Episodes
Today, you’ll learn about the link between body temperature and depression, how taking the the Polar Bear Plunge could soothe symptoms of menopause, and a new sticker that can detect organ failure.
Depression Temp
“Are Body Temperature and Depression Linked? Science Says, Yes.” by Jess Berthold. 2024. “Surprising Link Discovered Between Body Temperature and Depression.” by Jess Berthold. 2024.
Cold Water Menopause
“Cold water swimming improves menopause symptoms.” EurekAlert!...
Published 03/15/24
Today, you’ll learn about a new blood test that can detect signs of psychosis and guide precision treatment, a gene mutation that happened in two different high altitude populations thousands of years apart, and new findings of the mental impacts of polycystic ovary syndrome.
Psychosis Blood Test
“Blood test predicts psychosis risk, most effective treatments.” UI School of Medicine. 2024. “The Link Between Schizophrenia and Substance Use Disorder: A Unifying Hypothesis.” by Jibran Y....
Published 03/14/24
Today, you’ll learn about a new rapid test for detecting fentanyl, a hyper-sensitive new lead detector, and the mathematical proof that Bach… was a great composer.
Fentanyl Rapid Test
“Researchers Develop Rapid Test for Detecting Fentanyl.” by Kim Horner. 2024. “Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic.” Claire Klobucista & Mariel Ferragamo. 2023. “Naloxone-AuNPs@ZIF-8-Based Impedimetric Sensor Platform for Ultrasensitive Detection of Fentanyl and Fabrication of Fen-Track...
Published 03/13/24
Today, you’ll learn about how a population of female chimps have surprisingly been found to go through menopause and live well beyond their reproductive years, an ancient tsunami and its devastating impact on stone age populations, and the dire effects of sexism in science.
Chimp Menopause
“Surprisingly long-lived wild female chimps go through menopause.” by Bruce Bower. 2023. “Wild Chimps Shown to Undergo Menopause for the First Time.” by Joanna Thompson. 2023. “Evolutionarily,...
Published 03/08/24
Today, you’ll learn about a potential breakthrough in the treatment of ovarian cancer, how just passively listening can help you learn things much more quickly, and the ant that changed the lion’s cuisine.
Ovarian Cancer Treatment
“mRNA therapeutic successfully combats ovarian cancer in mice.” by Monika Raab, et al. 2023. “Key Statistics for Ovarian Cancer.” by American Cancer Society. 2024. “The Long History of mRNA Vaccines.” by Chris Beyrer. 2021.
Passive Learning
“Passive...
Published 03/07/24
Today, you’ll learn about how we experience colors differently as we age, a discovery from the time of the very first continents on Earth, and the impact of mobile phones on infant health - it’s not what you might expect.
Aging & Colors
“Colours fade as people age.” UCL. 2024. “Pupil responses to colorfulness are selectively reduced in healthy older adults.” By Janneke E. P. van Leeuwen, et al. 2023.
First Continents
“Researchers uncover source rocks of the first real...
Published 03/06/24
Today, you’ll learn about the possible dangers of growing leafy greens in microgravity, a study that let AI tag along with a toddler to learn language the human way, and research on stabilizing elephant populations on the African savannah.
Microgravity Gardening
“Simulated microgravity facilitates stomatal ingression by Salmonella in lettuce and suppresses a biocontrol agent.” by Noah Totsline, et al. 2024. “The Future.” NASA. N.D. “What will astronauts eat during long missions in...
Published 03/01/24
Today, you’ll learn about the reason and the history of leap year, how scientists could tailor microgreens to your own personal dietary needs, and a lesson in getting teens to listen to your advice.
Leap Year
“Why do we have leap years? And how did they come about?” by Harry Baker. 2024. “Which years are leap years?” Royal Museums Greenwich. N.d.
Tailored Microgreens
“Microgreens made to order: Italian scientists have tailored iodine and potassium content of radishes, peas,...
Published 02/29/24
Today, you’ll learn about how feeling the effects of racism might actually change the victim’s brain chemistry, how scientists have successfully completed the first embryo transfer in an endangered rhino, and how handwriting increases brain connectivity.
Racism & The Brain
“Experiencing racism may physically change your brain.” by Jon Hamilton, Rachel Carlson, & Rebecca Ramirez. 2024. “Association of Racial Discrimination With Neural Response to Threat in Black Women in the US...
Published 02/28/24
Today, you’ll learn about a bacteria that turns plastic into spider webs, a massive deep-sea discovery right in our own backyard, and how CRISPR could reshape agriculture for an entire continent.
Silk-Making Bacteria
“Researchers Engineer Bacteria That Eat Plastic, Make Multipurpose Spider Silk.” Technology Networks. 2024. “Two-step conversion of polyethylene into recombinant proteins using a microbial platform.” by Alexander Connor, et al. 2023. “Our planet is choking on plastic.”...
Published 02/23/24
Today, you’ll learn about a new discovery that turns our understanding of hunter-gatherer diets on its head, the effect of self-checkout on our sense of loyalty to grocery stores, and some good news about the majestic emperor penguin.
Hunter-Gatherer Diets
“Hunter-gatherers were mostly gatherers, says archaeologist.” by Hannah Devlin. 2024. “Paleo diet: What is it and why is it so popular?” by Mayo Clinic Staff. 2022. “What Paleo diets get wrong: We’re not evolved for meat, and our...
Published 02/22/24
Today, you’ll learn about the fastest mini robots ever created, how Bigfoot sightings may help scientists study bear populations, and the link between financial stress and poor health.
Insect Robots
Mini-robots modeled on insects may be smallest, lightest, fastest ever developed.” Washington State University. 2024. “A New 1-mg Fast Unimorph SMA-Based Actuator for Microrobotics.” by Conor K. Trygstad, et al. 2023.
Bigfoot & Bears
“Bigfoot: If it’s there, could it be a bear?”...
Published 02/21/24
Today, you’ll learn about a new test that can show how well each of your organs are aging, some interesting links between comfort food and stress, and a surprising finding about certain snails.
Organ Age
“Are your organs ageing well? The blood holds clues.” by Max Kozlov. 2023. “Blood test shows if organs are ageing fast or slowly.” by Michelle Roberts. 2023.
Comfort Food
“Comfort eating can impair body’s recovery from stress, study shows..” by Rachel Hall. 2023. “Stress and...
Published 02/16/24
Today, you’ll learn about ants that play doctor to their fellow ants after going into battle, a possible game-changing way to sequester carbon at the bottom of the ocean, and the changes that can happen in the female mind during menstruation.
Ant Doctors
“Ants Recognize Infected Wounds and Treat Them.” Universitat Wurzburg. 2024. “Innovative drugs, chemicals, and enzymes within the animal production chain.” by Yousef I. Hassan, et al. 2018. “Targeted treatment of injured nestmates...
Published 02/15/24
Today, you’ll learn about a breakthrough in our understanding of how the brain creates long-term memories, the effect of chronic childhood ear infections on the development of language, and how salt may have helped shape the planet Mercury.
Long-Term Memories
“Neurons aren’t the only cells that make memories in the brain, rodent study reveals.” by Emily Cooke. 2023. “Brain Microvascular Pericytes in Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia.” by Maiko T. Uemura, et al. 2020. “All...
Published 02/14/24
Today, you’ll learn about a new polymer that could battle antibiotic resistant infections, a possible new way to detect life on other planets from afar, and what to expect when you’re expecting to adopt a furry friend,
Powerful Polymer
“Texas A&M Team Develops Polymers That Can Kill Bacteria.” by Shana K. Hutchins. 2023. “The global threat of antibiotic resistance.” ReAct. N.d. “Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of N-methylpyridinium-fused norbornenes to access antibacterial...
Published 02/09/24
Today, you’ll learn about how hearing aids may help you live longer, a potential breakthrough that could help usher in the age of quantum computing, and the incredible power of simply saying, “Hi”.
Hearing Aids
“Hearing aids may help people live longer.” EurekAlert! 2024. “Association between hearing aid use and mortality in adults with hearing loss in the USA: a mortality follow-up study of a cross-sectional cohort.” by Janet S. Choi, M.D. et al. 2024. “The Impact of Hearing Loss...
Published 02/08/24
Today, you’ll learn about communicating with sleepers, a possible new miracle cure for skin injuries called super melanin, and the secret social lives of garter snakes.
Dreamtalk
“The study of dreams: Scientists uncover new communication channels with dreamers.” by Basak Turker & Delphine Oudiette. 2024. “Behavioral and brain responses to verbal stimuli reveal transient periods of cognitive integration of the external world during sleep.” by Basak Turker, et al. 2023. “Lucid...
Published 02/07/24
Today, you’ll learn about a bacterial discovery that challenges our understanding of how and when life formed on Earth, the importance difference between self control and willpower, and the truth about whether or not your dog really loves you.
Origin of Life
“Scientists Just Made a 1.75 Billion-Year-Old Discovery About the Origin of Life.” by Mirjam Guesgen. 2024. “The Great Oxygenation Event as a consequence of ecological dynamics modulated by planetary change.” by Jason Olejarz, et...
Published 02/02/24
Today, you’ll learn about a supervitamin you might already be taking some good news about the health of the world’s forests, and a new study that mapped ketamine’s effects on the brain.
B12
“Vitamin B12 emerges as key player during cellular reprogramming.” by Alba Vilchez-Acosta. 2023. “Vitamin B12: A key player in cellular reprogramming and tissue regeneration.” ScienceDaily. 2023.
Healthy Forests
“Twenty-year study confirms California forests are healthier when burned - or...
Published 02/01/24
Today, you’ll learn about how your ears are eavesdropping on your eyes, a bold new study on the anti-inflammatory effects of psychedelics, and an astonishing new discovery linking hoarding disorder with ADHD.
Ears & Eyes
“Your Eyes Talk to Your Ears. Scientists Know What They’re Saying.” by Dan Vahaba. 2023. “Research Discovery: Astonishing Connection Between Vision and Hearing.” by Doug Garfield. 2023. “Parametric information about eye movements is sent to the ears.” by...
Published 01/31/24
Today, you’ll learn about a new ink that can 3D print inside your body using soundwaves, why saying no to invitations isn’t as bad as you might think, and some new drugs that could potentially make your dog live longer.
3D Ink
“Soundwaves Harden 3D-Printed Treatments in Deep Tissues.” by Michaela Martinez. 2023. “Dental curing light.” Wikipedia. “Self-enhancing sono-inks enable deep-penetration acoustic volumetric printing.” by Xiao Kuang, et al. 2023.
RSVP No
“Just say no to...
Published 01/26/24
Today, you’ll learn about why you may want to consider letting yourself daydream, how a sense of humor might protect you from depression and anxiety, and the effects of caffeine on the performance of soccer players.
Daydream Brain
“What Happens in the Brain While Daydreaming?” by Catherine Caruso. 2023. “Is the role of sleep in memory consolidation overrated?” by Mohammad Dastgheib, et al. 2022. “Cortical reactivations predict future sensory responses.” by Nghia D. Nguyen, et al....
Published 01/25/24
Today, you’ll learn about the 139 genes that set the human mind apart from our primate cousins, a new gel that could change the game for those suffering from dry mouth, and why psychopaths could be immune from the contagious yawn.
Human Genes
“139 Genes Set Human Cognitive Ability Apart From Other Primates.” by Sarah Whelan, PhD. 2023. “Comparative single-cell transcriptomic analysis of primate brains highlights human-specific regulatory evolution.” by Hamsini Suresh, et al....
Published 01/24/24