Today, you’ll learn about a teensy tiny cure for zits, superpower spider webs, and how scientists have begun having conversations with plants. 

Nano Zit Zapper 

• “Tiny nanocarriers could prove the magic bullet for acne sufferers.” by UNISA. 2023.  
• “Why is acne *so* hard to get rid of? Dermatologists explain.” by Maddy Sims. 2023.  
• “Nanotechnology and narasin: a powerful combination against acne.” by Fatima Abid, et al. 2023.  

Super Strong Silk   

• “High-Strength and ultra-tough whole spider silk fibers spun from transgenic silkworms.” by Junpeng Mi, et al. 2023.  
• “Spider silk is spun by silkworms for the first time, offering a green alternative to synthetic fibers.” EurekAlert! 2023.  

Plant Communication 

• “Conversations with plants: Can we provide plants with advance warning of impending dangers?” EurekAlert! 2023.  
• “Highligher: An optogenetic system for high-resolution gene expression control in plants.” by Bo Larsen, et al. 2023.  

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Today, you’ll learn about how swabbing leaves could save biodiversity, the science of saltwater taffy, and how some of our memories are surprisingly accurate.  

Leaf Swab Tell All 

• “A new DNA leaf swab technique could revolutionize how we monitor biodiversity.” by Darren Incorvaia. 2023.  
• “Kibale: The primate capital of the world.” n.a. N.d. 
• “Detecting a vast diversity of rainforest animals by swabbing their DNA from leaves.” ScienceDaily. 2023.  
• “A ‘Crossroads’ for Humanity: Earth’s Biodiversity Is Still Collapsing.” by Catrin Einhorn. 2021.  

Taffy Science 

• “The physics of saltwater taffy.” by Jennifer Ouellette. 2023.  
• “The rheology of saltwater taffy.” by San To Chan, et al. 2023.  

Persistence of Memory 

• “How accurate are our first childhood memories?” by Joe Phelan. 2023.  
• “Infantile Amnesia: A Critical Period of Learning to Learn and Remember.” by Cristina M. Alberini & Alessio Travaglia. 2017.  
• “The Truth Is Out There: Accuracy in Recall of Verifiable Real-World Events.” by Nicholas B. Diamond, et al. 2020.  

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. 

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Today, you’ll learn about the sounds that make some people want to run for the hills, how our sense of self determines what we find beautiful, and an ancient naval cannon with some secrets of its own. 

Misophonia 

• “A symptom network model of misophonia: From heightened sensory sensitivity to clinical comorbidity.” by Nora Andermane, et al. 2023.  
• “Misophonia: When sounds really do make you ‘crazy’.” by James Cartreine, PhD. 2019.  

Self-Relevant Artwork 

• “In the ‘I’ of the beholder: People believe self-relevant artwork is more beautiful.” EurekAlert! 2023.  
• “Art and Identity: The Profound Link Between Self-Relevance and Aesthetic Appeal Unveiled by AI.” by Niharika Singh. 2023.  
• “Self-Relevance Makes Art More Appealing.” n.a. 2023.  

Ancient Artillery  

• “Early Artillery Piece Recovered Near Sweden.” n.a. 2023.  
• “The Marstrand Cannon: The earliest evidence of shipboard artillery in Europe?” by Staffan von Arbin, 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. 

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Today, you’ll learn about how a tool we use to keep clean might need a little cleaning of its own, the wild intelligence of wild crows, and the case of the missing black holes. 

Dirty Toothbrush  

• “An updated systematic review on toothbrush contamination: An overlooked oral health concern among general population.” by Shahrukh Ali Khan, et al. 2023.  
• “Can Your Toothbrush Make You Sick?” n.a. 2019.  
• “Toothbrush Terror! Can Your Toothbrush Make You Sick?” by Stephanie Watson. N.d.  

Smart Crows  

• “For the first time, research reveals crows use statistical logic.” by Kenna Hughes-Castleberry. 2023.  
• “Like humans, these big-brained birds may owe their smarts to long childhoods.” by Amanda Heidt. 2020.  
• “Crows flexibly apply statistical inferences based on previous experience.” by Melissa Johnston, et al. 2023.  
• “Crow Vocalizations Part II: Q&A.” Corvid Research. 2019.  
• “Flying in for the Crow Funeral.” by Anne Marshall-Chalmers. 2020.  
• “Canuck & I.” YouTube Video. 2021.  

Rare Supermassive Black Hole 

• “Active supermassive black holes may be rarer than previously thought.” by Darren Incorvaia. 2023.  
• “James Webb Space Telescope reveals active supermassive black holes were surprisingly rare in early universe.” by Robert Lea. 2023.  
• “Supermassive black holes: Theory, characteristics and formation.” by Andrew May. 2022.  
• “James Webb Space Telescope Reveals Fewer Supermassive Black Holes Than Presumed.” The University of Kansas. 2023.  

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Today, you’ll learn about a study of near death experiences, how breast milk biopsies could lead the way to early cancer detection, and why employers hire the wrong people. 

Death Experiences 

• “Patients Recall Death Experiences After Cardiac Arrest.” NYU Langone Health. 2023.  
• “Some Patients Who ‘Died’ but Survived Report Lucid ‘Near-Death Experiences,’ a New Study Shows.” by Rachel Nuwer. 2023.  
• “Surges of electroencephalogram activity at the time of death: a case series.” by Lakhmir S Chawla, et al. 2009.  
• “AWAreness during REsuscitation - II: A multi-center study of consciousness and awareness in cardiac arrest.” by Sam Parnia, et al. 2023.  

Breast Milk Cancer Test 

• “Research opens the door to early detection of breast cancer through breast milk.” by Jessica Mouzo. 2023.  
• “Early-Stage Breast Cancer Detection in Breast Milk.” by Cristina Saura, et al. 2023.  

Job Skill Value 

• “Misconceptions About Job Candidates Fitting In.” AOM Insights. 2023.  
• “A Consolidation of Competing Logics on Selecting for Fit.” by Jon Billsberry & Wouter Vleugels. 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. 

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Today, you’ll learn about why our memories are so bad, the amazing logical reasoning of toddlers, and why mathematicians want to have their cake and slice it, too.  

False Memory 

• False Memories For Ending of Events.” by Petar P. Raykov. 2023.  
• “Factors Affecting the Accuracy of Eyewitness Identification.” by Sheena M. Lorenza. 2023.  

Logic in Toddlers   

• “Toddlers learn to reason logically before they learn to speak, according to a study by UPF.” n.a. 2023.  
• “The scope and role of deduction in infant cognition.” by Kinga Anna Bohus, et al. 2023.  

Cake Cutting Math  

• “Here’s why mathematicians are so interested in cake cutting.” by Stephen Ornes. 2023.  
• “13 More Equal than Others.” YouTube Video. N.d.  
• “Rental Harmony: Sperner’s Lemma in Fair Division.” by Francis Edward Su. 1999. 

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. 

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Today, you’ll learn about a tiny device that could have a huge impact on brain cancer, some news about keto and fertility, and the truth about the old saying opposites attract.  

Microbot Tumor Killer  

• “Microdevices implanted into tumors offer new way to treat brain cancer.” EurekAlert! 2023.  
• “Gliomas.” by Fassil B. Mesfin & Mohammed A. Al-Dhahir. 2023.  
• “Treatment of Adult Gliomas: A Current Update.” by Joo Ho Lee & Chan Woo Wee. 2022.  

Keto & PCOS 

• “Women with PCOS on keto diet may see improvements in fertility.” EurekAlert! 2023.  
• “Advantages and Disadvantages of the Ketogenic Diet: A Review Article.” by Jennifer T. Batch, et al. 2020.  
• “Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).” Mayo Clinic. 2022.  

Do Opposites Attract?  

• “Study confirms it: Opposites don’t actually attract.” EurekAlert! 2023.  
• “Paula Abdul - Opposites Attract (Official Music Video).” YouTube. 2009.  
• “New academic study links rising income inequality to ‘assortative mating’.” by Rich Morin. 2014.  
• “Evidence of correlations between human partners based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses of 22 traits and UK Biobank Analysis of 133 traits.” by Tanya B. Horwitz, 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. 

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Today, you’ll learn about a breakthrough in embryo modeling, a breathing ball that could take the edge off anxiety, and the fall of a dynasty.  

Embryo Model  

• “Scientists grow whole model of human embryo, without sperm or egg.” by James Gallagher. 2023.  
• “Dynamic stem cell states: naive to primed pluripotency in rodents and humans.” by Leehee Weinberger, et al. 2016.  
• “Complete human day 14 post-implantation embryo models from naive ES cells.” by Bernardo Oldak, et al. 2023.  
• “Synthetic human embryo raises ethical issues.” by James Gallagher. 2023.  

Breathing Ball 

• “Breathe! The shape-shifting ball that supports mental health.” ScienceDaily. 2023.  
• “Meditation and Mindfulness: What You Need To Know.” NIH. 2022.  
• “How to Meditate.” Mindful.org. N.d.  
• “Prevalence, patterns, and predictors of meditation use among US adults: A nationally representative survey.” by Holger Cramer, et al. 2016.  
• “The shape-shifting ball that supports mental health.” YouTube Video. 2023 

End of a Dynasty 

• “New study uncovers the Causes of the Qing Dynasty’s Collapse.” EurekAlert! 2023.  
• “Qing dynasty, 1644-1911.” Smithsonian. 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. 

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Today, you’ll find yet another reason to avoid sugary sodas, why we might pee more in the winter, and the plight of the penguins. 

Sugary Drinks Depression 

• “Large study links sugary carbonated drinks to increased risk of depression.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2023.  
• “Sugary Drinks.” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 2023.  

Peeing In Cold Weather  

• “Why do I need to pee more in the cold?” by Christian Moro & Charlotte Phelps. 2022.  
• “Reliability of 24-h void frequency as an index of hydration status when euhyrdrated and hypohydrated.” by MA Tucker, et al. 2016.  
• “6 Reasons To Drink More Water During Winter: The Importance of Drinking Water in Winter.” Hydr8. N.d.  

Penguin Chicks Climate Change 

• “Emperor penguins lost thousands of chicks to melting ice last year.” by Luis Melecio-Zambrano. 2023.  
• “Emperor Penguin.” National Geographic. N.d.  
• “Antarctic sea ice has been hitting record lows for most of this year.” by Carolyn Gramling. 2023.  
• “Penguin poop spotted from space ups the tally of emperor penguin colonies.” by Carolyn Gramling. 2020.  
• “Record low 2022 Antarctic sea ice led to catastrophic breeding failure of emperor penguins.” by Peter T. Fretwell, Aude Boutet, & Norman Ratcliffe. 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. 

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Today, you’ll hear the truth about the chromosome that determines the male sex, new secrets from an old iceman, and an exoplanet denser than steel.   

Y Chromosome Puzzle 

• “The Y Chromosome’s genetic puzzle is finally complete.” by Tina Hesman Saey. 2023.  
• “Chromosomal Sex Determination in Mammals.” National Library of Medicine. N.d.  
• “Chromosomes Fact Sheet.” National Human Genome Research Institute. 2020.  
• “The new human pangenome could help unveil the biology of everyone.” by Tina Hesman Saey.  

Iceman Dna  

• “A new look at Otzi the Iceman’s DNA reveals new ancestry and other surprises.” by Tina Hesman Saey. 2023.  
• “Otzi the Iceman.” by M. Vidale, et al. 2016.  
• “Frozen mummy’s genetic blueprints unveiled.” by Tina Hesman Saey. 2012.  
• “High-coverage genome of the Tyrolean Iceman reveals unusually high Anatolian farmer ancestry.” by Ke Wang, et al. 2023.  

Steel Planet  

• “Supermassive Neptune-Sized Exoplanet Has Density Higher than Steel.” by Enrico de Lazaro. 2023.  
• “Bootes constellation: Location, stars and mythology.” by Tim Childers & Rebecca Sohn. 2023.  
• “Exoplanet Discoveries.” NASA. 2023.  
• “A super-massive Neptune-sized planet.” by Luca Naponiello, 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. 

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