Curiosity Weekly - Discovery

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Vampire Bats Adopt Babies Too Apr 13, 2021

Show notes

Learn about why engineers tested a temporary “smart tattoo” that emits light via OLEDs; a female vampire bat that adopted her best friend’s baby after the friend’s death; and how you can sharpen your mind with device-free quiet time.

Engineers tested a temporary "smart tattoo" that emits light by Steffie Drucker

Light-emitting tattoo engineered for the first time. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/ucl-lte022621.php
Barsotti, J., Rapidis, A. G., Hirata, I., Greco, F., Cacialli, F., & Mattoli, V. (2021). Ultrathin, Ultra‐Conformable, and Free‐Standing Tattooable Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes. Advanced Electronic Materials, 2001145. https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202001145
Getting Photodynamic Therapy. (2018). Cancer.org. https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/radiation/photodynamic-therapy.html

A female vampire bat adopted her best friend's baby after the friend's death by Kelsey Donk

Baby vampire bat adopted by mom’s best friend. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/stri-bvb020921.php
Non-kin adoption in the common vampire bat | Royal Society Open Science. (2021). Royal Society Open Science. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.201927

To Sharpen Your Mind, Try Taking Some Device-Free Quiet Time originally aired August 5, 2018 https://omny.fm/shows/curiosity-daily/the-healthiest-diet-w-michael-greger-space-volcano

Follow Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer — for free! You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/vampire-bats-adopt-babies-too

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If Life Existed on Mars, How Would We Know? Apr 12, 2021

Show notes

Learn about how atheists and believers have different moral compasses; how scientists will know if life ever existed on Mars; and how to persuade people to do what you want using the foot-in-the-door technique.

Atheists and believers both have moral compasses -- they're just different by Kelsey Donk

Ståhl, T. (2021). The amoral atheist? A cross-national examination of cultural, motivational, and cognitive antecedents of disbelief, and their implications for morality. PLOS ONE, 16(2), e0246593. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246593
The Local. (2015, April 13). Sweden “least religious” nation in Western world. The Local Sweden; The Local. https://www.thelocal.se/20150413/swedes-least-religious-in-western-world/

How will scientists know if life ever existed on Mars? by Cameron Duke

Fossil Record of the Cyanobacteria. (2021). Berkeley.edu. https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/cyanofr.html
NASA’s Mars 2020 Will Hunt for Microscopic Fossils. (2019, November 12). NASA. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-mars-2020-will-hunt-for-microscopic-fossils
Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL). (2020). Nasa.gov. https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/instruments/pixl/
Stromatolites and other early life. (2020). Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/Stromatolites-and-other-evidence-1666.aspx

The Foot-in-the-Door Technique Can Persuade People to Do What You Want by Annie Hartman

Freedman, J. L., & Fraser, S. C. (1966). Compliance without pressure: The foot-in-the-door technique. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4(2), 195–202. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0023552
Patel, N. (2014, October 13). Foot-In-The-Door Technique: How To Get People To Seamlessly Take Action. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilpatel/2014/10/13/foot-in-the-door-technique-how-to-get-people-to-take-seamlessly-take-action/?sh=704615917d9e
Zuckerman, M., Iazzaro, M. M., & Waldgeir, D. (1979). Undermining Effects of the Foot-in-the-Door Technique with Extrinsic Rewards. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 9(3), 292–296. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1979.tb02712.x

Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY

Find episode transcript: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/if-life-existed-on-mars-how-would-we-know

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We Can Use DNA for Data Storage Apr 09, 2021

Show notes

Learn about how we could use DNA to store all of human knowledge for thousands of years. Then, test your podcast knowledge with the Curiosity Challenge trivia game. You’ll also learn about why becoming a parent may help you live longer.

DNA data storage could store all human knowledge in a small space for thousands of years by Grant Currin

TED-Ed. (2017). Is DNA the future of data storage? - Leo Bear-McGuinness [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8qWc9X4f6k
Yong, E. (2014). DNA storage: The code that could save civilisation. Bbc.com. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20130724-saving-civilisation-in-one-room
Shankland, S. (2019, June 29). Startup packs all 16GB of Wikipedia onto DNA strands to demonstrate new storage tech. CNET; CNET. https://www.cnet.com/news/startup-packs-all-16gb-wikipedia-onto-dna-strands-demonstrate-new-storage-tech/
Netflix. (2020). Biohackers | First Original Series stored in DNA | Netflix [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMYgjOHgHxc
Armstrong, S. (2019, March 15). With AI and DNA, Massive Attack are hacking a new kind of music. WIRED UK. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/massive-attack-mezzanine-dna
Adi Robertson. (2016, July 7). Microsoft stored an OK Go music video in strings of DNA. The Verge; The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/7/12114480/dna-storage-ok-go-microsoft-university-washington-twist-bioscience

Episodes referenced in Curiosity Challenge Trivia game:

Neanderthals: https://www.curiositydaily.com/how-to-know-youre-running-low-on-vitamins/
Catnip: https://www.curiositydaily.com/time-management-can-make-you-happier/
Holding your breath: https://www.curiositydaily.com/why-cant-you-hold-your-breath-to-death/

If You Want to Live Longer, Become a Parent by Ashley Hamer

Davis, N. (2017, March 14). Parenthood can help you live longer in older age, research suggests. The Guardian; The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/mar/14/parenthood-can-help-you-live-longer-in-older-age-research-suggests
Modig, K., Talbäck, M., Torssander, J., & Ahlbom, A. (2017). Payback time? Influence of having children on mortality in old age. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 71(5), 424–430. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2016-207857

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/we-can-use-dna-for-data-storage

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The Known Solar System Just Got Bigger Apr 08, 2021

Show notes

Learn about how mice seem to feel each other’s pain; why our known solar system just got a little bigger thanks to “Farfarout” 2018 AG37; and the history of quinine, the malaria cure that eventually led to the gin and tonic.

Mice seem to feel each other's pain by Steffie Drucker

Mice feel for each other. (2021, January 15). Mice feel for each other. Science | AAAS. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/01/mice-feel-each-other
Mice may “catch” each other’s pain — and pain relief. (2021, January 12). Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/neuroscience-mice-may-catch-each-others-pain-relief-contagious
Smith, M. L., Naoyuki Asada, & Malenka, R. C. (2021). Anterior cingulate inputs to nucleus accumbens control the social transfer of pain and analgesia. Science, 371(6525), 153–159. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abe3040
Mouse facial expression episode: https://www.curiositydaily.com/world-of-warcraft-could-help-fight-covid-19-social-rejection-can-fuel-creativity-and-what-mouse-facial-expressions-teach-us-about-emotion/

Our known solar system just got a little bigger by Cameron Duke

Howell, E. (2021, February 11). “Farfarout” is officially the most distant object in our solar system. Space.com. https://www.space.com/farfarout-most-distant-solar-system-object-confirmed
MPEC 2021-C187 : 2018 AG37. (2021). Minorplanetcenter.net. https://minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K21/K21CI7.html
University of Hawaii at Manoa. (2021). “Farfarout”! Solar system’s most distant planetoid confirmed. EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/uoha-ss021021.php

Here's How a Malaria Cure Turned Into Your Gin and Tonic originally aired December 18, 2018 https://omny.fm/shows/curiosity-daily/voice-changes-when-you-re-charmed-work-motivation

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/the-known-solar-system-just-got-bigger

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An Outsider’s Guide to Humans (w/ Scientist Camilla Pang) Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

Scientist and award-winning author Camilla Pang explains why she wanted to write a manual for humans. You’ll also learn about the planetary chaos that resulted when the Earth’s magnetic poles reversed.

Additional resources from Camilla Pang:

Pick up "An Outsider's Guide to Humans: What Science Taught Me About What We Do and Who We Are" from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vXzmMD
Camilla Pang's website: https://www.camillapang.com/
Camilla Pang on Twitter: https://twitter.com/millzymai

Reversal of Earth's magnetic poles 42,000 years ago led to planetary chaos by Grant Currin

Ancient relic points to a turning point in Earth’s history 42,000 years ago. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/uons-arp021821.php
Cooper, A., Turney, C. S. M., et. al. (2021). A global environmental crisis 42,000 years ago. Science, 371(6531), 811–818. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abb8677

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/an-outsiders-guide-to-humans-w-scientist-camilla-pang

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Post-Traumatic Growth Is a Pandemic Silver Lining Apr 06, 2021

Show notes

Learn about how caregivers may experience “post-traumatic growth” from the pandemic; why the UK has one of the world’s most memorable postcode systems; and how researchers witnessed the birth and development of a completely new language: Idioma de Señas de Nicaragua.

Survey suggests most caregivers have experienced "post-traumatic growth" from the pandemic by Kelsey Donk

Study identifies “post-traumatic growth” emerging from COVID-19 lockdowns. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/uob-si020821.php
Collier, L. (2016). Growth after trauma. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/11/growth-trauma
Stallard, P., Pereira, A. I., & Barros, L. (2021). Post-traumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic in carers of children in Portugal and the UK: cross-sectional online survey. BJPsych Open, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2021.1

Cognitive psychologists are why the UK has one of the most memorable postcode systems by Steffie Drucker

Postcodes are easier to remember than wedding anniversaries, birthdays, phone numbers and bank account details, Royal Mail reveals. (2016). Poweredbypaf.com. https://www.poweredbypaf.com/postcodes-are-easier-to-remember-than-wedding-anniversaries-birthdays-phone-numbers-and-bank-account-details-royal-mail-reveals/
Postcodes | The Postal Museum. (2020, February 12). The Postal Museum. https://web.archive.org/web/20210212050240/https://www.postalmuseum.org/collections/postcodes/#
Quality and longevity | The Psychologist. (2016). Bps.org.uk. https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-29/july/quality-and-longevity
Smith, M. (2021, February 10). Why are UK postcodes so memorable? - Marc Smith - Medium. Medium; Medium. https://psychologymarc.medium.com/why-are-uk-postcodes-so-memorable-b0457e2e8a0d

Researchers Have Witnessed the Birth and Development of a Completely New Language by Arika Okrent

Shoshi Parks. (2018, July 13). How Deaf Children in Nicaragua Created a New Language. Atlas Obscura; Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-nicaraguan-sign-language
The origin of Nicaraguan Sign Language tells us a lot about language creation. (2020). The World from PRX. https://www.pri.org/stories/2020-09-29/origin-nicaraguan-sign-language-tells-us-lot-about-language-creation
In Nicaragua, a Language Is Born. (2004, September 17). Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/in-nicaragua-a-language-i/

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/post-traumatic-growth-is-a-pandemic-silver-lining

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Most Conversations Go On Longer Than We Want Them To Apr 05, 2021

Show notes

Learn about why most conversations go on for a lot longer than we want them to; a genetic mutation that makes some people resilient to the cold; and how homing pigeons pass down their knowledge.

Most conversations go on for twice as long as we want them to by Kelsey Donk

When people want conversations to end. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/potn-wpw022421.php
Mastroianni, A. M., Gilbert, D. T., Cooney, G., & Wilson, T. D. (2021). Do conversations end when people want them to? Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(10), e2011809118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2011809118

Around 20% of people have a genetic mutation that makes them resilient to the cold by Grant Currin

People with this muscle protein gene variant tolerate the cold better. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/cp-pwt021121.php
Wyckelsma, V. L., Venckunas, T., Houweling, P. J., Schlittler, M., Lauschke, V. M., Tiong, C. F., Wood, H. D., Ivarsson, N., Paulauskas, H., Eimantas, N., Andersson, D. C., North, K. N., Brazaitis, M., & Westerblad, H. (2021). Loss of α-actinin-3 during human evolution provides superior cold resilience and muscle heat generation. The American Journal of Human Genetics, 108(3), 446–457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.01.013
Impervious to cold? A gene helps people to ward off the chills. (2021). Nature, 590(7847), 531–531. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-00433-0

Move Over, Ancient Sages: Homing Pigeons Pass Down Knowledge Too by Hayley Otman

Sasaki, T., & Biro, D. (2017). Cumulative culture can emerge from collective intelligence in animal groups. Nature Communications, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15049
Homing pigeons share our ability to build knowledge across generations | University of Oxford. (2017, April 17). Ox.ac.uk. https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-04-18-homing-pigeons-share-our-ability-build-knowledge-across-generations#

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/most-conversations-go-on-longer-than-we-want-them-to

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Bad News About Your Wearable Sleep Tracker Apr 02, 2021

Show notes

Learn about which sleep trackers are actually accurate; how important closure is for a life transition; and why mirrors flip horizontally, but not vertically.

Study of 9 sleep trackers finds that all but 2 are inaccurate by Kelsey Donk

You snooze, you lose - with some sleep trackers. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/wvu-ysy021721.php
Stone, J. D., Rentz, L. E., Forsey, J., Ramadan, J., Markwald, R. R., Finomore, V. S., Galster, S. M., Rezai, A., & Hagen, J. A. (2020). Evaluations of Commercial Sleep Technologies for Objective Monitoring During Routine Sleeping Conditions. Nature and Science of Sleep, Volume 12, 821–842. https://doi.org/10.2147/nss.s270705
Espie, C. (2020) How Do You Measure Sleep? Sleepio. https://www.sleepio.com/articles/sleep-science/how-do-you-measure-sleep/
That Sleep Tracker Could Make Your Insomnia Worse (Published 2019). (2021). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/13/health/sleep-tracker-insomnia-orthosomnia.html

Here's How Important Closure Is for a Life Transition by Sonja Hodgen

Devitt-NYU, J. (2019, February 25). Better endings help us feel good about what’s next - Futurity. Futurity. https://www.futurity.org/life-transitions-endings-1991932/
Schwörer, B., Krott, N. R., & Oettingen, G. (2020). Saying goodbye and saying it well: Consequences of a (not) well-rounded ending. Motivation Science, 6(1), 21–33. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000126

Why mirrors flip horizontally but not vertically by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Maria in Ontario, Canada)

Physics Girl. (2015). Why do mirrors flip horizontally (but not vertically)? [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBpxhfBlVLU
Kaplan, S. (2017, January 23). Dear Science: Why is everything backward in a mirror? The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/01/23/dear-science-why-is-everything-backwards-in-a-mirror/

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/bad-news-about-your-wearable-sleep-tracker

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Why April Fool’s Day Exists Apr 01, 2021

Show notes

Learn about what the “frenemy effect” can teach us about bullying; the surprising ability of marmosets to eavesdrop on each others’ conversations; and why April Fool’s Day may have originated from an out-of-date calendar.

The "frenemy effect" says bullying happens most between friends by Kelsey Donk

Most Teen Bullying Occurs Among Peers Climbing the Social Ladder. (2021, February 17). UC Davis. https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/most-teen-bullying-occurs-among-peers-climbing-social-ladder
With Friends Like These: Aggression from Amity and Equivalence | American Journal of Sociology: Vol 126, No 3. (2012). American Journal of Sociology. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/712972#_i8

Marmosets eavesdrop on each other's conversations — and understand what's said by Steffie Drucker

Eavesdropping marmosets understood other monkeys’ conversations - and they judged. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/aaft-emu020121.php
Marmoset monkeys eavesdrop and understand conversations between other marmosets. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/uoz-mme020321.php
Brügger, R. K., Willems, E. P., & Burkart, J. M. (2021). Do marmosets understand others’ conversations? A thermography approach. Science Advances, 7(6), eabc8790. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abc8790

April Fools' Day May Have Originated From an Out-of-Date Calendar by Reuben Westmaas

Winick, S. (2016, March 28). April Fools: The Roots of an International Tradition | Folklife Today. Loc.gov. https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2016/03/april-fools/
Wills, M. (2016). Why New Years Falls on January 1st | JSTOR Daily. JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/new-year-january-1st/
Britanniae, B. (2014, April). Origins of April Fools Day. Latin Language Blog | Language and Culture of the Ancient Latin-Speaking World. https://blogs.transparent.com/latin/origins-of-april-fools-day/

Podcasts referenced in this episode:

Introduction: https://tim.blog/podcast/
First story: https://songexploder.net/
Second story: https://www.alieward.com/ologies
Third story: http://www.wtfpod.com/
Recap segment: https://serialpodcast.org/
Special thanks to the HiHo team for their assistance: https://hiho.link/c/curiosity

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/why-april-fools-day-exists

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Aleutian Island Secrets and Electrical Ear Activity Mar 31, 2021

Show notes

Award-winning photographer, filmmaker, and environmentalist Ian Shive gives the inside scoop on a research expedition to the Aleutian Islands. Then, learn how researchers solved a molecular mystery about how our ears turn sound into what you hear.

Additional resources from Ian Shive:

Watch “The Last Unknown” on discovery+ https://www.discoveryplus.com/show/the-last-unknown
Start your 7-day free trial of discovery+ https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity
“The Last Unknown” official trailer https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2847221158855153
Ian Shive’s official website http://www.ianshive.com/
Follow @ianshivephoto on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ianshivephoto/
Follow @IanShivePhoto on Twitter https://twitter.com/IanShivePhoto

Scientists discovered the ear mechanism that turns sound into electrical activity -- and protects our hearing by Grant Currin

Hearing acrobatics. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/hms-ha020421.php
Mulhall, E. M., Ward, A., Yang, D., Koussa, M. A., Corey, D. P., & Wong, W. P. (2021). Single-molecule force spectroscopy reveals the dynamic strength of the hair-cell tip-link connection. Nature communications, 12(1), 1-15. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-21033-6
NIHOD. (2018). Journey of Sound to the Brain [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQEaiZ2j9oc

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/aleutian-island-secrets-and-electrical-ear-activity

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