Learn why you’re more likely to order junk food after your friends do; why we’re the only human species; and why people literally danced themselves to death during the Medieval Dancing Plague.

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:
This Concept Explains Why You Order Junk Food After Your Friends Do — https://curiosity.im/2L1M9dk
Why Are We the Only Human Species? — https://curiosity.im/2GwHtrA
During the Medieval Dancing Plagues, People Literally Danced Themselves to Death — https://curiosity.im/2GyG0kK

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Medieval Dancing Plagues, Altruistic Indulgence, and Types of Human Species

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

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Today, you’ll learn about the science of getting in the groove, a newly discovered burial ground for elite medieval horses, and more evidence that coffee could help you fight off cancer.     Grooving to Music   “Neural dynamics of predictive timing and motor engagement in music listening.” by Arnaud Zalta, et al. 2024.  “Two Concepts of Groove: Musical Nuances, Rhythm, and Genre.” by Evan Malone. 2022.  “An expanded role for the dorsal auditory pathway in sensorimotor control and integration.” by Josef P Rauschecker. 2011.    Horse Burial   “Tudor era horse cemetery in Westminster revealed as likely resting place of elite imported animals.” by Andrew Merrington. 2024.  “Horse cemetery in Westminster revealed as likely resting place for elite imported animals.” n.a. 2024.    Coffee & Cancer   “Coffee drinkers have much lower risk of bowel cancer recurrence, study finds.” by Denis Campbell. 2024.  “Sixty seconds on…Coffee and cancer.” by Nigel Hawkes. 2016.  “Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer recurrence and all-cause mortality.” by Abisola M. Oyelere, et al. 2024.  “Colorectal Cancer: Facts & Figures 2020-2022.” American Cancer Society. 2020.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grooving to Music, Horse Burial, Coffee & Cancer

Today, you’ll learn about the pros and mostly cons of using ChatGPT in the classroom, how wild animals responded to the sudden peace and quiet of Covid, and a new contact lens that can help heal eye wounds.     ChatGPT in School   “Is it harmful or helpful? Examining the causes and consequences of generative AI usage among university students.” by Muhammad Abbas, et al. 2024.  “Uses and Misuses of ChatGPT by Academic Community: An Overview and Guidelines.” by Muhammad Abbas. 2023.   Quiet Covid   “Hundreds of photos show animal behaviour during COVID-19 lockdowns.” by Andrew Kurjata. 2024.  “Mammal responses to global changes in human activity vary by trophic group and landscape.” by A. Cole Burton, et al. 2024.  “Scientists say new epoch marked by human impact - the Anthropocene - began in 1950s.” Associate Press. 2023.  “When COVID rules kept humans home, wildlife roamed more freely, international study shows.” by Wallis Snowdon. 2023.    Healing Contact Lens    “Fabrication and Characterization of an Enzyme-Triggered, Therapeutic-Releasing Hydrogel Bandage Contact Lens Material.” by Susmita Bose, et al. 2024.  “Corneal Injury.” NIH. 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.

ChatGPT in School, Quiet Covid, Healing Contact Lens

Today, you’ll learn about why our brains are getting bigger and why that’s a good thing, how the sweet songs of the reef could help save it, and an AI device that gives a voice to the voiceless.     Bigger Brains    “Human brains are getting larger. That may be good news for dementia risk.” UC David Health. 2024.  “Trends in Intracranial and Cerebral Volumes of Framingham Heart Study Participants Born 1930 to 1970.” by Charles DeCarli, MD, et al. 2024.  “Framingham Heart Study.” Framingham Heart Study. N.d.  “Study examines factors behind decline in dementia incidence.” NIH. 2016.    Reef Songs   “Sounds appealing - reef recordings entice coral larvae to start building.” by Ben Coxworth. 2024.  “Life Below Water.” UN. n.d.  “Status of Coral Reefs.” Reef Resilience Network. N.d.  “Soundscape enrichment increases larval settlement rates for the brooding coral Porites astreoides.” by Nadege Aoki, et al. 2024.    AI Speech   “Speaking without vocal cords, thanks to a new AI-assisted wearable device.” by Christine Wei-li Lee. 2024.  “Speaking without vocal folds using a machine-learning-assisted wearable sensing-actuation system.” by Ziyuan Che, 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.

Bigger Brains, Reef Songs, AI Speech

Today, you’ll learn about a nasal spray that could one day let those with sleep apnea toss out their CPAP machines, house paint that kills mosquitos, and the incredible giant redwoods… of England.     Sleep Spray    “A novel TASK channel antagonist nasal spray reduces sleep apnea severity in physiological responders: a randomized, blinded, trial.” by Amal M. Osman, et al. 2024.  “Obstructive Sleep Apnea.” by Rob Newsom & Dr. Abhinav Singh. 2024.    Insecticide Paint   “Insecticide paint controls mosquito population up to 1 year, experiment shows.” by Stephanie Soucheray, MA. 2024.  “Mosquito-Borne Human Viral Diseases: Why Aedes aegypti?” by Jeffrey R. Powell. 2018.  “Insecticide paints: a new community strategy for controlling dengue and zika mosquito vectors in Cabo Verde.” by Lara Ferrero Gomez, et al. 2024.  “Special insecticide paint may help curb zika and dengue fever outbreaks.” EurekAlert! 2024.    UK Redwoods   “Hidden giants: how the UK’s 500,000 redwoods put California in the shade.” by James Tapper. 2024.  “11 FActs About Coast Redwoods, the Tallest Trees in the World.” by Melissa Breyer. 2020.  “California: visitors to world’s tallest tree face $5,000 fine and possible jail time.” Associated Press. 2022.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sleep Spray, Insecticide Paint, UK Redwoods

Today, you’ll learn about an effort to create palm oil without burning down millions of acres of forest, the surprising way polyglots’ brains approach their own native language, and new research on how the powerful psychedelic drug ayahuasca extinguishes fear.    Palm-Less Oil   “They Want to Make Palm Oil in a Lab. Without Palm Trees.” by Dionne Searcey. 2024.  “Things To Know About Palm Oil.” WWF. n.d.   Polyglot Brain   “For people who speak many languages, there’s something special about their native tongue.” by Anne Trafton. 2024.  “Functional characterization of the language network of polyglots and hyperpolyglots with precision fMRI.” by Saima Malik-Moraleda, et al. 2024.    Ayahuasca & Fear    “Ayahuasca accelerates fear extinction via its effect on serotonin receptors.” by Eric. W. Dolan. 2024.  “Ayahuasca-enhanced extinction of fear behaviour: Role of infralimbic cortex 5-HT2a and 5-HT1a receptors.” by Isabel Werle, et al. 2024.  “The Therapeutic Potentials of Ayahuasca: Possible Effects against Various Diseases of Civilization.” by Ede Frecska, et al. 2016.    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.

Medieval Dancing Plagues, Altruistic Indulgence, and Types of Human Species

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