Curiosity Weekly - Discovery

Latest Episodes:

Space Swells Brain Cavity, Cave Fossils, Keeping Cool Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a potential obstacle to human flight to Mars, a discovery in a Laotian cave that is sending archaeologists back to the drawing board, and how new technology could keep us cool in a warming world without adding to the problem of climate change.

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/space-swells-brain-cavity-cave-fossils-keeping-cool

Space Swells Brain Cavity

“Brain Cavities That Swell in Space May Need At Least 3 Years to Recover.” by McKenzie Prillman. 2023.
- https://www.sciencenews.org/article/astronaut-brain-swell-space-recover

Cave Fossils

“Laos Cave Fossils Prompt Rethink of Human Migration Map.” by Jude Coleman. 2023.
- https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-01903-3
“Fossil bones found in Laotian cave are oldest evidence for modern humans in mainland South-East Asia, say scientists.” by Anna Salleh. 2023.
- https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2023-06-14/oldest-evidence-for-modern-humans-in-mainland-south-east-asia/102471990

Keeping Cool

“New Technologies Could Keep People Cool in a Warming World.” by Kathiann Kowalski. 2023.
- https://www.snexplores.org/article/new-technologies-could-keep-people-cool-in-a-warming-world
“How Air-Conditioning Creates a Climate Conundrum.” by Spoorthy Raman. 2022.
- https://www.audubon.org/magazine/summer-2022/how-air-conditioning-creates-climate-conundrum

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Vaccine Menstrual Length, Lonely in a Crowd, Aussie ‘Roos Aug 04, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a study linking the Covid vaccine to slightly longer menstrual cycles. How being social could actually hurt people who are lonely, and why you won’t find any kangaroos outside of Australia.

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/vaccine-menstrual-length-lonely-in-a-crowd-aussie-roos

Vaccine Menstrual Length

“Study Confirms Link Between COVID-19 Vaccination and Temporary Increase in Menstrual Cycle Length.” n.a. 2022.
- https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/study-confirms-link-between-covid-19-vaccination-temporary-increase-menstrual-cycle-length

Lonely in a Crowd

“How To Deal With Loneliness: New Study Suggests That Social Contact May Not Be the Answer.” by Douglas Heingartner. 2023.
- https://www.psychnewsdaily.com/how-to-deal-with-loneliness-social-contact/

Aussie ‘Roos

“Here's Why You Won't Find Kangaroos Outside of Australia.” by n.a. 2023.
- https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/heres-why-you-wont-find-kangaroos-outside-of-australia
“Paleoenvironments Shaped the Exchange of Terrestrial Vertebrates Across Wallace’s Line.” by A. Skeels, et al. 2023.
- https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf7122
“Australian Slang.” n.a. N.d.
- https://www.australianexplorer.com/slang/places.htm

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Amino Acid Fountain of Youth, Plan Ahead, Keto for Cancer Aug 03, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a discovery that a common amino acid could slow the aging process, a new study that suggests we could get better at planning if we practiced, and research suggesting a ketogenic diet may help those with advanced cancer live longer.

Find episode transcripts here:https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/amino-acid-fountain-of-youth-plan-ahead-keto-for-cancer

Amino Acid Fountain of Youth

“Scientists Discover That a Certain Nutrient Promotes Anti-Aging.” by Fundacao De Amparo. 2022.
- https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-discover-that-a-certain-nutrient-promotes-anti-aging/

Plan Ahead

“Can We Learn to Think Further Ahead?” NYU. 2023.
- https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2023/may/can-we-learn-to-think-further-ahead-.html

Keto for Cancer

“Cancer Patients Who Adhered to a Ketogenic Diet for More Than 12 Months had Significantly Better Survival Rates.” by Ryuichiro Egashira. 2023.
- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/10/2334
“Advantages and Disadvantages of the Ketogenic Diet: A Review Article.” by Alexander Muacevic and John R Adler. 2020.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7480775/

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Cartilage Regeneration, Chatbot Virus, Hit Song Prediction Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn how a stiff gel could one day repair your knee, the dangers of AI when it comes to creating the world’s next pandemic, and a brain-scanning AI song hit machine.

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/cartilage-regeneration-chatbot-virus-hit-song-prediction

Cartilage Regeneration

“Biodegradable Gel Shows Promise for Cartilage Regeneration.” n.a. 2023.
- https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/biodegradable-gel-shows-promise-for-cartilage-regeneration-375145

Chatbot Virus

“Could Chatbots Help Devise the Next Pandemic Virus?” by Robert F. Service. 2023.
- https://www.science.org/content/article/could-chatbots-help-devise-next-pandemic-virus

Hit Song Prediction

“Brain Data Analysis Predicts Chart Hit Songs with Near-Perfect Accuracy.” by Ruairi J. Mackenzie. 2023.
- https://www.technologynetworks.com/informatics/news/brain-data-analysis-predicts-chart-hit-songs-with-near-perfect-accuracy-375013
“Machine Learning Helps Researchers Identify Hit Songs With 97% Accuracy.” by Deborah Pirchner. 2023.
- https://blog.frontiersin.org/2023/06/20/machine-learning-identify-hit-songs/

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Sharkphones, Cave Engravings, Diaper Houses Jul 28, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a new program that sort of gives sharks smartphones, the oldest known neanderthal engravings, and houses made of diapers.

Shark Week continues all week long on Discovery. For the latest, head to SharkWeek.com.

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/sharkphones-cave-engravings-diaper-houses

Shark Sensors

“‘Smartphones’ for Sharks: Scientists Upgrade Sensors to Keep Track of Cape Cod’s White Sharks.” by Mark Pratt. 2023.
- https://phys.org/news/2023-06-smartphones-sharks-scientists-sensors-track.html

Cave Engravings

“Oldest Known Neanderthal Engravings Were Sealed in a Cave for 57,000 Years.” by Brian Handwerk. 2023.
- https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/oldest-known-neanderthal-engravings-discovered-in-french-cave-180982408/
“Who were the Neanderthals?” by Lisa Hendry. N.d.
- https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/who-were-the-neanderthals.html

Diaper Houses

“This House Was Built Partly From Recycled Diapers.” by Carolyn Gramling. 2023.
- https://www.sciencenews.org/article/house-built-recycled-diapers
“Disposable Diapers Add Millions Of Tons Of Waste To Landfills Each Year, According To EPA Report.” By Baby Tooshy. 2016. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/disposable-diapers-add-millions-of-tons-of-waste-to-landfills-each-year-according-to-epa-report-300384344.html

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Shark Deterrents, Earth Axis Tilt, Hair Loss Reversal Jul 27, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about the good, the bad, and the ugly of shark repellents, how human’s thirst for groundwater is literally changing the tilt of the Earth, and how hairy moles might offer a clue to fighting hair loss.

Shark Week continues all week long on Discovery. For the latest, head to SharkWeek.com.

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/shark-deterrents-earth-axis-tilt-hair-loss-reversal

Shark Deterrents

“Shark Deterrents are Flooding the Market.” by Nick Kilvert. 2023.
- https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2023-06-24/when-it-comes-to-shark-deterrents-here-s-what-the-science-says/102399294
“Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary.” Florida Museum. 2023.
- https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/yearly-worldwide-summary/

Earth Axis Tilt

“Rampant Groundwater Pumping Has Changed the Tilt of Earth's Axis.” by Davide Castalecchi. 2023.
- https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-01993-z#Echobox=1687171115
“Humans Have Used Enough Groundwater to Shift Earth’s Tilt.” by Aara’L Yarber. 2023.
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2023/06/27/groundwater-use-planet-earth-tilt/

Hair Loss Reversal

“Common Form of Hair Loss Could Be Reversed by Targeting Aged Skin Pigment Cells.” by Ruairi J. Mackenzie. 2023.
- https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/common-form-of-hair-loss-could-be-reversed-by-targeting-aged-skin-pigment-cells-375161

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Shark-Eating Eels, Lonely Parrots, Whales Repair DNA Jul 26, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about eels that burrow into the hearts of sharks and feast on their blood, parrots that love to gab on video calls, and the secret of the bowhead whale’s cancer fighting superpower.

Shark Week continues all week long on Discovery. For the latest, head to SharkWeek.com.

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/shark-eating-eels-lonely-parrots-whales-repair-dna

Shark-Eating Eels

“Eels Have Been Found Living and Feeding On Blood Inside the Heart of Sharks.” by Rachael Funnell. 2021.
- https://www.iflscience.com/eels-have-been-found-living-and-feeding-on-blood-inside-the-heart-of-sharks-58317

Lonely Parrots

“Parrots Taught to Video Call Each Other Become Less Lonely, Finds Research.” by Hannah Devlin. 2023.
- https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/21/parrots-taught-to-video-call-each-other-become-less-lonely-finds-research
“Birds of a Feather Video-Flock Together: Design and Evaluation of an Agency-Based Parrot-to-Parrot Video-Calling System for Interspecies Ethical Enrichment.” by Rebecca Kleinberger. 2023.
- https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3544548.3581166

Whales Repair DNA

“Bowhead Whales May Have a Cancer-Defying Superpower: DNA Repair.” by Meghan Rosen. 2023.
- https://www.sciencenews.org/article/bowhead-whales-cancer-dna-repair

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Catatonic Wake Up, Forever Chemicals, Crops With No Sun Jul 21, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn how a catatonic woman’s reawakening could shake up the entire field of psychiatry, plans to stop using forever chemicals, and how scientists plan on growing crops without sunshine.

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/catatonic-wake-up-forever-chemicals-crops-with-no-sun

Catatonic Wake Up

“A Catatonic Woman Awakened After 20 Years. Her Story May Change Psychiatry.” by Richard Sima. 2023.
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/06/01/schizophrenia-autoimmune-lupus-psychiatry/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWJpZCI6IjQyNTY5MzQiLCJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNjg1NTkyMDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNjg2ODg3OTk5LCJpYXQiOjE2ODU1OTIwMDAsImp0aSI6ImYyMWIyZDEwLTk1ZjEtNDg0OC04MGExLWI3ZTRmNzhiMGYzNiIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS93ZWxsbmVzcy8yMDIzLzA2LzAxL3NjaGl6b3BocmVuaWEtYXV0b2ltbXVuZS1sdXB1cy1wc3ljaGlhdHJ5LyJ9.83LQPVKW0IfmqRqj5vgUhWwdqhDw8tuEXqqhJdq1eic
“Lupus.” CDC. 2022.
- https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/lupus.htm

Forever Chemicals

“You probably have “forever chemicals” in your body. Here’s what that means.” by Benji Jones
- https://www.vox.com/2022/8/25/23318667/pfas-forever-chemicals-safety-drinking-water
“PFAS and Your Health” by ATSDR
- https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/index.html
“Biden-Harris Administration Proposes First-Ever National Standard to Protect Communities from PFAS in Drinking Water” by EPA
- https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-proposes-first-ever-national-standard-protect-communities
“Low-temperature mineralization of perfluorocarboxylic acids” by BRITTANY TRANG et al.
- https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm8868?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D87405751245436731003476501941219687288%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1660658873&_ga=2.228389917.183627334.1660532753-1917198022.1509206891
“New Study Finds PFAS in Bottled Water, as Lawmakers Call for Federal Limits” by Ryan Felton
- https://www.consumerreports.org/health/bottled-water/pfas-in-bottled-water-new-study-finds-a1111233122/

Crops With No Sun

“Let There Be Dark.” by Robert F. Service. 2023.
- https://www.science.org/content/article/crops-grown-without-sunlight-could-help-feed-astronauts-bound-mars

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Post-Paralysis Walking, Important Naps, History of Kissing Jul 20, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a high tech brain-spine interference that could revolutionize spinal injury treatments, why you might want to let your child nap as long as they want, and the ancient secrets of the smooch.

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/post-paralysis-walking-important-naps-history-of-kissing

Post-Paralysis Walking

“Walking Naturally After Spinal Cord Injury/Paralysis Using a Brain-Spine Interface.” by Henri Lorach, et al. 2023.
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06094-5
“This Brain-Spine Interface Sidesteps Spinal Cord Injuries.” by Michael Nolan. 2023.
- https://spectrum.ieee.org/brain-spine-interface

Important Naps

“Study Highlights the Importance of Napping For Memory Consolidation in Early Childhood.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2023.
- https://www.psypost.org/2023/05/study-highlights-the-importance-of-napping-for-memory-consolidation-in-early-childhood-163785

History of Kissing

“The Ancient History of Kissing.” by Troels Pank Arbøll & Sophie Lund Rasmussen. 2023.
- https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf0512?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D71526409875569128722259358006205072405%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1684744647&
“The First Kiss in Recorded History Dates BAck Nearly 5,000 Years.” by Stephanie Pappas. 2023.
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-first-kiss-in-recorded-history-dates-back-nearly-5-000-years/

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Space Hibernation, New York is Sinking, Baby Talk Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

Today, you’ll learn about a way we might, one day, be able to sleep our way to the stars, why some of the world’s cities are sinking, and how babies’ brain structures could be influenced by how much we speak to them.

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/space-hibernation-new-york-is-sinking-baby-talk

Space Hibernation

“Hibernation-Like State Induced by Ultrasound Could Enable Long-Distance Spaceflights.” by Ruairi J. Mackenzie. 2023.
- https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/hibernation-like-state-induced-by-ultrasound-could-enable-long-distance-spaceflights-373862
“Alpha Centauri: Facts about the stars next door.” by Robert Lea. 2023.
- https://www.space.com/18090-alpha-centauri-nearest-star-system.html

New York is Sinking

“New York City Is Sinking. It's Far From Alone.” by Matt Simon. 2023.
- https://www.wired.com/story/new-york-city-is-sinking-its-far-from-alone/
“New York City Is Sinking Under Its Own Weight.” by Meghan Bartels. 2023.
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-york-city-is-sinking-under-its-own-weight/

Baby Talk

“Talking to Babies May Help Shape Brain Structure, Research Finds.” by Nicola Davis. 2023.
- https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/may/15/talking-to-babies-may-help-shape-brain-structure-research-finds

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