Curiosity Weekly

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.  

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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. 

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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. 

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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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Today, you’ll learn about the colors of climate change, the benefits of exercising with your pals, and the science behind the highs and lows of online dating.  

Climate Change Color 

• “Nature’s changing colors makes climate change visible.” by Sujata Gupta. 2023.  
• “The Science of Fall Foliage and Climate Change: UVM Expert.” by Ellie Scott and BAsil Waugh. 2022.  
• “The colour of seawater: colour perception and environmental change in Dominican seascapes.” by Kyrstin Mallon Andrews. 2023.  
• “Climate change made the Arctic greener. Now parts of it are turning brown.” by Hannah Hoag. 2019.  
• “Global climate-change trends detected in indicators of ocean ecology.” by B.B. Cael, et al. 2023.  

Group Exercise Benefits 

• “People Who Exercise in Groups Get More Health Benefits.” by Shawn Radcliffe. 2017.  
• “Exercise/Physical Activity.” CDC. 2022.  
• “Exercise for Mental Health.” by Ashish Sharma, et al. 2006.  
• “The effect of behavioral synchrony in groups of teammates and strangers.” by Philip Sullivan & Kate Rickers. 2012.  

Online Dating Compatibility 

• “Can We Really Find Compatible Partners From Online Dating?” by Martin Graff Ph.D. 2023.  
• “Key findings about online dating in the U.S.” by Emily A. Vogels & Colleen McClain. 2023.  
• “The $3 Billion Online Dating Industry Continues to Expand.” by ‘Dustin.’ 2023.  
• “Why Relationships Matter.” Psychology Today. N.d.  

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Today, you’ll learn about a successful moon landing that could launch another space race, an answer to the age-old debate about whether you should marry for love or money, and a 250 million year old human-sized armored sea lizard.  

Indian Moon Landing 

• “India’s successful moon landing follows recent failures by other countries.” by Katherine Kornei. 2023.  
• “How many countries have been to the moon.” Starlust. 2023.  
• “NASA’s Artemis program: Everything you need to know.” by Adam Mann & Ailsa Harvey. 2022.  
• “Ice at the moon’s poles might have come from ancient volcanoes.” by Anna Gibbs. 2022.  
• “India’s first attempt to land on the moon appears to have failed.” by Lisa Grossman. 2019.  
• “Israel’s first moon mission lost moments before landing.” by Maria Temming. 2019.  

Love or Money?  

• “Should You Marry for Love or for Money?” by Aaron Ben-Zeev, Ph.D. 2023.  
• “Do Americans marry for love or money? Finally, an answer.” by Quentin Fottrell. 2019.  
• “75% Of Women Would Not Marry Someone In This Circumstance.” by YourTango. 2023.  
• “Why The Smartest Women Marry For Money.” by aol health. 2022.  
• “Does Love Always Win.” by Aaron Ben-Zeev Ph.D. 2018.  

Giant Sea Lizard 

• “Ancient human-sized sea lizard rewrites history of early armored marine reptiles.” by Harry Baker. 2023.  
• “An armoured marine reptile from the Early Triassic of South China and its phylogenetic and evolutionary implications.” by Andrzej S Wolniewicz, et al. 2023.  

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Today, you’ll learn the truth about farts and pink eye, about studies showing the seven year itch might just be a thing, and about an ancient dance floor you could play like a drum.  

Pink Eye Cause 

• “Can You Get Pink Eye If Someone Farts on Your Pillow?” by Scott Frothingham. 2019.  
• “The ultimate guide to pink eye.” by Amir Monzavi, OD. 2020.  

Seven Year Itch 

• “Does Infidelity Peak in the Seventh Year of Marriage?” by Justin J. Lehmiller Ph.D. 2023.  
• “Sex.” Psychology Today. N.D.  
• “Marriage.” Psychology Today. N.D.  
• “The Seven Year Itch.” AFI Catalog. N.d.  

Andes Dance Floor 

• “Pre-Inca people stomped salutes to their thunder god on a special dance floor.” by Bruce Bower. 2023.  
• “Ancient trumpets played eerie notes.” by Marissa Cevallos. 2010.  
• “Pounding the ground for the thunder god: Sounding platforms in the Prehispanic Andes (CE1000-1532).” by Kevin Lane. 2023.  
• “Cultural Accoustics.” Miriam A. Kolar, MFA, Ph.D. 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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