Curiosity Weekly - Discovery

Latest Episodes:

Seeing Sound & Tasting Words: Systems of Synesthesia Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

According to neuroscientist Dr. Jamie Ward, everyone knows someone with synesthesia. It’s an under-discussed form of neurodiversity that blends the senses and creates a unique way of perceiving the world. This episode, Dr. Ward joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine to chat about what is going on in the brain of someone with this condition and what it teaches us about the brain in general. Before that, Sam looks into a new study that uses the smell of breath to see how well the gut breaks down medications. Later, she breaks down research showing the link between eating and memory formation.

Link to Show Notes HERE

Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter withDr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. Terms apply.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Translating Science is More Complex Than You Think Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

English being the common language in scientific research has its pros and cons. Scientists can collaborate easier and research can become more accessible, but what do we lose in that process? And what role does AI play? To discuss the complexities of scientific translation, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Lynn Bowker. Dr. Bowker is a Canada Research Chair in Translation, Technologies, and Society at Université Laval.

Sam also explores how a new mRNA vaccine is using AI to keep skin cancer from reccuring and a study measuring how guilty people feel when they’re relaxing.

Link to Show Notes HERE

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can I Cut Mold Off My Cheese?: The Science of Food Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

Like it or not, food safety is something that people often bend the rules on. We leave leftovers on the counter too long, we use the five second rule, or maybe we don’t wash our veggies as well as we should. Today, it’s more important than ever to make sure that we can trust the food we’re eating and know how to take care of it properly so that we don’t get sick. To discuss the science of food safety, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by food scientist and content creator @hydroxide.foodscience. Before that, Sam looks into a new paper that says humans are starting to talk less and later, a study digs into an enzyme that can supposedly shred cancer cells.

Link to Show Notes HERE

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mythbusting Reproductive Health Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

Reproduction is the basis for life and yet, for many, it’s still a mystery. This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by author and gynecologist Dr. Karen Tang to discuss the rumors, misconceptions, and realities of reproductive health. Before that, Sam explains why scientists were surprised to hear jaguars meow for the first time. Later, she’ll dig into some new research that suggests there may be a cure for paralytic shellfish poisoning in the body of a bullfrog.

Link to Show Notes HERE

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Awareness in a Vegetative State Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

When someone goes into a coma or vegetative state, it is only natural for their doctors and loved ones to try to understand their level of awareness of the world around them. But, every patient is different and it’s not as simple as it looks in the movies. This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by a noted expert in the field of covert consciousness, Dr. Adrian Owen. They discuss his work on how the brain perceives the world from an unconscious state. Sam also looks into new research that solves a years-old puzzle about the physics of sprinklers and a study that is trying to give our brains the benefit of sleep without sleeping at all.

Link to Show Notes HERE

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Menstruation in Space Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

Microgravity causes a ton of changes in the human body and there’s been a lot of research showing how these changes affect astronauts. One bodily function that hasn’t been studied during an active space mission? Menstruation. This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Manju Bangalore, an astronaut-in-training and reproductive scientist aiming to research how the human body menstruates while in microgravity.

But there’s other space news in the science world so before that, Sam explores what it will take for NASA to build a nuclear reactor on the moon. Later, she looks into how some asteroids contain the raw ingredients for DNA and RNA.

Link to Show Notes HERE

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Does My Brain Make Me So Sensitive Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

There’s a misconception that feeling deep emotions is a personality trait, rather than a neurological phenomenon. A lot of the time, it’s nature, not nurture that causes heightened emotional sensitivity. This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Sasha Hamdani, a board-certified psychiatrist and author of Too Sensitive: Rejection, Resilience, and the Science of Feeling Deeply. They discuss how the brain processes emotions and why some people feel their emotions more intensely than others. Sam also looks into some drama between mathematicians and OpenAI and a new study that reveals something bizarrely universal about the human race.

Link to Show Notes HERE

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lefties, Raise Your Hands Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Most people are right-handed. So this episode, we are celebrating International Left-Handers Day to honor the 10% of the population that are left-handed. To discuss the unique elements of the left-hand brain, host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with clinical neuropsychologist Dr. David Carey. She also dives into the question of why so many people are right-handed and later, she explores a study that shows how to figure out which paw preference your dog has.

Link to Show Notes HERE

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Training the Families of Astronauts: Then and Now Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

It’s been 57 years since humans first landed on the moon and there are a lot of ways that space travel has evolved since then. One of the major differences is that we now support and give credit to the families supporting the astronauts behind the scenes. Here to discuss how those communities shaped the Apollo Era and how we’ve learned to better support astronaut families is sociologist Dr. Tracy Scott. Dr. Scott runs the Moonshot Era Project and is the daughter of Apollo 15 commander David Scott.

Before that, host Dr. Samantha Yammine digs into a study that reveals the first evidence of dental work among neanderthals. And later, a new paper suggests that you may be able to make up for lost sleep more efficiently than we thought.

Link to Show Notes HERE

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CSI Shark: Forensics of a Shark Attack Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

Researching apex predators often means putting yourself in situations that are mind-boggling to the average person. Our guest, Rosie Moore, is no stranger to this. She’s found herself lost at sea researching bull sharks, waist deep the Everglades trying to find Burmese pythons, and in shark-infested waters right after an attack.

This episode, she talks to host Dr. Samantha Yammine about her research. They discuss Rosie’s experience on Shark Week, how to use forensics to analyze a shark attack, and the role of citizen science in understanding sharks.

Before that, Sam looks into a new study that alleges cats are more selfish than dogs (and people). And later, there’s evidence in a study that reveals how to keep mosquitoes from sticking around once summer ends.

If you want to learn more about sharks, be sure to check out Shark Week 2026, only on Discovery.

Link to Show Notes HERE

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.