Curiosity Weekly

Entrepreneur, physicist, and author Safi Bahcall shares a simple trick for staying motivated in the face of adversity. You’ll also learn about why things sound louder in the morning and the science of the winter solstice.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com about the science of the winter solstice: https://curiosity.im/35jNGRv

Additional resources from Safi Bahcall:

• Pick up “Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas that Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries” on Amazon — https://amazon.com
• Follow @SafiBahcall on Twitter — https://twitter.com/safibahcall
• Official Website — https://www.bahcall.com/

Additional sources:

• Q & A: Why are sounds louder at night? Does light affect sound? | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Physics — https://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=23198&t=why-are-sounds-louder-at-night-does-light-affect-sound
• Here's Why Sound Carries Farther on Cold Days | Curiosity — https://curiosity.com/topics/heres-why-sound-carries-farther-on-cold-days-curiosity/
• Adaptation: Why your brain loves to tune out | BBC Future — https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20120508-why-your-brain-loves-to-tune-out

Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing! Just click or tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/staying-motivated-in-the-face-of-adversity-w-safi-bahcall-why-things-sound-louder-in-the-morning-and-winter-solstice-science

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Learn about why shaming people online often backfires; what caused GRB 190114C, the most energetic explosion ever observed; and how brushing your teeth can protect your heart.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes:

• Shaming People Online Often Backfires, According to a Study — https://curiosity.im/2PiQTLP
• Astronomers Found the Most Energetic Explosion Ever — https://curiosity.im/2PiR2Pn

Additional sources:

• Brush your teeth to protect the heart | European Society of Cardiology — https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-12/esoc-byt112619.php
• The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants, and It Wants You to Brush Your Teeth | Gizmodo — https://gizmodo.com/the-heart-wants-what-the-heart-wants-and-it-wants-you-1840147705
• Will taking care of my teeth help prevent heart disease? | Mayo Clinic — https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/heart-disease-prevention/faq-20057986
• Poor Oral Health and Blood Pressure Control Among US Hypertensive Adults | Hypertension — https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.11528
• Improved oral hygiene care is associated with decreased risk of occurrence for atrial fibrillation and heart failure: A nationwide population-based cohort study | European Journal of Preventive Cardiology — https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2047487319886018
• Periodontal Disease and Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: Does the Evidence Support an Independent Association? | Circulation — https://ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIR.0b013e31825719f3

Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing! Just click or tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/shaming-people-online-can-backfire-the-most-energetic-explosion-ever-observed-and-the-link-between-teeth-brushing-and-heart-health

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“Man Vs Bear” host Casey Anderson explains why it’s important to put grizzly bears on TV. Then, you’ll learn about the real reason why people choose gifts — and it’s not to satisfy the giftees.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how most people pick gifts to wow rather than to satisfy: https://curiosity.im/2YLp9mh

More about Man Vs. Bear:

• Man Vs. Bear on Discovery — https://www.discovery.com/shows/man-vs-bear
• Get to know Bart, Honey Bump, and Tank, the grizzly athletes of Man Vs. Bear [VIDEO] — https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/man-vs-bear/full-episodes/bart-honey-bump-and-tank
• More about Casey Anderson on Discovery — https://www.discovery.com/profiles/casey-anderson
• Casey Anderson’s official website — http://caseyanderson.tv/
• Follow @Grizanderson on Twitter — https://twitter.com/Grizanderson
• Follow @grizzlyguy on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/grizzlyguy/

Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing! Just click or tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/grizzlies-are-real-life-superheroes-w-man-vs-bear-host-casey-anderson-and-how-people-really-pick-gifts

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“Man Vs Bear” host Casey Anderson explains why grizzly bears are such fascinating animals, and the clever tricks they and other animals use to survive. You’ll also learn about “mast years” when trees sync their seed production.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about “mast years,” times when trees sync their seed production: https://curiosity.im/2sYiGs2

More about Man Vs. Bear:

• Man Vs. Bear on Discovery — https://www.discovery.com/shows/man-vs-bear
• Get to know Bart, Honey Bump, and Tank, the grizzly athletes of Man Vs. Bear [VIDEO] — https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/man-vs-bear/full-episodes/bart-honey-bump-and-tank
• More about Casey Anderson on Discovery — https://www.discovery.com/profiles/casey-anderson
• Casey Anderson’s official website — http://caseyanderson.tv/
• Follow @Grizanderson on Twitter — https://twitter.com/Grizanderson
• Follow @grizzlyguy on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/grizzlyguy/

Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing! Just click or tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/tool-using-animals-w-man-vs-bear-host-casey-anderson-and-trees-syncing-seed-production

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

Learn about whether you should avoid fever reducing drugs; why some dinosaurs replaced their teeth as much as sharks do; and how the smelling disorder “phantosmia” can make you hallucinate with smell.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes:

• If Fever Helps Fight Infection, Should I Avoid Fever-Reducing Drugs? | The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/11/well/live/fever-infection-drugs-tylenol-acetaminophen-ibuprofen-advil-aspirin.html
• The Case for Letting Fevers Run Their Course | The Daily Beast — https://www.thedailybeast.com/let-it-burn-why-you-should-let-fevers-run-their-course
• Commonly found fossils | Journal of Thoriacic Disease — https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4703655/
• Commonly found fossils | National Trust — https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/commonly-found-fossils
• 10 Rough Facts About Majungasaurus | Mental Floss — https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/66566/10-rough-facts-about-majungasaurus
• Researchers determine dinosaur replaced teeth as fast as sharks } Phys.org — https://phys.org/news/2019-11-dinosaur-teeth-fast-sharks.html
• Plant-eating dinosaurs replaced teeth often, carried spares | Phys.org — https://phys.org/news/2013-07-plant-eating-dinosaurs-teeth.html
• Evolution of high tooth replacement rates in theropod dinosaurs | PLOS — https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0224734
• Phantom smells may be a sign of trouble } NBC News — https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/phantom-smells-may-be-sign-trouble-n890271
• What to know about phantom smells (phantosmia) | Medical News Today — https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322698.php
• What is phantosmia? | Healthline — https://www.healthline.com/health/phantosmia#common-causes
• Phantosmia: What causes olfactory hallucinations? | Mayo Clinic — https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/temporal-lobe-seizure/expert-answers/phantosmia/faq-20058131

Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing! Just click or tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/should-you-avoid-fever-reducing-drugs-plus-teeth-replacing-dinosaurs-and-phantosmia-smell-hallucinations

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Learn about why we drive on parkways and park on driveways; a flapping spacecraft that’s being designed to explore Venus; and why recalling a word on the tip of your tongue ensures that you’ll forget it next time.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes:

• A Flapping Spacecraft Is Being Designed to Explore Venus — https://curiosity.im/35zy24i
• Recalling a Word on the Tip of Your Tongue Helps Ensure You'll Forget It Next Time — https://curiosity.im/2sotZtp

Additional sources:

• park (n.) | Online Etymology Dictionary — https://www.etymonline.com/word/park?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_7220
• driveway (n.) | Online Etymology Dictionary — https://www.etymonline.com/word/driveway#etymonline_v_31894
• Why Do We Park on a Driveway and Drive on a Parkway? | Alternatives Journal — https://www.alternativesjournal.ca/community/blogs/food-and-culture/why-do-we-park-driveway-and-drive-parkway
• An etymology of “parking” | West North — https://westnorth.com/2012/10/12/an-etymology-of-parking/

Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing! Just click or tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/remembering-words-on-the-tip-of-your-tongue-parkways-vs-driveways-and-a-flapping-spacecraft-to-explore-venus

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Learn about why you don’t need to “warm up” your car, even when it’s freezing; fossils proving that Antarctica used to be covered in forests; and research that shows why buying less is better than buying green.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes:

• You Don't Need to Warm Up Your Car, Regardless of the Weather — https://curiosity.im/2pW1emV
• Antarctica Was Once Covered in Forests — And We Have the Fossils to Prove It — https://curiosity.im/2QD05LU
• Research Shows Why Buying Less Is Better Than Buying Green — https://curiosity.im/2rRkQck

Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing! Just click or tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/you-dont-need-to-warm-up-your-car-buy-less-instead-of-buying-green-and-antarcticas-ancient-forests

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Lauren Black, Distinguished Scientist in the Scientific advisory services at Charles River Labs, shares the story of how doctors came up with a customized drug to treat one specific patient with Batten disease. Plus: learn about how you really can tell if someone’s sick just by looking at them.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about how you really can tell someone’s sick just by looking at them: https://curiosity.im/2D6XTo8

Additional sources:

• Drug Regulation in the Era of Individualized Therapies | The New England Journal of Medicine — https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe1911295
• Patient-Customized Oligonucleotide Therapy for a Rare Genetic Disease | The New England Journal of Medicine — https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1813279

Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing! Just click or tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/customized-medicine-w-lauren-black-and-how-to-tell-someones-sick-by-looking-at-them

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

Learn about how replacing salt with MSG can actually help you cut back on sodium; the Hawking index, a mathematical measure of when people give up on books; and why giving too much advice might mean that you crave power.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following story from Curiosity.com about the Hawking Index, a mathematical measure of when people give up on books: https://curiosity.im/33dFRLB

Additional sources:

• Study finds glutamates such as MSG can help reduce Americans' sodium intake | EurekaAlert! — https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-11/epr-sfg110719.php
• Current Sodium Intakes in the United States and the Modeled Effects of Glutamate Incorporation into Select Savory Products | MDPI — https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/11/2691
• After-Dinner Headache? MSG Is Probably Not To Blame. | Curiosity.com — https://curiosity.com/topics/after-dinner-headache-msg-is-probably-not-to-blame-curiosity
• Why Power Seekers Give Advice | INSEAD Knolwedge — https://knowledge.insead.edu/leadership-organisations/why-power-seekers-give-advice-9626
• Advice giving: A subtle pathway to power | Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University — https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6779&context=lkcsb_research

Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing! Just click or tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/cutting-sodium-by-adding-msg-measuring-when-people-give-up-on-books-and-how-giving-advice-may-mean-you-crave-power

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Learn about why you should close the lid before you flush the toilet; the “planfulness” personality trait that makes you more likely to exercise; and how men and women have different attitudes toward their exes.

In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes:

• Researchers Determined the Personality Trait That Makes You More Likely to Exercise — https://curiosity.im/2XBOUVt
• Men and Women Have Different Attitudes Toward Their Exes — https://curiosity.im/2D9RfNO

Additional sources:

• Here's why you should always close the toilet lid when you flush | Today — https://www.today.com/home/it-necessary-close-toilet-lid-when-you-flush-t143776
• Please, for the Love of God, Close the Toilet Lid When You Flush | Good Housekeeping — https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a22777060/close-the-toilet-seat/
• Lifting the lid on toilet plume aerosol: A literature review with suggestions for future research | National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine — https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4692156/
• Potential for aerosolization of Clostridium difficile after flushing toilets: the role of toilet lids in reducing environmental contamination risk. | NCBI — https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22137761
• Probable Transmission of Norovirus on an Airplane | JAMA Network — https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/200725

Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing! Just click or tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/close-the-lid-before-you-flush-how-men-and-women-feel-about-their-exes-and-a-trait-that-makes-you-more-likely-to-exercise

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