Curiosity Weekly - Discovery

Latest Episodes:

Learning From Friends, Hair & Heart, Feeding Weeds Mar 28, 2024

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about how we learn the same information differently from people we like than from those we don’t like, a drug men already take that could have incredible added benefits, and a weed that could feed a hungry world.

Learning From Friends

“The brain is ‘programmed’ for learning from people we like.” Lund University. 2024.
“Ingroup sources enhance associative inference.” by Marius Boeltzig. 2023.

Hair & Heart

“Common hair loss and prostate drug may also cut heart disease risk in men and mice.” by Lauren Quinn. 2024.
“Finasteride delays atherosclerosis progression in mice and is associated with a reduction in plasma cholesterol in men.” by Patrick McQueen, et al. 2024.

Feeding Weeds

“Common plant could help reduce food insecurity, researchers find.” by Jeff Mulhollem. 2024.
“Food Resilience in the Face of Catastrophic Global Events.” Penn State University. N.d.
“What You Need to Know About Food Security and Climate Change.” Worldbank. 2022.
“Valorizing staple Native American food plants as a food resilience resource.” by Daniel J. Winstead, et al. 2023.

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ADHD Foraging, Pollution & Pollinators, Big Cats Listen Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about how ADHD might have actually helped our ancient ancestors thrive, the way pollution makes it hard for nighttime pollinators to stop and smell the flowers, and a new study that suggests lions, tigers, and other big cats can tell who’s talking to them.

ADHD Foraging

“Attention deficits linked with proclivity to explore while foraging.” by David Barack. 2024.
“What is ADHD?” NIH. n.d.
“Foraging theory upscaled: the behavioural ecology of herbivore movement.” by N. Owen-Smith, et al. 2010.

Pollution & Pollinators

“At night, pollution keeps pollinating insects from smelling the flowers.” by Elizabeth Pennisi. 2024.
“Here’s how insects help keep ecosystems in balance.” WWF. 2023.
“Nitrate radicals and biogenic volatile organic compounds: oxidation, mechanisms, and organic aerosol.” by Nga Lee Ng, et al. 2017.

Big Cats Listen

“Big cats can tell apart known and unknown human voices, study finds.” by Nicola Davis. 2024.
“Lions are the Brainiest of the Big Cats.” by Jason G. Goldman. 2016.
“Catcalls: exotic cats discriminate the voices of familiar caregivers.” by Taylor Crews, et al. 2024.

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Mind-Reading, Universe’s Brightest Object, Cinnamon Mar 22, 2024

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about mind-reading machines, the brightest object in the known universe, and the potential power punch of cinnamon.

Mind-Reading

“Mind-reading devices are revealing the brain’s secrets.” by Miryam Naddaf. 2024.
“The brain-reading devices helping paralysed people to move, talk and touch.” by Liam Drew. 2022.
“The rise of brain-reading technology: what you need to know.” by Liam Drew. 2023.
“How our brains decode speech: special neurons process certain sounds.” by Saima Sidik. 2023.

Universe’s Brightest Object

“Astronomers discover universe’s brightest object - a quasar powered by a black hole that eats a sun a day.” by Tory Shepherd. 2024.
“What is a quasar?” by Andy Briggs. 2021.
“Revealed: the oldest black hole ever observed, dating to dawn of universe.” by Hannah Devlin. 2023.

Cinnamon

“Cinnamon supplements reduce blood glucose in people with prediabetes.” by Dani Mann. 2024.
“Cinnamon and Diabetes.” n.a. 2023.
“Prediabetes (Borderline Diabetes).” by Mike Watts. 2022.

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Category 6, Colo-Rectal Bacteria, Meteorite Loot Mar 21, 2024

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about hurricanes so powerful they need a new category, bacteria linked to young-onset colo-rectal cancer, and ancient treasures made out of meteorites.

Category 6

“In a warming world, climate scientists consider category 6 hurricanes.” EurekAlert! 2024.
“How do hurricanes form?” NOAA. 2023.
“AMCR’s Wehner Explores Impact of ‘Extreme Event Attribution’ on Climate Science Research.” by Kathy Kincade. 2023.
“Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.” NOAA. n.d.

Colo-Rectal Bacteria

“Cleveland Clinic Research reveals unique tumor-related bacteria tied to young-onset colorectal cancer.” EurekAlert! 2024.
“Colorectal (Colon) Cancer.” Cleveland Clinic. 2022.
“Distinct intratumoral microbiome of young-onset and average-onset colorectal cancer.” by Shimoli V. Barot, et al. 2024.
“The microbiome and human cancer.” by Gregory D. Sepich-Poore, et al. 2022.

Meteorite Loot

“These 3,000-Year-Old Treasures Were Forged From Meteoritic Iron.” by Sonja Anderson. 2024.
“Bronze Age artifacts used meteoric iron.” Science Daily. 2017.
“Treasure of Villena and Jose Maria Soler Archaeological Museum.” Turismo Villena. N.d.
“Bronze Age ‘treasure’ was crafted with extraterrestrial metal.” by Jennifer Nalewicki. 2024.

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Stress & Immunity, Crop Resilience, Psychedelic Scale Mar 20, 2024

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about the surprising effect our immune system has on our emotional health, a new discovery about the biological clock of plants, and how researchers are rediscovering the science of psychedelics.

Stress & Immunity

“Mount Sinai Study Shows That Circulating Immune Cells Drawn to the Brain During Stress Can Control Emotional Behaviors.” Mt. Sinai. 2024.
“Major Depressive Disorder.” by Navneet Bains & Sara Abdijadid. 2023.
“Circulating myeloid-derived MMP8 in stress susceptibility and depression.” by Flurin Cathomas, et al. 2024.

Crop Resilience

“USC researchers uncover biological circuit that protects plants from extreme conditions.” EurekAlert! 2024.
“Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply.” EPA. 2023.
“The interplay between the circadian clock and abiotic stress responses mediated by ABF3 and CCA1/LHY.” by Tong Liang, et al. 2024.

Psychedelic Scale

“An intriguing psychedelic assessment is back from the dead, thanks to Swiss scientists.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.
“The Psychedelic Integration Scales: Tools for Measuring Psychedelic Integration Behaviors and Experiences.” by Tomas Frymann, et al. 2022.
“The revival of the psychedelic experience scale: Revealing its extended-mystical, visual, and distressing experiential spectrum with LSD and psilocybin studies.” by Kurt Stocker, et al. 2023.

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Depression Temp, Cold Water Menopause, Ultrasound Sticker Mar 15, 2024

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about the link between body temperature and depression, how taking the the Polar Bear Plunge could soothe symptoms of menopause, and a new sticker that can detect organ failure.

Depression Temp

“Are Body Temperature and Depression Linked? Science Says, Yes.” by Jess Berthold. 2024.
“Surprising Link Discovered Between Body Temperature and Depression.” by Jess Berthold. 2024.

Cold Water Menopause

“Cold water swimming improves menopause symptoms.” EurekAlert! 2024.
“Is cold water swimming in the winter healthy?” by Bard Amundsen. 2021.

Ultrasound Sticker

“This ultrasound sticker senses changing stiffness of deep internal organs.” by Jennifer Chu. 2024.
“Wearable bioadhesive ultrasound shear wave elastography.” by Hsiao-Chuan Liu, et al. 2024.

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Psychosis Blood Test, Altitude Genes, PCOS Cognition Mar 14, 2024

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a new blood test that can detect signs of psychosis and guide precision treatment, a gene mutation that happened in two different high altitude populations thousands of years apart, and new findings of the mental impacts of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Psychosis Blood Test

“Blood test predicts psychosis risk, most effective treatments.” UI School of Medicine. 2024.
“The Link Between Schizophrenia and Substance Use Disorder: A Unifying Hypothesis.” by Jibran Y. Khokhar, et al. 2019.
“Precision medicine for psychotic disorders: objective assessment, risk prediction, and pharmacogenomics.” by M.D. Hill, et all. 2024.

Altitude Genes

“Mutations in same gene allow two different groups of humans to thrive at extreme altitudes.” by Phie Jacobs. 2024.
“High-altitude living has changed more than just the genes of some Peruvians.” by Freda Kreier. 2020.
“How the people of the Andes evolved to live in high altitudes.” by Lizzie Wade. 2018.
“Mutations may reveal how Tibetans can live on world’s highest plateau.” by Michael Price. 2017.

PCOS Cognition

“Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Linked to Cognitive Decline in Midlife.” by Rhianna-lily Smith. 2024.
“Associations of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome With Indicators of Brain Health at Midlife in the CARDIA Cohort.” by Heather G. Huddleston, MD, et al. 2024.
“White Matter Microstructure and Cognitive Function in Young Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.” by D. Aled Rees, et al. 2016.

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Fentanyl Rapid Test, Lead Detector, Bach & Math Mar 13, 2024

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a new rapid test for detecting fentanyl, a hyper-sensitive new lead detector, and the mathematical proof that Bach… was a great composer.

Fentanyl Rapid Test

“Researchers Develop Rapid Test for Detecting Fentanyl.” by Kim Horner. 2024.
“Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic.” Claire Klobucista & Mariel Ferragamo. 2023.
“Naloxone-AuNPs@ZIF-8-Based Impedimetric Sensor Platform for Ultrasensitive Detection of Fentanyl and Fabrication of Fen-Track Prototype for Real-Field Analysis.” by Anirban Paul, et al. 2024.

Lead Detector

“Ultra-sensitive lead detector could significantly improve water quality monitoring.” EurekAlert! 2024.
“Toward the Ultimate Limit of Analyte Detection, in Graphene-Based Field-Effect Transistors.” by Alex W. Lee, et al. 2024.
“Lead in Drinking Water.” CDC. 2023.
“Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water.” EPA. 2024.
“EPA finds more than 9 million lead pipes supplying drinking water throughout the U.S.” by Li Cohen. 2023.

Bach & Math

“Mathematicians have finally proved that Bach was a great composer.” by Kamela Padavic-Callaghan. 2024.
“Classical music synchronises the audience’s heartbeats and sweating.” By Jason Arunn Murugesu. 2023.
“Johann Sebastian Bach.” by Mark Cartwright. 2023.

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Chimp Menopause, Ancient Tsunami, Sexism in Science Mar 08, 2024

Show notes

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

Chimp Menopause

“Surprisingly long-lived wild female chimps go through menopause.” by Bruce Bower. 2023.
“Wild Chimps Shown to Undergo Menopause for the First Time.” by Joanna Thompson. 2023.
“Evolutionarily, grandmas are good for grandkids - up to a point.” by Sujata Gupta. 2019.
“Why postmenopausal women are so crucial to our evolutionary success.” by Alice Klein. 2024.

Ancient Tsunami

“Tsunami 8,000 Years Ago May Have Devastated Stone Age Community - Study.” by Aristos Georgiou. 2024.
“Possible Tsunami Risk as Geologists Discover 45-Mile-Long Hidden Fault.” by Jess Thomson. 2023.
“The Historic Storegga Slide & Tsunamis.” by David Nikel. 2021.

Sexism in Science

“How centuries of sexism excluded women from science.” by Karly Pitman. 2023.
“Study shows gender bias in science is real. Here’s why it matters.” by Ilana Yurkiewicz. 2012.
“What science has gotten wrong by ignoring women.” by Catherine Zuckerman. 2018.
“Confronting Sexism in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM): What Are the Consequences? By Eden J.V. Hennessey. 2018.

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Ovarian Cancer Treatment, Passive Learning, Lions & Ants Mar 07, 2024

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a potential breakthrough in the treatment of ovarian cancer, how just passively listening can help you learn things much more quickly, and the ant that changed the lion’s cuisine.

Ovarian Cancer Treatment

“mRNA therapeutic successfully combats ovarian cancer in mice.” by Monika Raab, et al. 2023.
“Key Statistics for Ovarian Cancer.” by American Cancer Society. 2024.
“The Long History of mRNA Vaccines.” by Chris Beyrer. 2021.

Passive Learning

“Passive exposure can speed up learning, new research shows.” by Laurel Hamers. 2024.
“Boosting Learning With the Power of Passive Exposure.” Neurosciencenews.com. 2024.

Lions & Ants

“How an invasive ant changed a lion’s dinner menu.” by Bethany Brookshire. 2024.
“Disruption of an ant-plant mutualism shapes interactions between lions and their primary prey.” by Douglas N. Kamaru, et al. 2024.
“How Wolves Change Rivers - video.” By GrrlScientist. 2014.

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