Curiosity Daily

Discovery

The award-winning Curiosity Daily podcast from CuriosityDaily.com will help you get smarter about the world around you. In less than 10 minutes, you’ll get a unique mix of research-based life hacks, the latest science and technology news, and more. Nate Bonham and Calli Gade will help you learn about your mind and body, outer space and the depths of the sea, and how history shaped the world into what it is today.Head to discovery+ to stream even more science content, from Animal Planet to Science Channel. Go to discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms Apply.

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Our Editor's Take

Lifelong learners will love the Curiosity Daily podcast. Here, cohosts Nate Bonham and Calli Gade reveal new facts and fun three days each week. (The “daily” part of the name comes from the companion CuriosityDaily.com site.) Nate and Calli fascinate and educate in each 10-15 minute episode. Their ultimate goal is to make listeners smarter with every segment.

Each episode of the Curiosity Daily podcast presents thorough research. But Nate and Calli explain it in simple and understandable ways. It's like a beautiful gift box with scientific news waiting inside. From science-backed life hacks to surprising discoveries, there is sure to be a story that intrigues every curious person. Topics range from astronaut blood mutations to the benefits of whale poop. Other episodes discuss truth serum's effectiveness, bees yelling “whoop,” and reverse aging. Sometimes it's silly, other times it's serious, and many times it's a bit of both. Either way, the subject possibilities are endless.

With lively and often humorous conversation, Curiosity Daily is a positive podcast to enjoy at any time. The hosts' straightforward and intelligent conversations entertain while they educate. Plus, each episode's show notes contain links to the research articles discussed. This is good for listeners who like to fact-check or further explore content.

Curiosity Daily makes discoveries in science and technology accessible to the virtual masses. In doing so, the podcast has gained exceptional accolades. In 2018 and 2020, the series earned a People's Choice Podcast Award. It also earned a Discover Pods Award in 2019. Listeners can find new episodes uploaded every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

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Episodes

Learning From Friends, Hair & Heart, Feeding Weeds
Today
Learning From Friends, Hair & Heart, Feeding Weeds
Today, you’ll learn about how we learn the same information differently from people we like than from those we don’t like, a drug men already take that could have incredible added benefits, and a weed that could feed a hungry world.   Learning From Friends   “The brain is ‘programmed’ for learning from people we like.” Lund University. 2024.  “Ingroup sources enhance associative inference.” by Marius Boeltzig. 2023.   Hair & Heart   “Common hair loss and prostate drug may also cut heart disease risk in men and mice.” by Lauren Quinn. 2024.  “Finasteride delays atherosclerosis progression in mice and is associated with a reduction in plasma cholesterol in men.” by Patrick McQueen, et al. 2024.   Feeding Weeds  “Common plant could help reduce food insecurity, researchers find.” by Jeff Mulhollem. 2024.  “Food Resilience in the Face of Catastrophic Global Events.” Penn State University. N.d.  “What You Need to Know About Food Security and Climate Change.” Worldbank. 2022.  “Valorizing staple Native American food plants as a food resilience resource.” by Daniel J. Winstead, et al. 2023.   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.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
ADHD Foraging, Pollution & Pollinators, Big Cats Listen
Yesterday
ADHD Foraging, Pollution & Pollinators, Big Cats Listen
Today, you’ll learn about how ADHD might have actually helped our ancient ancestors thrive, the way pollution makes it hard for nighttime pollinators to stop and smell the flowers, and a new study that suggests lions, tigers, and other big cats can tell who’s talking to them.   ADHD Foraging  “Attention deficits linked with proclivity to explore while foraging.” by David Barack. 2024.  “What is ADHD?” NIH. n.d.  “Foraging theory upscaled: the behavioural ecology of herbivore movement.” by N. Owen-Smith, et al. 2010.   Pollution & Pollinators  “At night, pollution keeps pollinating insects from smelling the flowers.” by Elizabeth Pennisi. 2024.  “Here’s how insects help keep ecosystems in balance.” WWF. 2023.  “Nitrate radicals and biogenic volatile organic compounds: oxidation, mechanisms, and organic aerosol.” by Nga Lee Ng, et al. 2017.   Big Cats Listen  “Big cats can tell apart known and unknown human voices, study finds.” by Nicola Davis. 2024.  “Lions are the Brainiest of the Big Cats.” by Jason G. Goldman. 2016.  “Catcalls: exotic cats discriminate the voices of familiar caregivers.” by Taylor Crews, et al. 2024.   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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mind-Reading, Universe’s Brightest Object, Cinnamon
6d ago
Mind-Reading, Universe’s Brightest Object, Cinnamon
Today, you’ll learn about mind-reading machines, the brightest object in the known universe, and the potential power punch of cinnamon.  Mind-Reading  “Mind-reading devices are revealing the brain’s secrets.” by Miryam Naddaf. 2024.  “The brain-reading devices helping paralysed people to move, talk and touch.” by Liam Drew. 2022.  “The rise of brain-reading technology: what you need to know.” by Liam Drew. 2023.  “How our brains decode speech: special neurons process certain sounds.” by Saima Sidik. 2023.   Universe’s Brightest Object  “Astronomers discover universe’s brightest object - a quasar powered by a black hole that eats a sun a day.” by Tory Shepherd. 2024.  “What is a quasar?” by Andy Briggs. 2021.  “Revealed: the oldest black hole ever observed, dating to dawn of universe.” by Hannah Devlin. 2023.   Cinnamon  “Cinnamon supplements reduce blood glucose in people with prediabetes.” by Dani Mann. 2024.  “Cinnamon and Diabetes.” n.a. 2023. “Prediabetes (Borderline Diabetes).” by Mike Watts. 2022.  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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Stress & Immunity, Crop Resilience, Psychedelic Scale
Mar 20 2024
Stress & Immunity, Crop Resilience, Psychedelic Scale
Today, you’ll learn about the surprising effect our immune system has on our emotional health, a new discovery about the biological clock of plants, and how researchers are rediscovering the science of psychedelics.   Stress & Immunity  “Mount Sinai Study Shows That Circulating Immune Cells Drawn to the Brain During Stress Can Control Emotional Behaviors.” Mt. Sinai. 2024.  “Major Depressive Disorder.” by Navneet Bains & Sara Abdijadid. 2023.  “Circulating myeloid-derived MMP8 in stress susceptibility and depression.” by Flurin Cathomas, et al. 2024.   Crop Resilience  “USC researchers uncover biological circuit that protects plants from extreme conditions.” EurekAlert! 2024.  “Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply.” EPA. 2023.  “The interplay between the circadian clock and abiotic stress responses mediated by ABF3 and CCA1/LHY.” by Tong Liang, et al. 2024.   Psychedelic Scale  “An intriguing psychedelic assessment is back from the dead, thanks to Swiss scientists.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “The Psychedelic Integration Scales: Tools for Measuring Psychedelic Integration Behaviors and Experiences.” by Tomas Frymann, et al. 2022.  “The revival of the psychedelic experience scale: Revealing its extended-mystical, visual, and distressing experiential spectrum with LSD and psilocybin studies.” by Kurt Stocker, et al. 2023.   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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Psychosis Blood Test, Altitude Genes, PCOS Cognition
Mar 14 2024
Psychosis Blood Test, Altitude Genes, PCOS Cognition
Today, you’ll learn about a new blood test that can detect signs of psychosis and guide precision treatment, a gene mutation that happened in two different high altitude populations thousands of years apart, and new findings of the mental impacts of polycystic ovary syndrome.   Psychosis Blood Test  “Blood test predicts psychosis risk, most effective treatments.” UI School of Medicine. 2024.  “The Link Between Schizophrenia and Substance Use Disorder: A Unifying Hypothesis.” by Jibran Y. Khokhar, et al. 2019.  “Precision medicine for psychotic disorders: objective assessment, risk prediction, and pharmacogenomics.” by M.D. Hill, et all. 2024.   Altitude Genes  “Mutations in same gene allow two different groups of humans to thrive at extreme altitudes.” by Phie Jacobs. 2024.  “High-altitude living has changed more than just the genes of some Peruvians.” by Freda Kreier. 2020.  “How the people of the Andes evolved to live in high altitudes.” by Lizzie Wade. 2018.  “Mutations may reveal how Tibetans can live on world’s highest plateau.” by Michael Price. 2017.   PCOS Cognition  “Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Linked to Cognitive Decline in Midlife.” by Rhianna-lily Smith. 2024.  “Associations of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome With Indicators of Brain Health at Midlife in the CARDIA Cohort.” by Heather G. Huddleston, MD, et al. 2024.  “White Matter Microstructure and Cognitive Function in Young Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.” by D. Aled Rees, et al. 2016. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chimp Menopause, Ancient Tsunami, Sexism in Science
Mar 8 2024
Chimp Menopause, Ancient Tsunami, Sexism in Science
Today, you’ll learn about how a population of female chimps have surprisingly been found to go through menopause and live well beyond their reproductive years, an ancient tsunami and its devastating impact on stone age populations, and the dire effects of sexism in science.   Chimp Menopause   “Surprisingly long-lived wild female chimps go through menopause.” by Bruce Bower. 2023.  “Wild Chimps Shown to Undergo Menopause for the First Time.” by Joanna Thompson. 2023.  “Evolutionarily, grandmas are good for grandkids - up to a point.” by Sujata Gupta. 2019.  “Why postmenopausal women are so crucial to our evolutionary success.” by Alice Klein. 2024.   Ancient Tsunami  “Tsunami 8,000 Years Ago May Have Devastated Stone Age Community - Study.” by Aristos Georgiou. 2024.  “Possible Tsunami Risk as Geologists Discover 45-Mile-Long Hidden Fault.” by Jess Thomson. 2023.  “The Historic Storegga Slide & Tsunamis.” by David Nikel. 2021.   Sexism in Science  “How centuries of sexism excluded women from science.” by Karly Pitman. 2023.  “Study shows gender bias in science is real. Here’s why it matters.” by Ilana Yurkiewicz. 2012.  “What science has gotten wrong by ignoring women.” by Catherine Zuckerman. 2018.  “Confronting Sexism in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM): What Are the Consequences? By Eden J.V. Hennessey. 2018.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aging & Colors, First Continents, Phones & Infant Health
Mar 6 2024
Aging & Colors, First Continents, Phones & Infant Health
Today, you’ll learn about how we experience colors differently as we age, a discovery from the time of the very first continents on Earth, and the impact of mobile phones on infant health - it’s not what you might expect.  Aging & Colors   “Colours fade as people age.” UCL. 2024.  “Pupil responses to colorfulness are selectively reduced in healthy older adults.” By Janneke E. P. van Leeuwen, et al. 2023.   First Continents  “Researchers uncover source rocks of the first real continents.” The University of British Columbia. 2024.  “Tonalite-Trondhjemite-Granodiorite.” by Herve Martin & Nicholas Arndt. Reference work entry. N.d. “What was it like when life first sprang forth on Earth?” by Ethan Siegel. 2024.  “Archaean continental crust formed from mafic cumulates.” by Matthijs A. Smit, et al. 2024.   Phones & Infant Health  “How does owning a mobile phone impact infant health?” McGill University. 2024.  “Mobile phones and infant health at birth.” by Luca Maria Pesando & Komin Qiyomiddin. 2023.  “Prevalence of low birth weight and its associated factors: Hospital based cross sectional study in Nepal.” by Pratibha Thapa, et al. 2022.  “National, regional, and worldwide estimates of low birthweight in 2015, with trends from 2000: a systematic analysis.” by Hannah Blencowe, et al. 2019.  “Low birth weight.” World Health Organization. N.d.   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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Microgravity Gardening, AI Learns Language, Elephant Numbers
Mar 1 2024
Microgravity Gardening, AI Learns Language, Elephant Numbers
Today, you’ll learn about the possible dangers of growing leafy greens in microgravity, a study that let AI tag along with a toddler to learn language the human way, and research on stabilizing elephant populations on the African savannah.   Microgravity Gardening  “Simulated microgravity facilitates stomatal ingression by Salmonella in lettuce and suppresses a biocontrol agent.” by Noah Totsline, et al. 2024.  “The Future.” NASA. N.D.  “What will astronauts eat during long missions in space?” Leidos. 2023.   AI Learns Language  “AI learns language through the experience of a single child in groundbreaking study.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024.  “Grounded language acquisition through the eyes and ears of a single child.” by Wai Keen Vong, et al. 2024.   Elephant Numbers  “Protecting and connecting landscapes stabilizes populations of the Endangered savannah elephant.” by Ryan M. Huang, et al. 2024.  “The African Savanna.” by Michael Swiderek. 2021.  “Africa’s great savannahs may be more endangered than the world’s rainforests.” by Jeremy Hance. 2012.   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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Racism & The Brain, Rhino Embryos, Handwriting
Feb 28 2024
Racism & The Brain, Rhino Embryos, Handwriting
Today, you’ll learn about how feeling the effects of racism might actually change the victim’s brain chemistry, how scientists have successfully completed the first embryo transfer in an endangered rhino, and how handwriting increases brain connectivity.  Racism & The Brain  “Experiencing racism may physically change your brain.” by Jon Hamilton, Rachel Carlson, & Rebecca Ramirez. 2024.  “Association of Racial Discrimination With Neural Response to Threat in Black Women in the US Exposed to Trauma.” by Negar Fani, PhD. et al. 2021.   Rhino Embryos  “World's first successful embryo transfer in rhinos paves the way for saving the northern white rhinos from extinction.” ScienceDaily. 2024.  “Southern white rhinoceros.” National Geographic. N.d.  “Northern white rhino.” Fauna & Flora. N.d.   Handwriting  “Writing by hand may increase brain connectivity more than typing on a keyboard.” by Deborah Pirchner. 2024.  “Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom.” by F.R. (Ruud) Van der Weel & Audrey L.H. Van der Meer. 2024.   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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hunter-Gatherer Diets, Self-Checkouts, Penguin Colonies
Feb 22 2024
Hunter-Gatherer Diets, Self-Checkouts, Penguin Colonies
Today, you’ll learn about a new discovery that turns our understanding of hunter-gatherer diets on its head, the effect of self-checkout on our sense of loyalty to grocery stores, and some good news about the majestic emperor penguin.   Hunter-Gatherer Diets  “Hunter-gatherers were mostly gatherers, says archaeologist.” by Hannah Devlin. 2024.  “Paleo diet: What is it and why is it so popular?” by Mayo Clinic Staff. 2022.  “What Paleo diets get wrong: We’re not evolved for meat, and our ancestors ate carbs.” by Julia Belluz. 2015.   Self-Checkouts  “Does Self-Checkout Impact Grocery Store Loyalty?” Drexel News. 2024.  “Must-Know Self Checkout Statistics [Latest Report].” by Lorena Castillo. 2023.  “Self-checkout now comprises nearly 40% of grocery checkout options, study says.” by Catherine Douglas Moran. 2022.  “Feeling rewarded and entitled to be served: Understanding the influence of self- versus regular checkout on customer loyalty.” by Farhana Nusrat & Yanliu Huang. 2024.  Penguin Colonies  “Scientists Discover Four New Emperor Penguin Colonies From Satellite Images of Antarctica.” by Sarah Kuta. 2024.  “Top 10 Facts About Emperor Penguins.” WWF. 2023.  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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ant Doctors, Sequestered Carbon, Menstrual Brain
Feb 15 2024
Ant Doctors, Sequestered Carbon, Menstrual Brain
Today, you’ll learn about ants that play doctor to their fellow ants after going into battle, a possible game-changing way to sequester carbon at the bottom of the ocean, and the changes that can happen in the female mind during menstruation.   Ant Doctors  “Ants Recognize Infected Wounds and Treat Them.” Universitat Wurzburg. 2024.  “Innovative drugs, chemicals, and enzymes within the animal production chain.” by Yousef I. Hassan, et al. 2018.  “Targeted treatment of injured nestmates with antimicrobial compounds in ant society.” by Erik. T. Frank, et al. 2023.  Ant Video. N.d.   Sequestered Carbon  “To combat climate change, companies bury plant waste at sea.” by Saima Sidik. 2023.  “Biomass Storage in Anoxic Marine Basins: Initial estimates of geochemical impacts and CO2 sequestration capacity.” by Morgan Reed Raven, et al. 2023.  “2023 Global Carbon Budget Report Emphasizes Urgent Need to Reduce Global Emissions.” by Laura Chaibongsai. 2023.   Menstrual Brain  “The menstrual rhythm of the brain.” Max Planck Gesellschaft. 2023.  “Ultra-high-field 7T MRI reveals changes in human medial temporal lobe volume in female adults during menstrual cycle.” by Rachel G. Zsido, et al. 2023.   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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Long-Term Memories, Ear Infections, Mercury Salt
Feb 14 2024
Long-Term Memories, Ear Infections, Mercury Salt
Today, you’ll learn about a breakthrough in our understanding of how the brain creates long-term memories, the effect of chronic childhood ear infections on the development of language, and how salt may have helped shape the planet Mercury.   Long-Term Memories  “Neurons aren’t the only cells that make memories in the brain, rodent study reveals.” by Emily Cooke. 2023.  “Brain Microvascular Pericytes in Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia.” by Maiko T. Uemura, et al. 2020.  “All you need to know about neurons.” by Tim Newman. 2023.   Ear Infections  “Chronic childhood ear infections delay language development.” by Eric Hamilton. 2024.  “Ear Infections in Children.” NIH. 2022.  “Early otitis media puts children at risk for later auditory and language deficits.” by Susan Nittrouer & Joanna H. Lowenstein. 2024.  Mercury Salt  “Salt may have carved out Mercury’s terrains, including glacierlike features.” by Shi En Kim. 2024.  “The Chaotic Terrains of Mercury Reveal a History of Planetary Volatile Retention and Loss in the Innermost Solar System.” by J. Alexis P. Rodrigues, et al. 2020.  “Mercury’s stunning landscape mapped.” by Christopher Crockett. 2016.  “Mercury Facts.” NASA. n.d.    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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.