Curiosity Weekly

Comedy comes in many forms, each with its own history and style. And while it may be subjective, there's still some surprising science that makes comedy what it is today. This week on the Curiosity Podcast, we talk to long-time performer and teacher Lilly Allison, an expert with a firm grasp on the history and psychology of comedy. In this episode, she explains and demonstrates comedic devices in front of a live audience at the 2017 Chicago Podcast Festival.Lilly has been involved with comedy since she was 14 yrs old. She has studied, taught, and performed improv with several organizations, including 3 years of traveling with The Second City National Touring Company. In addition to teaching stand-up and improv comedy classes, she also hosts "A Lill Annoyance Stand Up Show" series at The Annoyance Theatre in Chicago.Additional resources discussed:Lilly Allison's bioBenign Violation TheorySumerians cracked world's oldest joke"Come On And Slam" Space Jam SubredditFollow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/where-comedy-comes-from-live-from-chicago-podcast-festival Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not all music is created equally. You may love the soundtrack of your favorite film, television show, or video game just as much as you enjoy Beethoven's 9th, but you may not know how deliberately the score from your favorite form of entertainment was composed. Elliot Callighan, independent composer and sound designer, joins the Curiosity Podcast to reveal how musicians in the 21st century write for media that didn't even exist when most of history's greatest composers were alive.Elliot Calligan is a classically trained violinist and pianist, metal guitarist and electronic music enthusiast, a Soundpost Co-Chair for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Overture Council, and an adjunct faculty member in the Film & Game programs at DePaul University. His work has been featured in campaigns for United Airlines, The Chicago Advertising Federation, GMC, The Godrej Group, Chevrolet Motors, The Goodman Theatre as well as many independent films and games.Additional resources discussed:Ramova Music, Elliot's web siteNative Instruments Komplete 11 Software SuiteSpectrasonics Omnisphere 2Newzoo Global Games Market ReportMPAA Theatrical Market Statistics 2016 ReportHigh Score: How Video Games are Offering New Opportunities to Composers, Producers and OrchestrasNational Endowment for the Arts Research Report #58, January 2015Musical chord preference: cultural or universal? Data from a native Amazonian societyYour culture—not your biology—shapes your musical tasteTo learn more about this topic and many others check out Curiosity.com, download our 5-star iOS or Android app and join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music, and everywhere else podcasts are found so you don't miss an episode! Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/21st-century-composing-scoring-music-for-film-and-video-games Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renowned skeptic Dr. Steven Novella, host of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe and author of the NeuroLogica Blog, joins the Curiosity Podcast to explain how to tell the difference between reality and fantasy – and why it's sometimes hard to do so. He brings years of experience as a neuroscientist and researcher to take a look inside the minds of both skeptics and those who believe in pseudoscience and conspiracy theories.Dr. Novella is an academic neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine. In addition to his work on The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast, he is the president and co-founder of the New England Skeptical Society. His NeuroLogica science blog covers news and issues in neuroscience, but also general science, scientific skepticism, philosophy of science, critical thinking, and the intersection of science with the media and society.More from Steven Novella:The Skeptics' Guide to the UniverseNew England Skeptical SocietyNeuroLogica blogAdditional resources discussed:"The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion"The Skeptic MovementWhy Is There a Skeptical Movement?Carl Sagan's Life and Legacy as Scientist, Teacher, and SkepticScience Curiosity and Political Information Processing (Study)Bill Nye Had a Fixed View on GMOs. Then Something Happened.Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/inside-pseudoscience-and-conspiracy-theories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The institution of marriage in America appears to be struggling. Or is it? Dr. Eli Finkel's most recent research reveals that the best marriages today may in fact be the best marriages the world has ever known. A renowned relationship expert, Dr. Finkel joins the Curiosity Podcast to reveal the structure of successful marriages and explain the context needed to understand how to flourish in any serious long-term relationship.Dr. Eli Finkel, author of The All-or-Nothing Marriage, is a professor at Northwestern University, where he has appointments in the psychology department and the Kellogg School of Management. He has published more than 130 scientific articles and is a regular contributor to the Op-Ed page of The New York Times.More from Dr. Eli Finkel:Dr. Eli Finkel's website"The All-or-Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work"The Marriage Hack: Eli Finkel at TEDxUChicago"Self and Relationships: Connecting Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Processes"Additional resources discussed:Money Survey: 78% Still Think Men Should Pay for the First DateWho Pays? NerdWallet Study Finds Gender Roles Remain Strong Among CouplesMaslow's Hierarchy of Needs"The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap"Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/how-the-best-marriages-work Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The dating world has radically transformed over the last few decades. Combine advances in technology with radical changes in social roles and a rise in non-traditional relationships and sexual preferences, and you end up with a pretty confusing dating environment. Dr. Eli Finkel joins the Curiosity Podcast to discuss everything from one-night stands to Tinder to pickup artists – and everything in-between.Dr. Finkel is a social psychology professor who studies interpersonal attraction, marriage, conflict resolution, and more. He is the director of Northwestern University's Relationships and Motivation Lab and has published more than 130 scientific articles – primarily on relationships – as well as being a regular contributor to the Op-Ed page of The New York Times.More from Dr. Eli Finkel:Dr. Eli Finkel's websiteIs Romantic Desire Predictable? Machine Learning Applied to Initial Romantic Attraction (Study)Can technology bring us true love? Eli Finkel at TEDxNorthwesternU 2014"Self and Relationships: Connecting Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Processes""The All-or-Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work"Additional resources discussed:Sex at Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern RelationshipsFour Fallacies of Pop Evolutionary PsychologyHow evolutionary psychology gets evolution wrongAshley Madison Hack: All Fun and Puritanical Games Until Somebody Gets Dead"More than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory""Polyamory and Jealousy: A More Than Two Essentials Guide""Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships""The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists"Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/the-past-present-and-future-of-dating Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Research isn't always conducted in a laboratory. Dr. Brian T. Murphy runs a research program that takes him all around the world collecting aquatic microorganisms, en route to the discovery and development of new antibiotics. On this podcast, Dr. Murphy explains how antibiotics work and the importance of discovering new ones, as well as detailing some of the exotic underwater adventures involved in his line of work.Ongoing projects in Dr. Murphy's lab merge the identification of small molecules with marine microbiology, molecular biology, genomics, and bioinformatics. To date, his lab has built a collection of over 1,500 aquatic bacteria and are using them to generate small molecule libraries that they screen against bacterial pathogens and cancers. The lab is also innovating the way drug discovery libraries are managed to make them more intuitive and efficient.Antibiotics research crowdsourcing programs:Great Lakes Freshwater Sponge Ecology And Drug-Discovery (Murphy Lab project)University of Oklahoma's Citizen Science Soil Collection ProgramDrugs from Dirt (US)Swab and Send (UK)Small World InitiativeAdditional scientific resources discussed:Murphy Lab UIC websiteCurrent Murphy Lab projectsFeature on Murphy Lab in Toronto StarBill and Melinda Gates FoundationTB AllianceMurphy Lab on TwitterFollow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/the-microscopic-chemical-warfare-of-antibiotics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The human voice is the oldest musical instrument. But how exactly does it work? Voice training is a lot more complicated than you might think, and in this podcast, opera singer Matthan Ring Black discusses why. A baritone with decades of experience as a performer, Matthan gets into the science behind how the human voice works, with some bonus insights into the worlds of vocal pedagogy and opera.Matthan has performed in several Chicago premieres, including the world premiere of Gregory Spears’ Jason and the Argonauts with the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Lyric Unlimited. He is also a founding member of Chicago Fringe Opera and is collaborating with composer Ross Crean for the international recording of his new opera, The Great God Pan.Additional resources discussed:Matthan Ring Black's WebsiteDoing The Work with Matthan Black (podcast)Chicago Fringe OperaRoss Crean: The Great God PanVerdi's Rigoletto (DVD)The History of Opera audiobookFollow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/the-science-of-singing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Astronomy isn't just about looking up at the sky. The Adler Planetarium's Michelle Nichols delves deep into the lessons that astronomy can teach us about our own world and gives an update on when (and why) we're hoping to finish the "race to Mars." Plus: the surprising relationship many scientists have with religion.As Director of Public Observing, Michelle leads the Adler Planetarium's various telescope and sky observing efforts, including the 'Scopes in the City telescope outreach program, free nighttime observing in the Doane Observatory via Doane at Dusk, Adler's telescope volunteer program, and much more.Additional resources discussed:The Adler Planetarium websiteSo you want to be an astronaut? Here's what it takes (USA Today)Eggplant (Solanum melongena) Domestication History and GenealogyOrigins of the PotatoAstronomy Lab for Kids: 52 Family-Friendly Activities (Lab Series)Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/what-space-can-teach-us-about-our-world Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever wanted to discover a long-lost magic spell or incantation? Well now is your chance! Experts from the Newberry Library in Chicago discuss how you can read and even help decipher unique medieval manuscripts from the comfort of your own home. They also take a closer look at how understanding magic in the Middle Ages can help us understand our world better.This week's guests include: Jill Gage, Custodian of the John M. Wing Foundation on the History of Printing and Bibliographer for British Literature and History; Christopher Fletcher, Program Assistant in the Renaissance Center; and Matthew Clarke, Digital Initiatives and Metadata Assistant.Resources from the Newberry Library:Religious Change and Print 1450-1700 project siteThe Transcribing Faith resourceBlog post covering the technical details of the projectThe Civil War in Letters, a past transcription projectNewberry resources for classroomsGenealogy at the Newberry LibraryDigital exhibitions and research collections on Internet Archive and CARLIFollow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/magic-or-medicine-medieval-mysteries Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, going to be such a huge deal? Michelle Nichols, educator and astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, joins us on a special episode of the Curiosity Podcast to explain everything from the science to the community surrounding this astronomical event.As Director of Public Observing, Michelle leads the Adler Planetarium’s various telescope and sky observing efforts, including the ‘Scopes in the City telescope outreach program, free nighttime observing in the Doane Observatory via Doane at Dusk, Adler’s telescope volunteer program, and much more.More eclipse resources:Your Total Solar Eclipse Instruction ManualThe 2017 Eclipse at the Adler PlanetariumSafe Solar Viewing GuidelinesMain NASA Site For This EclipseFollow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/why-the-2017-solar-eclipse-is-such-a-huge-deal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Executive coach and happiness expert Stella Grizont explains exactly how happiness works, why it matters, and the steps a person can take to find it. Grizont was one of the first graduate students in the world to receive a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.From speaking to consulting to coaching, Grizont designs immersive learning experiences for organizations like Google, Johnson & Johnson, and Columbia University. She has also coached more than 1,300 high performers in 17 countries, with a focus on working with executives to achieve greater impact, meaning, and satisfaction at work.Links we discussed:The Vision Generator (free from Stella Grizont)David Cooperrider, one of Stella Grizont's former professorsBarbara Frederickson, leading researcher on positive emotionStella Grizont's TEDx Talk: The play instinctFollow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/the-psychology-of-happiness Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The competitive landscape of eSports hasn't only spread to colleges and universities – it's now an activity that can land you a scholarship! Robert Morris University's Executive Director of eSports Kurt Melcher explains why his school was the first to offer a scholarship to League of Legends players, and why other schools are following suit.Having worked in both traditional athletics and in eSports, Kurt brings a unique point of view on why eSports athletes aren't so different from what a person might think of as a "regular" athlete. Plus: what separates a professional eSports player from other competitive gamers.Links we discussed:2017 Collegiate eSports Report via The Next Level25 Video Game Violence Studies, Summarized (via Kotaku)eSports to be a medal event at 2022 Asian GamesMore on Robert Morris University and other eSports:Robert Morris University League of Legends Team PageUniversity League of Legends College ChampionshipNorth America League of Legends Championship SeriesEurope League of Legends Championship SeriesThe International (Dota 2)ELEAGUE (professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive league)ESPN eSports HubKurt Melcher's TEDx Talk "Gamers: The rising stars of collegiate athletics"Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/get-a-college-scholarship-for-esports Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mind reading tricks can be unnerving, but they don't have to be as scary as some people think they are. Mentalist Jonathan Pritchard explains how he convinces people he can read minds by using the same psychological techniques employed by sales, marketing, and other business leaders.Jonathan has appeared on America's Got Talent, entertained United States troops stationed overseas, and performed on main stages in Las Vegas. He discusses his 25 years of experience as a mentalist, what it's taught him about interacting with other people, and how you too can communicate like a mind reader.Mentalism and psychology links:Illusion Chasers blog on Scientific AmericanJames Randi Educational FoundationJames Randi on The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge"Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about Our Everyday Deceptions""The War Magician"More from Jonathan Pritchard:"Learn Like A Mind Reader: Strategies for learning anything at the speed of thought""Perfect Recall: Increase your confidence, learn faster, be more productive, and be memorable"[ ______ ] Like A Mind Reader (Website)Like A Mind Reader on FacebookMore books from JonathanFollow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/communicate-like-a-mind-reader Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What gives a collectible item its value? Certified sports memorabilia expert Michael Osacky has been the official appraiser for athletes from the Chicago Bulls, New York Yankees, and other professional teams, and he sheds some light into the world of collecting.Lots of people own old books, ticket stubs, or baseball cards, but some of those items are valued at tens of thousands of dollars, while others aren't worth a penny. Michael digs into why there's such a discrepancy by getting into what collectors find valuable, along with a little history lesson on the hobby itself.Michael Osacky, certified sports memorabilia expert, discussed:The importance of personal stories and history when curating a collection.The history of autographs and why they have value.Why collectible memorabilia produced after the 1970s rarely has much monetary value.How collectors use look, feel, and even smell to determine the authenticity of an item.Why the monetary value of collectible items can vary wildly over time.Similarities across different collectible items, like sports, coins, stamps, and other collections.How errors or misprints can affect the value of a collectible item.The value of a "phantom ticket" for a concert or sporting event that ended up not happening.How an athlete or celebrity's infamy can affect the value of associated memorabilia.The best way to use the internet to research the potential value of your items, and how many people use eBay for research the wrong way.Is an item labeled "collector's edition" worth any value to collectors, or is it just a marketing tactic?International interest in sport memorabilia and why they're looking into collectible items as an asset class for their portfolios.Related links:The Forbes Pigment Collection Keeps Art AuthenticBaseball In The Attic (Website)@BaseballAttic on TwitterFollow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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. Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/why-do-humans-collect-things-confessions-of-a-sports-collectible-expert Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your sense of smell is like a superpower. Dr. Alan Hirsch of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation explains how you can make the most of it.Your nose is always working, even when you're asleep. It can affect your mood, your ability to concentrate, and even your sense of time and space. The kicker? A lot of the time, you may not even know you're being affected!To learn more about smell, we sat down with Dr. Alan Hirsch, a neurologist and psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of smell and taste loss. Dr. Hirsch is Neurological Director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, where he conducts in-depth studies of the chemosensory system and its impact on virtually all aspects of life: behavior, emotions, mood and human interaction, and even learning speed. He has also written numerous books including "Scentsational Weight Loss", "Scentsational Sex", and "What Flavor Is Your Personality?"Studies discussed:Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI)Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)Further materials from Dr. Hirsch:Smell & Taste Treatment And Research Foundation, Ltd.Dr. Hirsch's Amazon Author Page"What Flavor is Your Personality? Discover Who You Are by Looking at What You Eat""Scentsational Weight Loss: At Last a New Easy Natural Way To Control Your Appetite""Scentsational Sex: The Secret to Using Aroma for Arousal" Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — 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.Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/how-your-sense-of-smell-is-like-a-superpower Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.