Curiosity Weekly - Discovery

Latest Episodes:

Life Under the Sea, No Singing Crabs Mar 04, 2026

Show notes

They say it’s better down where it’s wetter… but is it really? Aquanauts have more in common with astronauts than they do with singing marine life. In fact, NASA conducts research into the biological and psychological effects of space on the ocean floor. This episode, Sam is joined by Dr. Dawn Kernagis, an aquanaut and neuroscientist who spent 16 days living underwater for NASA’s NEEMO 21 Mission. Sam also digs into the recent updates on NASA’s Artemis Mission and how AI is being used to standardize pain classification.

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. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.

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Happiness IRL Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

If everyone wants happiness, why does it so often seem hard to achieve? This episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by psychologist Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky to talk about positive psychology and what science tells us about how to be happy. Sam also explores a new study that says swearing can give you a physical boost and, to celebrate the Olympics, she digs into the physics behind curling.

Link to Show Notes HERE

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Tips For Pits: The Science of Body Odor Feb 18, 2026

Show notes

It’s not a stretch to say that everyone suffers from unwanted body odor from time to time. Whether it’s stress, exercise, or heat, there are plenty of reasons why we sweat and there is a lot to learn about our bodies from the odors they create. To learn more about the science of body odor, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Chris Callewaert, aka Dr. Armpit. Before that, Sam also digs into a new skin patch that might help out our friends with peanut allergies. Then, she explores a new theory into how the Black Death pandemic was able to spread so easily way back in the 1300s.

Link to Show Notes HERE

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History Punished Scientists - Are We Doing the Same Thing? Feb 11, 2026

Show notes

It’s easy to think that every major scientific breakthrough in history was met with acceptance and enthusiastic fanfare, but that is not the case. Many modern scientific truths were discovered by researchers who were punished for their ideas at the time. To discuss this topic, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Matt Kaplan, author of the book I Told You So: Scientists Who Are Ridiculed, Exiled, and Imprisoned For Being Right.

Then, Sam takes a look into a new study that may have cracked the code on why women are more likely to experience symptoms of IBS. And, just in time for Valentine’s Day, she also explores the history and anthropology of kissing.

Link to Show Notes HERE

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Does Your Dog Actually Feel Guilt? Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

Exploring the science behind pet ownership is a more complicated process than you might think. This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by the author of The Science of Pets, Jay Ingram. They talk about the relationship between animals and humans and how we may not always see eye to eye when it comes to interpreting certain behaviors. Sam also looks into the history of species variation in dogs and how human emotions make it difficult to decipher dog emotions.

Puppy Bowl XXII simulcasts across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, TruTV, HBOMax, and Discovery on Sunday, February 8, 2026 at 2PM ET/11:00AM PT.

Watch it after on HBOMax and Discovery+.

Link to Show Notes HERE

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Urban Ecosystems With The Rat Detective Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

We know that the health of the planet affects human health but what about the other way around? This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Kaylee Byers to discuss how human and animal health is interconnected, particularly in urban environments. Sam also investigates new research that looks into the largest spider colony in the world and the biology of addiction.

Link to Show Notes HERE

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The Biggest Animal Sanctuary in the World with Forrest Galante Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

There are always constraints when it comes to conservation. Finances, logistics, population dynamics, medicine, and general care all need to be considered when asking: how do we best care for our planet? This episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Forrest Galante, a wildlife conservationist and biologist to discuss his new series Vantara: Sanctuary Stories, now streaming on HBOMax and Discovery+. Sam and Forrest talk about the peaks and valleys of modern conservation and how the animal sanctuary Vantara is unique in the way it cares for the hundreds of thousands of animals that live there. Sam also explores a new study that provides evidence that helping others slows cognitive decline and recent research on how elite performers reach the pinnacle of their fields.

Link to Show Notes HERE

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The End of the Universe Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

To understand how our universe might end, scientists often have to go back to the beginning. This episode of Curiosity Weekly, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by astrophysicist Dr. Katie Mack to discuss theoretical cosmology, astrophysics, and what scientists are thinking might happen to our universe in the distant future. Sam also explores a newly discovered fire amoeba and a recent study exploring how exercise slows cancer growth.

Link to Show Notes HERE

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Why Scientists Can’t Agree on Aging Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

It’s a new year which means many of us are focusing on resolutions designed to take better care of our bodies as we age. But, even those conducting research on healthy aging find it a complicated concept to define. To help navigate the topic, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Paul Robbins, a professor and co-director of the Masonic Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism at the University of Minnesota. Then, Sam investigates what researchers learned from studying the biology and lifestyle of a woman who lived to the age of 117 and how manipulating the mitochondria in a cell can prevent degeneration.

Link to Show Notes HERE

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Why Society Treats Allergies Like a Nothingburger Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

Allergies are estimated to affect upwards of 30% of people globally, so why are they so often swept under the rug? People in restaurants lie about their allergies, food labelling is difficult to understand, and those with the allergies are often forced to be their own advocate to avoid a potentially life-threatening medical situation. On this episode, senior producer Teresa Carey interviews allergist Dr. Samira Jeimy to discuss the day-to-day realities of allergies, new potential medications, and why better societal support is needed for those with severe allergies. Host Dr. Samantha Yammine also explores how multilingualism can slow brain aging and a new study that is trying to cleanse wine from the taste of wildfire smoke.

Link to Show Notes HERE.

Curiosity Weekly is off for the holidays! Tune in on January 7th for a new episode.

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