Curiosity Weekly - Discovery

Latest Episodes:

The Limits of the Human Body May Be More Mental Than Physical Apr 10, 2018

Show notes

What are the limits of the human body, and how can we fully utilize them? Alex Hutchinson, award-winning journalist and author of "Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance," explains why humans are nearly always capable of pushing just a little bit harder — and how you can eke out just a little bit more effort even when you think your body's tank is empty.

Additional resources from Alex Hutchinson:

Other studies and materials discussed:

Extra credit:

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Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/the-limits-of-the-human-body-may-be-more-mental-than-physical

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LeVar Burton Believes the Stories We Tell Determine Who We Are Apr 03, 2018

Show notes

LeVar Burton has been a storyteller for decades. From his acting roles as Kunta Kinte in "Roots" and Geordi LaForge on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" to his decades of work with "Reading Rainbow," he's been a central figure in some of the most influential media in recent memory. Also a director, producer, and author, Burton has now turned his storytelling skills toward the world of podcasting with "LeVar Burton Reads." On this episode of the Curiosity Podcast, he discusses the power of literature and why books are such a meaningful tool for storytelling.

Resources from LeVar Burton and other related links:

Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/levar-burton-believes-the-stories-we-tell-determine-who-we-are

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The Future of Learning Is Now, Thanks to Science Mar 20, 2018

Show notes

Is there a right or wrong way to learn? Dr. Stephen Kosslyn is an expert on the science of learning, with more than 30 years of experience working at elite institutions such as Harvard and Stanford. He also thinks that higher education could learn a lot about how people learn, and that's why he became the Founding Dean and Chief Learning Officer of the Minerva Schools at KGI. On this podcast, Dr. Kosslyn explains how people learn and how his institution is changing the way learning is approached — one student at a time.

Resources from Dr. Stephen Kosslyn:

Studies and research discussed:

Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/the-future-of-learning-is-now-thanks-to-science

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Michio Kaku on Interstellar Travel, Artificial Intelligence, and Immortality Mar 13, 2018

Show notes

Mining asteroids, traveling on laser beams, and developing self-aware robots: science fiction or science fact? World-renowned physicist and futurist Michio Kaku says that these milestones are not only in humanity's future, but are beginning to occur right now. Dr. Kaku joins the Curiosity Podcast for a fascinating inside look at interstellar travel, artificial intelligence, human immortality, and alien contact.

Additional links from Dr. Michio Kaku:

Other resources discussed:

Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/michio-kaku-on-interstellar-travel-artificial-intelligence-and-immortality

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Wisecrack's Jared Bauer on How Movies and TV Shows Like "South Park" and "Rick and Morty" Help Us Understand Ourselves Mar 06, 2018

Show notes

Jared Bauer, co-founder and head of content at Wisecrack, believes it's important to explore big ideas and meaningful topics through the lens of pop culture and media. On this episode of the Curiosity Podcast, the man who helped bring you Thug Notes, 8-Bit Philosophy, Earthling Cinema, The Philosophy of Everything, What Went Wrong?, Show Me the Meaning!, and more joins the Curiosity Podcast to discuss how studying the humanities and understanding cinema and television shows (like South Park and Rick and Morty) can enrich your life and make society better.

Additional resources discussed:

Wisecrack:

Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/wisecracks-jared-bauer-on-how-movies-and-tv-shows-like-south-park-and-rick-and-morty-help-us-understand-ourselves

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Mathematical Thinking Can Open New Worlds Feb 27, 2018

Show notes

You might think you're not a "math person," but maybe that's because math doesn't mean what you think it means. Mathematical and logical thinking can open up new ways of thinking about everything from social and political issues to art to even gender. And on this episode, Dr. Eugenia Cheng, author and Scientist in Residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, explains how to tap into it.

Additional resources discussed:

Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/mathematical-thinking-can-open-new-worlds

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Can Swarm Intelligence Solve Humanity's Biggest Problems? Feb 20, 2018

Show notes

Artificial intelligence is all the rage, but using swarm intelligence might be the best way to solve the world's biggest problems. Dr. Louis Rosenberg is the Founder & CEO of Unanimous AI, an artificial intelligence company that amplifies human intelligence by building "hive minds" modeled after biological swarms. Learn how swarm intelligence can combine the brainpower of humans and computers to solve humanity's biggest problems.

Additional resources discussed:

Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/can-swarm-intelligence-solve-humanitys-biggest-problems

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How to Set the Right Goals (and Actually Achieve Them!) Feb 13, 2018

Show notes

Achieving goals can be difficult, but that may be because you're setting the wrong goals in the first place. That's why happiness expert and executive coach Stella Grizont returns to the Curiosity Podcast to discuss how to set the right goals and how to overcome the challenges of sticking to them.

Additional resources discussed:

Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/how-to-set-the-right-goals-and-actually-achieve-them

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Why We Eat What We Eat Feb 06, 2018

Show notes

Humans eat just like every other living creature. Have you ever wondered what drives us to binge eat, or spend too much time at the grocery store? And how does the food we eat impact us emotionally? We talk to Dr. Rachel Herz, author of "Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food," about the surprising science of food in our daily lives.

Dr. Herz is a leading world expert on the psychological science of smell, and has been conducting research on olfaction, sensory perception, emotion, motivated behavior and cognition since 1990. She holds an adjunct appointment in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and sometimes teaches in the Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences at Brown University.

Additional resources discussed:

Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/why-we-eat-what-we-eat

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Klingon and Esperanto Are Important Languages, Too Jan 30, 2018

Show notes

Language encapsulates every part of a culture, from its history of ideas to the way its speakers perceive reality itself. And according to linguistics expert Arika Okrent, author of "In the Land of Invented Languages," even "made-up" languages like Klingon and Esperanto serve an important purpose. She joins the Curiosity Podcast to discuss the field of linguistics and why we say what we say.

In addition to her first-level certification in Klingon, Arika Okrent's education includes an M.A. in Linguistics from Gallaudet, the world's only university for the deaf, and a joint PhD from the Department of Linguistics and the Department of Psychology's Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience Program at the University of Chicago.

Additional resources discussed: