Curiosity Theory

By Dr. Dakotah Tyler & Justin ShaiferScience

Curiosity Theory episodes

February 13 The Black Death and the Myth of Utopia
What if the story of life starts earlier than we thought? We break down LUCA, the Last Universal Common Ancestor, what it is, what it is not, and what new genetic clues suggest about life before LUCA. We also connect the origin of life to astrobiology, how scientists read exoplanet atmospheres using starlight, and why Earth’s changing atmosphere matters when searching for life beyond our planet.
Then we jump into medieval history and the Black Death. New evidence suggests the plague’s spread may have been shaped by geology and climate through volcanic activity, crop failure, and the trade routes that moved grain, fleas, and disease. The bigger theme is a Curiosity Theory classic, history is a messy chain of unintended consequences, and new technology keeps creating new unknowns.
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1 hr 10 min
February 10 Moon Trips, Mermaids, and Immortality
This week on Curiosity Theory, we’re back with Part 2 of our crossover with Science and the City.
Dakotah, Justin, Ashley, and Kalpana jump into a rapid-fire science conversation covering everything from Moon and Mars travel risks to evolution hypotheticals, lab-grown meat, AI hype cycles, nerd culture, astrophotography, and even whether you’d choose immortality and live past the heat death of the universe.
It’s loose, funny, and curiosity-driven. Four science communicators following the most interesting questions wherever they lead.
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Hosted by Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer
Stay curious.
1 hr 8 min
February 06 Will We Ever Find Life On A Moon?
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On this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer explore everything from primate behavior to exploding volcanoes on Jupiter’s moon Io.
They discuss research suggesting same-sex behavior in primates may strengthen social bonds during stressful times, dive into evolution and extinction, debate ants versus humans as “apex” species, and unpack a testosterone experiment in lizards that shows how aggression and risk can come with serious biological costs.
The conversation then shifts toward AI, algorithms, and how technology may subtly nudge our decisions, before heading into space to explain Io’s massive volcanic eruptions and how similar physics may have helped astronomers detect one of the first possible exomoons.
It’s a wide-ranging, curiosity-driven discussion about biology, evolution, technology, and astronomy.
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Hosted by Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer
Stay curious.
1 hr
February 03 What It’s Really Like Exploring the Amazon Rainforest w/ Maynard Okereke
On this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer sit down with Maynard Okereke (@HipHopMD) for a conversation that moves from the Amazon rainforest to the future of humanity.
Maynard shares stories from wildlife expeditions in the Amazon, including giant insects, venomous animals, biodiversity research, and discovering new species. The discussion explores evolution, mimicry, toxic species, and how ecosystems maintain balance over long timescales.
From there, the conversation zooms out into climate change, invasive species, human engineering, and whether we can realistically solve environmental problems with more technology. They also dive into bigger philosophical questions about alien life, existential threats, and what actually unites humanity.
It’s a thoughtful mix of nature, science, and big-picture thinking.
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Hosted by Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer
Stay curious.
1 hr
January 30 The Science That Should Make You Uncomfortable
On this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer explore a wide range of scientific questions shaping our future.
They discuss new research on the inverse relationship between cancer and Alzheimer’s, how aging introduces diseases evolution never prepared us for, and what might happen if humans dramatically extend lifespan. The conversation then turns to artificial intelligence, emotion, decision-making, and the growing power of algorithms to shape society.
The episode also covers how the brain changes in space, the ethics of designer babies and genetic selection, and whether emerging biotech could turn inequality into biology. They close by unpacking myths about giant sea creatures, how little of the deep ocean we’ve explored, and why much of the ocean is actually nutrient-poor and sparsely populated.
It’s a wide-ranging discussion about science, ethics, evolution, and unintended consequences.
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Hosted by Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer
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1 hr 9 min
January 27 Do We Blame The Brain Or The System That Shaped It
On this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer explore CTE, ADHD, and how society explains behavior in athletes and high-performance environments.
Dakotah shares his personal experience with concussions, being evaluated for CTE, and later being diagnosed with severe ADHD as an adult. Together, they discuss why CTE is often used as a catch-all explanation for extreme behavior, and why that framing can ignore deeper factors like identity loss, emotional development, and systemic incentives in sports culture.
The episode also examines ADHD through an evolutionary lens, including the hunter-gatherer hypothesis, risk-taking, creativity, and why certain cognitive traits struggle in modern systems while thriving in uncertainty. The conversation expands into loss aversion, minimalism, masculinity, and whether technology could ever replace the human meaning embedded in sport.
It’s a thoughtful, nuanced discussion about neuroscience, evolution, and seeing people as more than diagnoses.
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Hosted by Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer
Stay curious.
1 hr 7 min
January 23 Was 2016 Really Better Or Are You Just Depressed And Exhausted?
This week on Questionable Content, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer explore why so many people feel like life was better in the past and whether nostalgia is telling us the truth.
They discuss the psychology of memory, why certain years like 2016 get mythologized, and how our brains prioritize emotional comfort over accuracy. The conversation also looks at long-term human progress, wealth, systems, and whether society is actually improving even when it feels unstable.
Throughout the episode, they answer curiosity-driven science questions about heartbeats, lightning, space, water usage, and everyday misconceptions that reveal how intuition often fails us.
It’s a wide-ranging conversation about time, memory, science, and perspective.
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Hosted by Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer
Stay curious.
1 hr 9 min
January 20 Physics, Brains, and the Future of Intelligence Collab w/ From First Principles
In this special collaboration episode, Curiosity Theory joins From First Principles for a deep conversation about science, intelligence, and the future of technology.
Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer are joined by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhury to discuss academic paths, physics beyond academia, thermodynamics and life, and what neuroscience reveals about memory, learning, and spatial awareness.
The episode also explores artificial intelligence, world models, robotics, one-shot learning, emotional systems, AI alignment, and the growing political and ethical questions surrounding frontier technologies.
This is a long-form, first-principles conversation about how humans think, how intelligence emerges, and where science and technology may be headed next.
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Hosted by Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer
Stay curious.
1 hr 4 min
January 17 Life Is Way Harder to Kill Than We Thought
This week on Questionable Content, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer explore new findings from NASA clean rooms that reveal microbes capable of surviving extreme sterilization, raising important questions about planetary protection and the resilience of life.
The conversation expands into food preservation, gut health, and why people often report feeling healthier in Europe compared to the U.S. They examine how capitalism and regulation shape food systems, health outcomes, and everyday choices without relying on conspiracy thinking.
Later, they critically assess recent microplastics research, discussing whether current detection methods justify the alarming claims being made. The episode wraps with a discussion of Apple, Google, Gemini, OpenAI, and how big tech navigates innovation, risk, and AI competition.
It’s an honest, wide-ranging conversation about science, health, systems, and curiosity.
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Hosted by Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer
Stay curious.
1 hr
January 13 Designing a Universe as a Game
In this episode of Curiosity Theory, Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer build a science fiction universe in real time.
Justin shares a developing sci-fi concept called The Universe Game, where advanced beings simulate entire universes in search of an intelligent civilization worthy of becoming a peer. The conversation explores simulation theory, loneliness at cosmic scales, free will versus intervention, and how small decisions can ripple across billions of years.
The episode also dives into worldbuilding, creative process, respecting the audience’s intelligence, and why building original IP and owning your vision matters. It’s part sci-fi brainstorm, part philosophy, and part creative workshop.
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Hosted by Dr. Dakotah Tyler and Justin Shaifer
Stay curious.
58 min

About Curiosity Theory

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A podcast about sharpening your curiosity through science, stories, and bold questions. With Astrophysicist Dr. Dakotah Tyler & STEM Educator Justin Shaifer.

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