Curiosity Weekly

Learn about how clocks and lightbulbs changed human health, with author and materials scientist Ainissa Ramirez. Plus: learn about that time a bunch of birds became milk bottle thieves and whether you should put one or two spaces after a period.The time a bunch of birds became milk bottle thieves by Cameron DukeAplin, L. M., Farine, D. R., Morand-Ferron, J., Cockburn, A., Thornton, A., & Sheldon, B. C. (2014). Experimentally induced innovations lead to persistent culture via conformity in wild birds. Nature, 518(7540), 538–541. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13998Aplin, L. M., Sheldon, B. C., & Morand-Ferron, J. (2013). Milk bottles revisited: social learning and individual variation in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus. Animal Behaviour, 85(6), 1225–1232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.03.009Boogert, N. (2014, December 4). Milk bottle-raiding birds pass on thieving ways to their flock. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/milk-bottle-raiding-birds-pass-on-thieving-ways-to-their-flock-34784Should You Put One or Two Spaces After a Period? by Cody GoughHamblin, J. (2018, May 11). The Atlantic. The Atlantic; theatlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/05/two-spaces-after-a-period/559304/Johnson, R. L., Bui, B., & Schmitt, L. L. (2018). Are two spaces better than one? The effect of spacing following periods and commas during reading. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 80(6), 1504–1511. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-018-1527-6Douglas, N. (2018, May). No, You Still Shouldn’t Put Two Spaces After a Period. Lifehacker; Lifehacker. https://lifehacker.com/no-you-still-shouldnt-put-two-spaces-after-a-period-1825662114More from Ainissa Ramirez:Pick up "The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MyB4l8Ainissa's website: https://www.ainissaramirez.com/Ainissa Ramirez on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ainissaramirezSubscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/what-science-says-about-putting-2-spaces-after-a-period Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about how sleep may have evolved before the brain; why airports keep birds of prey on staff; and what would happen if you stopped time.Sleep might have evolved before the brain by Cameron DukeKanaya, H. J., Park, S., Kim, J., Kusumi, J., Krenenou, S., Sawatari, E., Sato, A., Lee, J., Bang, H., Kobayakawa, Y., Lim, C., & Itoh, T. Q. (2020). A sleep-like state in Hydra unravels conserved sleep mechanisms during the evolutionary development of the central nervous system. Science Advances, 6(41), eabb9415. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abb9415Pappas, S. (2017, July 18). Why Do We Sleep? Livescience.com; Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/32469-why-do-we-sleep.htmlstaff, S. X. (2021, January 8). Which came first, sleep or the brain? Medicalxpress.com; Medical Xpress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-01-brain-1.htmlAirports Keep Birds of Prey on Staff to Protect Planes by Ashley HamerFAA Wildlife Strike Database. (2021). Faa.gov. https://wildlife.faa.gov/homeFrequently Asked Questions and Answers. (2020, August 28). Faa.gov. https://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/wildlife/faq/Bliss, L. (2016, May 26). Meet the Falcons Keeping North American Runways Safe. Bloomberg.com; Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-26/great-big-story-video-shows-how-falcons-work-as-airplane-bird-strike-mitigationHaje Jan Kamps. (2017, January 7). This flappy bird-drone keeps airports safe. TechCrunch; TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/07/is-it-a-bird-is-it-a-plane-well-it-is-a-drone-actually/What Would Happen If You Stopped Time? by Ashley Hamer originally aired September 7, 2018 https://omny.fm/shows/curiosity-daily/what-would-happen-if-you-stopped-time-secret-roomSubscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/what-would-happen-if-you-stopped-time Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about what's going on with the new COVID-19 variants — and whether you should worry about them — with Dr. Syra Madad, nationally recognized epidemiologist and the senior director of the pathogens program at NYC Health and Hospitals. Then, learn about a new theory on how our planets formed.Additional resources from Dr. Syra Madad and #ConqueringCOVID:Official website https://scty.org/syraFollow @SyraMadad on Twitter https://twitter.com/syramadadThe Vaccine: Conquering COVID https://press.discovery.com/us/sci/programs/vaccine-conquering-covid/Start your 7-day free trial of discovery+ https://discoveryplus.com/curiosityNew theory on how our planets formed by Grant CurrinHow our planets were formed. (2021). Ethz.ch. https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/01/how-our-planets-were-formed.htmlLichtenberg, T., Dra̧żkowskaJ., Schönbächler, M., Golabek, G. J., & Hands, T. O. (2021). Bifurcation of planetary building blocks during Solar System formation. Science, 371(6527), 365–370. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abb3091Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/when-to-worry-about-covid-19-variants Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What gets you curious? Virtual experiences, celestial bodies, water worlds or maybe just the tiniest mysteries inside your brain? The endlessly curious and curiously funny, Gillian Jacobs (Community, Netflix's LOVE) and Diona Reasonover (NCIS), step off set to go on tangents with real-life astronauts, astrophysicists, science artists, mathematician-types and other really smart people that investigate what seems impossible. If/Then is OUT NOW. Subscribe in Stitcher, Pandora, the SiriusXM app or wherever you find podcasts. Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/introducing-if-then Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about why popular opinion might not be as popular as you thought; a new analysis that’s debunked the blood type diet; and a pool of water in Kidd Creek Mine in Timmins, Ontario, Canada, that’s 2 billion years old.One person repeating an opinion makes people think it's a popular opinion by Kelsey DonkPeople Often Think An Opinion Heard Repeatedly From The Same Person Is Actually A Popular Opinion. (2020). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070520183447.htmWeaver, K., Garcia, S. M., Schwarz, N., & Miller, D. T. (2007). Inferring the popularity of an opinion from its familiarity: A repetitive voice can sound like a chorus. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(5), 821–833. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.5.821A new analysis has debunked the blood type diet by Grant CurrinNew study debunks blood type diet. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-12/pcfr-nsd120420.phpKahleova, H., Petersen, K. F., Shulman, G. I., Alwarith, J., Rembert, E., Tura, A., Hill, M., Holubkov, R., & Barnard, N. D. (2020). Effect of a Low-Fat Vegan Diet on Body Weight, Insulin Sensitivity, Postprandial Metabolism, and Intramyocellular and Hepatocellular Lipid Levels in Overweight Adults. JAMA Network Open, 3(11), e2025454. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.25454Barnard, N. D., Rembert, E., Freeman, A., Bradshaw, M., Holubkov, R., & Kahleova, H. (2020). Blood Type Is Not Associated with Changes in Cardiometabolic Outcomes in Response to a Plant-Based Dietary Intervention. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2020.08.079Shmerling, R. H. (2017, May 12). Diet not working? Maybe it’s not your type - Harvard Health Blog. Harvard Health Blog. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/diet-not-working-maybe-its-not-your-type-2017051211678The World's Oldest Known Pool of Water Is a Staggering 2 Billion Years Old by Joanie FalettoKidd Creek Mine | AMNH. (2021). American Museum of Natural History. https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/planet-earth/why-is-the-earth-habitable/where-do-the-earth-s-riches-come-from/kidd-creek-mineGilllis, L. (2019, June 17). Is there new life for Kidd Mine? Northern Ontario Business; Northern Ontario Business. https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/regional-news/timmins/is-there-new-life-for-kidd-mine-1510179McGill University. (2016, November 3). Channels. https://www.mcgill.ca/channels/news/it%E2%80%99s-whats-underneath-counts-263769Holland, G., Lollar, B. S., Li, L., Lacrampe-Couloume, G., Slater, G. F., & Ballentine, C. J. (2013). Deep fracture fluids isolated in the crust since the Precambrian era. Nature, 497(7449), 357–360. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12127Li, L., Wing, B. A., Bui, T. H., McDermott, J. M., Slater, G. F., Wei, S., Lacrampe-Couloume, G., & Lollar, B. S. (2016). Sulfur mass-independent fractionation in subsurface fracture waters indicates a long-standing sulfur cycle in Precambrian rocks. Nature Communications, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13252Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/popular-opinion-isnt-what-you-think Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about how Arnold’s ear-cough reflex can make you cough when you clean your ears; why it’s important to teach your kids about giving when they’re learning about money; and a hidden letter in the alphabet that you already sing.Why do I cough when I clean my ears? by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Rachita)Pearce, JMS. (2020, February 19). Arnold’s Nerve - ACNR | Paper & Online Neurology Journal. ACNR | Paper & Online Neurology Journal. https://www.acnr.co.uk/2020/02/arnolds-nerve/Gupta, D., Verma, S., & Vishwakarma, S. (1986). Anatomic basis of Arnold’s ear-cough reflex. Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 8(4), 217–220. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02425070Chartrand, M.S. (2005, May 30). Identifying Neuro-reflexes of the External Ear Canal Max Stanley Chartrand. AudiologyOnline. https://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/identifying-neuro-reflexes-external-ear-1030Ryan, N. M., Gibson, P. G., & Birring, S. S. (2014). Arnold’s nerve cough reflex: evidence for chronic cough as a sensory vagal neuropathy. Journal of Thoracic Disease, 6(Suppl 7), S748-52. https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2014.04.22Why You Shouldn’t Use Cotton Swabs to Clean Your Ears. (2017, July 27). It’s a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing. https://www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov/have-you-heard/cotton-swabs-earsTeaching Kids about Money? Don't Forget Giving by Sonja HodgenAlexis Blue-U. Arizona. (2019, May 30). Teaching kids about money? Don’t forget giving - Futurity. Futurity. https://www.futurity.org/charity-giving-children-families-2074982/LeBaron, A. B. (2019). The Socialization of Financial Giving: A Multigenerational Exploration. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 40(4), 633–646. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-019-09629-zThere's a hidden letter in the alphabet song, and you already sing it by Cameron DukeEditors of Merriam-Webster. (2018, September 25). How the “&” Came by its Name. Merriam-Webster.com; Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-history-of-ampersandJonny Gibson. (2017, October 15). The History of the Ampersand - Black Lion Banner - Medium. Medium; Black Lion Banner. https://medium.com/black-lion-banner/the-history-of-the-ampersand-c81839171940The schoolmaster. (n.d.). Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved January 14, 2021, from https://www.loc.gov/resource/sm1834.360770.0/?sp=1What Character Was Removed From The Alphabet? (2020, September 7). Dictionary.com; Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/e/ampersand/Who Wrote The Alphabet Song? (2018, October 2). Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/e/abcsong/Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/why-do-i-cough-when-i-clean-my-ears Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Award-winning scientist and science communicator Ainissa Ramirez explains how copper changed our language. Then, learn about the surprising health benefits of brown fat.Additional resources from Ainissa Ramirez:Pick up "The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MyB4l8Ainissa's website: https://www.ainissaramirez.com/Ainissa Ramirez on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ainissaramirezLargest study of brown fat ever shows just how healthy it is by Grant CurrinStudy of 50,000 people finds brown fat may protect against numerous chronic diseases. (2021). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/ru-so5010421.phpBecher, T., Palanisamy, S., Kramer, D. J., Eljalby, M., Marx, S. J., Wibmer, A. G., Butler, S. D., Jiang, C. S., Vaughan, R., Schöder, H., Mark, A., & Cohen, P. (2021). Brown adipose tissue is associated with cardiometabolic health. Nature Medicine, 27(1), 58–65. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-1126-7Peres Valgas da Silva, C., Hernández-Saavedra, D., White, J., & Stanford, K. (2019). Cold and Exercise: Therapeutic Tools to Activate Brown Adipose Tissue and Combat Obesity. Biology, 8(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology8010009Cool Temperature Alters Human Fat and Metabolism. (2015, May 14). National Institutes of Health (NIH). https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/cool-temperature-alters-human-fat-metabolismVelickovic, K., Wayne, D., Leija, H. A. L., Bloor, I., Morris, D. E., Law, J., Budge, H., Sacks, H., Symonds, M. E., & Sottile, V. (2019). Caffeine exposure induces browning features in adipose tissue in vitro and in vivo. Scientific Reports, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-45540-1Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/how-copper-changed-our-language-w-materials-scientist-ainissa-ramirez Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about why just because you want something doesn’t mean you like it; why Esperanto is the world’s most successful universal language; and a gene therapy injection in one eye that improved vision in both.Just because you want something doesn't mean you like it — and that has implications for addiction by Kelsey DonkEdmonds, D. (2020, December 12). The science of addiction: Do you always like the things you want? BBC News.. https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-55221825Berridge, K. C., & Robinson, T. E. (2016). Liking, wanting, and the incentive-sensitization theory of addiction. American Psychologist, 71(8), 670–679. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000059Esperanto Is the World's Universal Language by Reuben WestmaasSome Basic Information about Esperanto -- the International Language. (2021). Esperanto.org. http://esperanto.org/us/USEJ/world/index.htmlBerlin, R. L. G. (2013, September 26). Johnson: Simple, logical and doomed. The Economist; The Economist. https://www.economist.com/prospero/2013/09/26/johnson-simple-logical-and-doomedL.L. Zamenhof | Polish linguist and physician | Britannica. (2021). In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/L-L-ZamenhofGene therapy injection in one eye surprises scientists by improving vision in both by Cameron DukeAlmeroth-Williams, T. (2020, December 10). Gene therapy injection in one eye surprises scientists by improving vision in both. University of Cambridge. https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/gene-therapy-injection-in-one-eye-surprises-scientists-by-improving-vision-in-bothYu-Wai-Man, P., Newman, N. J., Carelli, V., Moster, M. L., Biousse, V., Sadun, A. A., Klopstock, T., Vignal-Clermont, C., Sergott, R. C., Rudolph, G., Morgia, C. L., Karanjia, R., Taiel, M., Blouin, L., Burguière, P., Smits, G., Chevalier, C., Masonson, H., Salermo, Y., … Sahel, J.-A. (2020). Bilateral visual improvement with unilateral gene therapy injection for Leber hereditary optic neuropathy. Science Translational Medicine, 12(573). https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.aaz7423Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/wanting-and-liking-are-different-to-your-brain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about how hoarders’ brains see their belongings; why dolphins consciously lower their heart rates; and what scientists think happened before the big bang.How Hoarders' Brains See Their Belongings by Ashley HamerTolin, D. F., Stevens, M. C., Villavicencio, A. L., Norberg, M. M., Calhoun, V. D., Frost, R. O., Steketee, G., Rauch, S. L., & Pearlson, G. D. (2012). Neural Mechanisms of Decision Making in Hoarding Disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 69(8), 832. https://doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.1980Szalavitz, M., & Time.com. (2012, August 7). Inside the hoarder’s brain: A unique problem with decision-making. CNN Digital; CNN Health. https://www.cnn.com/2012/08/07/health/inside-hoarders-brain/index.htmlDSM-V: Hoarding New Mental-Disorder Diagnoses. (2013, May 3). Promises Behavioral Health. https://www.promisesbehavioralhealth.com/addiction-recovery-blog/dsm-v-hoarding-new-mental-disorder-diagnoses/Dolphins consciously decrease their heart rates before diving by Grant CurrinHow dolphins avoid “the bends”. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-11/f-hda111720.phpFahlman, A., Cozzi, B., Manley, M., Jabas, S., Malik, M., Blawas, A., & Janik, V. M. (2020). Conditioned Variation in Heart Rate During Static Breath-Holds in the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Frontiers in Physiology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2020.604018Fox, A. (2020, December). Dolphins May Be Able to Control Their Heart Rates. Smithsonian Magazine; Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dolphins-may-be-able-control-their-heart-rate-180976422/What Came Before the Big Bang? originally aired September 3, 2018: https://omny.fm/shows/curiosity-daily/what-came-before-the-big-bang-diner-designs-and-thPowers of Ten (1977): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/what-came-before-the-big-bang Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about the “smellicopter,” a drone that can smell via a live moth antenna; why the “Dark Ages” weren’t as dark as you might think; and how simple word swaps can secretly trick your brain.Introducing Smellicopter: a drone that uses a live moth antenna to smell things by Grant CurrinSmellicopter: an obstacle-avoiding drone that uses a live moth antenna to seek out smells. (2020). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-12/uow-sao120720.phpAnderson, M. J., Sullivan, J. G., Horiuchi, T. K., Fuller, S. B., & Daniel, T. L. (2020). A bio-hybrid odor-guided autonomous palm-sized air vehicle. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 16(2), 026002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-3190/abbd81The Dark Ages weren't all that "dark" by Steffie DruckerForget about the “Dark Ages.” (2009, October). Dailywritingtips.com. https://www.dailywritingtips.com/forget-about-the-%E2%80%9Cdark-ages%E2%80%9D/Pruitt, S. (2016, May 31). 6 Reasons the Dark Ages Weren’t So Dark. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/news/6-reasons-the-dark-ages-werent-so-darkHistoryExtra. (2020, December 10). How dark were the Dark Ages? HistoryExtra; HistoryExtra. https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/dark-ages-term-what-when-how-obscure/The Framing Effect Shows How Simple Word Swaps Can Secretly Trick Your Brain by Ashley HamerDe Martino, B. (2006). Frames, Biases, and Rational Decision-Making in the Human Brain. Science, 313(5787), 684–687. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1128356Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1981). The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice. Science, 211(4481), 453–458. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7455683Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/the-dark-ages-werent-really-dark Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.