Curiosity Weekly - Discovery

Latest Episodes:

Cancer-Fighting Grapes, Dog Brain, Sea Forests Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

Today you’ll learn about how grapes have the potential to reduce the risk of skin cancer, how dogs’ behaviors are hardwired into their genes, and how underwater seaweed forests might be able to combat climate change.

Cancer-Fighting Grapes

“Short-Term Grape Consumption Diminishes UV-Induced Skin Erythema” by John M. Pezzuto
- https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/12/2372#B4-antioxidants-11-02372
“The potential of grape consumption to modulate UV-induced skin erythema” by Dr. Priyom Bose
- https://www.news-medical.net/news/20221202/The-potential-of-grape-consumption-to-modulate-UV-induced-skin-erythema.aspx
“How Many Grapes In A Bottle Of Wine” BY ANTHONY ZHANG
- https://www.vinovest.co/blog/how-many-grapes-in-a-bottle-of-wine

Dog Brain

“Dog behavior is a product of their genes: Dog Genome Project Revealed.” by Peter Barnes
- https://www.shutterbulky.com/dog-behavior/
“Domestic dog lineages reveal genetic drivers of behavioral diversification” by Emily V. Dutrow et al.
- https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(22)01379-4?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0092867422013794%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

Sea Forests

“The hidden underwater forests that could help tackle the climate crisis” by Lucy Sherriff
- https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/02/kelp-seaweed-forests-research-climate-crisis
“Global seaweed productivity” by ALBERT PESSARRODONA et al.
- https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abn2465

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Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/cancer-fighting-grapes-dog-brain-sea-forests

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Dangerous Dishwashers, PTSD Prevention, Game Brain Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

Today we discuss how the rinse cycle in some commercial dishwashers might be negatively affecting your gut, how a groundbreaking new study might have found a solution to PTSD, and how video games have been proven to improve our executive functioning skills.

Dangerous Dishwashers

“Commercial dishwashers destroy protective layer in gut” by University of Zurich
- https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/973024
“Industrial dishwashers may harm your gut’s protective inner lining” by Tibi Puiu
- https://www.zmescience.com/medicine/industrial-dishwashers-may-harm-your-guts-protective-inner-lining/

PTSD Prevention

“Taking hydrocortisone immediately after a traumatic event may help prevent PTSD” by Vladimir Hedrih
- https://www.psypost.org/2022/11/taking-hydrocortisone-immediately-after-a-traumatic-event-may-help-prevent-ptsd-64410
“Accelerated forgetting of a trauma-like event in healthy men and women after a single dose of hydrocortisone” by Vanessa E. Hennessy, Luzia Troebinger, Georges Iskandar, Ravi K. Das & Sunjeev K. Kamboj
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-022-02126-2

Game Brain

“For young adults, more time gaming may mean better executive functioning” by Laura Staloch
- https://www.psypost.org/2023/01/for-young-adults-more-time-gaming-may-mean-better-executive-functioning-64641
“Videogaming Frequency and Executive Skills in Young Adults” by Sara Peracchia, Giulia D’Aurizio, and Giuseppe Curcio
- https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/19/12081
“Young Adults Who Frequently Play Video Games Have Improved Executive Functioning Compared to Casual Gamers, Research Suggests” by Margaret Davis
- https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/41718/20230105/young-adults-who-frequently-play-video-games-improved-executive-functioning.htm

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/dangerous-dishwashers-ptsd-prevention-game-brain

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Winchcombe Meteorite, Aya-What Now?, Toxic Cleanup Jan 27, 2023

Show notes

Today we explore how a recent meteorite that landed in the UK is giving us clues to the mysteries of the universe, the positive and negative side-effects found in a recent study on ayahuasca, and how some toxic “forever chemicals” were found to be completely eradicated with new technology.

Winchcombe Meteorite

“Pristine meteorite found within hours of hitting Earth” by Eleanor K. Sansom
- https://astronomy.com/news/2022/11/pristine-meteorite-found-within-hours-of-hitting-earth
“The Winchcombe meteorite, a unique and pristine witness from the outer solar system” by ASHLEY J. KING et al.
- https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abq3925

Aya-What Now?

“How Safe Is Ayahuasca? Large-Scale Study Explores” by Molly Campbell
- https://www.technologynetworks.com/biopharma/news/how-safe-is-ayahuasca-large-scale-study-explores-367665
“Adverse effects of ayahuasca: Results from the Global Ayahuasca Survey” by José Carlos Bouso et al.
- https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0000438
“What Is Ayahuasca? Experience, Benefits, and Side Effects” by Healthline
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ayahuasca

Toxic Cleanup

“Pollution cleanup method destroys toxic “forever chemicals”” by David Danelski
- https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2022/12/12/pollution-cleanup-method-destroys-toxic-forever-chemicals
“Hydrogen-polarized vacuum ultraviolet photolysis system for enhanced destruction of perfluoroalkyl substances” by Gongde Chen et al.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666911022000259
“For Decades, Polluters Knew PFAS Chemicals Were Dangerous But Hid Risks From Public” by Jared Hayes and Scott Faber
- https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/decades-polluters-knew-pfas-chemicals-were-dangerous-hid-risks-public

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/winchcombe-meteorite-aya-what-now-toxic-cleanup

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World Population Reaches 8 Billion, Leprosy, Planet-Killer Jan 26, 2023

Show notes

Today you’ll learn about what it means for the planet now that we’ve reached a global population of 8 billion people, how leprosy might be able to repair damaged livers, and some information about an asteroid that’s been dubbed a, “Planet-killer.”

World Population Reaches 8 Billion

“The world population has now reached 8 billion” by Allison Gasparini
- https://www.sciencenews.org/article/world-population-8-billion-humans-earth
“Day of 8 Billion” by United Nations
- https://www.un.org/en/dayof8billion
“World population hits 8 billion: What does it mean for the planet?” by CGTN
- https://newseu.cgtn.com/news/2022-11-19/World-population-hits-8-billion-What-does-it-mean-for-the-planet--1f47kiG46qs/index.html#:~:text=On%20November%2015%202022%2C%20the,billion%20people%20in%20around%202080.
“The World Population Just Hit 8 Billion and Here’s How It Will Continue to Grow” by David Adam
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-world-population-just-hit-8-billion-and-heres-how-it-will-continue-to-grow/

Leprosy

“Leprosy: Ancient disease able to regenerate organs” By James Gallagher
- https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63626239.amp
“In vivo partial reprogramming by bacteria promotes adult liver organ growth without fibrosis and tumorigenesis” by Samuel Hess et al.
- https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(22)00379-2?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2666379122003792%3Fshowall%3Dtrue
“Leprosy bacteria use 'biological alchemy'” by James Gallagher
- https://www.bbc.com/news/health-21056644

Planet-Killer

“Largest potentially hazardous asteroid detected in 8 years” by National Science Foundation
- https://beta.nsf.gov/news/largest-potentially-hazardous-asteroid-detected-8
“A Deep and Wide Twilight Survey for Asteroids Interior to Earth and Venus” by Scott S. Sheppard et al.
- https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/ac8cff

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/world-population-reaches-8-billion-leprosy-planet-killer

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Internet Chip, Tomato Diet, Wrong Time Meds Jan 25, 2023

Show notes

Today we discuss how a new piece of technology is able to transfer the data of the entire internet in just one second, how eating a lot of tomatoes can improve your gut health, and how scientists are looking into how medicine is processed in the body at different times of day.

Internet Chip

“Record-breaking chip can transmit entire internet's traffic per second” By Michael Irving
- https://newatlas.com/telecommunications/optical-chip-fastest-data-transmission-record-entire-internet-traffic/
“Petabit-per-second data transmission using a chip-scale microcomb ring resonator source” by A. A. Jørgensen et al.
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41566-022-01082-z
“A New Chip Is Capable of Transmitting All of the Internet's Traffic Every Second” by Anthony Wood
- https://www.ign.com/articles/world-record-data-transfer-internet-chip

Tomato Diet

“Tracing tomatoes’ health benefits to gut microbes” by Emily Caldwell
- https://news.osu.edu/tracing-tomatoes-health-benefits-to-gut-microbes/
“Short-Term Tomato Consumption Alters the Pig Gut Microbiome toward a More Favorable Profile” by Mallory L. Goggans et al.
- https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.02506-22

Wrong Time Meds

“New insights into the harms of taking medicines at the wrong time of day” By Rich Haridy
- https://newatlas.com/science/circadian-sedative-heart-damage-drug-time-day-dose/
“Timing matters for medications – your circadian rhythm influences how well treatments work and how much they might harm you” by Tobias Eckle
- https://theconversation.com/timing-matters-for-medications-your-circadian-rhythm-influences-how-well-treatments-work-and-how-much-they-might-harm-you-194906
“How circadian disruptions promote tumor growth and timing of cancer drugs may be vital” By Rich Haridy
- https://newatlas.com/circadian-cancer-tumor-night-shift-chronotherapy/59498/?itm_source=newatlas&itm_medium=article-body
“Anti-inflammatory drugs slow healing, if taken at wrong time of day” By Rich Haridy
- https://newatlas.com/medical/anti-inflammatory-drugs-impair-bone-healing-circadian-clock/?itm_source=newatlas&itm_medium=article-body
“Time-of-day dependent effects of midazolam administration on myocardial injury in non-cardiac surgery” by Meghan Prin et al.
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2022.982209/full

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/internet-chip-tomato-diet-wrong-time-meds

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Podcast Friends, Drunk Plants, Hot Temper Jan 20, 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
- https://www.psypost.org/2022/11/listening-to-podcasts-may-help-satisfy-our-psychological-need-for-social-connection-study-finds-64395
“Why people listen: Motivations and outcomes of podcast listening” by Stephanie J. Tobin
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265806

Drunk Plants

“Getting Plants ‘Drunk’ Insulates them Against Drought, According to New Research” by Andy Corbley
- https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/getting-plants-drunk-insulates-them-against-drought-according-to-new-research/
“Pretreating soil with ethanol protects plants from drought, study finds” by Khurram Bashir
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220824225727.htm

Hot Temper

“AI-Based Research Reveals That Extreme Temperatures Fuel Online Hate Speech” by Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
- https://neurosciencenews.com/extreme-weather-hate-speech-21374/
“Online Hate Speech Increases During Extreme Hot and Cold Weather, Study Shows” by Jeffrey Kluger
- https://time.com/6211832/extreme-weather-twitter-hate-speech/

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/podcast-friends-drunk-plants-hot-temper

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Strong Muscle Gene, The Secrets of Viking Poop, Parrot Chat Jan 19, 2023

Show notes

Today you’ll learn about how some researchers have activated a specific gene in the body that can make your muscles stronger without exercise, how a parasite that can still be found today was discovered in ancient viking poop, and how parrots understand timing when it comes to communication.

Strong Muscle Gene

“Researchers Discover a Gene That Makes Your Muscles Significantly Stronger” by The University of Melbourne
- https://scitechdaily.com/researchers-discover-a-gene-that-makes-your-muscles-significantly-stronger/

The Secrets of Viking Poop

“Viking Poop Helps Scientists Reconstruct Genome of Ancient Human Parasite” by Michelle Starr
- https://www.sciencealert.com/viking-poop-helps-scientists-reconstruct-genome-of-ancient-human-parasite
“DNA in Viking poop sheds new light on 55,000-year-old relationship between gut companions” by University of Copenhagen
- https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/963666
“Dietary Inulin and Trichuris suis Infection Promote Beneficial Bacteria Throughout the Porcine Gut” by Sophie Stolzenbach, Laura J. Myhill, Lee O’Brien Andersen, Lukasz Krych, Helena Mejer, Andrew R. Williams, Peter Nejsum, C. Rune Stensvold, Dennis S. Nielsen and Stig M. Thamsborg
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.00312/full

Parrot Chat

“900 PET PARROTS REVEAL RANGE OF VOCAL MIMICRY” BY U. PITTSBURGH
- https://www.futurity.org/parrots-vocal-mimicry-2839832-2/
“A survey of vocal mimicry in companion parrots” by Lauryn Benedict et al.
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24335-x’

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/strong-muscle-gene-the-secrets-of-viking-poop-parrot-chat

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3-Parent Babies, Shrinking Moles, Being Kind to Narcissists Jan 18, 2023

Show notes

Today you’ll learn about how researchers have been able to grow embryos that have three genetic parents, how European moles can shrink down to a tenth of their size during winter, and whether or not being kind to narcissists makes any difference in their behavior.

3-Parent Babies

“Study reveals how babies born from 3 parents are surprisingly similar to normal babies” by Rupendra Brahambhatt
- https://interestingengineering.com/science/spindle-transfer-embryo-development
“Single-cell multiomics analyses of spindle-transferred human embryos suggest a mostly normal embryonic development” by Shuyue Qi
- https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001741

Shrinking Moles

“European moles can shrink by a tenth in winter to save energy” By James Ashworth

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2022/september/european-moles-can-shrink-by-tenth-winter-save-energy.html

“Winter conditions, not resource availability alone, may drive reversible seasonal skull size changes in moles” by Lucie Nováková, Javier Lázaro, Marion Muturi, Christian Dullin and Dina K. N. Dechmann

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.220652

Being Kind to Narcissists

“New study investigates the role compassion may play in reducing certain narcissistic traits” by Laura Staloch
- https://www.psypost.org/2022/12/new-study-investigates-the-role-compassion-may-play-in-reducing-certain-narcissistic-traits-64480
“Narcissistic traits and compassion: Embracing oneself while devoiding others” by Vanessa Lea Freund et al.
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.914270/full

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/3-parent-babies-shrinking-moles-being-kind-to-narcissists

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Aging Clock, Mental Health in Your Gut, Brain Tumor Vaccine Jan 13, 2023

Show notes

Today we explore how scientists are trying to find a way to make an “aging clock” that can determine your age and health by looking at your DNA, how looking at our gut could help us treat mental health disorders, and how there may be a new treatment option in the form of a vaccine for people suffering from brain tumors!

Aging Clock

“Aging clocks aim to predict how long you’ll live” by INfotech Group
- https://infotechgroup.co.uk/blog/aging-clocks-aim-to-predict-how-long-youll-live/
“Want to know when you’re going to die?” By Karen Weintraub
- https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/10/19/139463/want-to-know-when-youre-going-to-die/

Mental Health in Your Gut

“Gut Microbes May Lead to Therapies for Mental Illness” By UT Southwestern
- https://neurosciencenews.com/gut-microbes-mental-health-21385/
“Is there a link between gut health and anxiety?” by Rosie Slater
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/gut-health-and-anxiety#link

Brain Tumor Vaccine

“Vaccine doubles brain tumour survival rate in medical breakthrough” by Sarah Knapton (PAYWALL)
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/17/vaccine-doubles-brain-tumour-survival-rate-medical-breakthrough/
“Vaccine shown to prolong life of patients with aggressive brain cancer” by Denis Campbell
- https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/17/vaccine-shown-to-prolong-life-patients-aggressive-brain-cancer-trial-glioblastoma
“Association of Autologous Tumor Lysate-Loaded Dendritic Cell Vaccination With Extension of Survival Among Patients With Newly Diagnosed and Recurrent Glioblastoma” by Linda M. Liau et al.
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2798847
“About Glioblastoma” by National Brain Tumor Society
- https://braintumor.org/events/glioblastoma-awareness-day/about-glioblastoma/#:~:text=Glioblastoma%20Facts%20%26%20Figures&text=More%20than%2013%2C000%20Americans%20are,succumb%20to%20glioblastoma%20every%20year.

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/aging-clock-mental-health-in-your-gut-brain-tumor-vaccine

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pain Worse at Night, Who Needs Water, Covid Nasal Spray Jan 12, 2023

Show notes

Today you’ll learn about the development of a potential new Covid vaccine in the form of a nasal spray, how your circadian rhythm affects how intensely you feel pain, and how the old saying that you need 8 glasses of water a day could be a myth.

Pain Worse at Night

“Why pain feels worse at night” by Allison Whitten
- https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/09/why-pain-feels-worse-at-night/
“Circadian rhythmicity of pain sensitivity in humans” by Inès Daguet, Véronique Raverot, Didier Bouhassira, and Claude Gronfier
- https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/145/9/3225/6637506?guestAccessKey=e94c8f79-7fca-42ca-98e2-085eb26400c3&login=false

Who Needs Water?

“Stop counting cups. There’s an ocean of difference in our water needs” by UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/972344
“Variation in human water turnover associated with environmental and lifestyle factors” by YOSUKE YAMADA et al.
- https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm8668

Covid Nasal Spray

“How nasal-spray vaccines could change the pandemic” by Emily Waltz
- https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02824-3
“Investigational Mucosal COVID Vaccine Protects Against Disease and Transmission” by Sarah Avery
- https://corporate.dukehealth.org/news/investigational-mucosal-covid-vaccine-protects-against-disease-and-transmission

Find episode transcripts here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/pain-worse-at-night-who-needs-water-covid-nasal-spray

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