et al. 2020.   Gene Disc Repair  “Gene therapy relieves back pain, repairs damaged disc in mice.” by Emily Caldwell. 2024.  “Increased Frequency of Low Back Pain in Recent Times: Does the Answer Lie in COVID-19?” by Sreedhar Sathu, et al. 2023.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the surprising prevalence of heart abnormalities in elite athletes, how an oxytocin nasal spray might help with chronic loneliness, and a discovery that could help doctors diagnose a disease just by looking at your fingernails.   Elite Athlete Hearts    “Why are elite athletes prone to abnormal heart rhythms?” by Jennifer Couzin-Frankel. 2024.  “2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Join Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines.” by Jose A. Joglar, et al. 2023.  “Stroke in endurance athletes with atrial fibrillation.” by Marius Myrstad, et al. 2020.   Oxytocin & Loneliness   “Can oxytocin help against loneliness?” Uni-Bonn. 2024.  “Modulating Social Behavior with Oxytocin: How does it work? What does it mean?” by Patricia S. Churchland & Piotr Winkielman. 2011.  “Relationship Between Loneliness, Psychiatric Disorders and Physical Health? A Review on the Psychological Aspects of Loneliness.” by Raheel Mushtaq, et al. 2014.  “Oxytocin-Augmented Modular-Based Group Intervention for Loneliness: A Proof-Of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial.” by Ruben Berger, et al. 2024.   Nail Diagnosis  “Benign nail condition linked to rare syndrome that greatly increases cancer risk.” NIH. 2024.  “Long Term Follow-up of Mesothelioma Patients and Their Family Members With Germline Mutations in BAP1 and Other Genes.” Study. 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about what goes on in our brains when we sleepwalk, how playing video games might actually help us navigate the world IRL, and the endurance hunting of traditional societies.   Sleepwalker Brain   “Scientists Discover What’s Happening Inside a Sleepwalker’s Brain.” by Rhianna-lily Smith. 2024.  “Shared EEG correlates between non-REM parasomnia experiences and dreams.” by Jacinthe Cataldi, et al. 2024.  “Consciousness and cortical responsiveness: a within-state study during non-rapid eye movement.” by Jaakko O. Nieminen, et al. 2016.  “Parasomnia: what happens inside a sleepwalker’s brain?” Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience. 2024.   Games & Navigation  “Playing video games linked to enhanced wayfinding abilities.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Sea Hero Quest.” Spiers Lab. n.d.  “5 facts about Americans and video games.” by Andrew Perrin. 2018.  “Video gaming, but not reliance on GPS, is associated with spatial navigation performance.” by Emre Yavuz, et al. 2024  Endurance Hunting  “Born to run? Endurance running may have evolved to help humans chase down prey.” by Kermit Pattison. 2024.  “Ethnography and ethnohistory support the efficiency of hunting through endurance running in humans.” by Eugene Morin & Bruce Winterhalder. 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a breakthrough in the effort to create a vaccine for HIV, how engineers are turning carbon dioxide into useful products, and the silk fabric that could one day make your clothes noise-canceling.   HIV Vaccine  “A Trial HIV Vaccine Triggered Elusive and Essential Antibodies in Humans.” Duke Health. 2024.  “The impact of antiretroviral treatment on mortality trends of HIV-positive adults in rural Uganda: a longitudinal population-based study, 1999-2009.” by Ivan Kasamba, et al. 2012.   CO2 New Uses  “Engineers find a new way to convert carbon dioxide into useful products.” by Anne Trafton. 2024.  “Highly Efficient Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction via DNA-Directed Catalyst Immobilization.” by Gang Fan, et al. 2024.   No Noise Fabric  “Single Layer Silk and Cotton Woven Fabrics for Acoustic Emission and Active Sound Suppression.” by Grace H. Yang, et al. 2024.  “How Piezoelectricity Works to Make Crystals Conduct Electric Current.” by Edwin Robledo. 2023.  https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/blog/piezoelectricity/  Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about people who lack an inner voice, how yoga could help cancer survivors defog their minds, and the newly discovered hormone that is connected to promiscuous behavior in mice.   No Inner Voice   “People without an inner voice have poorer verbal memory.” University of Copenhagen. 2024.  “Not Everybody Has an Inner Voice: Behavioral Consequences of Anendophasia.” by Johanne S. K. Nedergaard & Gary Lupyan. 2024.   Yoga & Brain Health  “Yoga shows ‘most improvement’ in restoring brain health in long-term cancer survivors, Northeastern researcher says.” by Cynthia McCormick Hibbert. 2024.  “Management of Cancer-related Cognitive Dysfunction - Conceptualization Challenges and Implications for Clinical Research and Practice.” by Pascal Jean-Pierre. 2010.  “Yoga improves self-reported cognitive function among cancer survivors: results from the STAYFit trial.” by Neha P. Gothe, et al. 2024.   Monogamous Mice  “Some mice have a cheating heart. It’s a hormonal thing, scientists find.” by Mark Johnson. 2024.  “History of Adrenal Research: From Ancient Anatomy to Contemporary Molecular Biology.” by Walter L. Miller & Perrin C. White. 2023.  “Monogamy Rare In the Wild.” by Alisa Opar. 2013.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a gel that stops alcohol from making you drunk and harming your liver, the ancient viruses of Yellowstone hot springs, and the song that tiger beetles sing to confuse bats.   Anti-Drunk Gel  “Anti-intoxicant gel keeps alcohol out of the bloodstream.” by Ben Coxworth. 2024.  “Single-site iron-anchored amyloid hyrdrogels as catalytic platforms for alcohol detoxification.” by Jiaqi Su, et al. 2024.   Hot Spring Viruses  “Hot springs viruses at Yellowstone National Park have ancient origins and are adapted to thermophilic hosts.” by L. Felipe Benites, et al. 2024.  “Yellowstone’s Best Geothermal Features.” by Amelia Mayer. 2023.  “Hot Springs.” National Park Service. 2017.   Tiger Beetles  “Tiger beetles fight off bat attacks with ultrasonic mimicry.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Echolocation.” Neighbourhood Bat Watch. N.d.  “Tiger beetles produce anti-bat ultrasound and are probably Batesian moth mimics.” by Harlan M. Gough, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new anxiety-free way to collect blood samples modeled on the sucking power of leeches, the super carbon-gobbling power of blue-green algae, and a new understanding of how asthma happens - and maybe how to stop it.   Leeches & Blood Tests  “Blood diagnostics modeled on leeches.” by Fabio Bergamin. 2024.  “Prevalence, causes, impacts, and management of needle phobia: An international survey of a general adult population.” by Kimberly Alsbrooks & Klaus Hoerauf. 2022.  “ A Bioinspired and Cost-Effective Device for Minimally Invasive Blood Sampling.” by Nicole Zoratto, et al. 2024.   Algae & Carbon  “Scientists unlock key to breeding ‘carbon gobbling’ plants with a major appetite.” Scimex. 2024.  “Light and carbon: Synthetic biology toward new cyanobacteria-based living biomaterials.” by Isabella M. Goodchild-Michelman, et al. 2023.  “Cyanobacterial a-carboxysome carbonic anhydrase is allosterically regulated by the Rubisco substrate RuBP.” by Sacha B. Pulsford, et al. 2024.   Asthma Cause  “Chronic asthma could be caused by cell overcrowding in the airways.” by Monique Brouillette. 2024.  “Asthma Surveillance Data.” CDC. 2021. “Bronchoconstriction damages airway epithelial by crowding-induced excess cell extrusion.” by Dustin C. Bagley, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a groundbreaking new treatment for hair loss caused by autoimmune skin disease, a condition that affects the imagination, and the gadget that will put a cold brew coffee in your cup in minutes instead of hours.  Hair Loss Treatment  “New treatment could reverse hair loss caused by an autoimmune skin disease.” by Anne Trafton. 2024.  “Microneedle-mediated Delivery of Immunomodulators Restores Immune Privilege in Hair Follicles and Reverses Immune-Mediated Alopecia.” by Nour Younis, et al. 2024.   Aphantasia  “Aphantasia linked to abnormal brain responses to imagined and observed actions.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “What It’s Like to Be ‘Mind Blind’.” by Nayantara Dutta. 2022.  “Explicit and implicit motor simulations are impaired in individuals with aphantasia.” by William Dupont, et al. 2024.   Ultrasound Coffee  “Cold brew coffee in under 3 minutes? Ultrasound makes it possible.” by Paul Ridden. 2024.  “Laser-extracted cold-brew coffee could be a Monday-morning game changer.” by Loz Blain. 2022.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the possible link between asthma, ADHD, and income in children, how whale communication is much more complex than we thought, and the secret lithium hidden away for millions of years under Pennsylvania.  Asthma & ADHD   “ADHD, asthma, and economic hardship: New research suggests a causal pathway.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Associations between symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, socioeconomic status and asthma in children.” by Makiko Omura, et al. 2024.   Whale Codas  “Contextual and combinatorial structure in sperm whale vocalizations.” by Pratyusha Sharma, et al. 2024.  “Behaviors: Communicating.” Sperm Whales: Dominica. 2018.  Hidden Lithium  “Estimates of lithium mass yields from produced water sourced from the Devonian-aged Marcellus Shale.” by Justin Mackey. 2024.  “The Middle Devonian.” Palaeos. 2000.  Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about an accidental discovery of a dial in the brainstem that controls the body’s inflammation level, how centipedes might offer a treatment for kidney disease, and the problem with bringing back our deceased loved ones using AI.  Brainstem Dial   “Found: the dial in the brain that controls the immune system.” by Giorgia Guglielmi. 2024.  “Your brain could be controlling how sick you get - and how you recover.” by Diana Kwon. 2023.  “Tissues, not blood, are where immune cells function.” by Donna L. Farber. 2021.   Centipedes & Kidneys  “Centipedes used in traditional Chinese medicine offer leads for kidney treatment.” ACS. 2024.  “Giant Redheaded Centipede.” Missouri Department of Conservation. 2024. “Structurally Diverse Alkaloids with Anti-Renal-Fibrosis Activity from the Centipede Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans.” by Bin-Yuan Hu, et al. 2024.   AI Ghosts  “Call for safeguards to prevent unwanted ‘hauntings’ by AI chatbots of dead loved ones.” University of Cambridge. 2024.  “Griefbots, Deadbots, Postmortem Avatars: on Responsible Applications of Generative AI in the Digital Afterlife Industry.” by Tomasz Hollanek & Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basinska. 2024.  “Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence.” LCFI. 2024.  Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how sleep isn’t the brain detoxifier we thought it was, a new glass made out of bamboo, and the connection between leprosy and red squirrels in medieval England.   Sleeping Brain  “Sleep does not help brain wash out toxins, study suggests.” by Hannah Devlin. 2024.  “The sleep-deprived human brain.” by Adam J. Krause, et al. 2017.  “Brain clearance is reduced during sleep and anesthesia.” by Andawei Miao, et al. 2024.   Bamboo Glass  “A Novel Flame-Retardant, Smoke-Suppressing, and Superhydrophobic Transparent Bamboo.” by Jiahui Su, et al. 2024.  “Glass Transmittance.” Linshang Technology. 2020.  “Is Bamboo Sustainable? All You Need to Know About Eco-Friendly Bamboo.” by Raf Chomsky. 2023.   Leprosy & Squirrels  “In medieval England, leprosy spread between red squirrels and people, genome evidence shows.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Ancient Mycobacterium leprae genome reveals medieval English red squirrels as animal leprosy host.” by Christian Urban, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about how reading fiction could make you smarter, the first ever likely transmission of bird flu from a cow to a human, and how a beluga whale communicates with its squishy head.  Fiction Readers    “People who read a lot of fiction tend to have better cognitive skills, study finds.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Cognitive effects and correlates of reading fiction: Two preregistered multilevel meta-analyses.” by Lena Wimmer, et al. 2024.   Bird Flu Transmission  “Texas dairy farm worker’s case may be first where bird flu virus spread from mammal to human, scientists say.” by Helen Branswell. 2024.  “Bird Flu Detections Reporting in Backyard and Commercial Birds.” CDC. 2024.  “Avian Influenza.” World Organization For Animal Health. 2023. “Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infection in a Dairy Farm Worker.” by Timothy M. Uyeki, M.D., M.P.H., et al. 2024.   Beluga Heads  “Belugas may communicate by warping a blob of forehead fat.” by Elizabeth Anne Brown. 2024.  “Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) create facial displays during social interactions by changing the shape of their melons.” by Justin T. Richard, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a new and stimulating method that could potentially help smokers kick the habit, an innovative copper coating that kills bacteria on touchscreens, and the little birds that sometimes make for great stepdads.   Tobacco Treatment  “Can brain stimulation help people kick their tobacco addiction?” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Why Won’t Our Patients Stop Smoking?” by David M. Mannino, MD. 2009.  “A randomized controlled trial of intermittent theta burst stimulation to the medial prefrontal cortex for tobacco use disorder: Clinical efficacy and safety.” by Merideth A. Addicott, et al. 2024.   Clean Touchscreen  “Copper coating turns touchscreens into bacteria killers.” by Ben Coxworth. 2024.  “Towards transparent and durable copper-containing antimicrobial surfaces.” by Christina Graham, et al. 2024.   Parrot Stepdads  “New animal dads often kill their stepchildren. These parrots adopt them instead.” by Virginia Morell. 2024.  “Eviction-driven infanticide and sexually selected adoption and infanticide in a neotropical parrot.” by Steven R. Beissinger & Karl S. Berg. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the demand for a compound called squalene that is decimating deepwater shark populations, an amazing effort to create an eco-friendly lubricant using green chemistry, and the surprising connection between shepherds, women, and wildfires.  Shark Oil   “Deepwater Sharks Are Threatened by Demand for Liver Oil.” by David Shiffman. 2024.  “100 Million Sharks Killed Every Year, Study Show On Eve of International Conference on Shark Protection.” National Geographic. 2013.  “Fishing for oil and meat drives irreversible defaunation of deepwater sharks and rays.” by Brittany Finucci, et al. 2024.   Eco-Friendly Lubricant  “New eco-friendly lubricant additives protect turbine equipment, waterways.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Minimizing Toxicity and Optimizing Lubricity of Ionic Liquids for Eco-Friendly Lubrication.” by Xin He, et al. 2024.   Historic Land Management  “Anthropologist documents how women and shepherds historically reduced wildfire risk in Central Italy.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Wildfires as legacies of agropastoral abandonment: Gendered litter raking and managed burning as historic fire prevention practices in the Monte Pisano of Italy.” by Andrew S. Mathews & Fabio Malfatti. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about a newly discovered deep sea ghost shark, the best way to treat prolonged grief disorder, and how the blood vessels in our brain coordinate to improve brain functioning.   Ghost Shark   “‘Ghost shark’ with enormous head and giant iridescent eyes discovered off Thailand.” by Elise Poore. 2024.  “Chimaera.” Shark Trust. 2020. “Chimaera supapae (Holocephali: Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae), a new species of chimaera from the Andaman Sea of Thailand.” by David A. Ebert, et al. 2024.   Grief Treatment  “Which therapy works best to treat prolonged grief disorder?” by Lachlan Gilbert. 2024.  “Cognitive Behavior Therapy vs Mindfulness in Treatment of Prolonged Grief Disorder.” by Richard A. Bryant, et al. 2024.  “Comparing the efficacy of mindfulness-based therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression in head-to-head randomized controlled trials: A systematic review and meta-analysis of equivalence.” by Kristine Tretto Sverre, et al. 2022.  “Prolonged Grief Disorder.” Psychology Today. N.d.  Blood Vessel Coordination  “Coordinating Blood Vessel Activity Might be Associated with Better Brain Performance.” Tohoku University. 2024.  “Plastic vasomotion entrainment.” by Daichi Sasaki, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the incredible dynamics that make the thresher shark so good at threshing, how people with a rare growth disorder might actually have an advantage that leads to longer lifespans, and why people listen to sad music.   Thresher Shark   Fear the Tails, Not the Jaws, of These ‘Weirdo’ Sharks.” by Kate Golembiewski. 2024.  “Vertebral morphology in the tail-whipping common thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus.” by Jamie L. Knaub, et al. 2024.   Laron Syndrome  “People with Rare Longevity Mutation May Also Be Protected from Cardiovascular Disease.” by Beth Newcomb. 2024.  “Normal or improved cardiovascular risk factors in IGF-I-deficient adults with growth hormone receptor deficiency.” by Jaime Guevara-Aguirre, et al. 2024.   Sad Music  “New insights into the psychological enigma of sad music.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Liking music with and without sadness: Testing the direct effect hypothesis of pleasurable negative emotion.” by Emery Schubert. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the possible holy grail of great white shark sightings, a new flu vaccine that could knock out every strain and last a long time, and a map of human consciousness.   Newborn Great White  “Great white sighting may reveal ‘holy grail’ of shark science.” by Katie Hunt. 2024.  “Novel aerial observations of a possible newborn white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) in Southern California.” by Carlos Gauna & Phillip C. Sternes. 2024.   Long-Term Flu Shot  “New strategy could lead to universal, long-lasting flu shot.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Duke University Developing Universal Flu Vaccine.” YouTube Video. 2023.  “Understanding Influenza (Flu) Infection: An Influenza Virus Binds to a Respiratory Tract Cell.” CDC. 2019.  Consciousness Map  “Brain imaging study reveals connections critical to human consciousness.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Consciousness.” by Anil Seth. n.d. “What is the Connectome Coordination Facility?” CCF. n.d.  “Stimulant Therapy Targeted to Individualized Connectivity Maps to Promote ReACTivation of Consciousness (STIMPACT).” by Brian L. Edlow, M.D.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, you’ll learn about the rare study of a hammerhead shark embryo, how touching your teammate might help them make free throws, and a super alloy that doesn’t break - it kinks.   Hammerhead Embryos  “Secrets of Hammerhead Sharks Revealed in ‘Very Rare’ Images.” by Robyn White. 2024.  “Bonnethead shark.” David A. Ebert, et al. 2021.  “Are Hammerhead Sharks Dangerous and Do They Attack Humans?” by Robyn White. 2022.  “Embryonic development in the bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), a viviparous hammerhead shark.” by Steven R. Byrum, et al. 2023.   Free Throw Touch  “Physical touch from teammates appears to improve free throw accuracy in basketball.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “The power of human touch: Physical contact improves performance in basketball free throws.” by Christiane M. Buttner, et al. 2024.   Kinky Alloy  “This Allow is Kinky.” by Aliyah Kovner. 2024.  “Kink bands promote exceptional fracture resistance in a NbTaTiHf refractory medium-entropy alloy.” by David H. Cook, et al. 2024.   Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.