Curiosity Weekly - Discovery

Latest Episodes:

Re-release: Roman Concrete Magic, Virovore, Placebo Guilt Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

Today you’ll learn about how ancient Roman concrete can heal itself, the recent discovery of a virovore, and how a new study looks into whether or not we can control feelings of guilt through the placebo effect.

Roman Concrete Magic

“Scientists may have found magic ingredient behind ancient Rome’s self-healing concrete” by Jacklin Kwan
“Why modern mortar crumbles, but Roman concrete lasts millennia” by ZAHRA AHMAD

Virovore

“First "virovore" discovered: An organism that eats viruses” By Michael Irving
“The consumption of viruses returns energy to food chains” by John P. DeLong et al.

Placebo Guilt

“Placebos reduce feelings of guilt – even when people know they’re taking one” by Jeremy Howick
“Deceptive and open-label placebo effects in experimentally induced guilt: a randomized controlled trial in healthy subjects” by Dilan Sezer, Cosima Locher & Jens Gaab

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.

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Re-release: AI Animal Translator, Big Old Galaxies, Inner Inner Core Dec 22, 2023

Show notes

Today you’ll learn about how scientists are using AI to talk to animals, the discovery of new, very big, very old candidate galaxies, and how there just may be an extra layer in the earth’s inner core.

AI Animal Translator

“How Scientists Are Using AI to Talk to Animals” by Sophie Bushwick
“Bat Chatter Is More Than a Cry in the Dark” By Christopher Intagliata
“In Honeybee Dance, Direction Is Key” By Kate Wong

Big Old Galaxies

“Webb telescope spots super old, massive galaxies that shouldn’t exist” by Daniel Strain
“A population of red candidate massive galaxies ~600 Myr after the Big Bang” by Ivo Labbé et al.
“New space telescope to peer back at the universe’s first galaxies” by Daniel Strain
“First Galaxies Born Sooner After Big Bang Than Thought” By Space.com Staff
“How Did Galaxies Form?” by David J. Eicher
“Two Remarkably Luminous Galaxy Candidates at z ≈ 10–12 Revealed by JWST” by Rohan P. Naidu et al.
“Quasars: Brightest Objects in the Universe” By Nola Taylor Tillman

Inner Inner Core

“Bouncing seismic waves reveal distinct layer in Earth's inner core” by AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
“Up-to-fivefold reverberating waves through the Earth’s center and distinctly anisotropic innermost inner core” by Thanh-Son Phạm & Hrvoje Tkalčić
“Core” by National Geographic

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Re-release: Podcast Friends, Drunk Plants, Hot Temper Dec 21, 2023

Show notes

Today we discuss the psychological effects of listening to podcasts, how climate change actually makes us more likely to engage in hate speech, and how giving plants alcohol in the form of ethanol can make them resistant to drought.

Podcast Friends

“Listening to podcasts may help satisfy our psychological need for social connection, study finds” by Beth Ellwood
“Why people listen: Motivations and outcomes of podcast listening” by Stephanie J. Tobin

Drunk Plants

“Getting Plants ‘Drunk’ Insulates them Against Drought, According to New Research” by Andy Corbley
“Pretreating soil with ethanol protects plants from drought, study finds” by Khurram Bashir

Hot Temper

“AI-Based Research Reveals That Extreme Temperatures Fuel Online Hate Speech” by Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
“Online Hate Speech Increases During Extreme Hot and Cold Weather, Study Shows” by Jeffrey Kluger

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Re-release: Boyhood Nickname, Vampire Grave, Wrecked By Success Dec 20, 2023

Show notes

Today we discuss how nicknames for young boys can help them socialize better, how archaeologists in Poland have unearthed the grave of a woman people feared might return from the dead, and a new study that disproves Freud’s theory that more successful people are unhealthier than less successful people.

Boyhood Nickname

“Why You Should Ask Men About Their Boyhood Nicknames” By Jett Stone
“Why Men Need to Prioritize, and Celebrate, Their Friendships” by Jett Stone

Vampire Grave

“Archaeologists unearth remains of 17th-century female “vampire” in Poland” by Jennifer Oullette
“Ancient human bloodsucker? Skeleton of female 'vampire' unearthed in Europe during dig” by Natalie Neysa Alund

Wrecked by Success

“New psychology research rebuts Sigmund Freud’s “wrecked by success” hypothesis” by Vladimir Hedrih
“Wrecked by Success? Not to Worry” by Harrison J. Kell et al.

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Healing Algae, Mayan Reservoirs, Humpback Skincare Dec 15, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about how your next scrape might be healed using algae, what ancient Mayans can teach us about water conservation, and the skincare routines… of humpback whales

Healing Algae

“Plasma tech transforms blue-green algae into wound-healing wonder.” by Paul McClure. 2023.
“Health Benefits of Blue-Green Algae: Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.” by Chai Siah Ku, et al. 2013.
“Transforming Spirulina maxima Biomass into Ultrathin Bioactive Coatings Using an Atmospheric Plasma Jet: A New Approach to Healing of Infected Wounds.” by Tuyet Pham, et al. 2023.

Mayan Reservoirs

Ancient Maya reservoirs, constructed wetlands, and future water needs.” by Lisa J. Lucero. 2023.
“Who were the Maya? Decoding the ancient civilization’s secrets.” by Erin Blakemore. 2022.

Humpback Skincare

“What’s at Play: Humpback Whale Interaction with Seaweed Is a Global Phenomenon.” by Jan-Olaf Meynecke & Hilla Kela. 2023.
“Kelping is a ‘global phenomenon’ sweeping the world of humpback whales, scientists say.” by Sascha Pare. 2023.
“Humpback whales: Facts about the singers of the sea.” by Patrick Pester. 2023.

Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter withCalli andNate — 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.

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Smells and Colors, Bee Preferences, Science and Well-Being Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about how our sense of smell can change how we see colors, the pickiness of bees, and research that shows how listening to this show will increase your sense of well-being.

Smells and Colors

“Our sense of smell changes the colors we see, show scientists.” by Mischa Dijkstra. 2023.
“Let’s obliterate the myth that humans have a bad sense of smell.” by Brian Resnick. 2017.
“Odors modulate color appearance.” by Ryan J. Ward, et al. 2023.

Bee Preferences

“Honeybees are more selective in their choices for nutrition than previously thought.” by Helena Wirta. 2023.
“Honeybees’ foraging choices for nectar and pollen revealed by DNA metabarcoding.” by Matti Leponiemi, et al. 2023.
“Are honey bees, wild bees still in trouble?” by Diana Yates. 2023.

Science and Well-Being

“Awe-inspiring science can have a positive effect on mental wellbeing, new research finds.” University of Warwick. 2023.
“Spirituality of Science: Implications for Meaning, Well-Being, and Learning.” by Jesse L. Preston, et al. 2023.

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Monkey Pig Kidney Transplant, Goalie Reflexes, Clean Snow Dec 13, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a breakthrough in transplanting organs from one species to another, a study on the lightning-quick perception of soccer goalies, and the importance of clean snow in the battle against climate change.

Monkey Pig Kidney Transplant

“Monkey survives for two years after gene-edited pig-kidney transplant.” by Max Kozlov. 2023.
“Monkey survives for two years with pig kidney in ‘extraordinary milestone’.” by Ian Sample & Anna Bawden. 2023.
“Organ Donation Statistics.” HRSA. 2023.

Goalie Reflexes

“Distinct profiles of multisensory processing between professional goalkeepers and outfield football players.” by Michael Quinn, et al. 2023.
“Goalkeepers perceive the world differently, study suggests.” by Linda Geddes. 2023.

Clean Snow

“A cleaner snow future mitigates Northern Hemisphere snowpack loss from warming.” by Dalei Hao, et al. 2023.
“Cleaner snow boosts future snowpack predictions.” by Tom Rickey. 2023.

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OCD Decisions, Albatross Sound Waves, Ice & Fungi Dec 08, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about some really counterintuitive findings on OCD and decision making, how albatross might fly on a wave of sound, and a new understanding of the relationship between ice… and fungus.

OCD Decisions

“Brain imaging study reveals peculiarities in uncertainty processing in obsessive-compulsive disorder.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2023.
“Evidence Accumulation and Neural Correlates of Uncertainty in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.” by Yi-Jie Zhao, et al. 2023.

Albatross Sound Waves

“Albatross movement suggests sensitivity to infrasound cues at sea.” by Natasha Gillies. 2023.
“Fact Check-Albatrosses can go for years without touching the ground, but they do land on water.” Reuters. 2021.

Ice & Fungi

“Regionally sourced bioaerosols drive high-temperature ice nucleating particles in the arctic.” by Gabriel Pereira Freitas, et al. 2023.
“Biological particles play crucial role in Arctic cloud ice formation.” EurekAlert! 2023.
“NASA Fieldwork Studies Signs of Climate Change in Arctic, Boreal Regions.” by Sofie Bates. 2022.

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Bionic Hand, Satellites Watch Crops, AI & Our Moral Compass Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about an incredible bionic hand, how scientists are watching what we eat… from space, and a new study that looks into how humans feel about AI judging them.

Bionic Hand

“Groundbreaking achievement as bionic hand merges with user’s nervous and skeletal systems, remaining functional after years of daily use.” by Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna. 2023.
“Phantom Limb Pain.” by Aaron A. Hanyu-Deutmeyer, et al. 2023.
“Artificial limbs.” by Linda J Marks & John W Michael. 2001.

Satellites Watch Crops

“Measuring nutrition in crops from space.” European Space Agency. 2023.
“E0NUTRI: Earth Observation for estimating and predicting crop nutrients.” ESA. nd.
“HyNutri: Sensing “Hidden Hunger” with Sentinel-2 and Hyperspectral.” ESA. 2023.
“PRISMA and Sentinel-2 spectral response to the nutrient composition of grains.” by Mariana Belgiu, et al. 2023.

AI & Our Moral Compass

“People believe their moral traits are too distinct for AI to judge, study finds.” by Bianca Setionago. 2023.
“Humans feel too special for machines to score their morals.” by Zoe A Purcell & Jean-Francois Bonnefon. 2023.

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Brain & Chronic Pain, Frogs Play Dead, Avian Flu Gene Edit Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a brainy new study on chronic pain, how female frogs play dead to avoid having to deal with male frogs, and a possible breakthrough on avian flu that involves editing chickens.

Brain & Chronic Pain

“New study provides evidence for more effective brain-based treatment of chronic back pain.” ScienceDaily. 2023.
“New Study Provides Evidence for More Effective Brain-Based Treatment of Chronic Back Pain.” by Julia Milzer. 2023.
“Retraining the brain to treat chronic pain.” NIH. 2021.

Frogs Play Dead

“Drop dead! Female mate avoidance in an explosively breeding frog.” by Carolin Dittrich. 2023.
“Explosive breeding in tropical anurans: environmental triggers, community composition, and acoustic structure.” by Juan Sebastian Ulloa, et al. 2019.

Avian Flu Gene Edit

“Creating resistance to avian influenza infection through genome editing of the ANP32 gene family.” by Alewo Idoko-Akoh. 2023.
“Bird Flu Cost the US $3.3 Billion and Worse Could Be Coming.” by Maryn Mckenna. 2015.

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